Research VEGF
Genentech Biooncology
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Directly targeting the VEGF ligand

Strategies for inhibiting the VEGF pathway1,4

VEGF expression in Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
  1. Some anti-VEGF strategies specifically target the ligand, allowing for controlled inhibition of the VEGF pathway
  2. Other strategies target the receptor. Some of these approaches (eg, TKIs) have a wider range of inhibitory effects and may also disrupt other non–VEGF-mediated pathways

While VEGF is the predominant mediator of angiogenesis, there are different strategies for inhibiting its pathway. The two primary strategies include inhibiting either the VEGF ligand (eg, ligand antibodies or soluble receptors) or the VEGF receptor (eg, tyrosine kinase inhibitors [TKIs] or receptor antibodies).1 Anti-VEGF strategies that specifically target the ligand, such as VEGF antibodies, inhibit only the VEGF pathway, and therefore may inhibit angiogenesis without disrupting other "off target" pathways.2-4 Anti-VEGF strategies that target the receptor, such as TKIs, have a wider range of inhibitory effects and may disrupt other secondary pathways that are also mediated through receptor kinases.2-6

In addition, directly targeting the VEGF ligand has been shown to result in important antivascular effects that may be sustainable. In both preclinical and clinical models, an anti-VEGF antibody significantly reduced microvascular density, intratumoral pressure, and neovascularization.7-10 These effects have been observed to occur rapidly (in some cases, after a single infusion). However, it should also be noted that monoclonal antibodies allow for a favorable pharmacokinetic profile with a relatively long half-life.4,7

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Effects of direct VEGF inhibition

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