Pemetrexed: A Review of its Use in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma and Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Authors: Dean M. Robinson; Gillian M. Keating; Antona J. Wagstaff

Source: American Journal of Cancer, Volume 3, Number 6, 2004 , pp. 387-399(13)

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Abstract:

Pemetrexed is a multi-targeted antifolate that inhibits DNA and RNA synthesis. It is approved in the US and Europe for use with cisplatin in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in patients who are not candidates for surgery. It is also approved in Europe, and has received accelerated approval from the US FDA, for the second-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC.

Pemetrexed has shown clinical activity against MPM and NSCLC, and has favorable tolerability when patients are supplemented with folic acid and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B₁₂). In patients with refractory or recurrent NSCLC, it has similar activity to docetaxel, with better tolerability and lower treatment costs. In the treatment of unresectable MPM, pemetrexed plus cisplatin has superior efficacy to single-agent cisplatin and is the only chemotherapeutic regimen to significantly prolong survival.

Keywords: Adis Drug Evaluations; Pemetrexed, general; Research and development; Mesothelioma, treatment; Non small cell lung cancer, treatment

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Adis International Inc., Yardley, Pennsylvania, USA

Publication date: 2004-01-01