irinotecan + topotecan

Irinotecan + topotecan is a combination of two small molecule chemotherapeutic agents from the camptothecin class. Both drugs act as inhibitors of DNA topoisomerase I, an enzyme essential for DNA replication and RNA transcription. By stabilizing the complex between DNA and topoisomerase I during the S-phase of the cell cycle, they prevent religation of single-strand breaks in DNA. This leads to double-strand breaks upon collision with replication forks and ultimately results in cell death. Irinotecan is primarily used for metastatic colorectal cancer and pancreatic adenocarcinoma; its active metabolite SN-38 is a potent inhibitor of topoisomerase I[4][6]. Topotecan is approved mainly for ovarian cancer and small cell lung cancer (SCLC)[1][2][5]. The rationale for combining these agents lies in their shared mechanism but potentially non-overlapping resistance profiles or toxicity patterns.

Brand names

Onivyde Pegylated Liposomal

Other names

camptothecin derivatives combination