orotecan

Orotecan (VAL-413) is a novel, flavored oral formulation of irinotecan hydrochloride developed to improve the palatability and tolerability of oral irinotecan therapy, particularly for pediatric patients. Irinotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that interferes with DNA replication in cancer cells, leading to cell death. The standard intravenous form of irinotecan is approved for colorectal cancer and used off-label in various adult and pediatric solid tumors. However, its poor taste when administered orally has limited compliance in children. Orotecan addresses this by providing a more palatable option that can be taken at home, potentially improving quality of life and adherence while reducing healthcare costs associated with hospital-based infusions. Clinical trials are evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of Orotecan (VAL-413) given with temozolomide for recurrent pediatric solid tumors such as neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, hepatoblastoma, medulloblastoma, among others[1][2][3][4][5][6][8].

Brand names

Orotecan

Other names

VAL-413VAL413VAL 413oral irinotecan hydrochloride formulation