vatalanib + capecitabine

Vatalanib + capecitabine is a combination regimen of two orally administered small molecules: vatalanib and capecitabine. Vatalanib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) as well as platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFR) and inhibits tumor angiogenesis. Capecitabine is a prodrug of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), an antimetabolite that inhibits thymidylate synthase and disrupts DNA synthesis. The combination has been studied as antineoplastic therapy, particularly in metastatic colorectal cancer and metastatic pancreatic cancer. Vatalanib is primarily under development by Novartis/Schering and acts by blocking tumor angiogenesis, while capecitabine (originally by Roche) is extensively used in combination regimens for solid tumors. Studies including the CONFIRM trials have assessed the combination in metastatic colorectal cancer, showing increased progression-free survival in certain biomarker-defined subgroups[4].