Current Nanotechnology Treatments
The use of nanotechnology for diagnosis and treatment of cancer is largely still in the development phase. However, there are already several nanocarrier-based drugs on the market and many more nano-based therapeutics in clinical trials. The application of nanotechnology to medicine includes the use of precisely engineered materials to develop novel therapies and devices that may reduce toxicity as well as enhance the efficacy and delivery of treatments. As a result, the application of nanotechnology to cancer can lead to many advances in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer. The first nanotechnology-based cancer drugs have passed regulatory scrutiny and are already on the market including Doxil® and Abraxane®.
In recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved numerous Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for nano-formulations, enabling clinical trials for breast, gynecological, solid tumor, lung, mesenchymal tissue, lymphoma, central nervous system and genito-urinary cancer treatments. The majority of these trials repurpose the previously approved technologies described above.
The NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology funds development of new technologies to bring the next generation of cancer treatments and diagnostics to the clinic.
Approved Cancer Drug Therapies Based on Nanotechnology
| Approval Date | Product | Company | Nanoparticle material | Drug | Indication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 (EU) |
Hensify (NBTXR3) |
Nanobiotix |
Hafnium oxide nanoparticle |
|
Locally-advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) |
| 2017 |
Vyxeos |
Celator/Jazz Pharma |
Liposome |
Acute myeloid leukemia |
|
| 2015 |
Onivyde |
Merrimack Pharma |
Liposome |
Pancreatic cancer |
|
| 2012 |
Marqibo |
Talon |
Liposome |
Acute lymphoid leukemia |
|
| 2010 (EU) |
NanoTherm |
Magforce Nanotechnologies |
Iron oxide nanoparticle |
|
Glioblastoma |
| 2009 (EU) |
Mepact |
Takeda |
Liposome |
Mifamurtide MTP-PE |
Osteosarcoma |
| 2007 (South Korea) |
Genexol-PM |
Samyang/Biopharm |
PEG-PLA polymeric micelle |
Breast cancer, Lung cancer, Ovarian cancer |
|
| 2006 |
Oncaspar |
Enzon-Sigma-tau |
Polymer protein conjugate |
Leukemia |
|
| 2005 |
Abraxane |
Abraxis/Celgene |
Nanoparticle-bound albumin |
Breast cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Non-small-cell lung cancer |
|
| 2000 (EU) |
Myocet |
Cephalon |
Liposome |
Breast Cancer |
|
| 1999 |
DepoCyt |
Pacira |
Liposome |
Neoplastic meningitis |
|
| 1998 (Taiwan) |
Lipo-Dox |
Taiwan Liposome |
Liposome |
Kaposi’s sarcoma, Breast cancer, Ovarian cancer |
|
| 1996 |
DaunoXome |
Galen | Liposome |
Kaposi’s sarcoma |
|
|
1995 1999 2003 2007 (Europe, Canada) |
Doxil |
Johnson and Johnson |
Liposome |
Kaposi’s sarcoma, Ovarian cancer, Breast cancer, Multiple myeloma |
Adapted from Wicki A, Witzigmann D, Balasubramanian V, Huwyler J. Nanomedicine in cancer therapy: challenges, opportunities, and clinical applications. J Control Release (2015) 200: pp. 138-57.
Nanotechnology in Clinical Trials
Promising new Alliance-developed diagnostics and therapies are in clinical trials. Learn more about these nanotechnology-based advances.