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The safety profile of Avastin is well established

molecular mechanisms in toxicity

Possible molecular mechanisms in the toxicity of VEGF inhibition7

Adapted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd: Nat Rev Cancer 7(6):475–85, copyright 2007.
 
  • Over 500,000 patients have been treated with Avastin worldwide, across a range of different tumour types
    • this includes the large, community-based studies BEAT, BRiTE, SAiL and ATHENA, in which investigation of Avastin's safety profile was the primary objective.1–4
 
  • The toxicity profile of Avastin has therefore been extremely well characterised.
 
  • AEs of special interest for Avastin include5
    • bleeding
    • wound-healing delay
    • hypertension
    • proteinuria
    • thromboembolic events
    • fistulae and GI perforations.
 
  • Investigation of the underlying molecular mechanisms behind these toxicities has revealed their direct relationship to inhibition of VEGF by Avastin.6,7
 
  • In general, the AEs attributed to Avastin either occur infrequently or are mild to moderate in severity and clinically manageable.5,8