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Angiogenesis as a therapeutic target

Nature volume 438, pages 967–974 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Inhibiting angiogenesis is a promising strategy for treatment of cancer and several other disorders, including age-related macular degeneration. Major progress towards a treatment has been achieved over the past few years, and the first antiangiogenic agents have been recently approved for use in several countries. Therapeutic angiogenesis (promoting new vessel growth to treat ischaemic disorders) is an exciting frontier of cardiovascular medicine, but further understanding of the mechanisms of vascular morphogenesis is needed first.

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Figure 1: A few of the molecular and cellular players in the tumour/microvascular microenvironment.
Figure 2: Chemotherapy targets.
Figure 3: Various strategies to inhibit VEGF signalling.
Figure 4: Computed tomography chest scans.

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Acknowledgements

R.S.K. was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the National Institute of Health.

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  1. Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, 94080, California, USA

    Napoleone Ferrara

  2. Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre and the University of Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada

    Robert S. Kerbel

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Correspondence to Napoleone Ferrara.

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Competing interests

The authors declare competing financial interests: Dr Kerbel has received ad hoc consulting fees from Genentech, Novartis, Amgen and Centocor. He is a paid consultant for Inclone Systems and receives research funds from Inclone Systems. Dr Kerbel is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Oxigene Inc., Compound Therapeutics and Attenuon, and receives consultant fees as well as stock options. All of the aforementioned companies are involved in the late-stage anti-angiogenic drug development.

Editor’s note: The Dr Ferrara has declared interests in Genentech, who have co-sponsored this Nature Insight. However, all the editorial content was commissioned entirely independently of this partnership.

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Ferrara, N., Kerbel, R. Angiogenesis as a therapeutic target. Nature 438, 967–974 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04483

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