Last reviewed · How we verify
Docetaxel or Paclitaxel
Docetaxel and Paclitaxel are taxane chemotherapy agents that stabilize microtubules by binding to β-tubulin, preventing their depolymerization and causing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.
Docetaxel and Paclitaxel are taxane chemotherapy agents that stabilize microtubules by binding to β-tubulin, preventing their depolymerization and causing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Used for Metastatic breast cancer, Non-small cell lung cancer, Prostate cancer.
At a glance
| Generic name | Docetaxel or Paclitaxel |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Taxotere or Taxol |
| Sponsor | Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group |
| Drug class | Taxane; antimicrotubule chemotherapy agent |
| Target | β-tubulin |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | Phase 3 |
Mechanism of action
Both drugs belong to the taxane class of antimicrotubule agents. They bind to the β-tubulin subunit of microtubules and prevent their disassembly, leading to stabilization of the microtubule structure. This disruption of normal microtubule dynamics halts cell division during mitosis, triggering apoptosis in rapidly dividing cancer cells. Docetaxel is a semi-synthetic derivative of paclitaxel with improved pharmacokinetic properties.
Approved indications
- Metastatic breast cancer
- Non-small cell lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Gastric cancer
- Head and neck cancer
Common side effects
- Neutropenia
- Anemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Alopecia
- Nausea and vomiting
- Mucositis
- Hypersensitivity reactions
Key clinical trials
- Comparing the New Anti-cancer Drug Eribulin With Chemotherapy Against the Usual Chemotherapy Alone in Metastatic Urothelial Cancer (PHASE3)
- Testing the Addition of the Pill Chemotherapy, Cabozantinib, to the Standard Immune Therapy Nivolumab Compared to Standard Chemotherapy for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (PHASE2)
- A Study Comparing the Combination of Pembrolizumab and Sacituzumab Govitecan Versus Standard of Care in the Treatment of Advanced Urothelial Cancer (PHASE3)
- CompassHER2-pCR: Decreasing Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Patients After Pre-surgery Chemo and Targeted Therapy (PHASE2)
- A Phase III Study Evaluating YL201 Versus ICC in 2L ESCC (PHASE3)
- A Study to Compare Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (MK-2870) in Combination With Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Pembrolizumab Alone as Treatment in Participants With Mismatch Repair Proficient Endometrial Cancer (MK-2870-033/TroFuse-033/GOG-3119/ENGOT-en29) (PHASE3)
- A First-in-Human (FIH) Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of VVD-130037 in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors (PHASE1)
- Efficacy & Safety of Olvi-Vec and Platinum-doublet + Bevacizumab Compared to Physician's Choice of Chemotherapy and Bevacizumab in Platinum-Resistant/Refractory Ovarian Cancer (PRROC) (OnPrime, GOG-3076) (PHASE3)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Docetaxel or Paclitaxel CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Docetaxel or Paclitaxel updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group portfolio CI