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VP-16
VP-16 (etoposide) is a topoisomerase II inhibitor that prevents DNA religation, leading to DNA strand breaks and cell death.
VP-16 (etoposide) is a topoisomerase II inhibitor that prevents DNA religation, leading to DNA strand breaks and cell death. Used for Small cell lung cancer, Testicular cancer, Lymphomas.
At a glance
| Generic name | VP-16 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | etoposide, Etoposide, Etoposide (VP-16; Vepesid(R) brand only), NSC-67574, Vepesid |
| Sponsor | PETHEMA Foundation |
| Drug class | Topoisomerase II inhibitor |
| Target | Topoisomerase II |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
VP-16 binds to the topoisomerase II–DNA complex and stabilizes the cleavage complex, preventing the religation of DNA strands. This results in accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks, particularly during S phase of the cell cycle, triggering apoptosis in rapidly dividing cells. It is used primarily in cancer chemotherapy due to its ability to kill malignant cells.
Approved indications
- Small cell lung cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Lymphomas
- Leukemias
Common side effects
- Myelosuppression (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Alopecia
- Mucositis
- Secondary acute leukemia
Key clinical trials
- Nivolumab in Combination With Chemo-Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma (PHASE3)
- Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Ganitumab in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Ewing Sarcoma (PHASE3)
- A Study to Evaluate the Optimal Dose, Adverse Events and Change in Disease Activity of Intravenous ABBV-706 in Combination With Atezolizumab Versus Standard of Care as First-Line Treatment in Adult Participants With Previously Untreated Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (PHASE2)
- Novel Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Relapsed and Refractory Aggressive B-Cell Lymphoma (PHASE2)
- Durvalumab as Consolidation for Patients LS-SCLC (PHASE2)
- Virotherapy and Natural History Study of KHSV-Associated Multricentric Castleman s Disease With Correlates of Disease Activity (PHASE2)
- Dinutuximab With Chemotherapy, Surgery and Stem Cell Transplantation for the Treatment of Children With Newly Diagnosed High Risk Neuroblastoma (PHASE3)
- Testing the Addition of an Anti-cancer Drug, Lenalidomide, to the Usual Combination Chemotherapy Treatment ("EPOCH") for Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma (ATLL) (PHASE1)
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:
- VP-16 CI brief — competitive landscape report
- VP-16 updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- PETHEMA Foundation portfolio CI