Vinflunine (

INN Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

, trade name Javlor) is a novel fluorinated ''vinca'' alkaloid derivative undergoing research for the treatment of bladder cancer. It was originally discovered by the team of the Professor Jean-Claude Jacquesy (UMR CNRS 6514 – Poitiers University), developed by Laboratoires Pierre Fabre and was licensed to

Bristol-Myers Squibb The Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS) is an American multinational pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in New York City, BMS is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and consistently ranks on the ''Fortune'' 500 list of the lar ...

for development in certain countries, including the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. On November 23, 2007, Pierre Fabre Medicament and Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that they were terminating their license agreement for the development of vinflunine, and that Pierre Fabre were continuing "discussions with regulatory authorities and plan to file for the registration of vinflunine for bladder cancer in the first quarter of 2008."

Approvals and indications

, vinflunine was registered for use in Australia for "advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract after failure of a prior platinum containing regimen," but is not covered under the

Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is a program of the Australian Government that subsidises prescription medication for Australian citizens and permanent residents, as well as international visitors covered by a reciprocal health care ag ...

. , vinflunine was the only commercially-approved agent in some countries for salvage therapy of

urothelial carcinoma Transitional epithelium also known as urothelium is a type of stratified epithelium. Transitional epithelium is a type of tissue that changes shape in response to stretching (stretchable epithelium). The transitional epithelium usually appears ...

, (with approval based on the results of a phase III trial), with a reported median OS of about 6 months.

Clinical trials

It has undergone a phase III clinical trial for advanced

transitional cell carcinoma Transitional cell carcinoma, also called urothelial carcinoma, is a type of cancer that typically occurs in the urinary system. It is the most common type of bladder cancer and cancer of the ureter, urethra, and urachus. It accounts for 95% of ...

of the urothelial tract.

References

External links

* Mitotic inhibitors Indole alkaloids Quinoline alkaloids Bristol Myers Squibb Acetate esters Vinca alkaloids {{antineoplastic-drug-stub