Methods and Monitoring of Treatment with a DLL4 Antagonist

Abstract

Methods for treating diseases such as cancer comprising administering a DLL4 antagonist, either alone or in combination with other anti-cancer agents, and monitoring for cardiovascular side effects and / or toxicity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 720,768, filed Oct. 31, 2012 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to the field of treating diseases with a DLL4 antagonist. More particularly, the invention provides methods for treating cancer comprising administering a DLL4 antagonist, either alone or in combination with other anti-cancer agents, and monitoring for cardiovascular side effects and / or toxicity.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the developed world, with over one million people diagnosed with cancer and 500,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Overall it is estimated that more than 1 in 3 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. There are more than 200 different types of cancer, four of which—breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate—accou...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

For example, DLL4 blocking antibodies have been reported to result in endothelial cell proliferation and the development of blood vessels, however, these blood vessels lack a functional lumen.

Unlike therapeutic approaches that attempt to block the signaling of tumor angiogenic factors, blockade of DLL4 signaling by anti-human DLL4 antibodies can result in endothelial hypertrophy and the creation of non-functional microvessels.

Consequently, even in the presence of tumor angiogenic factors, blockade of DLL4 signaling, through administration of anti-human DLL4 antibodies, can result in dysangiogenesis which inhibits the ability of the tumor to induce the functional blood vessel formation needed to support growth of the tumor.

Chemotherapy is a well-established therapeutic approach for numerous cancers, but its efficacy can be limited by side effects and / or toxicity.

In recent studies it has been found that anti-DLL4 antibodies may have side effects and / or toxicity in some subjects.

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