Int. J. Dev. Biol. 55: 383 - 388 (2011)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.103216dr

Vol 55, Issue 4-5

Special Issue: Angiogenesis in Development & Cancer

From the discovery of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor to the introduction of Avastin in clinical trials - an interview with Napoleone Ferrara

Interview | Published: 19 July 2011

Domenico Ribatti*

Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy

Abstract

Napoleone Ferrara and his colleagues at Genentech were the first to isolate and clone vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in 1989. His laboratory has investigated many aspects of VEGF biochemistry and molecular biology. In 1993, Ferrara reported that inhibition of VEGF-induced angiogenesis by specific monoclonal antibodies resulted in dramatic suppression of the growth of a variety of tumors in vivo. These findings provided an important evidence that inhibition of angiogenesis may suppress tumor growth and blocking VEGF action could have therapeutic value for a variety of malignancies. A further development was the design in a rational fashion in 1997 of a humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody (Avastin), now in clinical trials as a treatment for several solid tumors and also outside of cancer, in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Ferrara's work is revolutionizing quality of life for many of the estimated 1.2 million individuals in the US who have wet AMD. Upwards of a million AMD patients worldwide have already received anti-VEGF antibody therapy.

Keywords

Interview, avastin, macular degeneration, tumor growth, vascular endothelial growth factor