Targeted Therapy: Timeline

1950’s

First attempts to deliver therapeutic drugs in the body were made through the use of polyclonal antibodies.
Other attempts to deliver drugs through new methods were made via receptor-specific ligands, humanized monoclonal antibodies, polymers, and microspheres.

1960’s

The role of growth factors in fetal growth and repair of injured tissue is discovered.

1965

Alec Bangham discovers liposomes at Babraham Institute, University of Cambridge.
Scientists discover liposomes are incredibly similar to cell membranes.

1970’s

Judah Folkman issues concept of anti-angiogenesis agent delivery in tumor cells.
Paul Ehrlich initiates first targeted cancer drug for breast cancer (Tamoxifen), which is used to bind to estrogen receptors to reduce estrogen stimulation of cancer cell growth.

1971

Gregory Gregoriadis suggests the use of liposomes in drug delivery.
The first targeted therapy drug to combat kidney cancer was proposed to halt the effects of angiogenesis.

1981

First time a lymphoma patient was treated with an anti-idiotypic antibody, an antibody designed to target different lymphoma tumors in patients.

1992

Imatinib (Gleevec), a target therapy drug, is developed with the purpose of shutting down the activity of an abnormal chromosome in the bone marrow and blood of CML Leukemia. This gene is called BCR-ABL, created by the exchange of genetic material between two regular chromosomes.

1998

Imatinib/Gleevec is tested in patients with CML Leukemia.

2004

First targeted drug to target tumors and stop the process of angiogenesis is approved by the FDA (bevacizumab/Avastin).

2005

The drugs Sorafenib and Sunitinib were approved for the specific targeting of angiogenesis in patients with RCC.