Pertuzumab: A New Targeted Therapy for HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

• Published in: Pharmacotherapy Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 60 - 71
• Main Authors: Malenfant, Stephanie J., Eckmann, Karen R., Barnett, Chad M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-01-2014; Pharmacotherapy; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - secondary; Cancer therapies; Clinical trials; Clinical Trials as Topic - trends; Drug Delivery Systems - trends; Drug therapy; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; HER2; human epidermal growth factor receptor; Humans; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Metastasis; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); pertuzumab; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Receptor, ErbB-2 - genetics; Treatment Outcome; Tumors; Human; Breast disease; Targeted therapy; erbB2 Gene; Breast cancer; Monoclonal antibody; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; Epidermal growth factor receptor; Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2; Immunomodulator; Mammary gland diseases; Growth factor receptor; Treatment; Pertuzumab; C-Onc gene; human epidermal growth factor receptor; Advanced stage; HER2; Protooncogene; Cancer; breast cancer; pertuzumab
• ISSN: 0277-0008; 1875-9114
• DOI: 10.1002/phar.1338

Trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, has become an important targeted therapy for patients with all stages of human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2 (HER2)‐positive breast cancer. However, primary and acquired resistance to trastuzumab remains a significant problem. Pertuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to a domain of the HER2 receptor separate from trastuzumab, may have the potential to overcome trastuzumab resistance. Clinical trials have shown that pertuzumab can be effectively combined with other biologic therapy or chemotherapy in patients with metastatic HER2‐positive breast cancer. Pertuzumab is relatively well tolerated with minimal increases in hematologic and cardiac toxicity observed when added to trastuzumab and/or docetaxel. In addition to becoming the standard of care in combination with docetaxel and trastuzumab in patients with newly diagnosed HER2‐positive metastatic breast cancer, clinical trials continue to evaluate pertuzumab in combination with other targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and in patients with early stage breast cancer. These trials will help to further determine the role of pertuzumab in the treatment of HER2‐positive breast cancer.