Pharmaceutical Development of (Investigational) Anticancer Agents for Parenteral Use-A Review

Abstract

Due to the high mortality rate, the therapy of cancer has been and still is under vigorous investigation. Traditional approaches to new drug development have led to the discovery of several chemotherapeutic agents, which are now routinely used in the clinic. The objective of this review is to evaluate the current status of the pharmaceutical formulation of antineoplastic drugs from 1986 onwards. Among the aspects of the pharmaceutical development of antineoplastic drugs discussed are the following: formulation development process, solubilization techniques, the application of several colloidal systems, the use of prodrugs, and lyophilized (freeze-dried) formulations. Formulation procedures, the advantages and disadvantages of the different strategies, and the toxicity risk are described and illustrated with examples from the literature.