angiogenesenshemming

Angiogenesis is the biological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels, a critical mechanism for tissue growth, wound healing, and repair. Angiogenesis is tightly regulated under normal physiological conditions, but it can become dysregulated in various pathological states, such as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. To counteract excessive or inappropriate angiogenesis, researchers have developed a class of therapeutic agents known as angiogenesis inhibitors or angiogenesis-shemming (anti-angiogenic) agents.

These agents work by blocking the signaling pathways that promote the growth of new blood vessels. Common targets include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent stimulator of angiogenesis, and its receptors (VEGFR). Small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and monoclonal antibodies are among the most widely used anti-angiogenic therapies. For example, bevacizumab (Avastin) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds VEGF, preventing it from interacting with its receptors on endothelial cells. Similarly, sunitinib (Sutent) is a TKI that inhibits multiple receptor tyrosine kinases, including VEGFR, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), and c-Kit.

Anti-angiogenic therapies have shown promise in treating certain cancers by starving tumors of the blood supply necessary for their growth. However, their use is not without challenges. Resistance to these drugs can develop over time, and off-target effects may lead to adverse side effects, such as hypertension, bleeding, or impaired wound healing. Additionally, while anti-angiogenic agents can slow tumor progression, they do not typically cure cancer, and their long-term efficacy remains an area of ongoing research.

Beyond oncology, anti-angiogenic treatments are being explored for conditions like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where abnormal blood vessel growth contributes to vision loss. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) and aflibercept (Eylea) are FDA-approved drugs that inhibit VEGF and are used to treat wet AMD. Clinical trials continue to investigate the potential of angiogenesis-shemming in other diseases, including inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular conditions.