Aventis SA

A. Company Profile

Aventis (NYSE: AVE) is one of world's leading pharmaceutical companies. The company's product portfolio includes innovative treatments across a wide range of therapeutic areas. There are extensive discovery and development programs in the field of oncology at Aventis.

B. Products

1. ALVAC cancer vaccines

ALVAC is a versatile canarypox-based antigen delivery system designed to produce enhanced cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses to targeted tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). The ALVAC platform has completed phase I trials for malignant melanoma, with multi-antigen constructs scheduled for future trials, and is in preclinical development for breast cancer. Also based on the ALVAC platform, ALVAC-CEA-B7.1 is the first agent in this new family of novel immunotherapy agents and is now in stage II trials for colorectal cancer.

2. AVE-8062

AVE8062 (formerly known as AC-7700) is a water-soluble derivative of combretastatin A and is a member of a new class of agents called vascular-targeting agents. AVE8062 has an innovative mechanism of action: it inhibits tubulin polymerization in activated endothelial cells, which results in a rapid occlusion of the tumor vasculature, leading to vascular shutdown.

3. Campto

Campto, irinotecan, is a reference treatment for advanced colorectal cancer. Campto is one of the newest drugs in the treatment of colorectal cancer. It works by blocking an enzyme (called topoisomerase I) which is necessary for the cell to divide into 2 new cells. If this enzyme is blocked by irinotecan, then the cell's DNA gets tangled up and the cell cannot divide.

4. Flavopiridol (alvocidib, HMR1275)

Flavopiridol is a small molecule, selective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). The inhibition of CDKs causes cell cycle arrest. Flavopiridol also decreases expression of proteins that regulate cell cycle. Combined with other anticancer agents, these cellular effects of flavopiridol result in enhanced apoptosis.

5. G17DT

G17DT is being developed as an active-immunotherapy approach targeting gastrin-17. In G17DT, 9 amino acid residues from the N-terminus of gastrin-17 are linked to diphtheria toxoid via a peptide spacerThe agent stimulates the production of high-affinity, anti-G17 antibodies, which neutralize endogenous gastrin-17 to inhibit tumor growth. Gastrin belongs to a family of peptides that includes G17 gastrin, G34 gastrin, and the glycine-extended immature form. It is involved in a variety of cellular functions, including proliferation, apoptosis, transcriptional activation, and promotion of angiogenesis. Targeting gastrin as an active-immunotherapeutic approach is appropriate, as it is implicated in a range of malignancies.

6. Genasense

Genasense (Oblimersen sodium) is an antisense molecule designed to bind to the Bcl-2 mRNA sequence, thus blocking the production of its target protein, Bcl-2. Inhibiting the production of Bcl-2 enhances apoptosis in tumor cells.Oblimersen sodium enhances the antitumor effect of a broad range of cytotoxic agents.

7. Taxotere

Taxotere is part of the taxane class of chemotherapy, whose original source is the yew tree. Taxanes prevent the growth of cancer by affecting cell structures called microtubules. Taxotere damages microctubules - vital structures that are involved in cell division.

8. XRP6258 and XRP9881

XRP6258 and XRP9881 are semisynthetic derivatives of 10-deacetylbaccatin III. Although the mechanisms of action of these taxoids are similar to those of first-generation taxanes, they have unique properties that may make them attractive as novel cytotoxic agents and may provide clinical benefits over other agents in development. XRP6258 and XRP9881 are active in cell lines resistant to doxorubicin, vinblastine, paclitaxel, and docetaxel.