Tanespimycin (17-''N''-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin, 17-AAG) is a derivative of the antibiotic geldanamycin that is being studied in the treatment of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

, specifically in younger patients with certain types of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

or solid

tumors A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

, especially

kidney The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood ...

. It works by inhibiting Hsp90, which is expressed in those tumors. It belongs to the family of

drugs A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalat ...

called

antitumor antibiotic Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherap ...

Clinical trials

Bristol-Myers Squibb conducted Phase 1http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00079404 Phase 1 trial : 17-N-Allylamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin in Treating Young Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Solid Tumors or Leukemia and Phase 2

clinical trial Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietar ...

s. However, in 2010 the company halted development of tanespimycin, during late-stage clinical trials as a potential treatment for multiple myeloma. While no definitive explanation was given, it has been suggested that Bristol-Myers Squibb halted development over concerns of the financial feasibility of tanespimycin development given the 2014 expiry of the patent on this compound, and the relative expense of manufacture.{{Cite web , url=http://www.myelomabeacon.com/news/2010/07/22/tanespimycin-development-halted/ , title = Bristol-Myers Squibb Halts Development of Tanespimycin

References

External links

National Cancer Institutie Bulletin on Phase 2 trials against Von Hippel-Lindau disease
Antibiotics Experimental cancer drugs 1,4-Benzoquinones Carbamates Lactams Ethers Secondary alcohols Ansamycins