ATC Group: L01FG VEGF/VEGFR (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) inhibitors

Bevacizumab binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the key driver of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, and thereby inhibits the binding of VEGF to its receptors, Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) and KDR (VEGFR-2), on the surface of endothelial cells. Neutralising the biological activity of VEGF regresses the vascularisation of tumours, normalises remaining tumour vasculature, and inhibits the formation of new tumour vasculature, thereby inhibiting tumour growth.

Ramucirumab is a human receptor-targeted antibody that specifically binds VEGF Receptor 2 and blocks binding of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Receptor 2 is the key mediator of VEGF induced angiogenesis. As a result, ramucirumab inhibits ligand stimulated activation of VEGF Receptor 2 and its downstream signalling components, including p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinases, neutralising ligand-induced proliferation and migration of human endothelial cells.