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Drug

Paclitaxel

Approved · EMA
ClassTubulin inhibitorActively researchedLate-stage developmentSteady momentum
Also known as Abraxane, Onxol, Paclitaxel Protein-Bound, Taxol+2 more

Abraxane, Onxol, Paclitaxel Protein-Bound, Taxol, 5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2-alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one 4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate 13-ester with (2R,3S)-N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserine, BENZENEPROPANOIC ACID, .BETA.-(BENZOYLAMINO)-.ALPHA.-HYDROXY-, (2AR,4S,4AS,6R,9S,11S,12S,12AR,12BS)-6,12B-BIS(ACETYLOXY)-12-(BENZOYLOXY)-2A,3,4,4A,5,6,9,10,11,12,12A,12B-DODECAHYDRO-4,11-DIHYDROXY-4A,8,13,13-TETRAMETHYL-5-OXO-7,11-METHANO-1H-CYCLODECA(3,.

36
Research papers
59
Active clinical trials
15
Protein targets
5
Regulatory events
Latest activity
beta

Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this drug.

Approval: Apexelsin (EMA)

Regulatory2024-07-24EMA

Market withdrawal: Apealea (EMA)

Regulatory2024-02-09EMA

First-Line Ipatasertib, Atezolizumab, and Taxane Triplet for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Clinical and Biomarker Results.

Research2024-02-01Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research

Approval: Naveruclif (EMA)

Regulatory2024-01-05EMA

Approval: Pazenir (EMA)

Regulatory2019-05-06EMA

Profile

Identifiers & mechanism

Canonical identifiers, marketed brand names and mechanism, resolved across RxNorm, ChEMBL and ATC.

Canonical name
Paclitaxel
Aliases & brands
AbraxaneOnxolPaclitaxel Protein-BoundTaxol5beta,20-Epoxy-1,2-alpha,4,7beta,10beta,13alpha-hexahydroxytax-11-en-9-one 4,10-diacetate 2-benzoate 13-ester with (2R,3S)-N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserineBENZENEPROPANOIC ACID, .BETA.-(BENZOYLAMINO)-.ALPHA.-HYDROXY-, (2AR,4S,4AS,6R,9S,11S,12S,12AR,12BS)-6,12B-BIS(ACETYLOXY)-12-(BENZOYLOXY)-2A,3,4,4A,5,6,9,10,11,12,12A,12B-DODECAHYDRO-4,11-DIHYDROXY-4A,8,13,13-TETRAMETHYL-5-OXO-7,11-METHANO-1H-CYCLODECA(3,
RxNorm CUI
56946
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL428647
ATC codes
L01CD01
UNII
P88XT4IS4D
Primary mechanism
Tubulin inhibitor
Regulatory jurisdictions
ema

Pharmacology & targets

15 targets

Known molecular targets and mechanisms supported by curated pharmacology databases.

Tubulin beta-4B chain
TUBB4B · P68371
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta-1 chain
TUBB1 · Q9H4B7
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin alpha-3C chain
TUBA3C · P0DPH7
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin alpha-4A chain
TUBA4A · P68366
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta-3 chain
TUBB3 · Q13509
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin alpha-1A chain
TUBA1A · Q71U36
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta-4A chain
TUBB4A · P04350
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta-8 chain
TUBB8 · Q3ZCM7
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta chain
TUBB · P07437
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin alpha-1B chain
TUBA1B · P68363
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin alpha-1C chain
TUBA1C · Q9BQE3
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin alpha-3E chain
TUBA3E · Q6PEY2
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta-2A chain
TUBB2A · Q13885
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta-2B chain
TUBB2B · Q9BVA1
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor
Tubulin beta-6 chain
TUBB6 · Q9BUF5
INHIBITORTubulin inhibitor

Regulatory timeline

5 events

The complete regulatory record, grouped by authority — approvals, safety advisories and label changes. Each authority shows its most recent events; expand one to read its full history.

Earliest approval
2008-01-11
Latest approval
2024-07-24
Authorities
EMA
Total events
5
emaEuropean Medicines Agency· 5 events
2024-07-24Approval
Approval: Apexelsin (EMA)
Indication: Apexelsin monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in adult patients who have failed first-line treatment for metastatic disease and for whomShow full indication

Apexelsin monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in adult patients who have failed first-line treatment for metastatic disease and for whom standard, anthracycline containing therapy is not indicated. Apexelsin in combination with gemcitabine is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Apexelsin in combination with carboplatin is indicated for the first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in adult patients who are not candidates for potentially curative surgery and/or radiation therapy.

Evidence ↗
2024-02-09Market withdrawalMarket
Market withdrawal: Apealea (EMA)
Indication: Apealea in combination with carboplatin is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with first relapse of platinum?sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritonealShow full indication

Apealea in combination with carboplatin is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with first relapse of platinum?sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer and fallopian tube cancer.

Evidence ↗
2024-01-05Approval
Approval: Naveruclif (EMA)
Indication: Naveruclif monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in adult patients who have failed first-line treatment for metastatic disease and for whomShow full indication

Naveruclif monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in adult patients who have failed first-line treatment for metastatic disease and for whom standard, anthracycline containing therapy is not indicated (see section 4.4). Naveruclif in combination with gemcitabine is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Naveruclif in combination with carboplatin is indicated for the first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in adult patients who are not candidates for potentially curative surgery and/or radiation therapy.

Evidence ↗

Contains information from the European Medicines Agency (European Medicines Agency), © EMA, reused under CC BY 4.0.

Clinical trials

200 trials

The current development programme across all trial phases — status mix, phase distribution and the late-stage studies shaping the evidence base.

Development programme
CLINICALTRIALS.GOV · LIVE REGISTRY
200
registered trials across all phases
LATEST COMPLETION 2026
59
Active studies
33
Recruiting
58
Late-stage (III+)
93
Completed
48
Discontinued
PHASE DISTRIBUTIONn = 200
Phase 139Phase 1 / 217Phase 286Phase 2 / 35Phase 347Phase 43Phase N / A3

Late-stage studies

Phase III+ trials still open or recently active — where late-stage evidence is being generated.

Recent completions

Trials that read out recently, adding to the completed evidence base.

Research activity

36 papers

Key research shaping understanding of this drug, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.

Publications over time
20032024
Most influential

Gefitinib or carboplatin-paclitaxel in pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

The New England journal of medicine · 2009 · 6,372 cites

Trastuzumab plus adjuvant chemotherapy for operable HER2-positive breast cancer.

The New England journal of medicine · 2005 · 3,717 cites

Atezolizumab and Nab-Paclitaxel in Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

The New England journal of medicine · 2018 · 3,067 cites

Atezolizumab for First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Nonsquamous NSCLC.

The New England journal of medicine · 2018 · 2,952 cites

Pembrolizumab as Second-Line Therapy for Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

The New England journal of medicine · 2017 · 2,620 cites

Paclitaxel plus bevacizumab versus paclitaxel alone for metastatic breast cancer.

The New England journal of medicine · 2007 · 2,187 cites
Recent papers
Major research themes8
Pancreatic Neoplasms5Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms5Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols4Endometrial Neoplasms3Lung Neoplasms3Adenocarcinoma2Antineoplastic Agents2Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung2
Journals, researchers & institutions
Top journals
  • The New England journal of medicine12
  • Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology7
  • Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research3
  • Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology2
  • Cancer immunology research1
  • JAMA1
Leading researchers
  • Schmid P5
  • Barrios CH4
  • Molinero L4
  • Schneeweiss A4
  • Adams S3
  • Chui SY3
  • Diéras V3
  • Emens LA3
Leading institutions
free-text, unnormalised
  • Barts Cancer Institute3
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute3
  • Perlmutter Cancer Center3
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center3
  • AdventHealth Cancer Institute2
  • Aichi Cancer Center Hospital2

Related diseases

12 conditions

Regulator-approved indications and conditions co-mentioned with this drug across the research literature. Number shows shared papers.

Related drugs

8 matches

Drugs sharing diseases, protein targets and literature with this one. Ranked by graph evidence (shared targets + diseases weighted above co-mentions).

Acts on the same molecular target as Paclitaxel, with 9 overlapping disease areas.

15 shared targets9 shared diseases1 shared paper

Acts on the same molecular target as Paclitaxel, with 2 overlapping disease areas.

15 shared targets2 shared diseases1 shared paper

Studied across 14 of the same disease areas as Paclitaxel in the shared literature.

13 shared papers14 shared diseases

Studied across 13 of the same disease areas as Paclitaxel in the shared literature.

13 shared diseases8 shared papers

Studied across 15 of the same disease areas as Paclitaxel in the shared literature.

15 shared diseases6 shared papers

Studied across 14 of the same disease areas as Paclitaxel in the shared literature.

14 shared diseases4 shared papers

Studied across 17 of the same disease areas as Paclitaxel in the shared literature.

17 shared diseases2 shared papers

Studied across 13 of the same disease areas as Paclitaxel in the shared literature.

13 shared diseases3 shared papers
References & data sources
  • RxNorm (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — drug identity
  • ChEMBL (EMBL-EBI) & UniProt — pharmacology and targets
  • Europe PMC — research literature
  • ClinicalTrials.gov — clinical trials
  • Regulatory event sources are credited in the Regulatory Timeline above.