THE ANTICANCER DRUG EDELFOSINE IS A POTENT INHIBITOR OF NEOVASCULARIZATION IN-VIVO

Edelfosine is an alkyl-lysophospholipid that acts as an anticancer age nt in vivo. To test the hypothesis that part of its antineoplastic act ivity may, be due to its ability to inhibit the neovascularization on which the progressive growth of all tumors depends, we evaluated edelf osine in vitro and in vivo for antiangiogenic activity. Edelfosine act ed directly on cultured capillary endothelial cells, inhibiting their migration toward the angiogenic factor, basic fibroblastic growth fact or (bFGF), at doses of 8-200 nM. When given systemically to rats (20 m g/kg IP twice daily), edelfosine was well tolerated and antiangiogenic . The majority of treated animals became unable to mount a corneal neo vascular response to a pellet releasing bFGF, whereas vigorous vessel ingrowth was seen in untreated controls.