Drug Detail

Information about Temodar

Generic Name	Temozolomide
IND
Brand Name (US)	Temodar
Manufacturer	Schering-Plough
Drug Type	Chemotherapy
Delivery	Oral
Approval Status	Approved for a non-GIST cancer
Indications	Giioblastoma Multiforme, Refractory Anaplastic Astrocytoma
Overall Strategy	GIST cell based
Strategy	Interfere with DNA replication
Drug Category	SDH-directed

In a phase II trial for sarcoma (that included 19 GIST patients), the median time to disease progression was 2.3 months in patients with GISTs and 3.3 months in patients with other STSs. The authors conclusions were: The data from the current study suggest that temozolomide is well tolerated but has only minimal efficacy and a limited role in the treatment of patients with STSs.

Temozolomide is an imidazotetrazine derivative of the alkylating agent dacarbazine. It undergoes rapid chemical conversion in the systemic circulation at physiological pH to the active compound, MTIC (monomethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide). Temozolomide exhibits schedule-dependent antineoplastic activity by interfering with DNA replication. Temozolomide has demonstrated activity against recurrent glioma. In a recent randomized trial, concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy with radiation significantly improves progression free survival and overall survival in glioblastoma multiforme patients.