Bevacizumab

Bevacizumab contains human framework regions with antigen binding regions of a humanised murine antibody that binds to VEGF. Bevacizumab is produced by recombinant DNA technology in a Chinese hamster ovary mammalian cell expression system in a nutrient medium containing the antibiotic gentamicin and is purified by a process that includes specific viral inactivation and removal steps. Bevacizumab binds VEGF and prevents the interaction of VEGF to its receptors (Flt-1 and KDR) on the surface of endothelial cells. This prevents blood vessel proliferation and in response retardation of metastatic tumor growth occurs.