Abraxane

Abraxane is the trade name for nab-paclitaxel, an injectable nanoparticle albumin-bound formulation of the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel. Albumin serves as the carrier that binds to paclitaxel in this formulation, and the drug works as a mitotic inhibitor, preventing normal microtubule breakdown during cell division and so killing rapidly dividing cancer cells. It received FDA approval in 2005 for breast cancer resistant to other chemotherapy or with relapsed disease, European Union approval in 2008 for similar breast cancer indications, expanded FDA approval in 2012 for non-small cell lung cancer, and FDA approval in 2013 for advanced pancreatic cancer as a less toxic alternative to the FOLFIRINOX regimen. It carries orphan drug designation for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma when combined with gemcitabine and is manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb, having been acquired from Celgene.