CANCER RESEARCH
4Pages

Before a cancer therapeutic is selected for clinical development, scientists must fully characterize its mechanism of action, antitumor activity, and safety profile in preclinical animal studies. A key objective of these studies is also to optimize the schedule of drug administration in order to achieve maximum therapeutic efficacy with the least burden of adverse effects. For some cancer agents, continuous dosing is more efficacious compared to administration by immediate release methods, such as injections. Since 1977, ALZET® Osmotic Pumps have been used in cancer studies as a dependable method for continuous delivery of experimental agents to unrestrained laboratory animals. ALZET pumps maximize efficacy by maintaining constant compound levels within their therapeutic range during prolonged treatment periods. Continuous delivery via ALZET pumps is also more efficient at reaching therapeutic effects with lower drug doses, thus minimizing drug toxicity and adverse effects. The pumps are easily connected to a catheter for delivery of agents directly into a specific target tissue, such as a tumor. Benefits of ALZET Pumps in CANCER Research • Small size for implantation in mice and larger lab animals • Continuous and controlled delivery of anti-cancer agents • Increased efficacy of therapeutic agents • Improved bioavailability of drugs with short half-lives • Reduced drug toxicity and side effects • Reliable technology with over 15,000 publications • Simple design and easy to use • Convenient and cost-effective dosing method • Reduced animal handling and stress • Automatic nighttime and weekend dosing

Improve Efficacy and Lower Toxicity Many chemotherapeutic agents have a relatively narrow therapeutic index, defined as a small gap between the toxic and therapeutic doses. ALZET pumps deliver at continuous and controlled rates and can maintain drug levels in plasma or tissues within their therapeutic range, enabling the effects of therapeutic compounds to develop fully and reproducibly. As a result, therapeutic efficacy can be enhanced while also minimizing adverse effects. Use in Xenograft Models ALZET pumps have been used in numerous in vivo cancer models to study the antiproliferative...

Selecting an Optimum Vehicle The criteria for selecting a vehicle for ALZET pump infusion should include the solubility of the test compound, tissue compatibility, pH considerations for compound stability, and sterility. For many compounds soluble in aqueous media, Ringer’s solution is an appropriate vehicle since it is sterile, particle- and pyrogen-free, and non-irritating. Among various solvents investigated, a vehicle formulation containing 25% PEG 300, 25% Cremophor ELP, 25% glycofurol, 15% ethanol, and 10% propylene glycol was most effective at solubilizing two investigational...

What Leading Cancer Researchers Are Saying ALZET Benefit Article Quote Effective delivery “...the continuous supply of therapeutic stem cells into the brain with growing glioblastoma by osmotic pumps together with continuous prodrug delivery also proved to be therapeutically efficient." Altaner et al. Int J Cancer 2014;134(6):1458-1465 Improve efficacy “.we report that i.c. administration of F10 results in dramatic regression of G48a tumors.” Gmeiner et al. J Neuro-oncol 2014;116(3):447-454 Targeted delivery “This method of continuous intracranial delivery will aid in achieving elevated...