Types of targeted therapy

Types of targeted therapy drugs

There are many different types of targeted therapy drugs. They are put into groups based on how they work. The 2 main groups of targeted therapy drugs are monoclonal antibodies and small molecule inhibitors. New drugs become available every year, so talk to your cancer specialist for the latest information.

Monoclonal antibodies – The body’s immune system makes proteins called antibodies to help fight infections. Monoclonal antibodies are manufactured (synthetic) versions of these natural antibodies. They lock onto a protein on the surface of cells or surrounding tissues to affect how cancer cells grow and survive. Some monoclonal antibodies are also classified as immunotherapy because they use the immune system to fight cancer.

Small molecule inhibitors – These drugs are small enough to get inside cancer cells and block certain proteins that tell cancer cells to grow.

Types of monoclonal antibodies

Angiogenesis inhibitors

How they work

These drugs reduce the blood supply to a tumour to slow or stop it growing. They target various proteins linked with the growth of new blood vessels and stop them from working.

Examples

• bevacizumab

HER2-targeted agents

How they work

High levels of the protein HER2 cause cancer cells to grow uncontrollably. Some targeted therapy drugs destroy the HER2 positive cancer cells, or reduce their ability to divide and grow.

Examples

• trastuzumab
• pertuzumab

Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies

How they work

These drugs target a protein called CD20 found on some B-cell leukaemias and non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Examples

• rituximab
• obinutuzumab

Antibody drug conjugates

How they work

A monoclonal antibody is linked with a chemotherapy drug using a linking protein. These drugs target the cancer with a high dose of chemotherapy without damaging healthy cells.

Examples

• trastuzumab emtansine
• trastuzumab deruxtecan

Types of small molecule inhibitors

TKIs

How they work

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) block proteins called tyrosine kinases from sending signals that tell cancer cells to grow, multiply and spread. Without this signal, the cancer cells may die.

Examples

• osimertinib
• sunitinib
• imatinib
• dasatinib
• lorlatinib

mTOR inhibitors 

How they work

These drugs block mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a protein that tells cancer cells to grow and spread.

Examples

• everolimus

PARP inhibitors

How they work

These drugs block poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a protein that repairs damaged DNA in cancer cells.

Examples

• olaparib

CDK inhibitors

How they work

These drugs block cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) from sending signals that tell cancer cells to grow, multiply and spread. Without this signal, the cancer cells may die.

Examples

• palbociclib
• ribociclib
• abemaciclib

When I was first diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, I was put on imatinib. I had severe side effects, so my haematologist put me on dasatinib. I’ve been on this for over 8 years with excellent results. As the leukaemia is still detected in blood tests, there’s no plan to discontinue the treatment.

Patricia