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Bevacizumab (trade name Avastin) is e drug produced by Genentech/Roche and it blocks the formation of new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis. It is commonly used to treat various cancers, including colorectal, lung, breast, kidney, and glioblastomas.

Bevacizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits vacular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) VEGF-A is a chemical signal that stimulates angiogenesis in a variety of diseases, and is particularly important in cancer.

Some of the most intensive and active research has been in the field of angiogenesis, which attempts to conquer a disease by controlling the blood vessels that feeds it. A large amount of research has resulted in the development of active agents that blocks blood vessels and starves tumors of oxygen. We are now beginning to see signals of the benefits of this approach in patients.  However, it is still early days, further research is required, which will take time.