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Due to their key role in the pathogenesis of cancer through the regulation of apoptosis, the B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family proteins have been an attractive target for cancer therapy for the past decades. Throughout the years, many Bcl-2 family inhibitors have been developed, with Venetoclax being now successfully used in treating hematological malignancies. Although their effectiveness in the treatment of solid tumors is yet to be established, some preclinical evidence indicates their possible clinical application. This review aims to summarize current data from completed clinical trials that used Bcl-2 protein family inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination with other agents for the treatment of solid malignancies. We managed to include clinical trials of various phases which analyze the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drugs, as well as the effectiveness and adverse effects. Active and recruiting clinical trials are also briefly presented and future prospects and challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The combination of oblimersen, a bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotide, and dacarbazine lead to superior progression-free survival in advanced melanoma patients. Albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) has single-agent activity in melanoma. Methods: In a phase I trial, chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic melanoma and normal LDH levels were enrolled on 3 cohorts. The treatment regimen consisted of 56-day cycles of oblimersen (7 mg/kg/day continuous IV infusion on day 1-7 and 22-28 in cohort 1 and 2; 900 mg fixed dose, twice weekly in weeks 1-2, 4-5 for cohort 3), temozolomide (75 mg/m, days 1-42), and nab-paclitaxel (175 mg/m in cohort 1 and 3, 260 mg/m in cohort 2 on day 7 and 28). Apoptosis markers were tested in pre- and post-treatment specimens of a subset of patients. Results: Six grade 3 events (neutropenia, renal insufficiency, hyponatremia, elevated creatinine, allergic reaction, and neuropathy) and 2 grade 4 events (neutropenia and thrombocytopenia) were seen in 32 patients. The objective response rate was 40.6 % (2 complete responses and 11 partial responses) and 11 patients had stable disease, for a disease control rate of 75 %. Conclusions: The combination of oblimersen, temozolomide, and nab-paclitaxel was well tolerated and demonstrated encouraging activity in patients with advanced melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted inhibition of the Bcl-2 family of antiapoptotic proteins is expected to improve outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Antisense oligonucleotides and small molecule inhibitors (BH3 mimetics) are two approaches that have been used to target Bcl-2 proteins. In this review, we summarize the experience with oblimersen sodium, an 18-base oligonucleotide targeting the first six codons of Bcl-2 mRNA, with particular focus on chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Despite evidence of improved outcomes in randomized trials of combination with chemoimmunotherapy, further development of this antisense approach has been slow, likely because of the clinical development of small molecule inhibitors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]