Aveo's VEGF 3-step

After going public last year based on tivozanib's potential as front-line therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma, Aveo Pharmaceuticals Inc. partnered with Astellas Pharma Inc. last week to expand the pan-VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor into other solid tumors. Aveo hopes the deal will accelerate the timetable for testing its theory that tivozanib offers the potency and selectivity to be both a safer, more convenient tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and a potential replacement for Roche's Avastin bevacizumab.

Tivozanib is a small molecule TKI against VEGF receptor 1 (FLT1), VEGF receptor 2 (KDR/Flk-1; VEGFR-2) and VEGF receptor 3 (FLT4). It is in Phase III testing as front-line therapy for advanced RCC. Aveo licensed ex-Asian rights from Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd. in 2007...