# Ixabepilone

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/ixabepilone/  
OnCo record `ixabepilone` (Treatment). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Ixabepilone (Ixempra) is a chemotherapy infusion for breast cancer that has stopped responding to anthracyclines, taxanes and capecitabine.

## Summary

Ixabepilone, a semi-synthetic epothilone, was approved by the FDA in October 2007 with capecitabine for metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer resistant to an anthracycline and a taxane (a 752-patient randomised trial showed longer progression-free survival than capecitabine alone) and as monotherapy after anthracycline, taxane and capecitabine failure. The EMA refused a marketing authorisation in 2008 on the balance of benefit and toxicity. Peripheral neuropathy is dose-limiting; the combination is contraindicated with hepatic impairment because of excess toxic deaths, and the Cremophor-based diluent requires premedication for hypersensitivity.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-10
- Tags: nci-list
- Brand: Ixempra
- Modality: Epothilone B analogue (microtubule stabiliser)
- Mechanism: Binds beta-tubulin and suppresses microtubule dynamics like a taxane but retains activity in cells with taxane-resistance mechanisms such as P-glycoprotein overexpression and beta-III tubulin.
- Approvals: US 2007: Metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer after anthracycline and taxane (with capecitabine) or after anthracycline, taxane and capecitabine (monotherapy)

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixabepilone
- US label (DailyMed): https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/search.cfm?labeltype=all&query=ixabepilone
- NCI drug page: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/ixabepilone

## Connected records

- cancers: [HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-hr-positive/), [Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)](https://onco.cc/cancers/tnbc/)
- technologies: [Cytotoxic chemotherapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/cytotoxic-chemotherapy/)
- companies: [Bristol Myers Squibb](https://onco.cc/companies/bms/)
- trials: [A Study of Ixabepilone as Second-line Therapy for Locally Advanced, Recurrent, or Metastatic Endometrial Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct00883116/), [Calcium and Magnesium in Preventing Peripheral Neuropathy Caused by Ixabepilone in Patients With Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct00998738/), [Safety and Efficacy Comparison of Docetaxel and Ixabepilone in Non Metastatic Poor Prognosis Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct00630032/)

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