Vol. 1, Issue 1, Part A (2019)

Trabectedin is a drug which belongs to class Anti-Neoplastic agents and is available in a powdered dosage form for reconstitution. It is derived from Ecteinascidia turbinata which is a Caribbean marine tunicate. Trabectedin is also called as Ecteinascedin and is generally used for the treatment of Soft Tissue Sarcoma (STS) and in Ovarian Cancer. Unlike other neoplastic agents, Trabectedin binds to the minor groove of DNA which results in the structural changes of DNA that may cause cell death. Trabectedin also interferes with the transcription, repair pathway and also blocks G2 and M phase of cell cycle. Due to these events cell proliferation ceases. In this manner trabectedin shows its anti-tumor effects.