# Nab-paclitaxel

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

## TL;DR

Paclitaxel bound to albumin so it needs no solvent and no steroid premedication. Adding it to gemcitabine and cisplatin looked promising in a small study of bile duct and gallbladder cancer but did not lengthen life in the 452-patient SWOG S1815 trial.

## Summary

Nab-paclitaxel is a solvent-free, albumin-bound formulation of paclitaxel that stabilises microtubules and arrests mitosis; the albumin carrier uses gp60 and SPARC-mediated transport and allows higher doses without the hypersensitivity of Cremophor. It is approved for metastatic breast cancer (United States 2005, European Union 2008), non-small-cell lung cancer (2012) and, with gemcitabine, metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (MPACT, 2013). In biliary tract cancer, a 60-patient MD Anderson and Mayo phase 2 of gemcitabine, cisplatin and nab-paclitaxel (22 percent gallbladder cancer) reported a partial response rate of 45 percent, median progression-free survival of 11.8 months and median overall survival of 19.2 months, which set up SWOG S1815. That randomised phase 3 (441 analysable patients, 16 percent gallbladder cancer) found no overall survival difference between the triplet and gemcitabine plus cisplatin (14.0 versus 13.6 months, hazard ratio 0.91, p 0.41) or progression-free survival (7.5 versus 6.3 months, hazard ratio 0.89); exploratory analyses suggested greater progression-free survival benefit in gallbladder cancer (interaction p 0.01) and in locally advanced disease, but not in overall survival. It therefore has no place in routine biliary treatment and is not licensed or commissioned for it in the UK; several Chinese phase 2 trials continue to test gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel backbones with PD-1 antibodies in gallbladder cancer.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-24
- Brand: Abraxane
- Code: ABI-007
- Modality: Albumin-bound taxane (cytotoxic)
- Mechanism: Microtubule stabiliser delivered as 130 nm albumin nanoparticles.
- Approvals: US 2005: Metastatic breast cancer after combination chemotherapy; EU 2008: Metastatic breast cancer; later pancreatic (2013) and non-small-cell lung cancer (2015); US 2013: First-line metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with gemcitabine (MPACT); UK 2017: Untreated metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with gemcitabine; NICE TA476 (6 September 2017, replacing TA360) recommends it only if other combination chemotherapies are unsuitable and the person would otherwise have gemcitabine alone, with the patient access scheme discount
- Dosing: Intravenous; 100 mg/m² days 1 and 8 every 21 days with gemcitabine 800 mg/m² and cisplatin 25 mg/m² (S1815 schedule); 125 mg/m² weekly 3 of 4 with gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer

## Notes

- Triple-negative breast cancer: the chemotherapy partner of atezolizumab in IMpassion130 (progression-free survival 7.5 versus 5.0 months in PD-L1 immune-cell-positive disease), one of three partners for pembrolizumab in KEYNOTE-355, and with carboplatin the neoadjuvant backbone of NeoTRIP; it needs no steroid premedication, which is one explanation offered for why IMpassion131 with conventional paclitaxel failed.
- Pancreatic cancer, regulators: the Abraxane label lists first-line metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with gemcitabine on the MPACT trial (median overall survival 8.5 against 6.7 months, hazard ratio 0.72), and the EMA product information carries the same indication (marketing authorisation 11 January 2008, pancreatic indication added later). In England NICE TA476 restricts the combination to people for whom other combination chemotherapies are unsuitable; NG85 (1.9.5) repeats this, so FOLFIRINOX is the first choice for fit patients and gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel is the fallback.

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein-bound_paclitaxel
- FDA label (DailyMed): https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=24d10449-2936-4cd3-b7db-a7683db721e4
- SWOG S1815, JCO 2025: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO-24-01383
- Shroff et al., JAMA Oncology 2019: phase 2 of gemcitabine, cisplatin and nab-paclitaxel: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.0270
- NICE TA476: nab-paclitaxel with gemcitabine for untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer (6 September 2017): https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta476
- Abraxane label (openFDA): pancreatic indication and MPACT study section: https://api.fda.gov/drug/label.json?search=openfda.brand_name:%22ABRAXANE%22
- EMA Abraxane product page: EU indications: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/abraxane

## Connected records

- cancers: [Biliary tract cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)](https://onco.cc/cancers/cholangiocarcinoma/), [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Gallbladder cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/gallbladder/), [Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/tnbc-metastatic/), [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/), [Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/pancreatic/), [Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-squamous-cell-carcinoma/), [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 Clinical Study Evaluating a New Treatment Strategy for Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Who Have Not Received Prior Treatment for Advanced Disease.](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07578337/), [A Phase II Study Evaluating BMS-986504 in MTAP-deleted Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07283705/), [A Study of BL-B01D1 Plus an Anti-PD-1 Antibody Versus Nab-paclitaxel Plus an Anti-PD-1 Antibody in Patients With Previously Untreated, Locally Advanced, Inopera](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07729956/), [A Study of FG-M108+Chemotherapy vs Placebo+Chemotherapy in Claudin18.2-positive Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07383922/), [A Study of GFH276 Combined With Cetuximab or Chemotherapy in Participants With Solid Tumors and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Harboring RAS Mutation](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07678593/), [A Study of HB0025 Plus Nab-paclitaxel as First Line Therapy for TNBC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07376629/), [A Study of NovoTTF-200T(P) in Combination With Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel for Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05624918/), [A Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan Plus Toripalimab Versus Toripalimab Plus Nab-Paclitaxel in PD-L1 Positive Advanced TNBC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07040644/), [A Study to Assess Adverse Events and Change in Disease Activity With Treatment Combinations With Telisotuzumab Adizutecan in Adults Participants With Pancreatob](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07769502/), [A Study to Assess Intravenous ABBV-1480 Combined With Chemotherapy Versus Pembrolizumab Combined With Chemotherapy for the First Line Treatment of Locally Advan](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07756645/), [A Study to See the Effects That a New Combination of the Three Drugs, Nab-paclitaxel, Gemcitabine, and Cisplatin Has on Biliary Tract Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct02632305/), [A Trial of Camrelizumab Plus Nab-paclitaxel and Levocetirizine in Metastatic or Recurrent TNBC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06632405/), [Active Anti-diabetic Treatment Plus Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer Related Diabetes](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07272109/), [Adebrelimab Combined With Chemotherapy for Neoadjuvant Therapy in Resectable Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06177522/), [AK112 Combined With GAP Conversion Therapy for Locally Advanced Gallbladder Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07767994/), [Albumin-bound Paclitaxel (II) in Combination With Gemcitabine as First Line Therapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07831330/), [Albumin-bound Paclitaxel (II)-Combined Regimens for Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07828756/), [Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel Combined With Antiangiogenic Agents in First-line Treatment of Relapsed or Metastatic TNBC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05192798/), [An Open-label, Single-arm, Multicenter Exploratory Study of Adebrelimab Combined With Gemcitabine and Albumin-bound Paclitaxel as First-line Treatment for Biliary Tract Malignancies](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07668453/), [Anlotinib Plus Nab-Paclitaxels and S-1 for Patients with Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer As Second-Line Treatment](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06662877/), [APACT](https://onco.cc/trials/apact/), [Apatinib Combined with Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel for Treatment of Advanced Triple Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05019690/), [Basal-like PDAC Treated With Gemcitabine, Erlotinib, and Nab-paclitaxel](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06483555/), [BMS-986340 in Combination With Nivolumab, Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel for the Treatment of Metastatic and Recurrent Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07226856/), [Camrelizumab and Chemotherapy With or Without Anlotinib as First-line Treatment for Advanced Gallbladder Cancer and Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06901622/), [CanStem111P](https://onco.cc/trials/canstem111p/), [Chemotherapy Combined With Immunotherapy Versus Immunotherapy Alone for Older Adults With Stage IIIB-IV Lung Cancer, The ACHIEVE Trial](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06096844/), [Combination of Gemcitabine, Albumin-paclitaxel , Sintilimab and Bevacizumab in Unresectable Gallbladder Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05757336/), [DCE-MRI for Neoadjuvant Treatment Assessment in Patients With Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07705919/), [Durvalumab Combined With Chemotherapy Neoadjuvant Therapy of Biliary Tract Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05640791/), [Efficacy and Safety of Nab-paclitaxel-Lenvatinib-Pembrolizumab as Second-line Treatment in Advanced NSCLC Patients](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06028633/), [Gem+Nab-P+LEN+TIS for Advanced Unresectable BTC (GALENT-BT)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06963060/), [Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel Combined With Iparomlimab and Tuvorilimab for Advanced Gallbladder Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07310069/), [Gemcitabine Hydrochloride, Cisplatin, Nab-Paclitaxel, and Durvalumab in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gallbladder Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06591650/), [Gemcitabine Plus Nab-paclitaxel as Switch Maintenance Versus Continuation of Modified FOLFIRINOX as 1st Line Chemotherapy in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic C](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06897644/), [Gemcitabine Versus Reduced-dose Combination Chemotherapy in Fragile Patients with Non-resectable Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05841420/), [Gemcitabine, Cisplatin and Nab-Paclitaxel as Neoadjuvant Treatment for Patients With Resectable or Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06423326/), [Gemcitabine, cisplatin and nab-paclitaxel phase 2 (MD Anderson and Mayo)](https://onco.cc/trials/gap-phase2-mdacc/), [Gemcitabine, Cisplatin, Nab-paclitaxel (GAP) and Cemiplimab for Locally Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer (BTC)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07433673/), [Gemcitabine, Nab-paclitaxel Plus the TheraBionic P1 (an Amplitude-Modulated Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields) Device to Treat Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06576115/), [GnP Combined With SHR-1701 and Apatinib as First-Line Treatment for Locally Advanced or Metastatic PDAC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07802184/), [HALO 109-301](https://onco.cc/trials/halo-301/), [High Dose Radiation Therapy With Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Patients With PD-L1 Positive Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06492759/), [HIM Typing Guides the Treatment of Advanced First-Line Triple-Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06849492/), [Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer and Peritoneal Metastasis](https://onco.cc/trials/nct04858009/), [IBI343 Combined With Chemotherapy in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06770439/), [IMpassion130](https://onco.cc/trials/impassion130/), [Irinotecan Liposome，Albumin Paclitaxel and Gemcitabine First-line Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06513455/), [Ivonescimab(AK112/SMT112) in Combination With Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06491472/), [LM-108 in Combination With PD-1 Based Treatment for Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Triple - Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06387628/), [MPACT](https://onco.cc/trials/mpact/), [Nab-paclitaxel Plus Carboplatin Versus Nab-paclitaxel Plus Capecitabine in the Treatment of Advanced Triple-negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct04159142/), [Nab-paclitaxel Plus Carboplatin Versus Nab-paclitaxel Plus Epirubicin in the Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct04138719/), [Neoadjuvant Study of HIFU With or Without PD-1 Inhibitors Followed by Abraxane Plus Carboplatin in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07394387/), [Neoadjuvant Therapy of Sintilimab Combined With Chemotherapy for Resectable Squamous Cell NSCLC（neoSCORE II）](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05429463/), [Neoadjuvant/Adjuvant Sintilimab, Nab-paclitaxel, and Gemcitabine for Resectable/Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05562297/), [NEOLAP](https://onco.cc/trials/neolap/), [NEONAX](https://onco.cc/trials/neonax/), [NeoTRIP (NeoTRIPaPDL1)](https://onco.cc/trials/neotrip/), [Newly Emerging Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06370754/), [ONT01 and Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel as Second Line Therapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06904378/), [PD-1 Combined With Chemotherapy and PULSAR in LAPC and Local Recurrence Patients](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06359275/), [Pembrolizumab + Platinum Doublets Without Radiation for Programmed Death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) ≥50% Locally Advanced NSCLC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct04153734/), [Phase 1/2 Trial of S241656 in Selected RAS/MAPK Mutation- Positive Malignancies](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05786924/), [Phase II Study of Iparomlimab and Tuvonralimab (QL1706) in Combination With Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel and Lenvatinib as Second-Line Therapy for Unresectable or Metastatic Biliary Tract Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07530445/), [Phase II Study of Upfront SRT Plus Ivonescimab/Chemotherapy vs Ivonescimab/Chemotherapy in NSCLC Brain Mets](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07234877/), [Posaconazole Plus PD-1 Inhibitors and Chemotherapy vs PD-1 Inhibitors and Chemotherapy in Neoadjuvant Therapy for Triple Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06802757/), [PRIMUS 001](https://onco.cc/trials/primus-001/), [Prospective Trial Assessing Real World Outcomes Response to Pembro in Black Patients w/ NSCLC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06745882/), [QL1706 Plus Chemotherapy +/- Bevacizumab in 1L Treatment of R/mTNBC](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06786026/), [QL1706 Plus Chemotherapy as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Early High-Risk TNBC Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06404736/), [QL1706 Plus Chidamide, AG as First-line Treatment for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06951997/), [QUEEN-APPLE: A Single-Arm, Multicenter, Prospective Phase II Clinical Study of Iparomlimab and Tuvonralimab (QL1706) in Combination With Anlotinib Hydrochloride](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07601178/), [RESOLVE](https://onco.cc/trials/resolve/), [Restoring Sensitivity To Immunotherapy In Advanced Triple Negative Breast Cancer Exploiting Ceralasertib Priming Followed By Combined Durvalumab/Nab-Paclitaxel](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05582538/), [Retlirafusp Alfa Combined With Chemotherapy or Fuzuloparib for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07752550/), [RUGB](https://onco.cc/trials/rugb/), [Sintilimab Combined With Ipilimumab (N01) Plus AG as First-line Therapy for uBTC.](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07654530/), [SMAD4 Tailored Neoadjuvant Therapy for the Treatment of Resectable and Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, SMART-PANC Trial](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07748611/), [Split Course Adaptive Radiation Therapy With Pembrolizumab With/Without Chemotherapy for Treating Stage IV Lung Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05501665/), [STARPAC2](https://onco.cc/trials/starpac2/), [Stimulation With Bethanechol in Combination With Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05241249/), [Study of Amplitude-Modulated Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05776524/), [Study of Camrelizumab Plus Apatinib and Chemotherapy as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Participants With Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05447702/), [Study of NABPLAGEM vs. Nab-Paclitaxel/Gemcitabine in BRCA1/2 or PALB2 Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06783140/), [Studying Chemotherapy With or Without Panitumumab for Unresectable, Locally Advanced, or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Without KRAS Mutations](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06998940/), [SWOG S1505](https://onco.cc/trials/swog-s1505/), [SWOG S1815](https://onco.cc/trials/swog-s1815/), [SYHX2011 in Combination With Carboplatin and Enlonstobart as First-Line Therapy for Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07662811/), [Testing Higher Dose Radiation Therapy for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06958328/), [Testing the Addition of an Individualized Vaccine to Durvalumab and Tremelimumab and Chemotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct03606967/), [Testing the Addition of High Dose, Targeted Radiation to the Usual Treatment for Locally-Advanced Inoperable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05624996/), [Testing the Combination of Two Approved Chemotherapy Drugs and Radiation Prior to Surgery in Localized Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct03492671/), [Thalidomide to Chemotherapy Related Nausea and Vomiting in Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06017284/), [The Efficacy and Safety of Lenvatinib Combined With Sindilimab and Nab-paclitaxel in the First-line Treatment for Recurrent and Metastatic Triple Negative Breas](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06140576/), [The PLATINUM Trial: Optimizing Chemotherapy for the Second-Line Treatment of Metastatic BRCA1/2 or PALB2-Associated Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06115499/), [Tislelizumab Combined with Nab-Paclitaxel for First-Line Treatment of Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer with Bone Metastasis，an Exploratory, Single-Arm, Mu](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06538896/), [to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of HLX10 in Combination With Chemotherapy Versus Placebo in Combination With Chemotherapy as Neoadjuvant Therapy and HLX10 Versu](https://onco.cc/trials/nct04301739/), [Transcatheter Arterial Infusion to Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06196788/), [Treatment of Triple-negative Breast Cancer With Albumin-bound Paclitaxel as Neoadjuvant Therapy: a Prospective RCT](https://onco.cc/trials/nct04137653/), [Valproic Acid/Simvastatin Plus Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel Based Regimens in Untreated Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05821556/), [YL-13027 and/or HY-0102 Combined With AG Regimen Chemotherapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06662669/)
- key papers: [PD-L1 Immunohistochemistry Assay Comparison in Atezolizumab Plus nab-Paclitaxel-Treated Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-rugo-pd-l1-assay-comparison-impassion130-jnci-2021/)
- roadmaps: [Triple-negative breast cancer roadmap: from a remainder defined by three negative tests to immunotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates and the residual disease problem](https://onco.cc/roadmaps/tnbc-roadmap/)
- terms: [Pancreatic cancer drugs in England: NICE appraisals and the Cancer Drugs Fund (September 2026)](https://onco.cc/terms/pancreatic-cancer-uk-drug-access/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/nab-paclitaxel.json