<b>Thalidomide, The Story So Far...</b>

In the late 1950s, in several countries worldwide, thalidomide was marketed as a sedative, useful alone or in combination with other drugs for treating conditions like asthma, high blood pressure, migraine, and morning sickness of pregnancy.  

Thalidomide had a prompt onset of sedation without hangover, and a safe overdose profile.  It was a good alternative to barbiturates [these were pre-Valium days], and it was promoted as a nontoxic drug without adverse effects, and safe to take for pregnant women.

Thalidomide did not receive FDA approval at that time principally because of reports from Europe of possibly irreversible peripheral neuropathy as well as the possibility of potential adverse effects on fetuses.

Then, use of thalidomide was linked to an epidemic appearing in 46 countries -- severe and often fatal fetal and neonatal malformations (most frequently phocomelia).  At that time, 17 babies were born in the US with thalidomide-associated phocomelia.  Their mothers had received the drug from overseas sources or as marketing samples.  Thalidomide was withdrawn from the world market in 1961.

After a few years, reports surfaced that leprosy patients with inflammatory lesions had experienced improvement in these lesions while using thalidomide as a sedative.  This led to the discovery of thalidomide's anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.

Studies evaluating thalidomide in various autoimmune and inflammatory conditions led to discovery of thalidomide's antiangiogenesis effects.
The use of thalidomide is currently being evaluated in a variety of neoplastic diseases.  Because thalidomide is a weak antiangiogenesis agent, derivatives of it have been made which will hopefully be stronger antiangiogenesis agents.  
