Apatinib is an orally bioavailable, small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively inhibits the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 and used for the treatment of metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction cancer that has progressed or relapsed after chemotherapy. To date, second-line ramucirumab and third-line Apatinib are the only anti-angiogenic approaches that have significantly improved the survival of patients with metastatic gastric cancer. Apatinib exhibited potent, highly-selective inhibition of VEGFR-2, c-kit, c-src, and RET tyrosine kinases. The efficacy of Apatinib monotherapy in patients with metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction cancer for whom at least two prior chemotherapy regimens had failed was demonstrated in randomized open-label or double-blind phase II trials and a pivotal placebo-controlled phase III trial, all of which were conducted in China. Further clinical experience and long-term pharmacovigilance are required to definitively establish the efficacy and safety profile of Apatinib, including its use in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents.

Cediranib (AZD-2171) is a VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitor which was developed by AstraZeneca for the treatment of cancer. The drug reached the final stage of approval by European Medicines Agency in 2008 under the name Zemfirza (it was recommended to be taken in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy), however on 19 September 2016 AstraZeneca decided to withdraw the Marketing Authorisation Application.