Accordingly, the rationale of this phase I study was based on a preclinical model showing that even minute amounts of murine NGR–TNF were able to induce synergistic anti-tumour activity in combination with doxorubicin, mainly by damaging the tumour capillary network and increasing the chemotherapeutic drug uptake in the tumour (Curnis et al, 2002). Here, TNF is linked to neoplasm.