Soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) is a heterogeneous group of tumors that arise from 
mesenchymal tissue. The prognosis of metastatic STS is poor with a life 
expectancy of 12-18 months. The mainstay of treatment is chemotherapy with an 
anthracycline. The addition of other chemotherapeutic agents to an anthracycline 
has been studied with limited success in improving outcomes for STS patients. 
Olaratumab is a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds to 
platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFR-α) preventing binding of its 
ligands and receptor activation. This drug recently received the US Food and 
Drug Administration's accelerated approval for the treatment of advanced STS 
when combined with doxorubicin. This approval was based upon an improvement in 
overall survival of patients receiving the combination of doxorubicin and 
olaratumab compared to those receiving doxo-rubicin alone. In this review, we 
have analyzed the available literature on the development of olaratumab, its 
clinical utility, and its place in therapy. Based on early-phase clinical 
trials, olaratumab appears to be a promising agent for the treatment of STS.