Orally administered DTPA di-ethyl ester for decorporation of 241Am in dogs: Assessment of safety and efficacy in an inhalation-contamination model

Abstract

Purpose: Currently two injectable products of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) are U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for decorporation of 241Am; however, an oral product is considered more amenable in a mass casualty situation. The di-ethyl ester of DTPA, named C2E2, is being developed as an oral drug for treatment of internal radionuclide contamination.Materials and methods: Single-dose decorporation efficacy of C2E2 administered 24-h post contamination was determined in beagle dogs using a 241Am nitrate inhalation contamination model. Single and multiple dose toxicity studies in beagle dogs were performed as part of an initial safety assessment program. In addition, the genotoxic potential of C2E2 was evaluated by the in vitro bacterial reverse mutation Ames test, mammalian cell chromosome aberration cytogenetic assay and an in vivo micronucleus test.Results: Oral administration of C2E2 significantly increased 241Am elimination over untreated controls and significantly reduced the retention of 241Am in tissues, especially liver, kidney, lung and bone. Daily dosing of 200 mg/kg/day for 10 days was well tolerated in dogs. C2E2 was found to be neither mutagenic or clastogenic.Conclusions: The di-ethyl ester of DTPA (C2E2) was shown to effectively enhance the elimination of 241Am after oral administration in a dog inhalation-contamination model and was well tolerated in toxicity studies.