The mechanism of action and biodistribution of a novel EGFR/VEGF bispecific fusion protein that exhibited superior antitumor activities

Abstract

Despite the promising clinical benefits of therapies targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with antibodies in various cancers, resistance to these therapies will inevitably develop following treatment. Recent studies suggest that crosstalk between the EGFR and VEGF signaling pathways might be involved in the development of resistance. Therefore, simultaneous blockade of EGFR and VEGF signaling may be able to counteract this resistance and improve clinical outcomes. Here, we devised a fusion protein with two copies of VEGFR1 domain 2 connected to the C-terminus of cetuximab that can simultaneously bind to EGFR and VEGF and effectively inhibit target cell growth mediated by these two pathways. Furthermore, the fusion protein could bring soluble VEGF into target cells for degradation through internalization upon binding to EGFR. Tissue distribution in mice confirmed that the fusion protein effectively accumulated in tumors compared to its mAb counterpart cetuximab. These features resulted in stronger antitumor efficacies in vivo than the combination of bevacizumab and cetuximab. Thus, we provide a promising new strategy for the treatment of EGFR-overexpressing cancers.