Antibody Radionuclide Conjugate Research Articles

Impact of site-specific conjugation strategies on the pharmacokinetics of antibody conjugated radiotherapeutics

Antibody radionuclide conjugates are an emerging modality for targeted imaging and potent therapy of disseminated disease. Coupling of radionuclides to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is typically achieved by applying non-site-specific labelling techniques. With the ambition of reducing variability, increasing labelling efficacy and stability, several site-specific conjugation strategies have been developed in recent years for toxin- and fluorophore-mAb conjugates. In this study, we studied two site-specific labelling strategies for the conjugation of the macrocyclic chelating agent, DOTA, to the anti-Leucine Rich Repeat Containing 15 (LRRC15) mAb DUNP19. Specifically, one approach utilized a DOTA-bearing peptide (FcIII) with a strong affinity for the fragment crystallizable (Fc) domain of the human IgG1 of DUNP19 (DUNP19LF-FcIII-DOTASS), while the other leveraged a chemo-enzymatic technique to substitute the N-linked bi-antennary oligosaccharides in the human IgG1 Fc domain with DOTA (DUNP19LF-gly-DOTASS). To assess if these methods impact the antibody's binding properties and targeting efficacy, comparative in vitro and in vivo studies of the generated DUNP19-conjugates were performed. While the LRRC15 binding of both radioimmunoconjugates remained intact, the conjugation methods had different impacts on their abilities to interact with FcRn and FcγRs. In vitro assessments of DUNP19LF-FcIII-DOTASS and DUNP19LF-gly-DOTASS demonstrated markedly decreased affinity for FcRn and FcγRIIIa (CD16), respectively. DUNP19LF-FcIII-DOTASS demonstrated increased blood and tissue kinetics in vivo, confirming loss of FcRn binding. While the ablated FcγR interaction of DUNP19LF-gly-DOTASS had no immediate impact on in vivo biodistribution, reduced immunotherapeutic effect can be expected in future studies as a result of reduced NK-cells interaction. In conclusion, our findings underscore the necessity for meticulous consideration and evaluation of mAb labelling strategies, extending beyond mere conjugation efficiency and radiolabeling yields. Notably, site-specific labelling methods were found to significantly influence the immunological impact of Fc interactions. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to consider the intended diagnostic or therapeutic application of the construct and to adopt conjugation strategies that ensure the preservation of critical pharmacological properties and functionality of the antibody in use.

Engineered Antibodies as Cancer Radiotheranostics.

Radiotheranostics is a rapidly growing approach in personalized medicine, merging diagnostic imaging and targeted radiotherapy to allow for the precise detection and treatment of diseases, notably cancer. Radiolabeled antibodies have become indispensable tools in the field of cancer theranostics due to their high specificity and affinity for cancer-associated antigens, which allows for accurate targeting with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissues, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while reducing side effects, immune-modulating ability, and versatility and flexibility in engineering and conjugation. However, there are inherent limitations in using antibodies as a platform for radiopharmaceuticals due to their natural activities within the immune system, large size preventing effective tumor penetration, and relatively long half-life with concerns for prolonged radioactivity exposure. Antibody engineering can solve these challenges while preserving the many advantages of the immunoglobulin framework. In this review, the goal is to give a general overview of antibody engineering and design for tumor radiotheranostics. Particularly, the four ways that antibody engineering is applied to enhance radioimmunoconjugates: pharmacokinetics optimization, site-specific bioconjugation, modulation of Fc interactions, and bispecific construct creation are discussed. The radionuclide choices for designed antibody radionuclide conjugates and conjugation techniques and future directions for antibody radionuclide conjugate innovation and advancement are also discussed.

Site-specific Conjugation of 6 DOTA Chelators to a CA19-9-targeting scFv-Fc Antibody for Imaging and Therapy.

Antibodies conjugated with diagnostic/therapeutic radionuclides are attractive options for inoperable cancers lacking accurate imaging methods and effective therapeutics, such as pancreatic cancer. Hence, we have produced an antibody radionuclide conjugate termed TE-1132 comprising a α-CA19-9 scFv-Fc that is site-specifically conjugated at each C-terminus to 3 DOTA chelators via a cysteine-containing peptide linker. The smaller scFv-Fc size facilitates diffusivity within solid tumors, whereas the chelator-to-antibody ratio of six enabled 177Lu-radiolabeled TE-1132 to exhibit high radioactivity up to 520 MBq/nmol. In mice bearing BxPC3 tumors, immuno-SPECT/CT imaging of [111In]In-TE-1132 and the biodistribution of [177Lu]Lu-TE-1132 showed selective tumor accumulation. Single and multiple doses of [177Lu]Lu-TE-1132 effectively inhibited the BxPC3 tumor growth and prolonged the survival of mice with no irreversible body weight loss or hematopoietic damage. The adequate pharmacokinetic parameters, prominent tumor accumulation, and efficacy with good safety in mice encourage the further investigation of theranostic TE-1132 for treating pancreatic cancer.

An antibody-radionuclide conjugate targets fibroblast activation protein for cancer therapy.

Fibroblast activation protein is one of the most attractive targets for tumor diagnosis and therapy. There have been many successful clinical translations with small molecules and peptides, yet only a few anti-FAP antibody diagnostic or therapeutic agents have been reported. Antibodies often feature good tumor selectivity and long tumor retention, which may be a better-match with therapeutic radionuclides (e.g.,177Lu, 225Ac) for cancer therapy. Here we report a 177Lu-labeled anti-FAP antibody, PKU525, as a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical for FAP-targeted radiotherapy. The anti-FAP antibody is produced as a derivative of sibrotuzumab. The pharmacokinetics and blocking study are performed with 89Zr-labeled antibody by PET imaging. The conjugation strategies have been screened and tested with SPECT imaging through 177Lu-labeling. The biodistribution and radiotherapy studies are performed on 177Lu-labeled anti-FAP antibody in NU/NU mice-bearing HT-1080-FAP tumors. A multiple time-point PET imaging study shows that the tumor accumulation of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-PKU525 is intense, selective, and relatively rapid. The time activity curve indicates that the tumor uptake continually increases until reaches the highest uptake (SUVmax = 18.4 ± 2.3, n = 4) at 192h, then gradually declines. Radioactivity rapidly cleared from the blood, liver, and other major organs, resulting in high tumor-to-background ratios. An in vivo blocking experiment suggests that [89Zr]Zr-DFO-PKU525 is FAP-specific and the uptake in FAP-negative tumors is almost negligible. Ex vivo biodistribution study shows that the tumor uptake of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-NCS-PKU525 is 23.04 ± 5.11% ID/g, 33.2 ± 6.36% ID/g, 19.87 ± 6.84% ID/g and 19.02 ± 5.90% ID/g at 24h, 96h, 168h, and 240h after injection (n = 5), which is corroborated with the PET imaging. In therapeutic assays, multiple doses of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-NCS-PKU525 have been tested in tumor-bearing mice, and the data suggests that 3.7MBq may be sufficient to completely suppress the tumor growth in mice without showing observable side effects. A FAP-targeted antibody-radionuclide conjugate was developed and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Its tumor accumulation is rapid and high with a clean background. It remarkably suppresses the tumors in mice while the side effect is almost negligible, showing that it is promising for further clinical translational studies.

177 Lu-Lilotomab Satetraxetan, a Novel CD37-Targeted Antibody-Radionuclide Conjugate in Relapsed Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL): Updated Results of an Ongoing Phase I/II Study (LYMRIT 37-01)

177 Lu-Lilotomab Satetraxetan, a Novel CD37-Targeted Antibody-Radionuclide Conjugate in Relapsed Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL): Updated Results of an Ongoing Phase I/II Study (LYMRIT 37-01)

Yttrium-90 Anti-CD45 Immunotherapy Followed by Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Relapsed or Refractory Lymphoma

Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) is a standard of care for several subtypes of high-risk lymphoma, but durable remissions are not achieved in the majority of patients. Intensified conditioning using CD45-targeted antibody-radionuclide conjugate (ARC) preceding AHCT may improve outcomes in lymphoma by permitting the delivery of curative doses of radiation to disease sites while minimizing toxicity. We performed sequential phase I trials of escalating doses of yttrium-90 (90Y)-labeled anti-CD45 antibody with or without BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) chemotherapy followed by AHCT in adults with relapsed/refractory or high-risk B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), T cell NHL (T-NHL), or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Twenty-one patients were enrolled (16 NHL, 4 HL, 1 T-NHL). Nineteen patients received BEAM concurrently. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed; therefore, the maximum tolerated dose is estimated to be ≥34 Gy to the liver. Nonhematologic toxicities and engraftment kinetics were similar to standard myeloablative AHCT. Late myeloid malignancies and 100-day nonrelapse deaths were not observed. At a median follow-up of 5 years, the estimates of progression-free and overall survival of 19 patients were 37% and 68%, respectively. Two patients did not receive BEAM; one had stable disease and the other progressive disease post-transplant. The combination of 90Y-anti-CD45 with BEAM and AHCT was feasible and tolerable in patients with relapsed and refractory lymphoma. The use of anti-CD45 ARC as an adjunct to hematopoietic cell transplantation regimens or in combination with novel therapies/immunotherapies should be further explored based on these and other data.

The therapeutic effectiveness of 177Lu-lilotomab in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma involves modulation of G2/M cell cycle arrest

Some patients with B-cell non-Hodkin lymphoma Lymphoma (NHL) become refractory to rituximab (anti-CD20 antibody) therapy associated with chemotherapy. Here, the effect of the anti-CD37 antibody-radionuclide conjugate lutetium-177 (177Lu)-lilotomab (Betalutin®) was investigated in preclinical models of NHL. In SCID mice bearing DOHH2 (transformed follicular lymphoma, FL) cell xenografts, 177Lu-lilotomab significantly delayed tumor growth, even at low activity (100 MBq/kg). In athymic mice bearing OCI-Ly8 (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, DLBCL) or Ramos (Burkitt’s lymphoma) cell xenografts, 177Lu-lilotomab activity had to be increased to 500 MBq/kg to show a significant tumor growth delay. Clonogenic and proliferation assays showed that DOHH2 cells were highly sensitive to 177Lu-lilotomab, while Ramos cells were the least sensitive, and U2932 (DLBCL), OCI-Ly8, and Rec-1 (mantle cell lymphoma) cells displayed intermediate sensitivity. The strong 177Lu-lilotomab cytotoxicity observed in DOHH2 cells correlated with reduced G2/M cell cycle arrest, lower WEE-1- and MYT-1-mediated phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinase-1 (CDK1), and higher apoptosis. In agreement, 177Lu-lilotomab efficacy in vitro, in vivo, and in patient samples was increased when combined with G2/M cell cycle arrest inhibitors (MK-1775 and PD-166285). These results indicate that 177Lu-lilotomab is particularly efficient in treating tumors with reduced inhibitory CDK1 phosphorylation, such as transformed FL.

Phase I Study of a CD45-Targeted Antibody–Radionuclide Conjugate for High-Risk Lymphoma

External-beam radiation is the single most effective therapy for localized lymphoma. However, toxicity limits its use for multifocal disease. We evaluated CD45 as a therapeutic target for an antibody-radionuclide conjugate (ARC) for the treatment of lymphoma based on its ubiquitous expression, infrequent antigen loss or blockade, and the ability to target minimal disease based on panhematopoietic expression. We performed a phase I trial of escalating doses of single-agent CD45-targeted ARC based on per-patient dosimetry using the BC8 antibody labeled with iodine-131 (131I) followed by autologous stem cell support in adults with relapsed, refractory, or high-risk B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), T-cell NHL (T-NHL), or Hodgkin lymphoma. The primary objective was to estimate the maximum tolerated radiation absorbed dose. Sixteen patients were enrolled: 7 patients had B-NHL, 6 had Hodgkin lymphoma, and 3 had T-NHL. Median number of prior therapies was three (range: 2-12). Absorbed doses up to 32 Gy to liver were delivered. No dose-limiting toxicities occurred. Nonhematologic toxicity was infrequent and manageable. Objective responses were seen across histologies. Fourteen patients had measurable disease at enrollment, 57% of whom achieved complete remission (CR), including all 3 with T-NHL. Three patients with B-NHL treated among the highest dose levels (26-32 Gy) remain in CR without subsequent therapy 35-41 months later. CD45-targeted ARC therapy is well-tolerated at doses up to at least 32 Gy to the liver. Objective responses and long-term remissions were observed in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoma. These data validate continued evaluation of anti-CD45 ARCs in lymphoma.

OA170] Myelosuppression in non–hodgkin lymphoma patients treated with 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan can be predicted by a model with red marrow absorbed dose as the only parameter

Purpose 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan is an antibody-radionuclide conjugate therapy for non–Hodgkin lymphoma, which is currently in a phase 1/2-study. The primary toxicity is transient myelosuppression. The aim of this work was to determine if a linear model including red marrow absorbed dose and various clinical factors can be used to predict myelosuppression. Methods Patient characteristics and dosimetric data for 17 patients were included. All patients had no or minor bone marrow infiltration. The percentage reduction of neutrophils and platelets at nadir compared to baseline was used as to indicate myelosuppression. Platelets and neutrophils were analysed separately. The Common Terminology Criteria version 4.0 were used to grade thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. A total of six factors believed to affect bone marrow reserve were tested: Red marrow absorbed dose, age at treatment, baseline cell-counts, history of prior external beam radiation therapy, total number of previous chemotherapy treatments (including rituximab) and elapsed time since the last chemotherapy treatment. Predictors were found using ordinary least square fitting, testing all possible subsets of variables. A significance level of 0.05 was used. A leave 1-out analysis was used to validate the final model. Results The typical patient, as described by the mean and standard deviation, was 69 (+/−10) years of age at treatment, had previously been treated 2.8 (+/−1.8) times with chemotherapy and might have previously received external beam radiation therapy (5/17 patients). Elapsed time since the last chemotherapy was 20.9 (+/−17.2) months. Mean red marrow absorbed dose was 1.45 (+/−0.45) Gy. Of the sub-sets of predictors investigated, only a model consisting solely of the red marrow absorbed dose was significant (p = 0.048 for platelets and 0.027 for neutrophils). Model coefficients indicate total loss of both platelets and neutrophils at 3 Gy. The leave-1 out analysis resulted in correct prediction of CTCAE-grading +/−1 grade for 76.5 % (13/17) and 88.2 % (15/17) of the patients for thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, respectively. Conclusions A linear model with red marrow absorbed dose as the only parameter predicted myelosuppression in 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan treated patients.

Abstract 848: In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the beta-emitting lutetium-177 labeled anti-CD37 antibody radionuclide conjugate 177Lu-NNV003 in DLBCL, CLL and MCL models

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic and anti-tumor efficacy of the beta-emitting lutetium labelled NNV003 antibody (177Lu-NNV003) in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) models. Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Complement-Dependent Cytotoxicity (CDC) were measured in REC-1 (MCL), MEC-2 (CLL) and DOHH-2 (DLBCL) cells using FcRγIIIa immortalized NK92 cells as effector cells. Antibody-Dependent Cellular Phagocytosis (ADCP) was measured using a commercially available FcRγIIa-H reporter kit. Binding and internalization of 177Lu-NNV003 after up to 18 hours incubation were measured by a stripping buffer method. Cytotoxicity effects were evaluated by incubating cells with increasing concentrations of 177Lu-NNV003 and measuring cell proliferation. Biodistribution of 177Lu-NNV003 was measured in CB17 SCID and NSG mice with DLBCL and CLL xenografts, respectively. Therapeutic and toxic effects of 177Lu-NNV003 were measured in different strains of immunocompromised mice bearing systemic DLBCL (in RAG-2), CLL (in RAG-1) or MCL (in NOD SCID) xenografts, and compared with NaCl and unspecific 177Lu-labelled isotype control groups. NNV003 elicited ADCC lysis in all cell lines and induced ADCP in MEC-2 and DOHH-2. Minimal CDC activation was observed. 177Lu-NNV003 showed activity dependent antiproliferative effect in all cell lines. Maximum tumor uptake in vivo was 45% IA/g in MEC-2 tumors and 15% IA/g in DOHH-2 tumors. Survival was significantly extended in DOHH-2 xenograft-bearing mice treated with NNV003 (2-30 mg/kg) and 177Lu-NNV003 (200-400 MBq/kg) compared to control groups (p<0.0001). In the MEC-2 model, 200 MBq/kg 177Lu-NNV003 extended survival compared to the NNV003 and the 177Lu-isotype treatment (p<0.025). In mice bearing REC-1 xenografts, both 50 and 100 MBq/kg 177Lu-NNV003 improved survival compared to control groups (p<0.02). Transient hematological toxicity was observed in all groups treated with radioactivity, and one mouse treated with 200 MBq/kg in the MEC-2 study died of radiation toxicity. 177Lu-NNV003 showed best anti-tumor effect in the two NHL models, and less effect in the CLL model despite the high tumor uptake, which might be explained by the very aggressive growth of the MEC-2 cells in vivo. In conclusion, in vitro studies have shown that the unlabelled NNV003 antibody have an immunological cytotoxicity effect on tumor cells, mainly through ADCC, and that 177Lu-NNV003 inhibits cell growth. 177Lu-NNV003 has shown significant tumor uptake and therapeutic effect in vivo in all three models tested. The results warrant clinical testing in patients suffering from CD37-expressing B-cell malignancies. Citation Format: Astri F. Maaland, Helen Heyerdahl, Adam O'Shea, Bergthora Eiriksdottir, Jostein Dahle. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the beta-emitting lutetium-177 labeled anti-CD37 antibody radionuclide conjugate 177Lu-NNV003 in DLBCL, CLL and MCL models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 848.

Progress of relapsed and refractory follicular lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a kind of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma deriving from follicle germinal center. Relapsed and refractory FL usually requires multiline treatments. With the great advance of novel drugs and a large number of clinical trials, the treatment model of FL has been changing continually. High dose therapy combined with hematopoietic stem cell transplant could provide preferable remissions for FL patients. Meanwhile, as more and more clinical trials have made great progress, novel drugs including inhibitors of PI3K, programmed death-1 (PD-1) or lenalidomide and antibody radionuclide conjugate have brought an increasing options for FL treatment. Key words: Lymphoma, follicular; Therapy; Progress

Pre-dosing with lilotomab prior to therapy with 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan significantly increases the ratio of tumor to red marrow absorbed dose in non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients

Purpose177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan is a novel anti-CD37 antibody radionuclide conjugate for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Four arms with different combinations of pre-dosing and pre-treatment have been investigated in a first-in-human phase 1/2a study for relapsed CD37+ indolent NHL. The aim of this work was to determine the tumor and normal tissue absorbed doses for all four arms, and investigate possible variations in the ratios of tumor to organs-at-risk absorbed doses.MethodsTwo of the phase 1 arms included cold lilotomab pre-dosing (arm 1 and 4; 40 mg fixed and 100 mg/m2 BSA dosage, respectively) and two did not (arms 2 and 3). All patients were pre-treated with different regimens of rituximab. The patients received either 10, 15, or 20 MBq 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan per kg body weight. Nineteen patients were included for dosimetry, and a total of 47 lesions were included. The absorbed doses were calculated from multiple SPECT/CT-images and normalized by administered activity for each patient. Two-sided Student’s t tests were used for all statistical analyses.ResultsOrgans with distinct uptake of 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan, in addition to tumors, were red marrow (RM), liver, spleen, and kidneys. The mean RM absorbed doses were 0.94, 1.55, 1.44, and 0.89 mGy/MBq for arms 1–4, respectively. For the patients not pre-dosed with lilotomab (arms 2 and 3 combined) the mean RM absorbed dose was 1.48 mGy/MBq, which was significantly higher than for both arm 1 (p = 0.04) and arm 4 (p = 0.02). Of the other organs, the highest uptake was found in the spleen, and there was a significantly lower spleen absorbed dose for arm-4 patients than for the patient group without lilotomab pre-dosing (1.13 vs. 3.20 mGy/MBq; p < 0.01).Mean tumor absorbed doses were 2.15, 2.31, 1.33, and 2.67 mGy/MBq for arms 1–4, respectively. After averaging the tumor absorbed dose for each patient, the patient mean tumor absorbed dose to RM absorbed dose ratios were obtained, given mean values of 1.07 for the patient group not pre-dosed with lilotomab, of 2.16 for arm 1, and of 4.62 for arm 4. The ratios were significantly higher in both arms 1 and 4 compared to the group without pre-dosing (p = 0.05 and p = 0.02). No statistically significant difference between arms 1 and 4 was found.ConclusionsRM is the primary dose-limiting organ for 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan treatment, and pre-dosing with lilotomab has a mitigating effect on RM absorbed dose. Increasing the amount of lilotomab from 40 mg to 100 mg/m2 was found to slightly decrease the RM absorbed dose and increase the ratio of tumor to RM absorbed dose. Still, both pre-dosing amounts resulted in significantly higher tumor to RM absorbed dose ratios. The findings encourage continued use of pre-dosing with lilotomab.

The Health Related Quality of Life Is Maintained Following Treatment of Indolent Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients with the Novel Effective Antibody Radionuclide Conjugate 177lu-Satetraxetan-Lilotomab

Betalutin (177Lu-satetraxetan-lilotomab) is an antibody radionuclide conjugate (ARC) in development for the treatment of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The FACT-Lym is a validated health related quality of life instrument specifically designed to assess lymphoma patients. This questionnaire has been used previously to demonstrate significant reductions in the quality of life of patients undergoing treatment, likely as a result of treatment related toxicities (Hlubocky FJ, et al, Lymphoma 2013).MethodsPatients with relapsed incurable NHL of follicular grade I-IIIA, marginal zone, mantle cell, lymphoplasmacytic and small lymphocytic subtypes who had received at least one prior treatment regimen were eligible for enrolment. All patients received a single dose of 15 MBq/kg of 177Lu-satetraxetan-lilotomab.The FACT-Lym instrument used in the study has 42 questions grouped into 5 subscales (physical, social/family, emotional and functional well-being and additional concerns). Questionnaires were completed by all subjects in the phase 2 stage of the study during screening, at month 3 and month 12. Responses were categorised on a 5-point Likert scale from "0- not at all" to "4-very much" with a higher score indicating a better quality of life. The analysis is conducted as part of a protocol specified interim analysis of efficacy, safety and quality of life.ResultsA total of 36 patients have been enrolled into this phase 1/2 study of which 15 patients who have undergone treatment in the phase 2 part are included in the current analysis. The median age of the patients was 68 years and the median number of prior regimens was 2 (range: 1-9). All 15 subjects have completed the screening assessment and 7 patients have completed the 3 month assessment, data from all subjects at both screening and the month 3 assessment will be presented at the annual meeting. To date 907 responses to questions have been collected including 622 questions at screening and 285 responses at 3 months post-treatment.At enrolment patients overall had a good health-related quality of life with a median baseline score of 121 and this was similar at 3 months post-treatment (median score: 132, p-value: 0.558). This maintenance of the patients quality of life was achieved while 5/7 patients (71%) showed a complete or partial response to treatment. Of the 7 patients who have so far completed the month 3 assessment, 3 had grade 3 thrombocytopenia or neutropenia (none had grade 4), the quality of life assessment of these patients (median score: 158) was similar to or higher than the 4 patients who did not have grade 3 thrombocytopenia/neutropenia (median score: 110). This indicates no negative impact on the health related quality of life when patients experienced haematological side effects associated with 177Lu-satetraxetan-lilotomab. When the 3-month assessment has been completed by all patients a subscale analysis and a correlation with ECOG performance status will be performed.ConclusionThe health related quality of life as measured by the validated FACT-Lym questionnaire was maintained following treatment with Betalutin, while also achieving a durable tumour response in a significant proportion of the patients assessed. The treatment related hematological side effects experienced by patients were modest and appeared not to have a negative effect on the quality of life. Further analysis is required to confirm these findings when the 3 month assessment has been completed by all patients. DisclosuresKolstad:Nordic Nanovector: Other: Membership of Scientific Advisory Board. Dahle:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment, Equity Ownership. Baylor Curtis:Nordic Nanovector: Employment. Østengen:Nordic Nanovector: Employment. Turner:Nordic Nanovector: Employment. Hartvig Larsen:Nordic nanovector: Equity Ownership. Holte:Amgen: Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding.

Combination of 177lutetium-Satetraxetan-Lilotomab and Rituximab Results in Improved Therapeutic Effect in Preclinical Models of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Aim: To investigate the therapeutic effect of combined treatment with the anti-CD37 antibody radionuclide conjugate (ARC) 177Lu-satetraxetan-lilotomab (177Lu-p-SCN-Bn-DOTA-HH1, tradename Betalutin®, short name 177Lu-lilotomab) and the anti-CD20 immunotherapy with rituximab in a subcutaneous (s.c.) preclinical model of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). These studies build on previously presented data that showed that treatment with 177Lu-lilotomab increased binding of rituximab in NHL cells in-vitro and in-vivo.Materials and Methods:The therapeutic effect of the combination of 177Lu-lilotomab and rituximab was studied in nude mice with s.c. Burkitt's lymphoma (Daudi) xenografts using 250 MBq/kg 177Lu-lilotomab, 1 dose of 40 mg/kg rituximab, 4 doses of 10 mg/kg rituximab orNaCl. Treatmentswere given every 3 to 4 days (Table 1). Nine to 10 mice bearinga total of 16 to 18 tumors per group were used in the study. Tumor volume was measured every 2-3 days and weekly after study day 100. The therapeutic effect of the combination treatmentswas compared with the therapeutic effect of each of the treatments alone using Log-Rank and clustered cox-proportional hazards tests.Results:The effect of the combination treatment in mice with s.c. xenografts was better than that of each treatment alone (Figure 1 & 2). The median survival of mice given the combination treatment was longer (>157 days) than each of the treatments alone (31-60 days) and of the sum of both treatments alone (91-100 days), but the difference was not statistically significant (Table 2). The study is currently on-going and none of the mice given the combination treatment have any palpable tumors, so it is expected that the median survival of those mice eventually will double the sum of both treatments alone. Median time to quadruplicate tumor volume was 2 times longer for the combination treatments (>157 days) than in any of the treatments alone (25-49 days) and longer than the sum of both treatments alone (74-82 days) (Table 2). When using time to quadruplicate tumor volume as end-point, the 177Lu-lilotomab + 4 x rituximab combination was significantly different from either treatment alone (p < 0.01, clustered cox-proportional hazards model). Moreover, the median time to complete remission of tumors in mice given the combination treatment was 5 times shorter (13 days) than each of the treatments alone (>66 days) (p<0.05). Three mice in the combination treatment of 177Lu-lilotomab + 4 x rituximab and one mouse in the combination treatment of 177Lu-lilotomab + 1 x rituximab doses were sacrificed due to body weight loss 14, 110, 118 and 157 days after injection of 177Lu-lilotomab respectively. It is not known if this was normal age-related symptoms or random occurrences or due to treatment toxicity. Histopathology examination will be included in the next mice tobe sacrificed to study this in more detail and evaluate if there is any late toxicity due to the combination treatment.Conclusion:Treatment of NHL in-vitro and in-vivo with 177Lu-lilotomab results in an increased binding, tumor uptake and tumor suppression of anti-CD20 immunotherapy. If the same effect is confirmed in clinical studies, it could change the way ARC and CD20 immunotherapy would be used in the future. [Display omitted] DisclosuresRepetto-Llamazares:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment, Equity Ownership. Larsen:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Equity Ownership. O'Shea:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment, Equity Ownership. Dahle:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Evaluation of CD146 as Target for Radioimmunotherapy against Osteosarcoma.

BackgroundOsteosarcoma is a rare form of cancer but with a substantial need for new active drugs. There is a particular need for targeted therapies to combat metastatic disease. One possible approach is to use an antibody drug conjugate or an antibody radionuclide conjugate to target the osteosarcoma metastases and circulating tumor cells. Herein we have evaluated a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody targeting CD146 both in vitro and in vivo.Methods and ResultsA murine monoclonal anti-CD146 IgG1 isotype antibody, named OI-3, was developed along with recombinant chimeric versions with human IgG1 or human IgG3 Fc sequences. Using flow cytometry, selective binding of OI-3 to human osteosarcoma cell lines OHS, KPDX and Saos-2 was confirmed. The results confirm a higher expression level of CD146 on human osteosarcoma cells than HER2 and EGFR; antigens targeted by commercially available therapeutic antibodies. The biodistribution of 125I-labeled OI-3 antibody variants was compared with 125I-labeled chimeric anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab in nude mice with subcutaneous OHS osteosarcoma xenografts. OI-3 was able to target CD146 expressing tumors in vivo and showed improved tumor to tissue targeting ratios compared with cetuximab. Subsequently, the three OI-3 variants were conjugated with p-SCN-Bn-DOTA and labeled with a more therapeutically relevant radionuclide, 177Lu, and their biodistributions were studied in the nude mouse model. The 177Lu-labeled OI-3 variants were stable and had therapeutically relevant biodistribution profiles. Dosimetry estimates showed higher absorbed radiation dose to tumor than all other tissues after administration of the chimeric IgG1 OI-3 variant.ConclusionOur results indicate that CD146 can be targeted in vivo by the radiolabeled OI-3 antibodies.

Realistic multi-cellular dosimetry for 177Lu-labelled antibodies: model and application

Current preclinical dosimetric models often fail to take account of the complex nature of absorbed dose distribution typical of in vitro clonogenic experiments in targeted radionuclide therapy. For this reason, clonogenic survival is often expressed as a function of added activity rather than the absorbed dose delivered to cells/cell nuclei. We designed a multi-cellular dosimetry model that takes into account the realistic distributions of cells in the Petri dish, for the establishment of survival curves as a function of the absorbed dose. General-purpose software tools were used for the generation of realistic, randomised 3D cell culture geometries based on experimentally determined parameters (cell size, cell density, cluster density, average cluster size, cell cumulated activity). A mixture of Monte Carlo and analytical approaches was implemented in order to achieve as accurate as possible results while reducing calculation time. The model was here applied to clonogenic survival experiments carried out to compare the efficacy of Betalutin®, a novel 177Lu-labelled antibody radionuclide conjugate for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, to that of 177Lu-labelled CD20-specific (rituximab) and non-specific antibodies (Erbitux) on lymphocyte B cells. The 3D cellular model developed allowed a better understanding of the radiative and non-radiative processes associated with cellular death. Our approach is generic and can also be applied to other radiopharmaceuticals and cell distributions.

Red Marrow-Absorbed Dose for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients Treated with 177Lu-Lilotomab Satetraxetan, a Novel Anti-CD37 Antibody-Radionuclide Conjugate.

Eight patients with relapsed CD37+ indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma were included for RM dosimetry. Hybrid SPECT and CT images were used to estimate the activity concentration in the RM of L2-L4. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated after measurement of the 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan concentration in blood samples. Adverse events were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. The mean absorbed doses to RM were 0.9 mGy/MBq for arm 1 (lilotomab+) and 1.5 mGy/MBq for arm 2 (lilotomab-). There was a statistically significant difference between arms 1 and 2 (Student t test, P = 0.02). Total RM-absorbed doses ranged from 67 to 127 cGy in arm 1 and from 158 to 207 cGy in arm 2. For blood, the area under the curve was higher with lilotomab predosing than without (P = 0.001), whereas the volume of distribution and the clearance of 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan was significantly lower (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). Patients with grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia had received significantly higher radiation doses to RM than patients with grade 1/2 thrombocytopenia (P = 0.02). A surrogate, non-imaging-based, method underestimated the RM dose and did not show any correlation with toxicity. Predosing with lilotomab reduces the RM-absorbed dose for 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan patients. The decrease in RM dose could be explained by the lower volume of distribution. Hematologic toxicity was more severe for patients receiving higher absorbed radiation doses, indicating that adverse events possibly can be predicted by the calculation of absorbed dose to RM from SPECT/CT images.

Efficacy and Safety Results of a Phase 1 Study of 177 lu-DOTA-HH1 (Betalutin®) with and without HH1 Pre-Dosing for Patients with Relapsed CD37+ Non-Hodgkin B Cell Lymphoma (NHL)

Background:CD37 is an internalizing transmembrane antigen highly expressed by normal B cells and on most of B-cell malignancies, and represents an interesting therapeutic target for the treatment of B-cell NHL. 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 (Betalutin®) is a novel CD37-targeting antibody radionuclide conjugate in clinical development. It consists of a CD37-binding murine IgG1 antibody HH1 labelled with the short-ranged beta-emitter lutetium-177 (T½ = 6.7 days) chelated to DOTA. 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 is delivered in a ready-to-use formulation. Efficacy and safety data of patients (pts) receiving 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 with HH1 pre-dosing, as well as new efficacy and safety data from pts receiving 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 without HH1 pre-dosing will be presented.Methods: Pts with relapsed incurable CD37 positive NHL of follicular grade I-IIIA, marginal zone, mantle cell, lymphoplasmacytic and small lymphocytic subtypes and with platelet counts ≥ 150 x109/l were eligible for inclusion in the study. In a 3+3 study design pts received rituximab (375 mg/m2) day 1 and 8 in order to deplete normal B cells. On day 29 pre-dosing with HH1 (50 mg, cold CD37 antibody) was administered before 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 injection (Arm 1). In Arm 2 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 was administered without HH1 pre-dosing on day 29. The starting doses for Arm 1 and 2 were 10 MBq/kg b.w. and 15 MBq/kg b.w, respectively. Pts enrolment has been completed (n=13) in Arm 1 with the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) observed at 20 MBq/kg bw and a dose expansion cohort is currently open for enrollment at 15 MBq/kg with HH1 pre-dosing. Arm 2 is currently open for enrollment. Tumour response was assessed by FDG PET/CT scans (Cheson 2007), and pts will be followed for 5 years.Results: Arm 1:A total of13 (M/F 11/2) pts, median age 68 years, follicular lymphoma (n=12), and mantle cell lymphoma (n=1) have been enrolled since the study start in December 2012. The range of prior therapies was 1 to 8, where 5 of 13 pts were refractory to rituximab. The most common toxicities observed were hematologic and all DLTs were reversible and manageable. At 20 MBq/kg (n=3) G 3/4 neutropenia and/or thrombocytopenia were observed in all pts and platelet transfusions were required in 2 pts. At 15 MBq/kg (n=6) DLTs were: 1 G 3 thrombocytopenia lasting >14 days and 1 G 4 neutropenia/ thrombocytopenia lasting >7 days. The median time to nadir for platelets and neutrophils was 40 and 49 days, respectively. No pts experienced febrile neutropenia. Serious AEs were reported in 5 pts: at 10 MBq/kg pneumonia (possibly related) and pulmonary embolism (PE) unrelated, in the same pt, with history of PE; thrombocytopenia requiring platelet transfusions (2 pts) and epistaxis in 1 of them (20 MBq/kg), possibly related; transient atrial fibrillation (2 pts) at 15 MBq/kg, possibly related. No secondary malignancies or other long term events have been observed. Best overall tumor response observed across all dose levels were 4 complete and 3 partial remissions, 2 stable disease and 4 progression of disease (one pt had confirmed transformed lymphoma at 3 months). The duration of response (complete and partial remissions) ranged from 6 to more than 21 months. One patient is still in remission after 2 years. The median response duration has not yet been reached.Arm 2: Inclusion in this arm is ongoing. Data on efficacy and safety will be presented and compared with the pts receiving pre-dosing.Conclusions:177Lu-DOTA-HH1, which is a single dose ready-to-use formulation, has a predictable and manageable safety profile. Most AEs were hematological in nature, all transient and reversible. Promising efficacy and durable responses have been observed. 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 has the potential to be a novel therapy for B-cell malignancies. DisclosuresKolstad:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Bolstad:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment. Bruland:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Equity Ownership. Dahle:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hartvig Larsen:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Treatment with 177 lu-HH1 Increases CD20 Expression in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Cells in Vitro and In Vivo

Immunotherapy (IT) with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab in combination with chemotherapy has resulted in significantly improved response rate and survival in patients with various types of CD20 positive B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. To be effective, rituximab depends on selective expression of a sufficient number of CD20 antigens per cell. Treatment with rituximab alone or in combination with chemotherapy can, however, result in disappearance of the CD20 expression, which may result in reduced clinical effect of subsequent CD20 targeted treatments. We have discovered that treatment of NHL in vitro and in vivo with the anti-CD37 antibody radionuclide conjugate (ARC) 177Lu-DOTA-HH1 (177Lu-HH1 or Betalutin™) results in an upregulation of the CD20 antigen expression, and therefore represents a rationale for a combination treatment with both agents.The in vitro expression of CD20 in Burkitt's Lymphoma, Daudi, cells 1-7 days after treatment with 177Lu-HH1 increased up to 120 % when compared with cells treated with unlabeled mAb, while Ramos (Burkitt's Lymphoma) and Rec-1 (Mantle Cell Lymphoma) cells showed 10 to 30 % increase, indicating a variation of the antigen upregulation in vitro with different cell lines. An upregulation of CD20 at the same order of magnitude was observed when cells where treated with similar absorbed radiation doses of external beam radiation.Treatment of nude mice with Ramos xenografts with 177Lu-HH1 resulted in a 3 times higher uptake of radiolabeled rituximab in tumor xenografts 5 days after start of treatment than in mice treated with unlabeled HH1 (p < 0.05) while uptake in normal organs was similar in both treatment groups (p > 0.05).SCID mice with intravenously injected Rec-1 cells were treated with NaCl, 100 mg rituximab, 40 MBq/kg 177Lu-HH1 or with the combination of 40 MBq/kg 177Lu-HH1 followed with 100 mg rituximab 5 days later. The combination of 177Lu-HH1 and rituximab resulted in significantly improved survival as compared with NaCl or rituximab alone, and a strong therapeutic gain as compared with 177Lu-HH1 alone (Table 1).In conclusion, 177Lu-HH1 treatment seems to improve uptake of rituximab and increase tumor suppression when used prior to anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody targeting in preclinical models. The reason for the upregulation of CD20 is probably related to the oxidative stress induced by the ARC-treatment, which will be evaluated in further studies. If the upregultation of CD20 is confirmed in clinical studies this effect could affect the way ARC and CD20 immunotherapy would be used in the future.Table 1Therapy experiment groups and resultGroupMedian ± SDSurviving fraction at the end of the study% Increase in symptom free survival compared to controlNaCl + NaCl64 ± 20.1----NaCl + Rituximab75 ± 100.315.4177 Lu-HH1 + NaCl92 ± 14 *0.343.8177 Lu-HH1 + Rituximab> 132 *0.7> 106.3*Significantly different from NaCl + NaCl group (p < 0.01) DisclosuresRepetto-Llamazares:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment, Equity Ownership. Larsen:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Stokke:Nordic nanovector ASA: Equity Ownership. Generalov:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment. Dahle:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Employment, Equity Ownership.

What Can We Learn about Antibody-Drug Conjugates from the T-DM1 Experience?

Antibody conjugates are a diverse class of therapeutics that consist of a cytotoxic agent linked covalently to an antibody or antibody fragment directed toward a specific cell surface target expressed by tumor cells. The notion that antibodies directed toward targets on the surface of malignant cells could be used for drug delivery is not new. The history of antibody conjugates has been marked by hurdles identified and overcome. Early conjugates used mouse antibodies, drugs that either were not sufficiently potent, were immunogenic (proteins), or were too toxic, and linkers that were not sufficiently stable in circulation. Four main avenues have been explored using antibodies to target cytotoxic agents to malignant cells: antibody-protein toxin (or antibody fragment-protein toxin fusion) conjugates, antibody-chelated radionuclide conjugates, antibody-small molecule conjugates, and antibody-enzyme conjugates administered along with small molecule prodrugs that require metabolism by the conjugated enzyme to release the activated species. Technology is continuing to evolve regarding the protein and small molecule components, and it is likely that single chemical entities soon will be the norm for antibody-drug conjugates. Only antibody-radionuclide conjugates and antibody-drug conjugates have reached the regulatory approval stage, and there are more than 40 antibody conjugates in clinical trials. The time may have come for this technology to become a major contributor to improving treatment for patients with cancer.