Pretargeting redux: a bispecific antibody re-ignites radioimmunotherapy

Pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT) combines antibody-mediated immunotherapy with targeted delivery of radioisotopes. It is a multi-step process, first the administration of a monoclonal antibody, followed by a clearing agent to remove any unbound antibody. Then, a radiolabeled element is injected for antibody binding and specific elimination of the targeted cancer cells. Radioimmunotherapy has the potential to improve cancer treatment by increasing specific tumor cell eradication and reducing toxicity. Radioimmunotherapy has already been successful for leukemia and lymphoma treatments but evaluation in the context of multiple myeloma (MM) has been very limited.

In a recent study published in the journal Blood, the groups of Drs. Damian Green and Oliver Press assessed radioimmunotherapy applied to MM by targeting CD38, a protein whose expression is increased, stable and uniform in MM cells. CD38 has already successfully been targeted with monoclonal antibody-mediated immunotherapy. However, relapses remain inevitable with the current approaches.

In the study, a newly designed bispecific antibody binding both to the CD38 antigen on one extremity and to a radiolabeled isotope on the other extremity was characterized. Two versions of the bispecific antibody were evaluated side by side. 

To read more please visit: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/spotlight/2018/01/crd_green_blood.html

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Source: Fred Hutchlnson Cancer Research Center