111In-panitumumab

Panitumumab (ABX-EGF or Vectibix), the first fully human monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Here, we report for the first time the radioimmunotherapy (RIT) of EGFR-positive human head and neck cancer in a nude mouse model using pure β− emitter 90Y-labeled panitumumab. Biodistribution and planar γ-imaging studies were carried out with 111In-DOTA-panitumumab. The RIT efficacy of 90Y-DOTA-panitumumab was evaluated in UM-SCC-22B tumor model. CD31, Ki67, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labeling, and H&E staining were done on UM-SCC-22B tumor sections after treatment. The tumor uptake of 111In-DOTA-panitumumab in UM-SCC-22B tumor-bearing nude mice was 26.10 ± 4.93, 59.11 ± 7.22, 44.57 ± 9.80, 40.38 ± 7.76, and 14.86 ± 7.23 % injected dose per gram of tissue at 4, 24, 72, 120, and 168 hours after injection, respectively. Immunotherapy with cold panitumumab (four doses of 10 mg/kg) did not cause significant antitumor effect. RIT with a single dose of 100 μCi 90Y-DOTA-panitumumab caused significant tumor growth delay and improved the survival in UM-SCC-22B tumor model. A single dose of 200 μCi 90Y-DOTA-panitumumab led to almost complete tumor regression (tumor volumes were 34.83 ± 11.11 mm3 and 56.02 ± 39.95 mm3 on days 0 and 46 after treatment, respectively). Histopathologic analysis of tumors and normal organs further validated the therapeutic efficacy and limited systemic toxicity of 90Y-DOTA-panitumumab. The high tumor uptake and prolonged tumor retention, as well as effective therapy, reveal that 90Y-DOTA-panitumumab may be a promising radioimmunotherapeutic agent to treat EGFR-positive solid tumors. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(8); 2297–308. ©2010 AACR.