Abstract: |
Purpose: The molecular specificity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against tumor antigens has proven effective for targeted therapy of human cancers, as shown by a growing list of successful antibody-based drug products. We describe a novel, nonlinear compartmental model using PET-derived data to determine the “best-fit” parameters and model-derived quantities for optimizing biodistribution of intravenously injected 124I-labeled antitumor antibodies. Methods: As an example of this paradigm, quantitative image and kinetic analyses of anti-A33 humanized mAb (also known as “A33”) were performed in 11 colorectal cancer patients. Serial whole-body PET scans of 124I-labeled A33 and blood samples were acquired and the resulting tissue time–activity data for each patient were fit to a nonlinear compartmental model using the SAAM II computer code. Results: Excellent agreement was observed between fitted and measured parameters of tumor uptake, “off-target” uptake in bowel mucosa, blood clearance, tumor antigen levels, and percent antigen occupancy. Conclusion: This approach should be generally applicable to antibody–antigen systems in human tumors for which the masses of antigen-expressing tumor and of normal tissues can be estimated and for which antibody kinetics can be measured with PET. Ultimately, based on each patient’s resulting “best-fit” nonlinear model, a patient-specific optimum mAb dose (in micromoles, for example) may be derived. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. |