Biodistribution and Dosimetry of Intraventricularly Administered 124I-Omburtamab in Patients with Metastatic Leptomeningeal Tumors

Feasibility of safe outpatient treatment in pediatric patients following intraventricular radioimmunotherapy with 131I-omburtamab for leptomeningeal disease

Background

Radiolabeled antibody 131I-omburtamab was administered intraventricularly in patients with leptomeningeal disease under an institutionally approved study (#NCT03275402). Radiation safety precautions were tailored for individual patients, enabling outpatient treatment based on in-depth, evidence-based recommendations for such precautions. The imperative advancement of streamlined therapeutic administration procedures, eliminating the necessity for inpatient isolation and resource-intensive measures, holds pivotal significance. This development bears broader implications for analogous therapies within the pediatric patient demographic.

Methods

Intraventricular radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with 925-1850 MBq (25-50 mCi) of 131I-omburtamab was administered via the Ommaya reservoir, in designated rooms within the pediatric ambulatory care center. Dosimeters were provided to staff involved in patient care to evaluate exposure during injection and post-administration. Post-administration exposure rate readings from the patient on contact, at 0.3 m, and at 1 m were taken within the first 30 minutes, and the room was surveyed after patient discharge. Duration of radiation exposure was calculated using standard U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) regulatory guidance recommendations combined with mean exposure rates and whole-body clearance estimates. Exposure rate measurements and clearance data provided patient-specific precautions for four cohorts by age: < 3 y/o, 3-10 y/o, 10-18 y/o, and 18+.

Results

Post-administration exposure rates for patients ranged from 0.16-0.46 μSv/hr/MBq at 1 ft and 0.03-0.08 μSv/hr/MBq at 1 m. Radiation exposure duration ranged from 1-10 days after release for the four evaluated cohorts. Based on the highest measured exposure rates and slowest whole-body clearance, the longest precautions were approximately 78% lower than the regulatory guidance recommendations. Radiation exposure to staff associated with 131I-omburtamab per administration was substantially below the annual regulatory threshold for individual exposure monitoring.

Conclusion

131I-omburtamab can be administered on an outpatient basis, using appropriate patient-based radiation safety precautions that employ patient-specific exposure rate and biological clearance parameters. This trial is registered with the National Library of Medicine's ClinicalTrials.gov. The registration number is NCT03275402, and it was registered on 7 September 2017. The web link is included here. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03275402.

Radiation Therapy in the Management of Leptomeningeal Disease From Solid Tumors

Purpose

Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is clinically detected in 5% to 10% of patients with solid tumors and is a source of substantial morbidity and mortality. Prognosis for this entity remains poor and treatments are palliative. Radiation therapy (RT) is an essential tool in the management of LMD, and a recent randomized trial demonstrated a survival benefit for proton craniospinal irradiation (CSI) in select patients. In the setting of this recent advance, we conducted a review of the role of RT in LMD from solid tumors to evaluate the evidence basis for RT recommendations.

Methods and Materials

In November 2022, we conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, as well as a review of ongoing clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, to inform a discussion on the role of RT in solid tumor LMD. Because of the paucity of high-quality published evidence, discussion was informed more by expert consensus and opinion, including a review of societal guidelines, than evidence from clinical trials.

Results

Only 1 prospective randomized trial has evaluated RT for LMD, demonstrating improved central nervous system progression-free survival for patients with breast and lung cancer treated with proton CSI compared with involved-field RT. Modern photon CSI techniques have improved upon historical rates of acute hematologic toxicity, but the overall benefit of this modality has not been prospectively evaluated. Multiple retrospective studies have explored the use of involved-field RT or the combination of RT with chemotherapy, but clear evidence of survival benefit is lacking.

Conclusions

Optimal management of LMD with RT remains reliant upon expert opinion, with proton CSI indicated in patients with good performance status and extra-central nervous system disease that is either well-controlled or for which effective treatment options are available. Photon-based CSI traditionally has been associated with increased marrow and gastrointestinal toxicities, though intensity modulated RT/volumetric-modulated arc therapy based photon CSI may have reduced the toxicity profile. Further work is needed to understand the role of radioisotopes as well as combined modality treatment with intrathecal or central nervous system penetrating systemic therapies.

Intrathecal delivery of nanoparticle PARP inhibitor to the cerebrospinal fluid for the treatment of metastatic medulloblastoma

The morbidity associated with pediatric medulloblastoma, in particular in patients who develop leptomeningeal metastases, remains high in the absence of effective therapies. Administration of substances directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is one approach to circumvent the blood-brain barrier and focus delivery of drugs to the site of tumor. However, high rates of CSF turnover prevent adequate drug accumulation and lead to rapid systemic clearance and toxicity. Here, we show that PLA-HPG nanoparticles, made with a single-emulsion, solvent evaporation process, can encapsulate talazoparib, a PARP inhibitor (BMN-673). These degradable polymer nanoparticles improve the therapeutic index when delivered intrathecally and lead to sustained drug retention in the tumor as measured with PET imaging and fluorescence microscopy. We demonstrate that administration of these particles into the CSF, alone or in combination with systemically administered temozolomide, is a highly effective therapy for tumor regression and prevention of leptomeningeal spread in xenograft mouse models of medulloblastoma. These results provide a rationale for harnessing nanoparticles for the delivery of drugs limited by brain penetration and therapeutic index and demonstrate important advantages in tolerability and efficacy for encapsulated drugs delivered locoregionally.

Global Impact of Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) in Children: A Focus on Anti-GD2

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), as the name implies, are clonal antibodies that bind to the same antigen. mAbs are broadly used as diagnostic or therapeutic tools for neoplasms, autoimmune diseases, allergic conditions, and infections. Although most mAbs are approved for treating adult cancers, few are applicable to childhood malignancies, limited mostly to hematological cancers. As for solid tumors, only anti-disialoganglioside (GD2) mAbs are approved specifically for neuroblastoma. Inequities of drug access have continued, affecting most therapeutic mAbs globally. To understand these challenges, a deeper dive into the complex transition from basic research to the clinic, or between marketing and regulatory agencies, is timely. This review focuses on current mAbs approved or under investigation in pediatric cancer, with special attention on solid tumors and anti-GD2 mAbs, and the hurdles that limit their broad global access. Beyond understanding the mechanisms of drug resistance, the continual discovery of next generation drugs safer for children and easier to administer, the discovery of predictive biomarkers to avoid futility should ease the acceptance by patient, health care professionals and regulatory agencies, in order to expand clinical utility. With a better integration into the multimodal treatment for each disease, protocols that align with the regional clinical practice should also improve acceptance and cost-effectiveness. Communication and collaboration between academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and regulatory agencies should help to ensure accessible, affordable, and sustainable health care for all.

Radioimmunoscintigraphy and Pretreatment Dosimetry of 131I-Omburtamab for Planning Treatment of Leptomeningeal Disease

Radiolabeled antibody treatment with 131I-omburtamab, administered intraventricularly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space, can deliver therapeutic absorbed doses to sites of leptomeningeal disease. Assessment of distribution and radiation dosimetry is a key element in optimizing such treatments. Using a theranostic approach, we performed pretreatment 131I-omburtamab imaging and dosimetric analysis in patients before therapy. Methods: Whole-body planar images were acquired 3 ± 1, 23 ± 2, and 47 ± 2 h after intracranioventricular administration of 75 ± 5 MBq of 131I-omburtamab via an Ommaya reservoir. Multiple blood samples were also obtained for kinetic analysis. Separate regions of interest (ROIs) were manually drawn to include the lateral ventricles, entire spinal canal CSF space, and over the whole body. Count data in the ROIs were corrected for background and physical decay, converted to activity, and subsequently fitted to an exponential clearance function. The radiation absorbed dose was estimated to the CSF, separately to the spinal column and ventricles, and to the whole body and blood. Biodistribution of the injected radiolabeled antibody was assessed for all patients. Results: Ninety-five patients were included in the analysis. Biodistribution showed prompt localization in the ventricles and spinal CSF space with low systemic distribution, noted primarily as hepatic, renal, and bladder activity after the first day. Using ROI analysis, the effective half-lives were 13 ± 11 h (range, 5-75 h) for CSF in the spinal column, 8 ± 3 h (range, 3-17 h) for ventricles, and 41 ± 11 (range, 23-81 h) for the whole body. Mean absorbed doses were 0.63 ± 0.38 cGy/MBq (range, 0.24-2.25 cGy/MBq) for CSF in the spinal column, 1.03 ± 0.69 cGy/MBq (range, 0.27-5.15 cGy/MBq) for the ventricular CSF, and 0.45 ± 0.32 mGy/MBq (range, 0.05-1.43 mGy/MBq) for the whole body. Conclusion: Pretherapeutic imaging with 131I-omburtamab allows assessment of biodistribution and dosimetry before the administration of therapeutic activity. Absorbed doses to the CSF compartments and whole body derived from the widely applicable serial 131I-omburtamab planar images had acceptable agreement with previously reported data determined from serial 124I-omburtamab PET scans.

Astatine-211 based radionuclide therapy: Current clinical trial landscape

Astatine-211 (²¹¹At) has physical properties that make it one of the top candidates for use as a radiation source for alpha particle-based radionuclide therapy, also referred to as targeted alpha therapy (TAT). Here, we summarize the main results of the completed clinical trials, further describe ongoing trials, and discuss future prospects.

Phase 1 study of intraventricular 131I-omburtamab targeting B7H3 (CD276)-expressing CNS malignancies

BACKGROUND

The prognosis for metastatic and recurrent tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) remains dismal, and the need for newer therapeutic targets and modalities is critical. The cell surface glycoprotein B7H3 is expressed on a range of solid tumors with a restricted expression on normal tissues. We hypothesized that compartmental radioimmunotherapy (cRIT) with the anti-B7H3 murine monoclonal antibody omburtamab injected intraventricularly could safely target CNS malignancies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a phase I trial of intraventricular ¹³¹I-omburtamab using a standard 3 + 3 design. Eligibility criteria included adequate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, no major organ toxicity, and for patients > dose level 6, availability of autologous stem cells. Patients initially received 74 MBq radioiodinated omburtamab to evaluate dosimetry and biodistribution followed by therapeutic ¹³¹I-omburtamab dose-escalated from 370 to 2960 MBq. Patients were monitored clinically and biochemically for toxicity graded using CTCAEv 3.0. Dosimetry was evaluated using serial CSF and blood sampling, and serial PET or gamma-camera scans. Patients could receive a second cycle in the absence of grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicity or progressive disease.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight patients received 100 radioiodinated omburtamab injections. Diagnoses included metastatic neuroblastoma (n = 16) and other B7H3-expressing solid tumors (n = 22). Thirty-five patients received at least 1 cycle of treatment with both dosimetry and therapy doses. Acute toxicities included < grade 4 self-limited headache, vomiting or fever, and biochemical abnormalities. Grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia was the most common hematologic toxicity. Recommended phase 2 dose was 1850 MBq/injection. The median radiation dose to the CSF and blood by sampling was 1.01 and 0.04 mGy/MBq, respectively, showing a consistently high therapeutic advantage for CSF. Major organ exposure was well below maximum tolerated levels. In patients developing antidrug antibodies, blood clearance, and therefore therapeutic index, was significantly increased. In patients receiving cRIT for neuroblastoma, survival was markedly increased (median PFS 7.5 years) compared to historical data.

CONCLUSIONS

cRIT with ¹³¹I-omburtamab is safe, has favorable dosimetry and may have a therapeutic benefit as adjuvant therapy for B7-H3-expressing leptomeningeal metastases.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov NCT00089245, August 5, 2004.

Synthesis of Radioiodinated Compounds. Classical Approaches and Achievements of Recent Years

This review demonstrates the progress in the synthesis of radioiodinated compounds over the past decade. The possibilities and limitations of radiopharmaceuticals with different iodine isotopes, as well as the synthesis of low and high molecular weight compounds containing radioiodine, are discussed. An analysis of synthesis strategies, substrate frameworks, isolation methods, and metabolic stability, and the possibility of industrial production of radioiodinated organic derivatives which can find applications in the synthesis of drugs and diagnostics are presented.

Biologicals as theranostic vehicles in paediatric oncology

Biologicals, such as antibodies or antibody-fragments e.g. nanobodies, have changed the landscape of cancer therapy and can be used in combination with traditional cancer treatments. They have been demonstrated to be excellent vehicles for molecular imaging. Several biologicals for nuclear imaging of adult cancer may be used in combination with (nuclear) therapy. Though it's great potential, molecular imaging using biologicals is rarely applied in paediatric oncology. This paper describes the current status of biologicals as radiopharmaceuticals for childhood cancer. Furthermore, the importance and potential for developing additional biological theranostics as opportunity to image and treat childhood cancer is discussed.

Dosimetry in Radiopharmaceutical Therapy

The application of radiopharmaceutical therapy for the treatment of certain diseases is well established, and the field is expanding. New therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals have been developed in recent years, and more are in the research pipeline. Concurrently, there is growing interest in the use of internal dosimetry as a means of personalizing, and potentially optimizing, such therapy for patients. Internal dosimetry is multifaceted, and the current state of the art is discussed in this continuing education article. Topics include the context of dosimetry, internal dosimetry methods, the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating dosimetry calculations in radiopharmaceutical therapy, a description of the workflow for implementing patient-specific dosimetry, and future prospects in the field.

Bispecific antibodies for the treatment of neuroblastoma

Bispecific antibodies (BsAb) are a new generation of antibody-based therapy, conveying artificial specificity to polyclonal T cells or radiohaptens. These drugs have been successfully implemented to cure hematologic malignancies and are under clinical investigation for solid tumors including HRNB. BsAbs designed to engage T cells or increase the therapeutic index of radiotherapy hold the potential to significantly improve the long-term survival of HRNB patients by shrinking bulky tumors and more effectively eliminating micrometastases and preventing relapse. BsAbs can also be used to arm T cells, yielding a product analogous to CAR T cells, possibly with an improved safety profile. A thoughtful and realistic integration of these therapies into the standard of care should benefit more patients worldwide. Here we describe the history of development of BsAbs for HRNB, which dates back almost three decades. We discuss the merits and pitfalls of all relevant BsAbs, including T cell-engagers and agents used for radioimmunotherapy, highlighting the importance of structural design and interdomain spacing for anti-tumor efficacy.

Molecular imaging of immune checkpoints in oncology: Current and future applications

Immune checkpoint (IC) blockade therapy has become the first-line treatment for various cancers. However, the low response rate and acquired drug resistance severely restrict the clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Nuclide molecular imaging of ICs can provide non-invasive and whole-body visualization of in vivo IC dynamic biodistribution. Therefore, molecular imaging of ICs can predict and monitor responses to ICIs as a complementary tool to existing immunohistochemical techniques. Herein, we outlined the current status and recent advances in molecular imaging of the "first-generation" and "next-generation" ICs in preclinical and clinical studies.

Intrathecal delivery and its applications in leptomeningeal disease

Intrathecal delivery (IT) of opiates into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for anesthesia and pain relief has been used clinically for decades, but this relatively straightforward approach of bypassing the blood-brain barrier has been underutilized for other indications because of its lack of utility in delivering small lipid-soluble drugs. However, emerging evidence suggests that IT drug delivery be an efficacious strategy for the treatment of cancers in which there is leptomeningeal spread of disease. In this review, we discuss CSF flow dynamics and CSF clearance pathways in the context of intrathecal delivery. We discuss human and animal studies of several new classes of therapeutic agents-cellular, protein, nucleic acid, and nanoparticle-based small molecules-that may benefit from IT delivery. The complexity of the CSF compartment presents several key challenges in predicting biodistribution of IT-delivered drugs. New approaches and strategies are needed that can overcome the high rates of turnover in the CSF to reach specific tissues or cellular targets.

Biodistribution and Radiation Dosimetry of Intraperitoneally Administered 124I-Omburtamab in Patients with Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumors

The aim of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and radiation dosimetry of ¹²⁴I-omburtamab administered intraperitoneally in patients with desmoplastic small round cell tumor. Methods: Eligible patients diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumor with peritoneal involvement were enrolled in a phase I trial of intraperitoneal radioimmunotherapy with ¹³¹I-omburtamab. After thyroid blockade and before radioimmunotherapy, patients received approximately 74 MBq of ¹²⁴I-omburtamab intraperitoneally. Five serial PET/CT scans were obtained up to 144 h after injection. Multiple blood samples were obtained up to 120 h after injection. Organ-absorbed doses were calculated with OLINDA/EXM. Results: Thirty-one patients were studied. Blood pharmacokinetics exhibited a biphasic pattern consisting of an initial rising phase with a median half-time (±SD) of 23 ± 15 h and a subsequent falling phase with a median half-time of 56 ± 34 h. Peritoneal distribution was heterogeneous and diffuse in most patients. Self-dose to the peritoneal cavity was 0.58 ± 0.19 mGy/MBq. Systemic distribution and activity in major organs were low. The median absorbed doses were 0.72 ± 0.23 mGy/MBq for liver, 0.48 ± 0.17 mGy/MBq for spleen, and 0.57 ± 0.12 mGy/MBq for kidneys. The mean effective dose was 0.31 ± 0.10 mSv/MBq. Whole-body and peritoneal cavity biologic half-times were 45 ± 9 and 24 ± 5 h, respectively. Conclusion: PET/CT imaging with intraperitoneally administered ¹²⁴I-omburtamab enables assessment of intraperitoneal distribution and estimation of absorbed dose to peritoneal space and normal organs before therapy.

Variants and Pitfalls in PET/CT Imaging of Gastrointestinal Cancers

In the past two decades, PET/CT has become an essential modality in oncology increasingly used in the management of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Most PET/CT tracers used in clinical practice show some degree of GI uptake. This uptake is quite variable and knowledge of common patterns of biodistribution of various radiotracers is helpful in clinical practice. 18F-Fluoro-Deoxy-Glucose (FDG) is the most commonly used radiotracer and has quite a variable uptake within the bowel. 68Ga-Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) shows intense uptake within the proximal small bowel loops. 11C-methyl-L-methionine (MET) shows high accumulation within the bowels, which makes it difficult to assess bowel or pelvic diseases. One must also be aware of technical artifacts causing difficulties in interpretations, such as high attenuation oral contrast material within the bowel lumen or misregistration artifact due to patient movements. It is imperative to know the common variants and benign diseases that can mimic malignant pathologies. Intense FDG uptake within the esophagus and stomach may be a normal variant or may be associated with benign conditions such as esophagitis, reflux disease, or gastritis. Metformin can cause diffuse intense uptake throughout the bowel loops. Intense physiologic uptake can also be seen within the anal canal. Segmental bowel uptake can be seen in inflammatory bowel disease, radiation, or medication induced enteritis/colitis or infection. Diagnosis of appendicitis or diverticular disease requires CT correlation, as normal appendix or diverticulum can show intense uptake. Certain malignant pathologies are known to have only low FDG uptake, such as early-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma, mucinous tumors, indolent lymphomas, and multicystic mesotheliomas. Response assessment, particularly in the neoadjuvant setting, can be limited by post-treatment inflammatory changes. Post-operative complications such as abscess or fistula formation can also show intense uptake and may obscure underlying malignant pathology. In the absence of clinical suspicion or rising tumor marker, the role of FDG PET/CT in routine surveillance of patients with GI malignancy is not clear.

Perspectives on metals-based radioimmunotherapy (RIT): moving forward

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is FDA-approved for the clinical management of liquid malignancies, however, its use for solid malignancies remains a challenge. The putative benefit of RIT lies in selective targeting of antigens expressed on the tumor surface using monoclonal antibodies, to systemically deliver cytotoxic radionuclides. The past several decades yielded dramatic improvements in the quality, quantity, recent commercial availability of alpha-, beta- and Auger Electron-emitting therapeutic radiometals. Investigators have created new or improved existing bifunctional chelators. These bifunctional chelators bind radiometals and can be coupled to antigen-specific antibodies. In this review, we discuss approaches to develop radiometal-based RITs, including the selection of radiometals, chelators and antibody platforms (i.e. full-length, F(ab')2, Fab, minibodies, diabodies, scFv-Fc and nanobodies). We cite examples of the performance of RIT in the clinic, describe challenges to its implementation, and offer insights to address gaps toward translation.

B7H3-Directed Intraperitoneal Radioimmunotherapy With Radioiodinated Omburtamab for Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor and Other Peritoneal Tumors: Results of a Phase I Study

PURPOSE

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), a rare sarcoma of adolescents/young adults primarily involving the peritoneum, has a long-term survival of < 20% despite aggressive multimodality treatment. B7H3 is expressed on DSRCT cell surface, providing a target for antibody-based immunotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this phase I study, we evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution of intraperitoneal (IP) radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with the anti-B7H3 murine monoclonal antibody ¹³¹I-omburtamab in patients with DSRCT or other B7H3-expressing tumors involving the peritoneum. After thyroid blockade, patients received ¹³¹I-omburtamab as a single IP injection at escalated activities from 1.11 to 3.33/GBq/m². A prior tracer dose of IP 74 MBq¹²⁴I-omburtamab was used for radioimmuno-positron emission tomography imaging. Each injection was followed by IP saline infusion.

RESULTS

Fifty-two patients (48, three, and one with DSRCT, peritoneal rhabdomyosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma, respectively) received IP ¹³¹I-omburtamab administered on an outpatient basis. Maximum tolerated dose was not reached; there were no dose-limiting toxicities. Major related adverse events were transient: grade 4 neutropenia (n = 2 patients) and thrombocytopenia (n = 1), and grade 1 (10%) and grade 2 (52%) pain lasting < 2 hours related to saline infusion. Hypothyroidism was not observed, and antidrug antibody was elicited in 5%. Mean (± SD) projected peritoneal residence time was 22.4 ± 7.9 hours. Mean projected absorbed doses for ¹³¹I-omburtamab based on ¹²⁴I-omburtamab dosimetry to normal organs were low and well within tolerable limits. More than 80% ¹³¹I remained protein bound in blood 66 hours after RIT. On the basis of peritoneal dose and feasibility for outpatient administration, the recommended phase II activity was established at 2.96 GBq/m². Patients with DSRCT receiving standard whole-abdominal radiotherapy after RIT did not experience unexpected toxicity.

CONCLUSION

IP RIT ¹³¹I-omburtamab was well tolerated with minimal toxicities. Radiation exposure to normal organs was low, making combination therapy with other anticancer therapies feasible.

Targeting the Choroid Plexuses for Protein Drug Delivery

Delivery of therapeutic agents to the central nervous system is challenged by the barriers in place to regulate brain homeostasis. This is especially true for protein therapeutics. Targeting the barrier formed by the choroid plexuses at the interfaces of the systemic circulation and ventricular system may be a surrogate brain delivery strategy to circumvent the blood-brain barrier. Heterogenous cell populations located at the choroid plexuses provide diverse functions in regulating the exchange of material within the ventricular space. Receptor-mediated transcytosis may be a promising mechanism to deliver protein therapeutics across the tight junctions formed by choroid plexus epithelial cells. However, cerebrospinal fluid flow and other barriers formed by ependymal cells and perivascular spaces should also be considered for evaluation of protein therapeutic disposition. Various preclinical methods have been applied to delineate protein transport across the choroid plexuses, including imaging strategies, ventriculocisternal perfusions, and primary choroid plexus epithelial cell models. When used in combination with simultaneous measures of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, they can yield important insight into pharmacokinetic properties within the brain. This review aims to provide an overview of the choroid plexuses and ventricular system to address their function as a barrier to pharmaceutical interventions and relevance for central nervous system drug delivery of protein therapeutics. Protein therapeutics targeting the ventricular system may provide new approaches in treating central nervous system diseases.

IntraOmmaya compartmental radioimmunotherapy using 131I-omburtamab-pharmacokinetic modeling to optimize therapeutic index

PURPOSE

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) delivered through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been shown to be a safe and promising treatment for leptomeningeal metastases. Pharmacokinetic models for intraOmmaya antiGD2 monoclonal antibody ¹³¹I-3F8 have been proposed to improve therapeutic effect while minimizing radiation toxicity. In this study, we now apply pharmacokinetic modeling to intraOmmaya ¹³¹I-omburtamab (8H9), an antiB7-H3 antibody which has shown promise in RIT of leptomeningeal metastases.

METHODS

Serial CSF samples were collected and radioassayed from 61 patients undergoing a total of 177 intraOmmaya administrations of ¹³¹I-omburtamab for leptomeningeal malignancy. A two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with 12 differential equations was constructed and fitted to the radioactivity measurements of CSF samples collected from patients. The model was used to improve anti-tumor dose while reducing off-target toxicity. Mathematical endpoints were (a) the area under the concentration curve (AUC) of the tumor-bound antibody, AUC [C_IAR(t)], (b) the AUC of the unbound "harmful" antibody, AUC [C_IA(t)], and (c) the therapeutic index, AUC [C_IAR(t)] ÷ AUC [C_IA(t)].

RESULTS

The model fit CSF radioactivity data well (mean R = 96.4%). The median immunoreactivity of ¹³¹I-omburtamab matched literature values at 69.1%. Off-target toxicity (AUC [C_IA(t)]) was predicted to increase more quickly than AUC [C_IAR(t)] as a function of ¹³¹I-omburtamab dose, but the balance of therapeutic index and AUC [C_IAR(t)] remained favorable over a broad range of administered doses (0.48-1.40 mg or 881-2592 MBq). While antitumor dose and therapeutic index increased with antigen density, the optimal administered dose did not. Dose fractionization into two separate injections increased therapeutic index by 38%, and splitting into 5 injections by 82%. Increasing antibody immunoreactivity to 100% only increased therapeutic index by 17.5%.

CONCLUSION

The 2-compartmental pharmacokinetic model when applied to intraOmmaya ¹³¹I-omburtamab yielded both intuitive and nonintuitive therapeutic predictions. The potential advantage of further dose fractionization warrants clinical validation.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT00089245.

γ-Tocotrienol-Loaded Liposomes for Radioprotection from Hematopoietic Side Effects Caused by Radiotherapeutic Drugs

With the successful development and increased use of targeted radionuclide therapy for treating cancer comes the increased risk of radiation injury to bone marrow—both direct suppression and stochastic effects, leading to neoplasia. Herein, we report a novel radioprotector drug, a liposomal formulation of γ-tocotrienol (GT3), or GT3-Nano for short, to mitigate bone marrow radiation damage during targeted radionuclide therapy. Methods: GT3 was loaded into liposomes using passive loading. ⁶⁴Cu-GT3-Nano and ³H-GT3-Nano were synthesized to study the in vivo biodistribution profile of the liposome and GT3 individually. The radioprotection efficacy of GT3-Nano was assessed after acute ¹³⁷Cs whole-body irradiation at a sublethal (4 Gy), a lethal (9 Gy), or a single high-dose administration of ¹⁵³Sm-ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(methylene phosphonic acid) (EDTMP). Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy were used to analyze hematopoietic cell population dynamics and the cellular site of GT3-Nano localization in the spleen and bone marrow, respectively. Results: Bone marrow uptake and retention (percentage injected dose per gram of tissue) at 24 h was 6.98 ± 2.34 for ⁶⁴Cu-GT3-Nano and 7.44 ± 2.52 for ³H-GT3-Nano. GT3-Nano administered 24 h before or after 4 Gy of total-body irradiation (TBI) promoted rapid and complete hematopoietic recovery, whereas recovery of controls stalled at 60%. GT3-Nano demonstrated dose-dependent radioprotection, achieving 90% survival at 50 mg/kg against lethal 9-Gy TBI. Flow cytometry of the bone marrow indicated that progenitor bone marrow cells MPP2 and CMP were upregulated in GT3-Nano–treated mice. Immunohistochemistry showed that GT3-Nano accumulates in CD105-positive sinusoid epithelial cells. Conclusion: GT3-Nano is highly effective in mitigating the marrow-suppressive effects of sublethal and lethal TBI in mice. GT3-Nano can facilitate rapid recovery of hematopoietic components in mice treated with the endoradiotherapeutic agent ¹⁵³Sm-EDTMP.

Radiotheranostics: a roadmap for future development

Radiotheranostics, injectable radiopharmaceuticals with antitumour effects, have seen rapid development over the past decade. Although some formulations are already approved for human use, more radiopharmaceuticals will enter clinical practice in the next 5 years, potentially introducing new therapeutic choices for patients. Despite these advances, several challenges remain, including logistics, supply chain, regulatory issues, and education and training. By highlighting active developments in the field, this Review aims to alert practitioners to the value of radiotheranostics and to outline a roadmap for future development. Multidisciplinary approaches in clinical trial design and therapeutic administration will become essential to the continued progress of this evolving therapeutic approach.

ImmunoPET: Concept, Design, and Applications

Immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) is a paradigm-shifting molecular imaging modality combining the superior targeting specificity of monoclonal antibody (mAb) and the inherent sensitivity of PET technique. A variety of radionuclides and mAbs have been exploited to develop immunoPET probes, which has been driven by the development and optimization of radiochemistry and conjugation strategies. In addition, tumor-targeting vectors with a short circulation time (e.g., Nanobody) or with an enhanced binding affinity (e.g., bispecific antibody) are being used to design novel immunoPET probes. Accordingly, several immunoPET probes, such as ⁸⁹Zr-Df-pertuzumab and ⁸⁹Zr-atezolizumab, have been successfully translated for clinical use. By noninvasively and dynamically revealing the expression of heterogeneous tumor antigens, immunoPET imaging is gradually changing the theranostic landscape of several types of malignancies. ImmunoPET is the method of choice for imaging specific tumor markers, immune cells, immune checkpoints, and inflammatory processes. Furthermore, the integration of immunoPET imaging in antibody drug development is of substantial significance because it provides pivotal information regarding antibody targeting abilities and distribution profiles. Herein, we present the latest immunoPET imaging strategies and their preclinical and clinical applications. We also emphasize current conjugation strategies that can be leveraged to develop next-generation immunoPET probes. Lastly, we discuss practical considerations to tune the development and translation of immunoPET imaging strategies.