Targeted alpha-particle immunotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia

Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2014:e126-31. doi: 10.14694/EdBook_AM.2014.34.e126.

Abstract

Because alpha-particles have a shorter range and a higher linear energy transfer (LET) compared with beta-particles, targeted alpha-particle immunotherapy offers the potential for more efficient tumor cell killing while sparing surrounding normal cells. To date, clinical studies of alpha-particle immunotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have focused on the myeloid cell surface antigen CD33 as a target using the humanized monoclonal antibody lintuzumab. An initial phase I study demonstrated the safety, feasibility, and antileukemic effects of bismuth-213 ((213)Bi)-labeled lintuzumab. In a subsequent study, (213)Bi-lintuzumab produced remissions in some patients with AML after partial cytoreduction with cytarabine, suggesting the utility of targeted alpha-particle therapy for small-volume disease. The widespread use of (213)Bi, however, is limited by its short half-life. Therefore, a second-generation construct containing actinium-225 ((225)Ac), a radiometal that generates four alpha-particle emissions, was developed. A phase I trial demonstrated that (225)Ac-lintuzumab is safe at doses of 3 μCi/kg or less and has antileukemic activity across all dose levels studied. Fractionated-dose (225)Ac-lintuzumab in combination with low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) is now under investigation for the management of older patients with untreated AML in a multicenter trial. Preclinical studies using (213)Bi- and astatine-211 ((211)At)-labeled anti-CD45 antibodies have shown that alpha-particle immunotherapy may be useful as part conditioning before hematopoietic cell transplantation. The use of novel pretargeting strategies may further improve target-to-normal organ dose ratios.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alpha Particles / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
  • Bismuth / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials as Topic / methods
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates / therapeutic use*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / radiotherapy*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
  • Radioimmunotherapy / methods*
  • Radioisotopes / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Radioisotopes
  • Bismuth
  • lintuzumab