Futuximab

Sym004 is a mixture of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), futuximab and modotuximab, targeting non-overlapping epitopes on the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Previous studies have shown that Sym004 is more efficient at inducing internalization and degradation of EGFR than individual components, which translates into superior cancer cell inhibition. We investigated whether Sym004 induces removal of EGFRvIII and if this removal translates into tumor growth inhibition in hard-to-treat glioblastomas (GBMs) harboring the mutated, constitutively active EGFR variant III (EGFRvIII).

To address this question, we tested the effect of Sym004 versus cetuximab in eight patient-derived GBM xenograft models expressing either wild-type EGFR (EGFRwt) and/or mutant EGFRvIII. All models were tested as both subcutaneous and orthotopic intracranial xenograft models.

In vitro studies demonstrated that Sym004 internalized and removed EGFRvIII more efficiently than mAbs, futuximab, modotuximab, and cetuximab. Removal of EGFRvIII by Sym004 translated into significant in vivo anti-tumor activity in all six EGFRvIII xenograft models. Furthermore, the anti-tumor activity of Sym004 in vivo was superior to that of its individual components, futuximab and modotuximab, suggesting a clear synergistic effect of the mAbs in the mixture.

These results demonstrate the broad activity of Sym004 in patient-derived EGFRvIII-expressing GBM xenograft models and provide a clear rationale for clinical evaluation of Sym004 in EGFRvIII-positive adult GBM patients.

Gateways to Clinical Trials is a guide to the most recent clinical trials in current literature and congresses. The data in the following tables has been retrieved from the Clinical Trials Knowledge Area of Prous Science Integrity(R), the drug discovery and development portal, http://integrity.prous.com. This issue focuses on the following selection of drugs: (PE)HRG214, 1E10, 21-Aminoepothilone B; Ad.Egr.TNF.11D, Ad100-B7.1/HLA, adalimumab, adefovir dipivoxil, alefacept, alemtuzumab, AMD-070, anhydrovinblastine, aripiprazole, asimadoline, atrasentan, AVE-5883; Bimatoprost, BNP-7787, bosentan, botulinum toxin type B, BR-1; Canfosfamide hydrochloride, ciclesonide, curcumin, cypher; D0401, darbepoetin alfa, darifenacin hydrobromide, D-D4FC, dendritic cell-based vaccine, desloratadine, dextrin sulfate, dolastatin 10, drospirenone drospirenone/estradiol, DS-992, duloxetine hydrochloride, dutasteride; E-7010, efalizumab, eletriptan, EM-1421, enfuvirtide, entecavir, etoricoxib, everolimus, exenatide, ezetimibe; Favid, fidarestat, fingolimod hydrochloride, FK-352; Gefitinib, gemifloxacin mesilate, gepirone hydrochloride, gimatecan; HE-2000; Imatinib mesylate, indisulam, insulin detemir, irofulven, ISIS-5132; Lapatinib, levocetirizine, liraglutide, lumiracoxib; Metformin/Glyburide, methionine enkephalin, MK-0431, morphine hydrochloride, motexafin gadolinium, mycobacterium cell wall complex; Naturasone, neridronic acid, nesiritide; Oblimersen sodium, olanzapine/fluoxetine hydrochloride, omalizumab, oral insulin; Paclitaxel poliglumex, PC-515, PEG-filgrastim, peginterferon alfa-2a, peginterferon alfa-2b, peginterferon alfa-2b/ ribavirin, pegvisomant, pexelizumab, picoplatin, pramlintide acetate, prasterone, pregabalin; Quercetin; Ramelteon, ranirestat, RG228, rhGAD65, roflumilast, rubitecan; Sitaxsentan sodium, solifenacin succinate; Tadalafil, taxus, tipifarnib, tolevamer sodium, topixantrone hydrochloride; Valganciclovir hydrochloride, vardenafil hydrochloride hydrate, vildagliptin, voriconazole; XTL-001; Zoledronic acid monohydrate.