Background
Prostate cancer is radiosensitive. Prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is selectively overexpressed on advanced, castration‐resistant tumors. Lutetium‐177–labeled anti‐PSMA monoclonal antibody J591 (177Lu‐J591) targets prostate cancer with efficacy and dose‐response/toxicity data when delivered as a single dose. Dose fractionation may allow higher doses to be administered safely.
Method
Men with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer refractory to or refusing standard treatment options with normal neutrophil and platelet counts were enrolled in initial phase 1b dose‐escalation cohorts followed by phase 2a cohorts treated at recommended phase 2 doses (RP2Ds) comprising 2 fractionated doses of 177Lu‐J591 2 weeks apart. 177Lu‐J591 imaging was performed after treatment, but no selection for PSMA expression was performed before enrollment. Phase 2 patients had circulating tumor cell (CTC) counts assessed before and after treatment.
Results
Forty‐nine men received fractionated doses of 177Lu‐J591 ranging from 20 to 45 mCi/m2 ×2 two weeks apart. The dose‐limiting toxicity in phase 1 was neutropenia. The RP2Ds were 40 mCi/m2 and 45 mCi/m2 ×2. At the highest RP2D (45 mCi/m2 ×2), 35.3% of patients had reversible grade 4 neutropenia, and 58.8% of patients had thrombocytopenia. This dose showed a greater decrease in prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels and longer survival (87.5% with any PSA decrease, 58.8% with >30% decrease, 29.4% with >50% decrease; median survival, 42.3 months [95% confidence interval, 19.9‐64.7]). Fourteen of 17 (82%) patients with detectable CTCs experienced a decrease in CTC count. Overall, 79.6% of patients had positive PSMA imaging; those with less intense PSMA imaging tended to have poorer responses.
Conclusion
Fractionated administration of 177Lu‐J591 allowed higher cumulative radiation dosing. The frequency and depth of PSA decrease, overall survival, and toxicity (dose‐limiting myelosuppression) increased with higher doses.
The aim of this study was to develop a clinically applicable noninvasive method to quantify changes in androgen receptor (AR) levels based on 18 F-16b-fluoro-5a-dihydrotestosterone ( 18 F-FDHT) PET in prostate cancer patients undergoing therapy. Methods: Thirteen patients underwent dynamic 18 F-FDHT PET over a selected tumor. Concurrent venous blood samples were acquired for blood metabolite analysis. A second cohort of 25 patients injected with 18 F-FDHT underwent dynamic PET of the heart. These data were used to generate a population-based input function, essential for pharmacokinetic modeling. Linear compartmental pharmacokinetic models of increasing complexity were tested on the tumor tissue data. Four suitable models were applied and compared using the Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Model 1 consisted of an instantaneously equilibrating space, followed by a unidirectional trap. Models 2a and 2b contained a reversible space between the instantaneously equilibrating space and the trap, into which metabolites were excluded (2a) or allowed (2b). Model 3 built on model 2b with the addition of a second reversible space preceding the unidirectional trap and from which metabolites were excluded. Results: The half-life of the 18 F-FDHT in blood was between 6 and 7 min. As a consequence, the uptake of 18 F-FDHT in prostate cancer lesions reached a plateau within 20 min as the blood-borne activity was consumed. Radiolabeled metabolites were shown not to bind to ARs in in vitro studies with CWR22 cells. Model 1 produced reasonable and robust fits for all datasets and was judged best by the BIC for 16 of 26 tumor scans. Models 2a, 2b, and 3 were judged best in 7, 2, and 1 cases, respectively. Conclusion: Our study explores the clinical potential of using 18 F-FDHT PET to estimate free AR concentration. This process involved the estimation of a net uptake parameter such as the k trap of model 1 that could serve as a surrogate measure of AR expression in metastatic prostate cancer. Our initial studies suggest that a simple body mass-normalized standardized uptake value correlates reasonably well to model-based k trap estimates, which we surmise may be proportional to AR expression. Validation studies to test this hypothesis are underway.
Lessons Learned
Hyperfractionation of lutetium‐177 (177Lu)‐J591 for patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer did not appear to have any additional advantage over the single dose 177Lu‐J591 or fractionated two‐dose 177Lu‐J591 therapy.
Definite conclusions were challenging because of the small sample size of this study, and so further studies are needed to evaluate the viability of the hypothesis.
On the basis of available data, a registration study of 177Lu‐J591 (also known as TLX591) is planned and will use the two‐dose fractionation schedule (Telix Pharma Q3 2019 update https://telixpharma.com/news-media/).
Background
Phase I and II single‐dose studies of lutetium‐177 (177Lu)‐J591, a radio‐labeled antibody binding prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA), demonstrated safety and efficacy with dose response. Modest dose fractionation of 177Lu‐J591 (2 doses) has less myelosuppression per similar cumulative dose, allowing higher doses to be administered safely. We hypothesized that additional dose fractionation would allow a higher cumulative dose, potentially with less toxicity and more efficacy.
Methods
Men with progressive metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer and adequate organ function were enrolled. 177Lu‐J591 was administered at 25 mCi/m2 every 2 weeks until the emergence of related grade 2 toxicity. 177Lu‐J591 imaging was performed and circulating tumor cell (CTC) counts were measured before and after treatment along with standard monitoring.
Results
Six subjects in a single cohort, with a median age of 68.6 years, were enrolled. Patients received three to six doses (cumulative 75−150 mCi/m2). Two (33%) patients had >30% prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) decline and three (50%) had CTC count decline. Two (33%) experienced grade (Gr) 4 neutropenia (without fever), three (50%) had Gr 4 thrombocytopenia (without hemorrhage), and two (33%) required platelet transfusions. Following hematological improvement, two patients developed worsening cytopenia during prostate cancer progression; bone marrow biopsies revealed infiltrative tumor replacing normal marrow elements without myelodysplasia. Targeting of known disease sites was seen on planar imaging in all.
Conclusion
Hyperfractionation of 177Lu‐J591 is feasible but does not seem to have significant advantages over the two‐dose fractionation regimen.
TPS399 Background: PC is a radiosensitive disease. PSMA is overexpressed in advanced PC with upregulation by androgen receptor (AR) pathway dysregulation; limited expression exists in other organs. A series of sequential studies of beta-emitting radiolabeled anti-PSMA monoclonal antibody (mAb) J591 have demonstrated accurate targeting, efficacy with dose-response effect, and safety with predictable, reversible dose-limiting myelosuppression. Alpha emitters are significantly more potent with a shorter range than beta emitters. Though there is no direct tumor-targeting, the bone-targeting alpha emitter Ra223 is approved. Anecdotal reports of PSMA small molecule targeted alpha emitters have hinted at efficacy but are limited by xerostomia and in mouse models may lead to long-term renal damage. Intact mAb J591 has comparatively no to minimal distribution in salivary glands and kidneys. Preclinical studies demonstrated purity, immunoreactivity, and stability with efficacy in a xenograft model [AACR 2017]. Methods: Men with progressive mCRPC following at least 1 potent AR-targeted agent (e.g. abi/enza) and docetaxel (or unfit/refuse chemo) without limit of # prior therapies (excluding beta-emitting bone-targeted radioisotopes) provided adequate organ function will undergo imaging with 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT followed by a single dose of 225Ac-J591. Single-subject cohorts will be enrolled until grade > 1 attributable toxicity, then transition to 3+3 design. Cohort 1 = 13.3 KBq/kg with planned escalation up to 93.3 KBq/kg of 225Ac with fixed 20 mg J591. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) is defined as attributable grade 4 heme toxicity or grade 3/4 non-heme toxicity. Planned cohort expansion will occur at recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) in a 2-stage design. The primary endpoint is determination of DLT and RP2D. Secondary endpoints include toxicity, PSA decline rate, RECIST response, PFS, rPFS, OS, and patient reported outcomes (FACT-P and BPI-SF). Correlatives include baseline/follow up PSMA imaging, CTC count (CellSearch) changes, tissue and circulating genomic assessment, and immune studies. Enrollment began in October, 2017. Clinical trial information: NCT03276572.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.