Abstract
Purpose: Radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibodies have demonstrated impressive efficacy in the treatment of relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, the amount of radiation that can be delivered to eradicate the malignancy is limited by toxicity to normal organs. We examined an “extracorporeal adsorption therapy” (ECAT) method to remove circulating unbound radioimmunoconjugate and improve the ratios of radiation delivered to B-cells in a macaque model. Experimental Design: ECAT was applied with an avidin-agarose column 24 hours after an injection of 111In- or 177Lu-DOTA-biotin-rituximab (anti-CD20 antibody) to normal macaques. Two (2) animals were studied in initial blood clearance studies, and 6 additional animals were evaluated in subsequent detailed biodistribution experiments. After the injection of 111In- or 177Lu-antibody, 3 animals underwent ECAT circulating one volume/hour while 3 served as controls. Serial blood, marrow, and lymph node samples, gamma-camera images, and necropsy tissues were obtained to...
