In this new project, bavituximab, formally Tarvacin, will be labeled with radioactive isotopes to assess its potential as an imaging agent to identify tumor metastases and as a radio-immunoconjugate to treat metastatic disease. The drug is currently in a phase I clinical trial for advanced refractory solid tumors.
Bavituximab is a monoclonal antibody that binds selectively to cells that line tumor blood vessels. It has already shown promising activity in preclinical models of breast cancer. Previously published data in Cancer Research showed that a mouse equivalent of bavituximab in combination with docetaxel resulted in a 93% inhibition of human breast cancer growth in mouse cancer models.
“Data from this project could open the door for use of bavituximab as an agent to identity, measure and ultimately destroy the metastases that kill most cancer patients,” said Steven King, president and CEO of Peregrine. “We are particularly pleased since this is the third competitive, peer-reviewed grant awarded by DOD with the potential to expand the clinical applications of bavituximab.”
Despite recent medical advances in management of recurrent breast cancer, the prognosis remains poor for many patients and 40,000 women in the US die from metastatic breast disease each year.