Receptor-binding, biodistribution, and metabolism studies of 64Cu-DOTA-cetuximab, a PET-imaging agent for epidermal growth-factor receptor-positive tumors

The epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) and its ligands have been recognized as critical factors in the pathophysiology of tumorigenesis. Overexpression of the EGFR plays a significant role in the tumor progression of a wide variety of solid human cancers. Therefore, the EGFR represents an attractive target for the design of novel diagnostic and therapeutic agents for cancer. Cetuximab (C225, Erbitux((R))) was the first monoclonal antibody targeted against the ligand-binding site of EGFR approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with EGFR-expressing, metastatic colorectal carcinoma, although clinical trials showed variability in the response to this treatment. The aim of this study involved using cetuximab to design a positron emission tomography (PET) agent to image the overexpression of EGFR in tumors. Cetuximab was conjugated with the chelator, DOTA, for radiolabeling with the positron-emitter, (CU)-C-64 (T-1/2 = 12.7 hours). Cu-64-DOTA-cetuximab showed high binding affinity to EGFR-positive A431 cells (K-D of 0.28 nM). Both biodistribution and microPET imaging studies with Cu-64-DOTA-cetuximab demonstrated greater uptake at 24 hours postinjection in EGFR-positive A431 tumors (18.49%+/- 6.50% injected dose per gram [ID/g]), compared to EGFR-negative MDA-MB-435 tumors (2.60%+/- 0.35% ID/g). A431 tumor uptake at 24 hours was blocked with unlabeled cetuximab (10.69%+/- 2.72% ID/g), suggesting that the tumor uptake was receptor mediated. Metabolism experiments in vivo showed that 64Cu-DOTA-cetuximab was relatively stable in the blood of tumor-bearing mice; however, there was significant metabolism in the liver and tumors. Cu-64-DOTA-cetuximab is a potential agent for imaging EGFR-positive tumors in humans.