Trial of Targeting Therapy Against Malignant Glioma Using Monoclonal Antibody

Abstract

Although the conventional treatment of malignant gliomas including surgery, radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy has advanced, their current prognosis remains poor. The reactivity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with human tumor cells may allow precise localization and appropriate therapy. We have developed several mAbs against malignant gliomas, and have reported the results of the experimental studies aimed at their clinical application as targeting therapy. The initial results of employing murine mAb 425 which binds to specifically to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in glioma therapy have been excellent, but less satisfactory, possively due to the immunogenicity of the murine mAbs, and limitations of the efficacy of the unmodified antibodies. Therefore, we also investigated the accumulation and the tumor suppression effect of human mAb CLNIgG and CLNIgG-drug (DXR: doxorubicin) conjugates to the tumor. The human mAb CLNIgG, dereived from human uterine cancer lymph node cells, was found to bind strongly to human malignant glioma cells.