Pritumumab

Pritumumab is a monoclonal antibody originally developed for the treatment of brain cancer. It is the first natural human immunoglobulin antibody used in the treatment of a human cancer. Pritumumab targets ecto-domain vimentin, a protein found on the surface of cancer cells.

History

Pritumumab was first developed by Dr. Yasuharu Shimamura at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science in the 1980s. The antibody was initially used in a clinical trial for patients with glioma, a type of brain tumor. The results of the trial showed a significant increase in survival rates for patients treated with Pritumumab.

Mechanism of Action

Pritumumab works by binding to ecto-domain vimentin, a protein that is overexpressed on the surface of cancer cells. This binding triggers an immune response that leads to the destruction of the cancer cells. The antibody has been shown to be effective against a variety of cancers, including glioma, melanoma, and lung cancer.

Clinical Trials

Several clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Pritumumab. The most notable of these was a Phase II trial conducted in Japan, which showed a significant increase in survival rates for patients with glioma. Other trials have shown promising results in the treatment of melanoma and lung cancer.

Future Developments

Research is ongoing to further understand the potential of Pritumumab in cancer treatment. There is particular interest in its use in combination with other therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

See Also

• Monoclonal antibodies
• Cancer immunotherapy
• Glioma
• Vimentin