Farletuzumab in lung cancer.

Abstract

Folate is essential for proliferating cells and folate transport pathways and folate-dependent metabolic processes show promise as targets for anti-neoplastic therapy. Folate receptor α (FOLR1), a folate transporter, is an attractive target for anti-neoplastic therapy due to its high affinity for folate, restricted range of expression in normal tissue and differential over-expression in malignant tissue. FOLR1 is expressed in non-small cell lung cancer, with a higher expression in adenocarcinoma compared with squamous cell carcinoma. Farletuzumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting FOLR1 which in pre-clinical studies led to cytotoxicity of FOLR1-expressing cells, inhibited tumor growth in animal models and showed limited reactivity with normal tissue. In phase I/II trials, farletuzumab was well tolerated as a single-agent and in combination, without additive toxicity with chemotherapy. An ongoing phase II, double blind, placebo-controlled study is evaluating farletuzumab in patients with FOLR1 expressing metastatic adenocarcinoma of lung.

• Authors: Anish Thomas, Julia Maltzman, Raffit Hassan
• Journal: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) (Lung Cancer) Vol. 80 Issue 1 Pg. 15-8 (Apr 2013) ISSN: 1872-8332 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 23357463 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• FOLR1 protein, human
• Folate Receptor 1
• farletuzumab
• Folic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (drug therapy, genetics, metabolism)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Folate Receptor 1 (antagonists & inhibitors, genetics, metabolism)
• Folic Acid (metabolism)
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy, genetics, metabolism)