Vanucizumab mode of action: Serial biomarkers in plasma, tumor, and skin-wound-healing biopsies

Florian Heil, Galina Babitzki, Alice Julien-Laferriere, Chia Huey Ooi, Manuel Hidalgo, Christophe Massard, Maria Martinez-Garcia, Christophe Le Tourneau, Mark Kockx, Peter Gerber, Simona Rossomanno, Oliver Krieter, Angelika Lahr, Norbert Wild, Suzana Vega Harring, Katharina Lechner

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    Abstract

    Vanucizumab is a novel bispecific antibody inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) that demonstrated safety and anti-tumor activity in part I of a phase I study of 42 patients with advanced solid tumors. Part II evaluated the pharmacodynamic effects of vanucizumab 30 or 15 mg/kg every 2 weeks in 32 patients. Serial plasma samples, paired tumor, and skin-wound-healing biopsies were taken over 29 days to evaluate angiogenic markers. Vanucizumab was associated with marked post-infusion reductions in circulating unbound VEGF-A and Ang-2. By day 29, tumor samples revealed mean reductions in density of microvessels (−32.2%), proliferating vessels (−47.9%) and Ang-2 positive vessels (−62.5%). Skin biopsies showed a mean reduction in density of microvessels (−49.0%) and proliferating vessels (−25.7%). Gene expression profiling of tumor samples implied recruitment and potential activation of lymphocytes. Biopsies were safely conducted. Vanucizumab demonstrated a consistent biological effect on vascular-related biomarkers, confirming proof of concept. Skin-wound-healing biopsies were a valuable surrogate for studying angiogenesis-related mechanisms.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number100984
    JournalTranslational Oncology
    Volume14
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2021

    Keywords

    • Angiopoietin-2
    • Biomarkers
    • Micro vessel density
    • Mode of action
    • Phase I clinical trial
    • Vanucizumab

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