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Introduction: The high potency and short tissue range of α-particles are attractive features for targeted radionuclide therapy, particularly for cancers with micro-metastases. In the current study, we describe the synthesis of a series of 211 At-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) inhibitors and their preliminary evaluation as potential agents for metastatic prostate cancer treatment., Methods: Four novel Glu-urea based PSMA ligands containing a trialkyl stannyl group were synthesized and labeled with 211 At, and for comparative purposes, 131 I, via halodestannylation reactions with N-chlorosuccinimide as the oxidant. A PSMA inhibitory assay was performed to evaluate PSMA binding of the unlabeled, iodinated compounds. A series of paired-label biodistribution experiments were performed to compare each 211 At-labeled PSMA ligand to its 131 I-labeled counterpart in mice bearing subcutaneous PC3 PSMA+ PIP xenografts., Results: Radiochemical yields ranged from 32% to 65% for the 211 At-labeled PSMA inhibitors and were consistently lower than those obtained with the corresponding 131 I-labeled analogue. Good localization in PC3 PSMA+ PIP but not control xenografts was observed for all labeled molecules studied, which exhibited a variable degree of in vivo dehalogenation as reflected by thyroid and stomach activity levels. Normal tissue uptake and in vivo stability for several of the compounds was markedly improved compared with the previously evaluated compounds, [ 211 At]DCABzL and [*I]DCIBzL., Conclusions and Implications for Patient Care: Compared with the first generation compound [ 211 At]DCABzL, several of the novel 211 At-labeled PSMA ligands exhibited markedly improved stability in vivo and higher tumor-to-normal tissue ratios. [ 211 At]GV-620 has the most promising characteristics and warrants further evaluation as a targeted radiotherapeutic for prostate cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest G.V., R.M., I.L., M.P. and M.R.Z. are co-inventors on filed patent applications that cover (211)At- and (131)I-labeled PSMA inhibitors including the molecules comprising this study. We declare no other competing interests related to this work., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In a previous clinical study, the authors evaluated the potential of antitenascin C monoclonal antibody (mAb) 81C6 labeled with 211 At via the prosthetic agent N -succinimidyl 3-[ 211 At]astatobenzoate (SAB) for the treatment of primary brain tumors. Although encouraging results were obtained, labeling chemistry failed while attempting to escalate the dose to 370 MBq. The goal of the current study was to develop a revised procedure less susceptible to radiolysis-mediated effects on 211 At labeling that would be suitable for use at higher activity levels of this α-emitter. Materials and Methods: Addition of N -chlorosuccinimide to the methanol used to remove the 211 At from the cryotrap after bismuth target distillation was done to thwart radiolytic decomposition of reactive 211 At and the tin precursor. A series of 11 reactions were performed to produce SAB at initial 211 At activity levels of 0.31-2.74 GBq from 50 μg of N -succinimidyl 3-trimethylstannylbenzoate (Me-STB), which was then reacted with murine 81C6 mAb without purification of the SAB intermediate. Radiochemical purity, immunoreactive fraction, sterility, and apyrogenicity of the 211 At-labeled 81C6 preparations were evaluated. Results: Murine 81C6 mAb was successfully labeled with 211 At using these revised procedures with improved radiochemical yields and decreased overall synthesis time compared with the original clinical labeling procedure. Conclusions: With 2.74 GBq of 211 At, it was possible to produce 1.0 GBq of 211 At-labeled 81C6 with an immunoreactive fraction of 92%. These revised procedures permit production of 211 At-labeled mAbs suitable for use at clinically relevant activity levels.

Introduction: The monoclonal antibody (mAb) L8A4, reactive with the epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII), internalizes rapidly in glioma cells after receptor binding. Combining this tumor-specific mAb with the low-energy beta-emitter (177)Lu would be an attractive approach for brain tumor radioimmunotherapy, provided that trapping of the radionuclide in tumor cells after mAb intracellular processing could be maximized., Materials and Methods: L8A4 mAb was labeled with (177)Lu using the acyclic ligands [(R)-2-amino-3-(4-isothiocyanatophenyl)propyl]-trans-(S,S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-pentaacetic acid (CHX-A''-DTPA), 2-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (pSCN-Bz-DTPA) and 2-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-6-methyldiethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (1B4M-DTPA), and the macrocyclic ligands S-2-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-tetraacetic acid (C-DOTA) and alpha-(5-isothiocyanato-2-methoxyphenyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (MeO-DOTA). Paired-label internalization and cellular processing assays were performed on EGFRvIII-expressing U87.DeltaEGFR glioma cells over 24 h to directly compare (177)Lu-labeled L8A4 to L8A4 labeled with (125)I using either iodogen or N-succinimidyl 4-guanidinomethyl-3-[(125)I]iodobenzoate ([(125)I]SGMIB). In order to facilitate comparison of labeling methods, the primary parameter evaluated was the ratio of (177)Lu to (125)I activity retained in U87.DeltaEGFR cells., Results: All chelates demonstrated higher retention of internalized activity compared with mAb labeled using iodogen, with (177)Lu/(125)I ratios of >20 observed for the three DTPA chelates at 24 h. When compared to L8A4 labeled using SGMIB, except for MeO-DOTA, internalized activity for (125)I was higher than (177)Lu from 1-8 h with the opposite behavior observed thereafter. At 24 h, (177)Lu/(125)I ratios were between 1.5 and 3, with higher values observed for the three DTPA chelates., Conclusions: The nature of the chelate used to label this internalizing mAb with (177)Lu influenced intracellular retention in vitro, although at early time points, only MeO-DOTA provided more favorable results than radioiodination of the mAb via SGMIB.

A procedure for the synthesis of N-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate labeled with any iodine isotope ([*I]SIB), which is an agent used in the radioiodination of proteins and peptides, from its tin precursor N-succinimidyl 3-(tri-n-butylstannyl)benzoate (STB) is described. Also included are protocols for the synthesis of an unlabeled standard of SIB and the tin precursor. Radioiododestannylation of STB using tert-butylhydroperoxide as the oxidant gives [*I]SIB in 80% radiochemical yields. The total time for the synthesis of [*I]SIB from STB is approximately 95 min. Use of [*I]SIB yields radioiodinated proteins that are considerably more stable in vivo than those radioiodinated by the direct electrophilic method.

An important criterion in design of acylation agents for the radioiodination of internalizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is to maximize the retention of radioiodine in the tumor following mAb intracellular processing. We have previously shown that labeling methods that generate positively charged catabolites have enhanced tumor retention. Herein we have extended this strategy to investigate the potential utility of labeling internalizing mAbs with an acylation agent that yielded labeled catabolites that would be negatively charged at lysosomal pH. The negatively charged acylation agent, N-succinimidyl 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-phosphonomethylbenzoate ([(131)I]SIPMB), was prepared from its tin precursor, N-succinimidyl 4-di-tert-butylphosphonomethyl-3-trimethylstannylbenzoate (tBu-SPMTB), in 40% radiochemical yield. The free acid, 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-phosphonomethylbenzoic acid ([(131)I]IPMBA), was also prepared from the corresponding precursor, 4-di-tert-butylphosphonomethyl-3-trimethylstannylbenzoic acid (tBu-PMTBA), in 80% radiochemical yield. The rapidly internalizing mAb L8A4 was conjugated to [(131)I]SIPMB in 25-40% yield with preservation of its immunoreactivity. Internalization and processing in the U87DeltaEGFR glioma cell line was studied in a paired label format with L8A4 labeled with (125)I using the Iodogen method. Retention of initially bound radioactivity in these cells at 24 h from [(131)I]SIPMB-labeled mAb was approximately 6-fold higher than that for directly labeled mAb. Catabolite analysis demonstrated that this difference reflected an order of magnitude higher retention of low molecular weight species in these cells. The [(131)I]SIPMB-L8A4 conjugate was intact over the first 2 h; thereafter, lysine-[(131)I]SIPMB was the predominant catabolite. In contrast, L8A4 labeled using Iodogen rapidly gave rise to mono-[(125)I]iodotyrosine within 2 h, which then cleared rapidly from the cells. These results suggest that SIPMB could be a potent candidate for labeling internalizing mAbs and warrant further study.

Unlabelled: In vitro and in vivo studies in human glioma models suggest that the antitenascin monoclonal antibody 81C6 labeled with the 7.2-h-half-life alpha-particle emitter (211)At might be a valuable endoradiotherapeutic agent for the treatment of brain tumors. The purpose of this study was to develop methods for the production of high levels of (211)At and the radiosynthesis of clinically useful amounts of (211)At-labeled human/mouse chimeric 81C6 antibody., Methods: (211)At was produced through the (209)Bi(alpha, 2n)(211)At reaction using an internal target system and purified by a dry distillation process. Antibody labeling was accomplished by first synthesizing N-succinimidyl 3-[(211)At]astatobenzoate from the corresponding tri-n-butyl tin precursor and reacting it with the antibody in pH 8.5 borate buffer. Quality control procedures consisted of methanol precipitation, size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and pyrogen and sterility assays, as well as determination of the immunoreactive fraction by a rapid procedure using a recombinant tenascin fragment coupled to magnetic beads., Results: A total of 16 antibody labeling runs were performed. Using beam currents of 50-60 microA alpha-particles and irradiation times of 1.5-4.5 h, the mean (211)At production yield was 27.75 +/- 2.59 MBq/microA.h, and the maximum level of (211)At produced was 6.59 GBq after a 4-h irradiation at 55 microA. The decay-corrected distillation yield was 67% +/- 16%. The yield for the coupling of the (211)At-labeled active ester to the antibody was 76% +/- 8%. The fraction of (211)At activity that eluted with a retention time corresponding to intact IgG on HPLC was 96.0% +/- 2.5%. All preparations had a pyrogen level of <0.125 EU/mL and were determined to be sterile. The mean immunoreactive fraction for these 16 preparations was 83.3% +/- 5.3%. Radiolysis did not interfere with labeling chemistry or the quality of the labeled antibody product., Conclusion: These results show that it is feasible to produce clinically relevant activities of (211)At-labeled antibodies and have permitted the initiation of a phase I trial of (211)At-labeled chimeric 81C6 administered directly into the tumor resection cavities of brain tumor patients.

Octreotide was coupled to 3-iodobenzoyl and 3-iodonicotinoyl moieties to obtain [N-(3-iodobenzoyl)-D-Phe(1)]octreotide (IBO) and [N-(3-iodonicotinoyl)-D-Phe(1)]octreotide (INO), respectively. The IC(50) values for the binding of IBO and INO to CA20948 rat pancreatic tumor membranes were 0.90 and 0.13 nM, respectively, compared with 0.35 nM for octreotide itself. Starting from N-succinimidyl 3-[(131)I]iodobenzoate and N-succinimidyl 5-[(131)I]iodopyridine-3- carboxylate, [(131)I]IBO and [(131)I]INO were prepared in overall radiochemical yields of 35%-50%. Likewise, ¿N-(3-[(211)At]astatobenzoyl)-D-Phe(1)¿octreotide ([(211)At]ABO) was prepared in similar yield from N-succinimidyl 3-[(211)At]astatobenzoate. In vitro assays with AR42J rat pancreatic tumor cells demonstrated a higher retention of cell-internalized radioiodine activity for [(131)I]INO compared with [(125)I]IBO. Tissue distribution studies with both conjugates revealed low levels of activity in the thyroid suggesting that dehalogenation of these peptides was minimal.

Monoclonal antibody (MAb) internalization can have a major effect on tumor retention of radiolabel. Two anti-HER-2/neu MAbs (TA1 and 520C9) were radioiodinated using the iodogen, N-succinimidyl 5-iodo-3-pyridinecarboxylate (SIPC), and tyramine-cellobiose (TCB) methods. Paired-label studies compared internalization and cellular processing of the labeled MAbs by SKOv3 9002-18 ovarian cancer cells in vitro. Intracellular radioiodine activity for 520C9 was up to 2.6 and 3.0 times higher for SIPC and TCB labeling, respectively, compared with iodogen. Likewise, intracellular activity for TA1 was up to 2.3 and 2.9 times higher with the SIPC and TCB methods compared with iodogen labeling. Unfortunately, similar advantages in tumor accumulation were not achieved in athymic mice bearing SKOv3 9008-18 ovarian cancer xenografts.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) such as the anti-epidermal growth factor variant III (EGFRvIII) MAb L8A4 are rapidly internalized, which can lead to rapid loss of radioactivity from the tumor cell. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential utility of N-succinimidyl 5-[211At]astato-3-pyridinecarboxylate ([211At]SAPC) for labeling murine L8A4 with 211At. SAPC was synthesized by astatodestannylation of N-succinimidyl 5-tri-n-butylstannyl 3-pyridinecarboxylate and then coupled to L8A4 in approximately 50% yield. The affinity and immunoreactive fraction for 211At-labeled L8A4 were comparable to those obtained when the MAb was labeled with 131I via N-succinimidyl 5-[131I]iodo-3-pyridinecarboxylate (SIPC). Paired-label comparisons of the 211At- and 131I-labeled MAbs demonstrated similar internalization and catabolism by EGFRvIII-positive cells in vitro, and with the exception of the stomach, similar tissue distribution in athymic mice with EGFRvIII-expressing U87MGdeltaEGFR xenografts. These results suggest that SAPC may be a useful reagent for labeling L8A4, and possibly other internalizing proteins, with 211At.

A conjugation method has been developed for the radioiodination of proteins which should be adaptable to kit formulation. m-Hydroxybenzoic acid was converted to 3-hydroxy-4-[131I]iodobenzoic acid in 65% radiochemical yield using Chloramine-T as the oxidant. This intermediate was then converted to N-succinimidyl 3-hydroxy-4-[131I]iodobenzoate ([131I]mSHIB) in 75% yield by reaction with N-hydroxysuccinimide and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in a reaction time of only 10 min. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 81C6 was labeled in 40-60% yield by reaction with [131I]mSHIB. Performing purifications of radioiodinated compounds using cartridges instead of HPLC did not alter conjugation efficiency, mAb immunoreactivity, or tissue distribution. Thyroid uptake of labeled mAb was low but up to 2.4 times higher than that seen when the mAb was labeled with N-succinimidyl 3-[125I]-iodobenzoate. These results suggest that [131I]mSHIB may be a useful reagent for the radioiodination of proteins, particularly in contexts when less complicated purification methods would be advantageous.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that internalize following binding to cell-surface receptors require radiolabeling approaches that minimize loss of radioactivity from the cell after intracellular processing. One class of internalizing mAbs of great interest for imaging and radioimmunotherapy are those specific for EGFRvIII, a truncated form of the epidermal growth factor receptor found on gliomas, non-small cell lung carcinomas, breast carcinomas, and ovarian carcinomas. Because lysosomes are known to retain positively charged compounds, N-succinimidyl 5-iodo-3-pyridinecarboxylate (SIPC) might be ideal for radioiodination of these mAbs because of the positive charge on its pyridine ring. To investigate this hypothesis, the anti-EGFRvIII mAb L8A4 was labeled using SIPC, and internalization assays were performed using the EGFRvIII-positive cell lines HC2 20 d2 and NR6M. Compared with L8A4 labeled using Iodogen or N-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate, SIPC increased intracellular retention of activity by up to 65%. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography analyses indicated that a significantly higher fraction of the low molecular weight catabolites from mAbs labeled via SIPC were retained within cells (SIPC, 28.1%; Iodogen, 7.6% at 1 h). With SIPC, the primary labeled species in cell lysates was the 5-iodonicotinic acid (INA)-lysine conjugate, whereas in the supernatant, both INA-lysine and INA were seen. A 3-4-fold higher percentage of these catabolites were charged at lysosomal pH in comparison with those from mAb labeled using N-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate, in concert with the differences in cellular retention observed between these two labeling methods. In mice bearing HC2 20 d2 xenografts, a significant improvement in tumor retention of radioiodine and tumor:normal tissue ratios was seen when L8A4 was labeled using SIPC instead of the Iodogen method. These results suggest that SIPC is a promising reagent for the radioiodination of anti-EGFRvIII L8A4 and, possibly, other internalizing mAbs.

C-erbB2 p185 is a proto-oncogene product expressed in 25-30% of human invasive breast cancers that is associated with poor prognosis and resistance to endocrine therapy and chemotherapy. It is minimally expressed in normal adult tissues (M. F. Press et al., Oncogene, 5: 953-962, 1990). For this reason, it is an attractive target for radioimmunotherapy and other antibody-directed therapies. ICR12 is a rat IgG2a monoclonal antibody directed against a protein epitope of the external domain of the c-erbB2 p185. We performed experiments to optimize the direct iodination of ICR12 with 131I using the IodoGen method, and we found impairment of immunoreactive fraction with increasing specific activity. N-Succinimidyl 4-methyl-3-(tri-n-butylstannyl)benzoate (MATE) is a tin ester that can be radioiodinated easily and then coupled to the epsilon-amino group of lysine residues. This method has been shown to have improved uptake in tumors compared with antibody labeled by direct iodination (P. K. Garg et al., Nucl. Med. Biol., 20: 379-387, 1993). ICR12 could be labeled up to 16 mCi/mg by this technique without loss of immunoreactive fraction. Whole-body retention of MATE-labeled ICR12 was less than IodoGen (P < 0.0001). Radioimmunotherapy experiments in athymic mice bearing established MDA MB 361 human breast cancer xenografts showed growth inhibition for > 24 days at a dose of 600 microCi/mouse (P < 0.0001) when labeled by the IodoGen technique, and 12 days using the MATE method (P < 0.0001).

Amplification and rearrangement of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are characteristics of many types of tumors. One class of EGFR mutations, EGFRvIII, is characterized by an in-frame deletion resulting in a truncated external domain of the receptor. EGFRvIII was first identified in a subset of gliomas and has since been found in some non-small cell lung carcinomas and breast carcinomas. mAbs specific for this variant form of EGFR but unreactive with the wild-type EGFR have been reported from our laboratory. This study further characterizes three of these antibodies. We determined, via radiolabeling techniques and immunofluorescence microscopy, that, after cell binding in vitro, the anti-EGFRvIII-specific mAbs internalize at 37 degrees C. Furthermore, subsequent to internalization, the antibodies were processed intracellularly, presumably by lysosomal degradation. We also examined the use of an alternative radiolabeling procedure that uses nonmetabolizable radio-iodinated tyramine cellobiose. Our results show that the tyramine cellobiose labeling method allows for greater tumor cell retention of radiolabel in vitro (76% for tyramine cellobiose and 27% for Iodo-Gen after 24 h). Paired-label biodistribution studies in athymic mice indicate that anti-EGFRvIII mAb L8A4 localizes specifically to EGFRvIII-expressing tumor xenografts with a maximum of 34.3 +/- 7.6% injected dose/g when labeled using tyramine cellobiose compared with a maximum of 14.9 +/- 4.3% injected dose/g using Iodo-Gen; similar results were obtained with mAb H10. These results suggest that the anti-EGFRvIII mAbs may serve as potential carriers for radioconjugate- and immunotoxin-based therapies for tumors expressing EGFRvIII.

The potential utility of N-succinimidyl 5-iodo-3-pyridinecarboxylate (SIPC) for the radioiodination of monoclonal antibodies was investigated. Paired-label studies were performed using the anti-tenascin antibody 81C6 in athymic mice bearing subcutaneous D-54 MG human glioma xenografts. Radiolabeling was also done using N-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate (SIB). Radioiodination of SIPC and SIB both proceeded in 60-80% yield, but protein coupling efficiencies with SIB were higher (76 +/- 16 vs 60 +/- 7%). Immunoreactivity and affinity of both preparations were similar. Using SIPC, thyroid uptake was quite low, decreasing from 0.3% at day 1 to 0.05% at day 8. Tumor uptake reached 46 +/- 11% injected dose/g at day 1 but declined gradually thereafter. This apparent decline reflected the rapid growth of these xenografts since tumor accumulation expressed as percentage of injected dose remained nearly constant up to day 9. These results suggest that SIPC, like SIB, offers significant advantages for labeling antibodies when compared with conventional protein iodination methods.

N-Succinimidyl 4-hydroxy-3-[131I]iodobenzoate ([131I]SHIB) was synthesized from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in two steps. The overall radiochemical yield was 40-56%. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) was labeled in 10-15% yield by reaction with [131I]SHIB. The specific binding of [131I]SHIB mAb to tumor homogenates in vivo was 78 +/- 3%, compared to 84 +/- 3% for the same mAb labeled using N-succinimidyl 3-[125I]iodobenzoate ([125I]SIB). Paired-label studies in normal mice demonstrated similar tissue distributions of 131I and 125I except in thyroid. In thyroid, uptake of the two isotopes was similar on day 1; however, 131I levels increased gradually to 2-3 times those of 125I by day 6. Our results indicate that loss of label in vivo from mAbs labeled using SHIB is somewhat higher than seen with SIB but significantly lower than that observed when direct iodination methods are used.

A new method is reported for labeling proteins with the positron-emitting nuclide 18F. Initially, 4-[18F]-fluorobenzylamine was prepared in two steps from aqueous [18F]fluoride in high yield. The 18F acylation agent was formed by reaction of this product with disuccinimidyl suberate. Overall yields for the 4-[18F]fluorobenzylamine succinimidyl ester ([18F]SFBS), decay corrected to the end of cyclotron bombardment, were about 30% in a synthesis time of 60 min. After a 15-min reaction, 30-45% (decay corrected) of the [18F]SFBS could be coupled to intact antibodies and their F(ab')2 and Fab fragments. Coupling yields were dependent on protein concentration but not reaction time. HPLC purification of [18F]SFBS was necessary to obtain optimal coupling efficiency and immunoreactivity. The immunoreactivities of 18F-labeled F(ab')2 and Fab fragments of an antimyosin antibody were 89 +/- 5% and 75 +/- 9%, respectively. Biodistribution studies in normal mice demonstrated similar in vivo behavior of 18F-labeled antibody fragments and those labeled with 125I by using N-succinimidyl 3-[125I]iodobenzoate. These results indicate that this method may be useful for labeling monoclonal antibodies and other proteins and peptides with 18F.

We have previously shown that use of N-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate (SIB) for radioiodination of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) decreases the loss of radioiodine in vivo compared to MAbs labeled by using conventional methods. Herein, the synthesis of N-succinimidyl 2,4-dimethoxy-3-(trialkylstannyl)benzoates (alkyl = Me, Bu) are described as is their use as precursors for the radiosynthesis of N-succinimidyl 2,4-dimethoxy-3-iodobenzoate (SDMIB). A MAb F(ab')2 fragment labeled with SDMIB retained its ability to bind specifically to tumor homogenates. Paired-label tissue distribution studies indicate that the thyroid uptake (an indicator of deiodination) of hydrolyzed SDMIB was about 20 times that of hydrolyzed SIB. In contrast, thyroid uptake for SDMIB, when conjugated to a MAb, was only 1.4-2.8 times that for SIB and was considerably lower than levels reported in the literature for MAbs labeled by using direct, electrophilic iodination methods. Although MAbs labeled with SDMIB are significantly more inert to dehalogenation than those labeled by conventional methods, compared to the original SIB reagent, addition of two methoxy groups decreased retention of label in vivo.

Most studies with radiohalogenated monoclonal antibodies have involved the use of the iodine nuclides 131I and 123I. Methods are being developed for labeling antibodies with radioiodine that result in a decreased loss of the nuclide from the protein in vivo. In addition, the labeling of antibodies with nuclides of fluorine, bromine and astatine could provide reagents of potential utility for positron emission tomography and radioimmunotherapy.

A method is described for labeling proteins with 7.2 h half-life 211 At. The alpha particle-emitting nuclide was coupled to goat IgG using an N-succinimidyl 3-(tri-n-butylstannyl) benzoate intermediate. The reaction and purification sequence requires about 2 h to produce 211 At-labeled IgG in 25-40% radiochemical yield. Comparative blood clearance measurements in mice suggest that the 211 At-labeled IgG conjugate is stable in vivo.

The effect of para vs meta substitution on the biological behavior of an intact antibody and an F(ab')2 fragment was investigated. Paired-label studies were performed using 81C6 IgG and OC 125 F(ab')2 labeled using the N-succinimidyl esters of both p-[125I]- and m-[131I]iodobenzoate as well as with the potential catabolites, p-[125I]- and m-[131I]iodobenzoic acid. In all 3 studies, up to 55% lower uptake of 131I in thyroid and stomach was observed, suggesting that the m-substituted species were more inert to dehalogenation in vivo.

N-succinimidyl-3-(tri-n-butylstannyl)benzoate (m-BuATE), N-succinimidyl-3-(tri-methylstannyl)benzoate (m-MeATE) and N-succinimidyl-4-(tri-n-butylstannyl)benzoate (p-BuATE) were synthesized and radioiodinated using either N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) or t-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant. Radiohalogenation of m-MeATE proceeded more rapidly than m-BuATE. NCS was the more efficient oxidant at reaction times less than 15 min; use of both TBHP and NCS resulted in nearly quantitative yields after 15 min when m-MeATE was used. Using NCS, achieving optimal antibody coupling and specific binding required purification of the active ester by HPLC; in contrast, with TBHP, only Sep-Pak purification was needed.

N-Succinimidyl 3-(tri-n-butylstannyl)benzoate (ATE) was elevated for its utility in the radiohalogenation of monoclonal antibodies. The F(ab')2 fragment of monoclonal antibody OC 125 was labeled with 125I using the ATE reagent and with 131I using a conventional electrophilic iodination method (Iodogen). N-Succinimidyl 3-[125I]iodobenzoate was synthesized from ATE in greater than 90% yield and purified using a disposable silica gel cartridge. About 60-65% of the radioiodinated product was coupled to the F(ab')2 fragment after a 30-min reaction. Two procedures were investigated, one involving exposure of antibody to 35 nmol of ATE and the other to 240 nmol of ATE. Using Scatchard analyses, affinity constants for binding to CA 125 antigen for OC 125 F(ab')2 labeled using the low ATE, Iodogen, and high ATE procedures were determined to be (5.2 +/- 1.0) x 10(10), (2.5 +/- 0.9) x 10(10), and (4.2 +/- 2.4) x 10(9) M-1, respectively. Paired-label studies in athymic mice bearing OVCAR-3 tumors treated with injections of antibody labeled via both ATE and Iodogen demonstrated that use of the ATE method (a) reduced thyroid uptake to less than 0.1% of the injected dose, more than 100 times less than that observed with Iodogen; (b) resulted in more rapid clearance of activity from normal tissues; and (c) with the low ATE preparations, increased the uptake of radioactivity in tumor from 27 to 49%. At 96 h, tumor:tissue ratios were generally at least 4-fold higher when antibody was labeled via ATE. These results suggest that the ATE method may be a valuable approach for the radiohalogenation of antibodies.