Pre-existing anti-polyethylene glycol antibody reduces the therapeutic efficacy and pharmacokinetics of PEGylated liposomes.

Rationale: Increasing frequency of human exposure to PEG-related products means that healthy people are likely to have pre-existing anti-PEG antibodies (pre-αPEG Ab). However, the influence of pre-αPEG Abs on the pharmacokinetics (PK) and therapeutic efficacy of LipoDox is unknown. Methods: We generated two pre-αPEG Ab mouse models. First, naïve mice were immunized with PEGylated protein to generate an endogenous αPEG Ab titer (endo αPEG). Second, monoclonal αPEG Abs were passively transferred (αPEG-PT) into naïve mice to establish a αPEG titer. The naïve, endo αPEG and αPEG-PT mice were intravenously injected with 111 in-labeled LipoDox to evaluate its PK. Tumor-bearing naïve, endo αPEG and αPEG-PT mice were intravenously injected with 111 in-labeled LipoDox to evaluate its biodistribution. The therapeutic efficacy of LipoDox was estimated in the tumor-bearing mice. Results: The areas under the curve (AUC)last of LipoDox in endo αPEG and αPEG-PT mice were 11.5- and 15.6- fold less, respectively, than that of the naïve group. The biodistribution results suggested that pre-αPEG Ab can significantly reduce tumor accumulation and accelerate blood clearance of 111 In-labeled LipoDox from the spleen. The tumor volumes of the tumor-bearing endo αPEG and αPEG-PT mice after treatment with LipoDox were significantly increased as compared with that of the tumor-bearing naïve mice. Conclusions: Pre-αPEG Abs were found to dramatically alter the PK and reduce the tumor accumulation and therapeutic efficacy of LipoDox. Pre-αPEG may have potential as a marker to aid development of personalized therapy using LipoDox and achieve optimal therapeutic efficacy.