Radiopharm Theranostics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative oncology radiopharmaceuticals for areas of high unmet medical need, announced it has been granted Belberry Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval in Australia to initiate its first-in-human (FIH) phase 1 therapeutic clinical study of 177Lu-labelled RAD 202 for the treatment of HER2-expressing solid tumours.
The phase 1 first-in-human study is designed to assess the safety, tolerability & preliminary clinical activity of 177Lu-RAD202 in individuals with HER2-positive metastatic solid tumours.
The open-label phase 1 trial, entitled ‘HEAT’ (HER2 Antibody Therapy with Lutetium-177), is a dose escalation trial of 177Lu-RAD202, and is designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary clinical activity of this novel radiotherapeutic in individuals with HER2-expressing advanced cancers. RAD 202 is a single-domain monoclonal antibody (sdAb) that targets the Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2), which is overexpressed in breast cancer as well as several other solid tumors, and represents a validated target in oncology. The multicenter study is planned to recruit across Australia, with the support of leading oncology care provider GenesisCare CRO.
Ten HER2-positive breast cancer patients previously dosed in a phase 1 diagnostic study demonstrated the safety and biodistribution of 177Lu-RAD202, validating its potential for the treatment of advanced HER2-expressing cancers.
Previous data demonstrated the safety and biodistribution of 99mTc-labeled RAD 202 in humans. Additional preclinical findings examining the therapeutic effect in HER2-positive xenografts were also recently reported with 177Lu-labeled RAD 2022. These data demonstrated tumor growth inhibition, significantly prolonged survival time, and further justify FIH dose finding studies.
“We are thrilled to receive approval to proceed with our Phase 1 FIH basket trial in Australia,” said Riccardo Canevari, CEO and Managing Director of Radiopharm Theranostics. “RAD 202 has the potential to address an unmet treatment gap in HER2-positive metastatic patients that are refractory to or unable to tolerate current standard of care treatments. With RAD 202, we hope to provide an alternative strategy that can improve clinical outcomes for patients with HER2-positive advanced cancers, while potentially preserving their quality of life.
