Challenge
Professor John Hooper has worked for decades to develop antibody 10D7, a beacon of hope for patients with advanced ovarian, prostate and bladder cancers. Very few novel drugs are developed entirely in Australia, from their early stages through to preclinical models and first-in-human trials.
Solution
National Imaging Facility and Therapeutic Innovation Australia supported this project from the discovery of the antibody to first in-human trials. The antibody offers potential for a theranostic – a diagnostic low-energy radioisotope that attaches to cancer cells for imaging, which can then be switched to a high-energy radioisotope therapeutic form to treat and eliminate those same cells.
NIF facilities supported:
- cutting-edge bioengineering to optimise the antibody
- efficacy checks using preclinical models at the Centre for Advanced Imaging
- optimised manufacturing processes for manufacture clinical-grade antibodies
- first in-human clinical trials to check the radioisotope-labelled antibody’s safety at the Herston Imaging Research Facility.
Impact
Clinical teams recently imaged the first ovarian cancer patient in the trial and have recruited the first bladder cancer participant. Up to 30 patients with advanced ovarian cancer and 20 with advanced bladder cancer will be included. This Australia-born project and the journey of the antibody toward optimisation and commercialisation demonstrate the critical importance of the availability and expertise of national research facilities.
