Structural characterization of the maytansinoid-monoclonal antibody immunoconjugate, huN901-DM1, by mass spectrometry.

ABSTRACT: Immunoconjugates are being explored as novel cancer therapies with the promise of target-specific drug delivery. The immunoconjugate, huN901-DM1, composed of the humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody, huN901, and the maytansinoid drug, DM1, is being tested in clinical trials to treat small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). huN901-DM1 contains an average of three to four DM1 drug molecules per huN901 antibody molecule. The drug molecules are linked to huN901 through random modification of huN901 at epsilon-amino groups of lysine residues, thus yielding a heterogeneous population of conjugate species. We studied the drug distribution profile of huN901-DM1 by electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry(ESI-TOFMS), which showed that one to six DM1 drug molecules were attached to an antibody molecule.

SUBMITTER: Wang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2253466 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature