ANTIBODY-DIRECTED ENZYME PRODRUG THERAPY FOR CANCER - ITS THEORETICAL BASIS AND APPLICATION

Agents that can be administered systemically but that act selectively against cancer cells have been intensively sought but have thus far proved elusive. Nonselective cytotoxic drugs have the potential to eradicate cancer if they can be delivered selectively in sufficient concentration to cancer sites. In the approach described here, the cytotoxic agent is generated at cancer sites from a low-toxicity prodrug by the action of an enzyme delivered by an antibody to the cancer site. The feasibility of the approach has been demonstrated with a variety of enzyme-prodrug combinations.