Phase I evaluation of the safety and pharmacokinetics of murine-derived anticryptococcal antibody 18B7 in subjects with treated cryptococcal meningitis.

Journal Article (Clinical Trial;Journal Article;Multicenter Study)

A promising approach to improving outcomes in patients with cryptococcal meningitis is to use adjunctive passive immunotherapy with a monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed against the capsular polysaccharide of Cryptococcus neoformans. This is the first application of MAb therapy for the treatment of a fungal disease in humans. We determined the safety and maximum tolerated dose of the murine anticryptococcal MAb 18B7 in a phase I dose-escalation study. The subjects were human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients who had been successfully treated for cryptococcal meningitis. Six dosing cohorts received MAb 18B7 at 0.01 to 2 mg/kg of body weight as a single infusion. Three patients each received 0.01, 0.05, 0.2, and 0.5 mg of MAb 18B7 per kg without significant adverse events. Four of the subjects who received the 1-mg/kg dose had mild study drug-associated toxicity, including transient nausea, vomiting, back pain, and urticarial rash. Two of the subjects who received 2 mg/kg developed drug-associated mild to moderate nausea, vomiting, chills, and myalgias. One of the subjects who received 2 mg/kg developed intracranial hypertension 10 weeks after MAb 18B7 administration. Serum cryptococcal antigen titers in the cohorts receiving doses of 1 and 2 mg/kg declined by a median of twofold at 1 week and a median of threefold at 2 weeks postinfusion, but the titers subsequently returned toward the baseline values by week 12. The half-life of MAb 18B7 in serum was approximately 53 h, while the MAb was undetectable in the cerebrospinal fluid of all patients. These data support the continued investigation of MAb 18B7 at a maximum single dose of 1.0 mg/kg.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Larsen, RA; Pappas, PG; Perfect, J; Aberg, JA; Casadevall, A; Cloud, GA; James, R; Filler, S; Dismukes, WE

Published Date

  • March 2005

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 49 / 3

Start / End Page

  • 952 - 958

PubMed ID

  • 15728888

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC549259

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0066-4804

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1128/AAC.49.3.952-958.2005

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States