EGFRvIII antibody + iron oxide nanoparticles

EGFRvIII antibody + iron oxide nanoparticles (EGFRvIIIAb-IONPs) is an experimental theranostic nanoparticle conjugate designed for the targeted imaging and treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Developed by researchers at Emory University and the University of Pittsburgh, the agent consists of 10 nm iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) bioconjugated to a monoclonal antibody specific for the EGFRvIII deletion mutant, a tumor-specific antigen frequently expressed in GBM but absent in normal brain tissue. The conjugate is intended for administration via convection-enhanced delivery (CED) to bypass the blood-brain barrier. Once at the tumor site, the IONPs serve as a T2-weighted contrast agent for MRI-guided visualization, while the antibody-mediated targeting induces apoptosis in EGFRvIII-expressing cancer cells and glioma stem cells. Preclinical studies have demonstrated its potential to selectively reduce tumor cell survival without significant toxicity to normal astrocytes.

Other names

EGFRvIII antibody-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles