Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Current Oncology Reports 11/2023

Open Access 20-10-2023 | Prostate Cancer

Towards Improving the Efficacy of PSMA-Targeting Radionuclide Therapy for Late-Stage Prostate Cancer—Combination Strategies

Authors: Daria Arbuznikova, Matthias Eder, Anca-Ligia Grosu, Philipp T. Meyer, Christian Gratzke, Constantinos Zamboglou, Ann-Christin Eder

Published in: Current Oncology Reports | Issue 11/2023

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose of Review

[177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 is a radiopharmaceutical that emits beta-minus radiation and targets prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive prostate cancer. Despite its clinical success, there are still patients not showing sufficient response rates. This review compiles latest studies aiming at therapy improvement in [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617-naïve and -resistant patients by alternative or combination treatments.

Recent Findings

A variety of agents to combine with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 are currently under investigation including alpha radiation-emitting pharmaceuticals, radiosensitizers, taxane chemotherapeutics, androgen receptor pathway inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and external beam radiation. Actinium-225 (225Ac)-labeled PSMA-targeting inhibitors are the most studied pharmaceuticals for combination therapy or as an alternative for treatment after progression under [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 therapy.

Summary

Alpha emitters seem to have a potential of achieving a response to PSMA-targeting radionuclide therapy in both initial non-responders or responders to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 later developing treatment resistance. Emerging evidence for immunostimulatory effects of radiopharmaceuticals and first prospective studies support the combination of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and immune checkpoint inhibition for late-stage prostate cancer.
Literature
4.
go back to reference Su SL, Huang IP, Fair WR, Powell CT, Heston WD. Alternatively spliced variants of prostate-specific membrane antigen RNA: ratio of expression as a potential measurement of progression. Cancer Res. 1995;55(7):1441–3.PubMed Su SL, Huang IP, Fair WR, Powell CT, Heston WD. Alternatively spliced variants of prostate-specific membrane antigen RNA: ratio of expression as a potential measurement of progression. Cancer Res. 1995;55(7):1441–3.PubMed
16.
go back to reference Zacherl MJ, Gildehaus FJ, Mittlmeier L, Böning G, Gosewisch A, Wenter V, et al. First Clinical results for PSMA-targeted α-therapy using 225Ac-PSMA-I&T in advanced-mCRPC patients. J Nucl Med. 2021;62:669–674. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.120.251017. Provides response assessment after alpha therapy distinguishing between patients with and without history of prior [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT. Zacherl MJ, Gildehaus FJ, Mittlmeier L, Böning G, Gosewisch A, Wenter V, et al. First Clinical results for PSMA-targeted α-therapy using 225Ac-PSMA-I&T in advanced-mCRPC patients. J Nucl Med. 2021;62:669–674. https://​doi.​org/​10.​2967/​jnumed.​120.​251017. Provides response assessment after alpha therapy distinguishing between patients with and without history of prior [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT.
17.
go back to reference Sathekge M, Bruchertseifer F, Vorster M, Lawal IO, Knoesen O, Mahapane J, et al. Predictors of overall and disease-free survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients receiving 225Ac-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy. J Nucl Med. 2020;61:62–69. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.119.229229. Compares differences in PFS and OS after alpha therapy between patients with and without history of prior [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT. Sathekge M, Bruchertseifer F, Vorster M, Lawal IO, Knoesen O, Mahapane J, et al. Predictors of overall and disease-free survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients receiving 225Ac-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy. J Nucl Med. 2020;61:62–69. https://​doi.​org/​10.​2967/​jnumed.​119.​229229. Compares differences in PFS and OS after alpha therapy between patients with and without history of prior [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT.
18.
go back to reference Yadav MP, Ballal S, Sahoo RK, Tripathi M, Seth A, Bal C. Efficacy and safety of 225Ac-PSMA-617 targeted alpha therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients. Theranostics. 2020;10(20):9364–9377. https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.48107. Provides a comprehensive analysis of response and survival outcomes following alpha therapy in two balanced groups of patients with and without history of prior [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT. Yadav MP, Ballal S, Sahoo RK, Tripathi M, Seth A, Bal C. Efficacy and safety of 225Ac-PSMA-617 targeted alpha therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients. Theranostics. 2020;10(20):9364–9377. https://​doi.​org/​10.​7150/​thno.​48107. Provides a comprehensive analysis of response and survival outcomes following alpha therapy in two balanced groups of patients with and without history of prior [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT.
19.
go back to reference Feuerecker B, Tauber R, Knorr K, Heck M, Beheshti A, Seidl C, et al. Activity and adverse events of actinium-225-PSMA-617 in advanced metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer after failure of lutetium-177-PSMA. Eur Urol. 2021;79:343–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2020.11.013. Analyses response and survival outcomes after alpha therapy of patients refractory to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT and distinguishes between prior responders and non-responders to RLT. Feuerecker B, Tauber R, Knorr K, Heck M, Beheshti A, Seidl C, et al. Activity and adverse events of actinium-225-PSMA-617 in advanced metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer after failure of lutetium-177-PSMA. Eur Urol. 2021;79:343–350. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​j.​eururo.​2020.​11.​013. Analyses response and survival outcomes after alpha therapy of patients refractory to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT and distinguishes between prior responders and non-responders to RLT.
20.
go back to reference Khreish F, Ebert N, Ries M, Maus S, Rosar F, Bohnenberger H, et al. 225Ac-PSMA-617/177Lu-PSMA-617 tandem therapy of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: pilot experience. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2020;47:721–728. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-019-04612-0. Compares response and survival outcomes after [225Ac]Ac-PSMA/[177Lu]Lu-PSMA tandem therapy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-refractory patients distinguishing between prior responders and non-responders to RLT. Khreish F, Ebert N, Ries M, Maus S, Rosar F, Bohnenberger H, et al. 225Ac-PSMA-617/177Lu-PSMA-617 tandem therapy of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: pilot experience. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2020;47:721–728. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s00259-019-04612-0. Compares response and survival outcomes after [225Ac]Ac-PSMA/[177Lu]Lu-PSMA tandem therapy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-refractory patients distinguishing between prior responders and non-responders to RLT.
21.
go back to reference Rosar F, Hau F, Bartholomä M, Maus S, Stemler T, Linxweiler J, et al. Molecular imaging and biochemical response assessment after a single cycle of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617/[177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 tandem therapy in mCRPC patients who have progressed on [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 monotherapy. Theranostics. 2021;11(9):4050–4060. https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.56211. Reports response and survival outcomes after [225Ac]Ac-PSMA/[177Lu]Lu-PSMA tandem therapy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-refractory patients in a more challenging cohort than in 20. Rosar F, Hau F, Bartholomä M, Maus S, Stemler T, Linxweiler J, et al. Molecular imaging and biochemical response assessment after a single cycle of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617/[177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 tandem therapy in mCRPC patients who have progressed on [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 monotherapy. Theranostics. 2021;11(9):4050–4060. https://​doi.​org/​10.​7150/​thno.​56211. Reports response and survival outcomes after [225Ac]Ac-PSMA/[177Lu]Lu-PSMA tandem therapy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-refractory patients in a more challenging cohort than in 20.
22.
go back to reference Kulkarni H, Zhang J, Langbein T, Schuchardt C, Singh A, Mueller D, et al. Radioligand therapy using combination of Ac-225 and Lu-177 labelled PSMA ligands for progressive end-stage metastatic prostate cancer: effective trade-off between response and toxicity. J Nucl Med. 2019;60(supplement 1):464. [abstract] Kulkarni H, Zhang J, Langbein T, Schuchardt C, Singh A, Mueller D, et al. Radioligand therapy using combination of Ac-225 and Lu-177 labelled PSMA ligands for progressive end-stage metastatic prostate cancer: effective trade-off between response and toxicity. J Nucl Med. 2019;60(supplement 1):464. [abstract]
25.
go back to reference Buteau JP, Martin AJ, Emmett L, Iravani A, Sandhu S, Joshua AM, et al. PSMA and FDG-PET as predictive and prognostic biomarkers in patients given [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 versus cabazitaxel for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (TheraP): a biomarker analysis from a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2022;23(11):1389–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00605-2.CrossRefPubMed Buteau JP, Martin AJ, Emmett L, Iravani A, Sandhu S, Joshua AM, et al. PSMA and FDG-PET as predictive and prognostic biomarkers in patients given [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 versus cabazitaxel for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (TheraP): a biomarker analysis from a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2022;23(11):1389–97. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​S1470-2045(22)00605-2.CrossRefPubMed
32.
go back to reference Rosar F, Dewes S, Ries M, Schäfer A, Khreish F, Maus S, et al. New insights in the paradigm of upregulation of tumoral PSMA expression by androgen receptor blockade: enzalutamide induces PSMA upregulation in castration-resistant prostate cancer even in patients having previously progressed on enzalutamide. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2020;47(3):687–94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-019-04674-0.CrossRefPubMed Rosar F, Dewes S, Ries M, Schäfer A, Khreish F, Maus S, et al. New insights in the paradigm of upregulation of tumoral PSMA expression by androgen receptor blockade: enzalutamide induces PSMA upregulation in castration-resistant prostate cancer even in patients having previously progressed on enzalutamide. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2020;47(3):687–94. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s00259-019-04674-0.CrossRefPubMed
34.
go back to reference Rosar F, Bader H, Bartholomä M, Maus S, Burgard C, Linxweiler J, et al. Addition of standard enzalutamide medication shows synergistic effects on response to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy in mCRPC patients with imminent treatment failure-preliminary evidence of pilot experience. Cancers (Basel). 2022;14(11):2691. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14112691. Shows that it is possible to rescue the efficacy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 in refractory patients by adding enzalutamide to the treatment regimen. Rosar F, Bader H, Bartholomä M, Maus S, Burgard C, Linxweiler J, et al. Addition of standard enzalutamide medication shows synergistic effects on response to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy in mCRPC patients with imminent treatment failure-preliminary evidence of pilot experience. Cancers (Basel). 2022;14(11):2691. https://​doi.​org/​10.​3390/​cancers14112691. Shows that it is possible to rescue the efficacy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 in refractory patients by adding enzalutamide to the treatment regimen.
35.
go back to reference Emmett L, Subramaniam S, Joshua AM, Crumbaker M, Martin A, Zhang AY, et al. ENZA-p trial protocol: a randomized phase II trial using prostate-specific membrane antigen as a therapeutic target and prognostic indicator in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with enzalutamide (ANZUP 1901). BJU Int. 2021;128(5):642–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.15491.CrossRefPubMed Emmett L, Subramaniam S, Joshua AM, Crumbaker M, Martin A, Zhang AY, et al. ENZA-p trial protocol: a randomized phase II trial using prostate-specific membrane antigen as a therapeutic target and prognostic indicator in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with enzalutamide (ANZUP 1901). BJU Int. 2021;128(5):642–51. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1111/​bju.​15491.CrossRefPubMed
36.
go back to reference Suman S, Parghane RV, Joshi A, Prabhash K, Talole S, Basu S. Combined 177Lu-PSMA-617 PRLT and abiraterone acetate versus 177Lu-PSMA-617 PRLT monotherapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: an observational study comparing the response and durability. The Prostate. 2021;81:1225–1234. https://doi.org/10.1002/pros.24219. Reports an improvement of PFS and OS with combined [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and abiraterone acetate, albeit in [177Lu]PSMA RLT-naïve patients only. Suman S, Parghane RV, Joshi A, Prabhash K, Talole S, Basu S. Combined 177Lu-PSMA-617 PRLT and abiraterone acetate versus 177Lu-PSMA-617 PRLT monotherapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: an observational study comparing the response and durability. The Prostate. 2021;81:1225–1234. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1002/​pros.​24219. Reports an improvement of PFS and OS with combined [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and abiraterone acetate, albeit in [177Lu]PSMA RLT-naïve patients only.
40.
go back to reference Pathmanandavel S, Crumbaker M, Yam AO, Nguyen A, Rofe C, Hovey E, et al. 177Lu-PSMA-617 and idronoxil in men with end-stage metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (LuPIN): patient outcomes and predictors of treatment response in a phase I/II trial. J Nucl Med. 2022;63:560–566. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.121.262552. Reports a longer OS than the VISION trial with combined idronoxil and [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 in [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-naïve patients. Pathmanandavel S, Crumbaker M, Yam AO, Nguyen A, Rofe C, Hovey E, et al. 177Lu-PSMA-617 and idronoxil in men with end-stage metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (LuPIN): patient outcomes and predictors of treatment response in a phase I/II trial. J Nucl Med. 2022;63:560–566. https://​doi.​org/​10.​2967/​jnumed.​121.​262552. Reports a longer OS than the VISION trial with combined idronoxil and [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 in [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-naïve patients.
42.
53.
go back to reference Mona C, Taddio M, Rashid K, Abt E, Rosser E, Le T, et al. Leveraging PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy induced vulnerabilities by STING activation in prostate cancer. J Nucl Med. 2022;63(supplement 2):4040. [abstract] Mona C, Taddio M, Rashid K, Abt E, Rosser E, Le T, et al. Leveraging PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy induced vulnerabilities by STING activation in prostate cancer. J Nucl Med. 2022;63(supplement 2):4040. [abstract]
55.
go back to reference Sandhu S, Joshua AM, Emmett L, Spain LA, Horvath L, Crumbaker M, et al. PRINCE: phase I trial of 177Lu-PSMA-617 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). J Clin Oncol. 2022;40(16(supplement)):5017. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.5017. [abstract] Reports better response and survival outcomes than the KEYNOTE-199 trial applying a combined [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and pembrolizumab therapy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-naïve patients. Sandhu S, Joshua AM, Emmett L, Spain LA, Horvath L, Crumbaker M, et al. PRINCE: phase I trial of 177Lu-PSMA-617 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). J Clin Oncol. 2022;40(16(supplement)):5017. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1200/​JCO.​2022.​40.​16_​suppl.​5017. [abstract] Reports better response and survival outcomes than the KEYNOTE-199 trial applying a combined [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and pembrolizumab therapy of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT-naïve patients.
Metadata
Title
Towards Improving the Efficacy of PSMA-Targeting Radionuclide Therapy for Late-Stage Prostate Cancer—Combination Strategies
Authors
Daria Arbuznikova
Matthias Eder
Anca-Ligia Grosu
Philipp T. Meyer
Christian Gratzke
Constantinos Zamboglou
Ann-Christin Eder
Publication date
20-10-2023
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Oncology Reports / Issue 11/2023
Print ISSN: 1523-3790
Electronic ISSN: 1534-6269
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-023-01458-6

Other articles of this Issue 11/2023

Current Oncology Reports 11/2023 Go to the issue
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine