How Radioimmunoconjugates are Used

Radioimmunoconjugates (radiolabeled antibodies and radiolabeled proteins) are a class of conjugates used primarily for cancer/tumor imaging and therapy.  They consist of either a targeting antibody / protein directly labeled with a radionuclide (radioisotope) such as iodine 131, or a targeting antibody / protein conjugated to a radionuclide chelator (e.g., CHX-A, DOTA) and then indirectly labeled with a radionuclide, e.g., indium 111 or yttrium 90 via the chelator.  Radioimmunoconjugates offer radio-immunodiagnostic solutions at low doses of radionuclide, but can also provide radioimmunotherapy at high doses of the radionuclide.Example of FDA approved radioimmunoconjugates include Zevalin^® and Bexxar..

Zevalin can be used to treat cancer patients whose disease has relapsed after going through chemotherapy. Both Zevalin and Bexxar are RIC therapeutic agents which can be used to help cancer patients. Before the patient receives therapy, a bone marrow biopsy must be conducted to ascertain that there’s an adequate bone marrow reserve. This is because both agents can cause myelosuppression which basically leads to a reduction in white blood cells  due to excessive radiation that can damage the bone marrow.

Radioimmunoconjugates have been used in radiation therapy which is a common treatment option for people suffering from lymphoma. During Radioimmunoconjugate therapy the antibodies/proteins are introduced in significantly high doses directly to the surface of the malignant lymphoma cells in order to destroy them.  The radiation is done without affecting the healthy surrounding tissues. This form of radiation therapy is not suitable for all cancer patients. According to the FDA, Radioimmunoconjugate therapy is yet to be proven effective for severe lymphoma cases. However, these antibodies have been approved in the treatment of low grade lymphoma.

Radioimmunoconjugates are safe when used in appropriate dosages. They can even be used in experimental procedures to treat various forms of cancer in animals. In most cases, immunoconjugates are combined together with other agents when used in treatment.

For instance, researchers have applied Radioimmunotherapy together with immunotoxin therapy in mice in order to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment. These studies have shown that when one form of therapy is used alone, the procedure is safe but not curative. When both are used, radioimmunotherapy was used before immunotoxin therapy in order to work. When used in reverse order, the combination can become toxic or even deadly. This just goes to show how Radioimmunoconjugates can be used in different experimental procedures by researchers who are trying to discover the effectiveness of these antibodies/proteins.

Radioisotopes conjugated to target specific antibodies are also used to help diagnose diseases and monitor therapy. By using antibodies that specifically target diseased cells, the patient can be imaged after an injection to confirm the presence of disease and / or monitor the effectiveness of other types of treatment so that informed medical decisions can be made.  

 Choose high quality radioimmunoconjugates which are made by experienced manufacturers if you’d like to obtain reliable experimental results. Companies like Goodwin Biotechnology have spent many years manufacturing ADCs of the highest quality and you can rely on their products to obtain consistent results. They even offer you a sample of their bioconjugation projects.

Radioimmunoconjugates are extensively used in research. Goodwin Biotechnology offers high quality radioimmunoconjugates together with other types of protein bioconjugates. They specialize in conjugation of different antibodies/proteins with other molecules during development and manufacturing. Goodwin Biotechnology has extensive capabilities in providing reliable biconjugation services which includes antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) including cytotoxic antibody drug conjugates (CADCs) and radioimmunoconjugates among other types of bioconjugates.