A phase I II study of the intralesional injection of ricin-monoclonal antibody conjugates in patients with hepatic metastases

Abstract

A phase I II study of the intralesional administration of ricin-labelled monoclonal antibodies was conducted in patients with hepatic metastases of gastrointestinal origin. The anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) antibody I-1 was conjugated to blocked ricin via a disulphide bridge. After a test dose of antibody, patients were injected with ricin-antibody conjugates under computed tomography (CT) guidance on two occasions 1 week apart. Patients with stable or responding disease would receive a third course. The dose of ricin relative to surface area was increased in a predefined manner in cohorts of 3 patients. A total of 27 patients with hepatic metastases were entered into this study. All p..