Feasibility, Biodistribution, and Preliminary Dosimetry in Peptide-Targeted Radionuclide Therapy of Diverse Adenocarcinomas Using (177)Lu-FAP-2286: First-in-Humans Results

Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a promising target for diagnosis and therapy of numerous malignant tumors. FAP-2286 is the conjugate of a FAP-binding peptide, which can be labeled with radionuclides for theranostic applications. We present the first-in-humans results using (177)Lu-FAP-2286 for peptide-targeted radionuclide therapy (PTRT). Methods: PTRT using (177)Lu-FAP-2286 was performed on 11 patients with advanced adenocarcinomas of the pancreas, breast, rectum, or ovary after prior confirmation of uptake on (68)Ga-FAP-2286 or (68)Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT. Results: Administration of (177)Lu-FAP-2286 (5.8 ± 2.0 GBq; range, 2.4–9.9 GBq) was well tolerated, with no adverse symptoms or clinically detectable pharmacologic effects being noticed or reported in any of the patients. The whole-body effective dose was 0.07 ± 0.02 Gy/GBq (range, 0.04–0.1 Gy/GBq). The mean absorbed doses for kidneys and red marrow were 1.0 ± 0.6 Gy/GBq (range, 0.4–2.0 Gy/GBq) and 0.05 ± 0.02 Gy/GBq (range, 0.03–0.09 Gy/GBq), respectively. Significant uptake and long tumor retention of (177)Lu-FAP-2286 resulted in high absorbed tumor doses, such as 3.0 ± 2.7 Gy/GBq (range, 0.5–10.6 Gy/GBq) in bone metastases. No grade 4 adverse events were observed. Grade 3 events occurred in 3 patients—1 with pancytopenia, 1 with leukocytopenia, and 1 with pain flare-up; 3 patients reported a pain response. Conclusion: (177)Lu-FAP-2286 PTRT, applied in a broad spectrum of cancers, was relatively well tolerated, with acceptable side effects, and demonstrated long retention of the radiopeptide. Prospective clinical studies are warranted.