Dr. Sartor on Emerging Agents in Prostate Cancer

A. Oliver Sartor, MD, professor of medicine, medical director, Tulane Cancer Center, and C. E. and Bernadine Laborde Professor of Cancer Research, Departments of Medicine and Urology, Tulane University, discusses emerging agents in prostate cancer.

A variety of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted agents are being evaluated in prostate cancer. For example, one trial is testing an anti-PSMA agent conjugated to thorium-227, which is an alpha-emitting radionuclide, says Sartor. Another trial is evaluating a bispecific antibody T-cell engager that targets PSMA and CD3. Additional small molecules that bind to PSMA and are conjugated to radioactive iodine are also under investigation, adds Sartor.

Studies with actinium-225 are also in development. Preliminary evidence suggests that lutetium-177 PSMA-617 (Lu-PSMA-617) conjugated to actinium-225 is effective in prostate cancer. Moreover, research with an alpha emitter is yielding provocative results. Although alpha emitters, beta emitters, and small and large molecules are being evaluated in the space, Lu-PSMA-617 appears to be the furthest along in development, concludes Sartor.