Therapeutics: Epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2; EGFR2; ErbB2; neu)

Cell culture studies suggest a Herceptin trastuzumab antibody-enzyme conjugate (AEC) could help treat Herceptin-insensitive breast cancers. The AEC consisted of trastuzumab conjugated to two molecules of sialidase derived from Vibrio cholerae. In a human breast cancer cell line, the AEC decreased cell surface sialylation compared with no treatment. In co-cultures of NK cells and three human breast cancer cell lines expressing low levels of HER2, the AEC increased NK cell-mediated antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) compared with Herceptin. Next steps could include testing the AEC in animal models of Herceptin-insensitive breast cancers...