Systems and methods for combined RF-induced hyperthermia and radioimmunotherapy

Inventors

Kanzius, John • Steinbrink, William Harry • McDonald, Robert J. • Keating, Michael J.

Assignees

NeoTherma Oncology Inc

Abstract

A combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia therapy is provided, including inducing hyperthermia in at least a portion of a target area—e.g., a tumor or a portion of a tumor or targeted cancerous cells—is provided. Biomolecules labeled with at least one radionuclide suitable for radiotherapy are provided and introduced into a patient; targeted RF absorption enhancers are provided and introduced into a patient; and a hyperthermia generating RF signal is directed via toward the target cells, thereby warming the radionuclide-labeled biomolecules and targeted RF absorption enhancers bound to target cells. The targeted RF absorption enhancers may, in a manner of speaking, add one or more RF absorption frequencies to cells in the target area, which will permit a hyperthermia generating RF signal at that frequency or frequencies to heat the targeted cells. Biomolecules labeled with at least one radionuclide suitable for radiotherapy may be used for both radiotherapy and as RF absorption enhancers for the hyperthermia generating RF signal.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to inducing hyperthermia in at least target cells of a patient by combining an RF transmitter/receiver arrangement with radiotherapy-suitable radiometal-labeled antibodies or antibody fragments or other targeting moieties. Radiotherapy-suitable electrically conductive radiometal particles are provided on targeting biomolecules that target a target biomolecule of target cells, and the labeled targeting moieties are introduced into the patient and allowed to bind to target cells. A transmission head and a reception head are arranged on opposite sides of at least one body part containing the target cells so that an RF signal transmitted between the heads passes through and warms the radiometal-labeled targeting moieties bound to the target cells.

The invention also provides targeted RF absorption enhancers that bind to target cells to increase heating of target cells responsive to an RF signal by interaction between the RF signal and the targeted RF absorption enhancer. The targeted RF absorption enhancers are introduced into the patient, and the RF signal transmitted between the transmission head and the reception head is arranged to warm at least the radionuclide-labeled biomolecules and the targeted RF absorption enhancers bound to target cells. The reception head receives at least a portion of the RF signal that passed through the patient.

The claimed concepts further constrain the RF energy deposition and therapeutic outcome by specifying that heating is caused by a field consisting essentially of the RF field that is being generated between the transmission head and the reception head, or that the patient is irradiated with a field consisting solely of the RF field between the transmission head and the reception head. In some embodiments, the particle of electrically conductive radiometal is partially depleted when the RF signal is transmitted from the transmission head to the reception head. In another embodiment, at least target cells bound to the antibodies or antibody fragments or other targeting moieties labeled with at least one particle of electrically conductive radiometal are killed or damaged by the heating of the particles of electrically conductive radiometal.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes five independent claim groupings directed to inducing hyperthermia using an RF transmission head and a different reception head, in combination with radiotherapy-suitable radiometal-labeled targeting moieties, and/or targeted RF absorption enhancers that are associated with electrically conductive radiometal particles. Across the independent claims, the inventive features include radiometal-labeled antibodies/targeting moieties, an RF transmitter/receiver arrangement across a body part, targeted RF absorption enhancers, field-constraint language for heating, and RF/material interaction language such as partial depletion; in at least one independent claim, the outcome language includes killing or damaging target cells.

Across the independent claims in the provided partial content, the inventive core is an RF transmission head and a separate reception head arranged on opposite sides of a body part to transmit an RF signal that warms electrically conductive radiometal-labeled targeting moieties and/or targeted RF absorption enhancers bound to target cells. Additional inventive characterizations include constraining the heating to an RF field generated between the heads, associating targeted RF absorption enhancers with targeting moieties bound to electrically conductive metal particles, and specifying conductive radiometal particle partial depletion during RF transmission, with at least one claim explicitly tying heating to killing or damaging target cells.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications