Current situation of zalutumumab

BACKGROUND: Increased EGFR expression has been observed in many tumours. This overexpression usually correlates with a more advanced disease stage, a poorer prognosis and a worse chemotherapy response. EGFR inhibition has been considered an attractive approach in cancer treatment. Various strategies to intervene in EGFR signalling have been developed, mainly receptor inhibition of extracellular domain using anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies and receptor inhibition on the intracytoplasmic domain using small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Cetuximab and panitumumab are the most developed anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies, and there is plenty of published information about their current status Objective/methods: In this review we focus on Zalutumumab, an IgG1 completely human anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Apart from EGFR inhibition, another anti-neoplastic effect of zalutumumab has also been postulated, mediated by immune mechanisms, specifically by antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity. Zalutumumab is under clinical development, mainly for squamous cell cancer of head and neck and there are also ongoing trials in NSCLC and colorectal cancer.