Intravitreal alemtuzumab penetrates full-thickness retina in rabbit eyes.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess whether alemtuzamab, a large antibody of 150 kDa, would be able to penetrate through the full-thickness retina of Dutch-belted rabbits.


METHODS
Four Dutch-belted rabbits had intravitreal injections of alemtuzumab (1.5 mg in 0.05 mL). One rabbit each was killed at Day 1, Day 8, Day 15, and Day 29. The eyes were examined under frozen section and graded by immunostaining techniques for the degree of penetration of alemtuzumab into the retina. The degree of retinal staining was graded from 0 (no stain) to 4+ (marked stain).


RESULTS
All study eyes showed antibody staining of the full-thickness retina as follows: 4+ at Day 1, 4+ at Day 8, 3+ at Day 15, and 2+ at Day 29.


CONCLUSIONS
A 1.5-mg intravitreal dose of alemtuzumab was able to penetrate full-thickness retina throughout the full 29-day course of the study. Retinal toxicity studies are required before clinical use.
Ekdawi
Noha S
NS
Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Pulido
Jose S
JS
Itty
Sujit
S
Marler
Ronald J
RJ
Herman
David C
DC
Hardwig
Paul
P
Mohney
Brian G
BG
Valyi-Nagy
Tibor
T
Shukla
Deepak
D
D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001692:Biological Transport; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D014822:Vitreous Body
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab