VivoGenie Anti-Human EGFR (Panitumumab) Biosimilar (IVMB0517)

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, also known as ErbB1 or HER-1) belongs to the receptor tyrosine kinase superfamily and is a transmembrane glycoprotein that activates various signaling pathways fundamental to cellular proliferation, differentiation, and survival^{1, 2}. EGFR plays important roles during embryogenesis, organogenesis, and in the growth, differentiation, maintenance, and repair of adult tissues². EGFR is also a host factor that facilitates viral entry for hepatitis B⁴, hepatitis C⁵, and gastroenteritis⁶ and plays a role in SARS-CoV-2 infection^{7, 8, 9}.

Dysregulation, somatic mutation, and/or altered signaling of EGFR is associated with neurological diseases (e.g. Parkinson’s², Alzheimer’s^{1, 2}, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis²) and multiple cancers (lung, glioblastoma, brain, breast, colorectal, ovarian)¹⁰. Additionally, in cancer, binding of ligands to EGFR is associated with aberrant cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and decreased apoptosis¹¹. As such, EGFR is the target of multiple cancer therapies, including monoclonal humanized antibodies, such as panitumumab, as well as selective small molecule inhibitors.

Panitumumab was generated in a XenoMouse IgG2 strain immunized with the human cervical epidermal carcinoma cell line A431¹². Panitumumab binds specifically to EGFR and inhibits the growth and survival of selected human tumor cell lines over-expressing EGFR in vitro and in vivo¹³. Panitumumab binds EGFR with high affinity, blocking the binding of both EGF and TGF-α, and preventing EGF-activated EGFR tyrosine autophosphorylation and downstream activation of receptor-associated kinases¹². Panitumumab inhibits cell growth, tumor cell activation, in vitro tumor cell proliferation¹², and metastasis¹³. Panitumumab also induces apoptosis and decreases proinflammatory cytokine and vascular growth factor production¹³. Additionally, upon binding, panitumumab causes EGFR internalization in tumor cells¹².

Panitumumab was approved in the United States for the treatment of some patients with EGFR-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer^{14, 15}.