Drug Discovery by Molecular Imaging and Monitoring Therapy Response in Lymphoma

Abstract

Molecular imaging allows a noninvasive assessment of biochemical and biological processes in living subjects. Treatment strategies for malignant lymphoma depend on histology and tumor stage. For the last two decades, molecular imaging has been the mainstay diagnostic test for the staging of malignant lymphoma and the assessment of response to treatment. This technology enhances our understanding of disease and drug activity during preclinical and clinical drug development. Here, we review molecular imaging applications in drug development, with an emphasis on oncology. Monitoring and assessing the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies in preclinical or clinical models are essential and the multimodal molecular imaging approach may represent a new stage for pharmacologic development in cancer. Monitoring the progress of lymphoma therapy with imaging modalities will help patients. Identifying and addressing key challenges is essential for successful integration of molecular imaging into the drug development process. In this review, we highlight the general usefulness of molecular imaging in drug development and radionuclide-based reporter genes. Further, we discuss the different molecular imaging modalities for lymphoma therapy and their preclinical and clinical applications.

Recent progress in the molecular imaging of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies

“…Specially, functional assessment at molecular level remains challenging due to a lack of practical strategies and tools that can characterize mAb-based candidates during preclinical and clinical studies. Molecular imaging holds a great potential as a noninvasive visualization of biological processes at the molecular level within intact living organisms [ 113 , 114 ]. Among which, PET is promising for measuring target engagement of mAbs to predict toxicity and efficacy, which has also shown capability for clinical translation [ 115 ].…”

Imaging as a tool to accelerate the translation of extracellular vesicle‐based therapies for central nervous system diseases

“…MRI and combined PET/CT are the main molecular imaging techniques currently used to shape diagnosis, therapy assessment, and treatment to aid precision medicine in the central nervous system. There is growing evidence of the utility of molecular imaging in the clinic for the prognosis and diagnosis of tumors, immune‐, cardiovascular‐, and CNS‐ diseases (Forsythe & Newby, 2018; Kalimuthu, Jeong, Oh, & Ahn, 2017; Lipsman et al, 2018; Penet, Krishnamachary, Chen, Jin, & Bhujwalla, 2014; Signore et al, 2018; Zukotynski & Kim, 2017). In a clinical study, Tang et al (2009) found that ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (USPION)‐enhanced MRI was able to define the therapeutic effect of atorvastatin on carotid plaque inflammation, as USPION was phagocytosed by macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques.…”

“…The obstacles of FLI include the risk of the altered homing character of EVs and limited depth penetration for in vivo imaging (Gangadaran et al, 2017). However, BLI and FLI have the advantages of high sensitivity, low cost, and high‐throughput capability, which are important for preclinical studies (Kalimuthu et al, 2017). By contrast, direct labeling with radionuclides for PET magnetic particles for MRI and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) for CT can be easily translated as they are widely used in preclinical and clinical studies.…”

Molecular imaging in tracking cancer stem cells: A review

“…Taken together, 64 Cu-ATSM not only is PET imaging agent, but it also is a potential agent for internal radiotherapy (28). (21,29,30). MRI can provide morphological and pathophysiological information in living subjects (29).…”