The possibility of using magnetic nanoparticles to increase the therapeutic efficiency of Herceptin antibody

Introduction: Herceptin is an expensive humanized antibody used for the treatment of early-stage breast cancers. This antibody can cause cardiotoxicity in some patients. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of increasing the therapeutic efficacy of Herceptin by combining magnetic nanoparticles and a permanent magnet for more accumulation in the tumor site. Methods: Herceptin magnetic nanoparticles (HMNs) were synthesized and some of their characteristics, such as stability, magnetization, particle size by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique, were measured. The biodistribution study was checked in mice bearing breast tumor with and without a permanent magnet on the position of the tumor. The therapeutic effects of HMNs were considered in this condition. Results: The size distribution of HMNs determined by the DLS technique was 182±7 nm and the average size by TEM was 100±10 nm. The reductions of 81 and 98 in the mean tumor volume for the group that received HMNs with magnetic field were observed at 42 and 45 days after injection, respectively. Conclusion: The good results in mice indicated that Herceptin-loaded iron oxide nanoparticles with external magnetic field have good potential for use in humans as a targeted drug delivery that needs more investigation. © 2015 by De Gruyter