Chemotherapy by intravenous administration of conjugates of daunomycin with monoclonal and conventional anti-rat alpha-fetoprotein antibodies.

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Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies to rat .alpha.-fetoprotein (AFP) were produced by hybridization of mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells from mice immunized with rat AFP. The monoclonal antibodies as well as horse anti-rat AFP were coupled via a dextran bridge to daunomycin. Both types of conjugates were tested in vitro and in vivo for their anti-tumor activity. They were equally cytotoxic to rat AH66 [ascites] hepatoma cell line in culture. Rats challenged with hepatoma cells were treated with the conjugates either by i.p. or i.v. injections. Daunomycin conjugates with horse anti-AFP and monoclonal mouse anti-AFP were capable of delaying the tumor development more efficiently than the controls of antibodies or free drug, mixtures of drug with antibodies, and a conjugate of drug and normal Ig. The specific conjugates were considerably more effective when the treatments were given i.v. The specific conjugates produced 60% long-term survival, whereas the controls delayed only slightly tumor development.