Biodistribution and preclinical safety profile of legubicin: A novel conjugate of doxorubicin and a legumain‐cleavable peptide linker

Abstract Legubicin is a novel conjugate of doxorubicin and a legumain‐cleavable peptide linker. It has been developed to ameliorate the side effects of doxorubicin. Biodistribution in tumor‐bearing mice, acute tolerance, and potential systemic toxic effects in Sprague–Dawley rats and beagle dogs of legubicin were assessed. Legubicin exists mainly as a protein complex in plasma after entering the circulation. Compared with conventional doxorubicin at an equal molar dose in mice, we found higher exposure to doxorubicin in tumor (approximately 1.7‐fold increase) while lower exposure in normal tissues (an ~3.26‐, 3.46‐, and 1.29‐fold reduction in heart, kidney, and plasma, respectively) in tumor‐bearing mice after intravenous injection of legubicin. The acute maximum tolerance dose (MTD) of legubicin was >16 mg/kg doxorubicin equivalent in female rats, 11 mg/kg doxorubicin equivalent in male rats (LD50 of conventional doxorubicin is 10.51 mg/kg), and >8 mg/kg doxorubicin equivalent in dogs (MTD of conventional doxorubicin is 1.5 mg/kg). Four‐week repeat‐dose toxicity studies of intravenous legubicin were conducted in rats (5, 10, and 25 mg/kg/dose once weekly) and dogs (3/1.5, 10/5, and 20/10 mg/kg/dose once weekly); the dose levels were reduced from the second dose due to intolerable legubicin‐associated toxicity at 20 mg/kg. Major organs of toxicity included the gastrointestinal tract, lymphoid and hematopoietic organs, kidney, skin, liver, reproductive organs, and peripheral nerves, which are all associated with doxorubicin. However, cardiotoxicity was only noted at MTD dose levels. Altogether, our results confirm an improved safety profile of legubicin over conventional doxorubicin and support its clinical benefit for treating cancer.