In December 2023, GlaxoSmithKline (“GSK”) invested $1.71 billion to obtain the global exclusive rights for the development, production, and commercialization of HS-20093 from HANSON PHARAM (excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). HS-20093 is a novel B7-H3 targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) developed independently by HANSON PHARAM. Similarly, in April 2024, Macrogenics’ stock price surged…
2024 PEGS Time & Location: May 13-17, 2024, Boston Conference Background: PEGS (Essential Protein & Antibody Engineering Summit) is a premier event in the field of protein engineering and biotherapeutics, featuring comprehensive programming covering all aspects of biologic drug development. DIMA Highlights: At this year’s PEGS Summit, DIMA will present a poster describing the innovative…
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have been one of the hottest areas in the biopharmaceutical industry in recent years. Pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, and Merck are investing billions of dollars in breakthrough technologies targeting cancer treatment. According to the latest report from the market intelligence company Evaluate, in 2023, the total value of ADC-focused…
In March 2022, a study published in Nature Cancer highlighted Cadherin 17 (CDH17) as an ideal target for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in gastrointestinal tumors (including gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer) and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). CDH17 swiftly gained attention across major news platforms, providing fresh insights into tumor-associated antigens and the…
Since Ganymed unveiled the efficacy data of Zolbetuximab (IMAB362), the anti-Claudin18.2 monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GC/GEJ) at the 2016 ASCO conference, Claudin18.2 has emerged as a focal point for pharmaceutical companies eager to advance therapeutic options. These companies explore various technological routes, including monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies,…
In the previous article, we focused on the popular drug target for weight loss, G Protein-Coupled Receptor 75 (GPR75). This time, our topic is another emerging target for treating adult obesity, Activin A Receptor Type 2 (ActRII). Unlike currently approved weight loss drugs, which can reduce the weight of obese patients but often lead to…
When it comes to weight loss medications, one cannot overlook the remarkable success of Semaglutide (GLP-1 weight loss drug), which has propelled the Danish biopharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to new heights. According to Novo Nordisk’s financial report for 2023, Semaglutide sales reached $21.2 billion in 2023. On March 7th, Novo Nordisk’s stock price surged by…
Mucin1 (MUC1), also known as MAM6 and EMA, is a surface mucin glycoprotein found to be highly expressed in epithelial-derived tumor tissues, such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. Its expression has been correlated with tumor metastasis and recurrence. Currently, MUC1 has attracted the attention of several pharmaceutical…
When it comes to DLL3, people immediately think of Rova-T, the ADC drug targeting the DLL3 receptor that dashed AbbVie’s $5.8 billion expectations. AbbVie’s setback had once caused a decline in the enthusiasm for DLL3-targeted treatments. However, the spotlight returned when Amgen unveiled the DLL3/CD3 bispecific antibody Tarlatamab data at the 2023 ESMO conference. On…
Antibody drugs, due to their high specificity and significant therapeutic effects, possess superior pharmacokinetic properties, making them a crucial player in the biopharmaceutical market. According to Frost & Sullivan’s statistical predictions, the global antibody drug market is expected to reach $443.1 billion by 2030. As the demand for antibody drugs continues to grow, the development…
On November 30, 2023, Inipharm, a pharmaceutical company focused on severe liver diseases, announced the initiation of a Phase I clinical study for its oral drug INI-822. INI-822 is the first small molecule inhibitor of HSD17B13 to enter clinical development, and it is also the first clinical candidate developed by Inipharm, primarily intended for the…
Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) are a novel class of cancer drugs that combine three main components: a monoclonal antibody, a linker, and a toxin. By harnessing the specificity of antibodies and the potency of cytotoxic agents, ADCs can selectively target and kill tumor cells, while sparing healthy cells. The choice of toxin is critical for the…
On December 7, 2023, AbelZeta announced a collaboration with AstraZeneca to jointly develop C-CAR031, a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy targeting Glypican-3 (GPC3) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). According to the agreement, AbelZeta is eligible for milestone payments and licensing fees for its global development. The drug will be exclusively developed, manufactured, and commercialized by…
As of December 31, 2023, the FDA records that a total of 55 new drugs were approved in 2023. Among them, 12 are antibody drugs, including 8 single antibodies and 4 bispecific antibodies. Come and check if your points of interest are among them.
GPRC5D, identified as a G protein-coupled orphan receptor, demonstrates limited expression in normal tissues.
Identifying targets that are expressed on tumor cells but not or lowly expressed in normal cells is crucial for tumor immunity. ROR1 is a highly promising drug target, exhibiting differentiated high expression in various solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, while not expressing in adult healthy tissues. This suggests that ROR1 holds the potential to become…
At the end of 2020, Genmab and ADC Therapeutics announced the termination of clinical development for Enapotamab vedotin and ADCT-601, respectively, due to their failure to meet expected outcomes in early trials. Both drugs were antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting AXL. Enapotamab vedotin was coupled with the microtubule inhibitor MMAE, while ADCT-601 was coupled with the…
As December unfolds, DIMA, a leading biotechnology company, is gearing up for a strong presence at several esteemed international conferences. This engagement underscores DIMA’s commitment to advancing antibody research and presenting groundbreaking developments in CAR-T therapy.
The 5T4 protein, also known as Wnt-activated inhibitory factor 1 (WAIF1) or Trophoblast Glycoprotein (TPBG), is a glycoprotein found in embryonic trophoblast cells. It has been identified as a treatment target for solid tumors due to its abundance in cancerous tissues and limited expression in normal tissues. Currently, there are approximately nine investigational drugs targeting…
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) mainly consist of monoclonal antibodies, linkers, and cytotoxic payloads. The antibody, acting as the “missile” in ADC drugs, possesses target-specific functionality. It can selectively recognize tumor cell surface antigens, undergo internalization upon binding to these antigens, and deliver the cytotoxic payload to tumor cells to exert its toxic effects. Since not all…
Tumor-Associated Calcium Signal Transducer 2 (TROP2), also known as TACSTD2 and EGP-1, is a surface antigen found in numerous solid tumors. It has become a pivotal target for pharmaceutical giants spurring a race in drug development in the world. Currently, TROP2-targeting biopharmaceuticals are predominantly concentrated in the Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC). Based on incomplete statistics, there are 11 TROP2-targeting…
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a promising class of targeted therapies in the fight against cancer. These innovative therapies aim to deliver small-molecule chemotherapy agents directly to cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. Since the approval of MYLOTARG in 2000, ADCs have become a vital category in the realm of cancer-targeted treatments, consisting of three key…
In 2012, a young girl named Emily Whitehead, suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, became the first child to undergo second-generation CD19 CAR-T cell therapy by Dr. Carl June, a scientist in Pennsylvania. Her successful treatment marked a historic milestone in the world of medicine. It brought “CAR-T cell immunotherapy,” a revolutionary approach in the fight…
In 1986, the world’s first monoclonal therapeutic drug, Orthoclone (OKT3), was approved by the FDA for its use in preventing rejection reactions during organ transplantation. Since then, antibody drugs have started gaining traction and incited an increasing number of research in this area. By the end of January 2023, the FDA has approved 119 antibody…
Human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 (CEACAM5), initially discovered in colon cancer by Gold and Freeman in 1965 [1] [2], has long served as a pivotal tumor marker for clinical detection and diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Recent advancements in CEACAM5 research have unveiled its potential as a target for developing novel cancer therapeutics. Notably,…
In June 2023, BioNTech presented the first human trial data of BNT211 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). BNT211 is a CLDN-6-targeting CAR-T cell therapy in combination with a CLDN6-encoding mRNA vaccine (CARVac). mRNA vaccines stimulate the expansion of CAR-T cells in the patients’ body by inducing the expression of CLDN6 on the surface of antigen-presenting cells,…
In 2023…… On May 12th, LaNova announced that AstraZeneca will receive an exclusive global license for LM-305’s research, development, and commercialization. LM-305 is a new pre-clinical stage antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting GPRC5D. LaNova Medicines will receive an immediate payment of $55 million and $545 million in additional development and commercial milestone payments. On May 19th, the clinical trial application for OriCAR-017…
The transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is a non-selective cation channel that allows the passage of Ca2+, thereby increasing intracellular Ca2+ levels. TRPA1 has garnered significant attention due to its ability to respond to various environmental stimuli and its involvement in pain perception and inflammatory processes. As of now, there are approximately 22 drugs…
