LIV-1/SLC39A6 Antibodies & Proteins

LIV-1, also known as SLC39A6 or ZIP6, is a transmembrane zinc transporter belonging to the ZIP family. It regulates zinc influx and contributes to intracellular zinc homeostasis, transcriptional control, cell adhesion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. LIV-1 was initially associated with hormone-responsive breast cancer but has subsequently been found to be elevated in several solid tumors. Its expression has been linked to tumor-cell migration, invasion, metastatic behavior and treatment resistance. Because LIV-1 is located on the cell surface and can undergo antibody-mediated internalization, it has attracted particular attention as a target for delivering cytotoxic payloads into tumor cells. Nevertheless, differences in expression level, tumor heterogeneity and normal-tissue distribution must be considered when selecting patients, designing antibodies and defining an appropriate therapeutic window.

Antibody–drug conjugates represent the most advanced LIV-1-directed therapeutic modality. Clinical programs have progressed from first-in-human evaluation into Phase I and Phase II studies in breast cancer and other LIV-1-positive solid tumors. Current development is focused on improving antibody specificity, internalization efficiency, linker stability, payload potency and tolerability. Newer ADC designs remain in preclinical, investigational-new-drug-enabling or early clinical stages, while unconjugated antibodies, immune-cell-engaging formats and cell-based therapies are generally less advanced. Biomarker development is also becoming increasingly important because LIV-1 expression may differ among tumor types, molecular subgroups and treatment stages. Reliable proteins, reference antibodies and cell- or tissue-based controls are therefore needed to compare clones, evaluate binding and establish reproducible expression assays.

DIMA BIOTECH provides multiple LIV-1 research tools for antibody and drug-development workflows. The portfolio includes recombinant human and cynomolgus LIV-1 proteins, monoclonal antibodies, research-grade biosimilar reference antibodies and labeled antibody formats such as biotinylated and PE-conjugated reagents. Target-positive tissue slide materials are also available for evaluating staining performance and tissue-expression patterns. These products can support ELISA, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, antibody screening, species cross-reactivity studies, reference benchmarking and assay optimization. Unconjugated antibodies are suitable for binding and comparative studies, while labeled formats simplify direct detection and flow-cytometric analysis. Combining recombinant proteins, antibodies and tissue materials can help researchers move from initial clone screening and epitope assessment to target-expression analysis, internalization studies and early ADC development.