Nectin-4 is a cell-surface protein that is highly expressed in a variety of solid tumors, including bladder, head and neck, and certain aggressive breast cancers. Its low-level expression in some normal tissues creates a challenge for therapies, which can unintentionally damage healthy cells and trigger severe side effects.
The overexpression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b) is tied to tumor progression in several malignancies, such as cholangiocarcinoma, HER2-negative gastric cancer and breast cancer. Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Corp. has developed a novel IgG1 monoclonal antibody against FGFR2b, LNF-2102, for the potential treatment of cancer.
Revolution Medicines Inc. has developed and presented data for their KRAS codon 13-targeting compound, RMC-8839, for treating non-small-cell lung cancers.
Convalife Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has presented data for their bispecific antibody CVL-006, which targets both PD-1 and VEGF-A. CVL-006 blocks both the PD-1-driven immune pathway plus VEGF-A-driven angiogenesis, thus conferring a dual mechanism for superior antitumoral activity.
Inatherys SAS recently presented preclinical data for INA-03, an anti-transferrin receptor (TfR1/CD71) antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), being developed for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). INA-03 was constructed by conjugating an antimitotic payload (MMAE) to a humanized IgG4 anti-human CD71 antibody using a novel valine-citrulline linker.
Prostate cancer (PC), often referred to as a cold tumor, typically presents a poor immune response, making it difficult for immune-based therapies to be effective. Metastatic castration-resistant PC (mCRPC) presents a highly aggressive phenotype often refractory to systemic treatment.
Antibody-drug conjugates, a well-established antitumor strategy, are used for targeted delivery of cytotoxic drugs through antibodies. As cancer research progresses, other technologies with different mechanisms are advancing in the oncologic pipeline. Researchers from Cybrexa Therapeutics Inc. presented new preclinical data on CBX-15, a peptide-drug conjugate (PDC) consisting of a pH-low insertion peptide (pHLIP) linked to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE).
Lirum Therapeutics Inc. has presented data regarding their insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) antagonist LX-101, which couples an IGF-1 variant to a cytotoxic methotrexate payload. The antitumoral activity of LX-101 was investigated in Ewing sarcoma and desmoplastic small round cell tumor.
Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co. Ltd. recently reported on the development and preclinical characterization of a novel blood-brain barrier (BBB)-penetrating oligonucleotide drug, RBD-8088, for the treatment of glioblastoma.
Ribometrix Inc. recently discussed the discovery and preclinical evaluation of a novel potent and selective eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eiF4E) inhibitor, RBX-6610, being developed for the treatment of KRAS-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).