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Transcenta’s Groundbreaking Presentation at SABCS 2024

Transcenta Holding Limited, a global biopharmaceutical company, has recently unveiled promising results from its preclinical study on novel LIV-1 targeting antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) held in December 2024. With a focus on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), these findings are particularly notable due to the aggressive nature of this breast cancer subtype, which is known for its high recurrence rates.

Background on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

TNBC is notoriously challenging to treat due to its heterogeneity and lack of targeted therapies. Traditional treatment approaches primarily involve systemic chemotherapy, which often yields transient results. This reinforces the urgent need for new therapeutic options that demonstrate enhanced effectiveness against this aggressive cancer form. Transcenta's novel ADCs may provide a much-needed alternative in providing better outcomes for patients.

Innovative Approach with LIV-1 Targeting ADCs

Transcenta has designed two innovative ADCs, dubbed ADC-1 and ADC-2, utilizing a proprietary humanized LIV-1 antibody, 48D6, which is engineered to target LIV-1, a protein overexpressed in various cancers, including TNBC and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. This unique approach allows the ADCs to achieve a high rate of tumor regression compared to conventional therapies.

Interestingly, LIV-1's expression in other types of cancer, such as melanoma and ovarian, adds versatility to the treatment potential of these ADCs beyond breast cancer.

Research Findings and Efficacy

In the preclinical trials, ADC-1 and ADC-2 showed a significantly greater tumor regression in TNBC models compared to control ADCs that utilized MMAE, another commonly used cytotoxic agent. The results demonstrated that the new ADCs could inhibit tumor growth effectively even at lower dosages. For instance, at a dosage of 3 mg/kg, ADC-1 produced a tumor growth inhibition of 92.4%, while ADC-2 achieved 94.7%. The comparative control, ADC-3 (MMAE based), only showed 68.5% inhibition.

Furthermore, both new ADCs demonstrated effective bystander effects, meaning they could eliminate not only the target cells but also neighboring tumor cells—an essential feature for addressing the varying characteristics of tumors.

Beyond tumor inhibition, the study also noted that body weight in treated mice remained stable, a promising sign for maintaining patient quality of life during treatment.

Importance of the Findings

Dr. Xueming Qian, Chairman and CEO of Transcenta, emphasized that the outstanding anti-tumor activities observed lay in the high-affinity binding of the 48D6 antibody to LIV-1, coupled with the potent cytotoxicity of the Topoisomerase I inhibitors employed.

These findings suggest that ADC-1 and ADC-2 are strong candidates for further clinical investigation and may represent a new class of therapeutic agents in the fight against LIV-1 positive breast cancer and potentially other solid tumors.

Future Directions and Clinical Trials

The promising results presented at SABCS serve as a springboard for further research into these ADCs. Transcenta’s commitment to developing these next-generation therapeutic options indicates hope not just for breast cancer patients but potentially for those facing various malignancies where LIV-1 is expressed.

As Transcenta continues its research, the medical community eagerly awaits additional studies that will determine the clinical applicability of these findings, which could advance treatment paradigms and improve outcomes for patients afflicted with one of the most challenging forms of breast cancer.