Volociximab, a chimeric integrin alpha5beta1 antibody, inhibits the growth of VX2 tumors in rabbits.

Angiogenesis, the process by which new blood vessels form from existing vasculature, is critical for tumor growth and invasion. Growth factors, such as VEGF, initiate signaling cascades resulting in the proliferation of resting endothelial cells. Blockade of growth factor pathways has proven effective in inhibiting angiogenesis and tumor growth in vivo.

Preclinical evaluation of an anti-alpha5beta1 integrin antibody as a novel anti-angiogenic agent.

Integrin alpha5beta1, the principal fibronectin receptor, is an important survival factor, playing a key role in angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is critical for tumor growth, and anti-angiogenic therapies have met clinical success. To validate the therapeutic potential of an anti-alpha5beta1 strategy, we generated volociximab (M200) a chimeric human IgG4 version of the alpha5beta1 function-blocking murine antibody IIA1; and F200, the Fab derivative.

Preclinical validation of anti-TMEFF2-auristatin E-conjugated antibodies in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Current treatments for advanced stage, hormone-resistant prostate cancer are largely ineffective, leading to high patient mortality and morbidity. To fulfill this unmet medical need, we used global gene expression profiling to identify new potential antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targets that showed maximal prostate cancer-specific expression. TMEFF2, a gene encoding a plasma membrane protein with two follistatin-like domains and one epidermal growth factor-like domain, had limited normal tissue distribution and was highly overexpressed in prostate cancer.

E-selectin up-regulation allows for targeted drug delivery in prostate cancer.

We have used the Eos Hu03 GeneChip array, which represents over 92% of the transcribed human genome, to measure gene expression in a panel of normal and diseased human tissues. This analysis revealed that E-selectin mRNA is selectively overexpressed in prostate cancer epithelium, a finding that correlated strongly with E-selectin protein expression as assessed by immunohistochemistry. Antibodies against E-selectin that blocked function failed to impede cancer cell growth, suggesting that overexpression of E-selectin was not essential for cell growth.