Seattle Genetics Launches Phase I Trial Against NHL and RCC

Seattle Genetics has announced the launch of a phase I clinical trial that will evaluate the unnamed drug SGN-CD70A for CD70-positive relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

As a phase I trial, results will focus on safety and antitumor activity of SGN-CD70A.

"CD70 is a very promising ADC antigen, which is highly expressed in both NHL and RCC, and has minimal expression in healthy tissues," said Jonathan Drachman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, Research and Development, at Seattle Genetics. "We are building on the single-agent activity we observed with our former SGN-75 candidate and have designed SGN-CD70A with a goal to have enhanced activity by utilizing our next-generation ADC technology. Our preclinical data demonstrate that this novel ADC is extremely potent in RCC and NHL models, and we are enthusiastic about commencing a clinical trial of SGN-CD70A in patients with a clear need for new therapeutic options."

ADCs are monoclonal antibodies that are designed to selectively deliver cytotoxic agents to tumor cells. This approach is intended to spare non-targeted cells and reduce many of the toxic effects of traditional chemotherapy while enhancing antitumor activity.

What is SGN-CD70A?

SGN-CD70A is a new molecule that uses the company's proprietary antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology-- the technology that helped to make Adcetris such a success. It targets the CD70 antigen on the surface of cells, which Seattle Genetics says is highly expressed in both non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as well as renal cell carcinoma.

SGN-CD70A is an ADC utilizing pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimers, a class of DNA-crosslinking agents considered significantly more potent than standard chemotherapeutic drugs. Seattle Genetics has been working with PBDs since 2009 under an exclusive research and licensing arrangement with Spirogen Ltd. SGN-CD70A employs a novel linker system and proprietary, site-specific conjugation technology (EC-mAb) that allows uniform drug-loading of the cell-killing PBD agent to the anti-CD70 antibody. The ADC is designed to be stable in the bloodstream and to release its cytotoxic agent upon internalization into CD70-expressing cells. SGN-CD70A is Seattle Genetics’ second ADC in clinical development employing the novel PBD technology.

Source: Seattle Genetics