New Delhi, Sep 8 || A team of researchers in China has led a first-in-human trial of an antibody drug that may provide better treatment for people with relapsed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).
SCLC is a fast-growing, highly malignant lung cancer. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there were 2.48 million people diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022. Of those, small cell lung cancer was diagnosed in 11.5 per cent of men and 9.7 per cent of women. Small-cell lung cancer has limited treatment options and a poor prognosis.
The Phase I study of SHR-4849 (IDE849) -- a Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3)-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) -- demonstrated manageable safety and early signs of anti-tumour activity in patients with relapsed SCLC.
SHR-4849 consists of a humanised anti-DLL3 IgG1 monoclonal antibody linked to a DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor via a cleavable linker.