Zolbetuximab (IMAB-362)

Mechanism of action

From the NCI Drug Dictionary: A chimeric immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody directed against the tumor-associated antigen (TAA) Claudin18.2 (CLDN18.2; A2 isoform of claudin-18), with potential immunostimulating and antineoplastic activities. Upon administration, zolbetuximab specifically targets and binds to CLDN18.2 expressed on tumor cells. This may kill CLDN18.2-expressing tumor cells by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), and inhibit cell proliferation.

Preliminary data

Gastric cancer

1. SPOTLIGHT: Shitara K, Lordick F, Bang YJ, Enzinger P, Ilson D, Shah MA, Van Cutsem E, Xu RH, Aprile G, Xu J, Chao J, Pazo-Cid R, Kang YK, Yang J, Moran D, Bhattacharya P, Arozullah A, Park JW, Oh M, Ajani JA. Zolbetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 in patients with CLDN18.2-positive, HER2-negative, untreated, locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (SPOTLIGHT): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2023 May 20;401(10389):1655-1668. Epub 2023 Apr 15. Erratum in: Lancet. 2023 Jul 22;402(10398):290. link to original article PubMed NCT03504397

Also known as

• Code name: IMAB-362