Pemtumomab

Pemtumomab is a monoclonal antibody that was developed for the treatment of cancer. It is a type of immunotherapy, which uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. Pemtumomab was designed to target and bind to a specific protein found on the surface of cancer cells, thereby marking them for destruction by the immune system.

History[edit | edit source]

Pemtumomab was originally developed by Cancer Research UK, a leading cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom. It was later licensed to Xenova Group, a biopharmaceutical company, for further development and commercialization. However, the development of Pemtumomab was discontinued in the early 2000s due to lack of efficacy in clinical trials.

Mechanism of Action[edit | edit source]

Pemtumomab is a radiolabeled antibody, meaning it is attached to a radioactive substance. It works by binding to a specific protein called tumor-associated glycoprotein 72 (TAG-72), which is overexpressed in many types of cancer, including ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer. Once Pemtumomab binds to TAG-72, the radioactive substance can deliver a lethal dose of radiation directly to the cancer cell, sparing healthy cells.

Clinical Trials[edit | edit source]

Several clinical trials were conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Pemtumomab in the treatment of various types of cancer. However, the results were not promising. In a phase III clinical trial involving patients with ovarian cancer, Pemtumomab did not show a significant improvement in overall survival compared to standard treatment. As a result, the development of Pemtumomab was discontinued.