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Antibody fragment-drug conjugates selectively eliminate GD2-expressing tumor cells

Employing antibody fragments instead of full-length antibodies in antibody-drug conjugates can facilitate accumulation of the therapeutics in the tumor and reduce their side effects. Scientists from the Laboratory of molecular immunology together with colleagues from the Laboratory of cell interactions, the Laboratory of molecular diagnostics at IBCh RAS, and other Russian Institutes have for the first time developed GD2-specific antibody fragment-drug conjugates. Minibody and scFv fragment conjugates with the tubulin-inhibiting drugs MMAE and MMAF manifested strong cytotoxic and cytostatic effects in GD2-positive neuroblastoma and melanoma cell lines.

The work is published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Figure 1. A. Generation of the antibody fragment-drug conjugates. B. Cytotoxic activity of the conjugates analyzed in melanoma cell lines (GD2-positive B78-D14 and GD2-negative B16) and neuroblastoma cell lines (GD2-positive IMR-32 and GD2-negative NGP-127) in the MTT assay.

january 26, 2023