A phase 2 clinical trial is evaluating ZG006, a new immunotherapy, as a treatment for patients with advanced neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that often affects organs like the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, or prostate. This cancer is difficult to treat, with limited options for patients who have exhausted standard therapies like chemotherapy.

ZG006, a trispecific T cell engager, works by targeting Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3), a protein commonly found on neuroendocrine cancer cells, and CD3, a protein on T cells, which are key players in the immune system. By binding to both, ZG006 brings T cells close to cancer cells, activating them to release molecules that destroy the tumor while aiming to spare healthy tissue. Its trispecific design, which targets two DLL3 sites, may enhance its effectiveness compared to other immunotherapies.

The trial follows phase 1 studies, with results presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, which showed ZG006 was well-tolerated and had early signs of antitumor activity in patients with advanced small cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine carcinoma.
In earlier lab studies, ZG006 significantly reduced tumor growth in mouse models, with some tumors completely disappearing, and showed a good safety profile. The ongoing phase 2 dose expansion study focuses on patients with no remaining standard treatment options, testing ZG006 as a monotherapy to assess its safety, optimal dosing, and effectiveness, including measures like tumor response and survival time.

Clinical trial.

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