Seize the promising target Claudin market

Approval of 3 new drugs targeting claudin in the first half of this year

Astellas applies for approval of Zolbetuximab

CLDN18.2 is a protein mainly present on the surface of gastric cancer cells and is known to be expressed at high levels in certain malignant tumors.

 

(Source: Transcenta)

Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2) is emerging as a new alternative for gastric cancer with a poor prognosis, and a development boom is brewing among global pharmaceutical companies.

 

Various new drugs such as cell therapy drugs and bispecific antibodies have been put to the test in order to preoccupy this market, which is a communist communist country.

 

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 27th, three CLDN18.2 target new drugs have been approved for clinical trials this year alone.

 

Two cases are early-stage (phase 1/2 and phase 1) clinical trials, and one case is a late-stage phase 3 clinical trial.

 

CLDN18.2 is a protein mainly present on the surface of gastric cancer cells.

 

It is also present in normal cells but is expressed at high levels in certain malignant tumors.

 

It is known to be involved in the proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis of cancer cells.

 

BioNTech founder and CEO Ugur Sahin first discovered it in 2008 and started developing the drug at Ganymed Pharmaceuticals, which he was leading at the time.

 

CLDN18.2 is highly anticipated in gastric cancer, where it was difficult to find biomarkers.

 

Currently, gastric cancer is considered cancer with a poor prognosis because there are no suitable targeted therapies except for HER2-targeted anticancer drugs.

 

CLDN18.2 can be a new alternative even in pancreatic cancer, where it is difficult to develop new drugs.

 

Astellas, a Japanese pharmaceutical company, acquired Ganymed and acquired the rights to develop Zolbetuximab, the first CLDN18.2 target substance.

 

The recently announced top-line results of phase 3 clinical trials were positive.

 

Astellas submitted an application for product approval of Zolbetuximab to the Japanese licensing authority on the 9th.

 

If Zolbetuximab is approved, it will be the world's first CLDN18.2 targeted anti-cancer drug.

 

Challenges by competitors to pursue Zolbetuximab are also continuing.

 

On the 16th, Chinese biotech Transenta received approval for a phase 3 clinical trial of TST001, a natural killer (NK) cell therapy targeting CLDN18.2.

 

It is characterized by the fact that it is used in combination with the immuno-oncology drug Opdivo and chemotherapy.