AG02-ADC

AG02-ADC (also known as AG02) is an early-stage antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) developed by AgonOx for the treatment of mesothelioma. The agent comprises a monoclonal antibody directed against Cancer Cell Surface Protein-1 (CSP-1), a target identified on the surface of certain cancer cells, conjugated to saporin. Saporin is a type I ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) that halts protein synthesis by depurinating the sarcin/ricin loop of the large ribosomal subunit. Preclinical data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting in 2019 (Abstract 210) demonstrated that AG02-ADC selectively kills CSP-1-expressing cells at nanomolar concentrations (10nM) while sparing cells that do not express the target. The drug has shown significant anti-tumor activity in multiple cancer cell lines, achieving greater than 50% cell death in proof-of-concept studies.