ARC-401

ARC-401 is a proprietary, first-in-class, triple-warhead antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting Nectin-4, developed by Araris Biotech (a subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical). It is designed to treat a broad range of Nectin-4-expressing solid tumors, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and urothelial carcinoma. ARC-401 is constructed using Araris' proprietary AraLinQ™ site-specific, one-step peptide linker conjugation technology, which allows for payload attachment without prior antibody engineering. The ADC features a drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) of 6 (2+2+2), delivering three distinct cytotoxic payloads to the same tumor cell: monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE, a tubulin inhibitor) and two different topoisomerase-1 (TOP1) inhibitors (one cell-permeable and one non-cell-permeable). This multi-warhead design is engineered to overcome tumor heterogeneity and cancer resistance while maintaining a highly stable, well-tolerated profile with favorable pharmacokinetics.

Other names

Araris triple-warhead Nectin-4 ADC