glembatumumab

Glembatumumab is a fully human IgG2 monoclonal antibody that specifically targets glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB), a transmembrane protein overexpressed on the surface of various cancer cells, including melanoma and breast cancer. Glembatumumab itself is the antibody component used in the antibody-drug conjugate glembatumumab vedotin, where it is linked to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via a valine-citrulline linker. The mechanism involves binding to GPNMB-expressing tumor cells, internalization of the antibody-drug conjugate, and intracellular release of MMAE to induce cell death[2][3][4]. As an unconjugated monoclonal antibody (glembatumumab alone), there are no approved products or evidence for clinical use; all clinical development has focused on its ADC form.