HCC-MMAE

HCC-MMAE is a dye-drug conjugate (DDC) developed by Lahjavida and National Jewish Health for the treatment of various solid tumors. It consists of a heptamethine carbocyanine (HCC) dye scaffold conjugated to the potent microtubule inhibitor monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via a cathepsin B-cleavable linker. The HCC component serves a dual role: it selectively targets Organic Anion-Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs), which are frequently overexpressed in cancer cells, and provides near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence for real-time imaging. Upon OATP-mediated internalization into the tumor cell, the linker is cleaved by intracellular cathepsin B, releasing active MMAE to induce cell death. Preclinical studies presented at AACR 2026 demonstrated tumor-specific accumulation and efficacy in lung (A549), breast (MCF7), and colorectal (SW620) cancer models.

Other names

heptamethine carbocyanine-monomethyl auristatin E