IL13.E13K-PE4E

IL13.E13K-PE4E (also known as GB-13) is a novel recombinant chimeric immunotoxin (fusion toxin protein therapy) designed to target interleukin-13 receptor subunit alpha-2 (IL-13Rα2), which is highly overexpressed in high-grade gliomas (HGG), including glioblastoma (GBM) and diffuse midline gliomas (DMG). The drug consists of a genetically engineered mutant of human interleukin-13 (IL-13) with an E13K point mutation, which blocks binding to the ubiquitously expressed IL-13Rα1 receptor and selectively targets IL-13Rα2. This targeting moiety is fused to PE4E, a mutated derivative of Pseudomonas exotoxin A that inhibits protein synthesis by ADP-ribosylating eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2). Developed by Targepeutics in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University, Mayo Clinic, and Penn State College of Medicine, IL13.E13K-PE4E is administered directly into the tumor via convection-enhanced delivery (CED) to maximize local concentration and minimize systemic toxicity. It has received Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease designations from the FDA and is in preclinical development preparing for Phase I/II clinical trials.

Other names

IL13-E13K-PE4EIL-13-E13K-PE4EIL 13-E13K-PE4E