RAV18

RAV18 is a humanized monoclonal antibody originally developed by Raven Biotechnologies for the treatment of various solid tumors. It specifically targets the ADAM9 (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 9) protein, which is overexpressed in several cancers, including pancreatic, prostate, gastric, breast, and lung cancers. ADAM9 is thought to contribute to disease progression and metastasis. RAV18 was designed to target cancer stem cells within solid tissues and has demonstrated the ability to suppress tumor growth and inhibit metastasis in preclinical animal models of lung, prostate, and skin cancers. Raven Biotechnologies merged with VaxGen in 2008, and at that time, the company was targeting 2009 for an Investigational New Drug (IND) filing.