Tumor Associated Proximity Antigen-M1 (TAPA-M1)

Tumor Associated Proximity Antigen-M1 (TAPA-M1) is a novel cell-surface protein identified through proximity mapping as being spatially co-localized with the MET (c-Met) receptor on tumor cells. As a member of the "Tumor Associated Proximity Antigen" (TAPA) class, it serves as a specific co-target for bispecific therapeutic modalities, such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). The TAPA concept, pioneered by companies like InduPro, identifies surface proteins that are spatially proximal to well-known tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) in a disease-specific manner. By targeting both MET and TAPA-M1, drugs like IDP-004 are designed to achieve higher tumor selectivity and enhanced internalization, potentially improving the therapeutic window by reducing off-target effects in healthy tissues where MET may be expressed without its proximal partner. This proximity-based targeting strategy exploits the unique spatial organization of the tumor cell membrane to identify and hit disease-specific protein neighborhoods.

Other names

MET-proximal antigenTAPA-M1

Bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting MET and TAPA-M1