Undisclosed tumor-associated antigen and HLA-A*02

The target "Undisclosed tumor-associated antigen and HLA-A*02" refers to a peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) consisting of a peptide derived from a proprietary tumor-associated antigen (TAA) presented on the cell surface by the HLA-A*02 allele. HLA-A*02 is a common human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecule that plays a critical role in the immune system by presenting intracellular protein fragments to CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. In many cancers, specific proteins (TAAs) are overexpressed or mutated, and their degradation products are presented by HLA-A*02, serving as a highly specific "molecular signature" for malignant cells. This complex is a primary target for T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapies, such as TCR-engineered T cells (TCR-T) or TCR-mimic bispecific antibodies, which are designed to recognize the specific pMHC with high affinity. The "undisclosed" status of the antigen typically indicates that the specific protein identity is proprietary, often discovered through advanced screening platforms like 3T-TRACE. These therapies aim to provide high specificity and potency against solid tumors, though they require patients to be HLA-A*02 positive and carry risks of off-target toxicities if the peptide sequence is similar to those found in healthy tissues.

Other names

pMHC complexHLA-A*02-restricted tumor-associated antigenTAA/HLA-A*02 complexPeptide-HLA-A*02 complex

T-cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T-cell therapy