Unidentified non-galactose glycan

Unidentified non-galactose glycan refers to a specific class of carbohydrate structures found on the surface of various malignant cells that lack galactose as a terminal or defining sugar residue (AdisInsight, 2021). These glycans are primarily recognized as the target for the experimental monoclonal antibody ST-001, developed by S-TARget it GmbH (S-TARget it GmbH, n.d.). The non-galactose characteristic is significant in drug design because it prevents the therapeutic agent from being captured by asialoglycoprotein receptors in the liver, which typically bind galactose-terminating glycans, thereby improving the drug's pharmacokinetic profile and reducing hepatic toxicity (AdisInsight, 2021). These glycans function as tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) and are overexpressed in several cancers, including colorectal and lung cancer (GlobalData, 2023). When targeted by specific antibodies, these cell-surface glycans facilitate tumor cell destruction through immune-mediated pathways such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Despite their therapeutic relevance, the precise biochemical sequence and linkage of these glycans are often not publicly disclosed or fully elucidated, leading to their designation as unidentified in clinical and pharmacological databases (AdisInsight, 2021).

Other names

Non-galactose glycanST-001 targetTumor-associated non-galactose glycan

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)