ASG-5ME is an ADC composed of a fully human antibody directed to AGS-5, a novel cancer target discovered by Agensys. The antibody is attached to a potent, synthetic drug payload, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), via an enzyme-cleavable linker using Seattle Genetics' proprietary technology. The ADC is designed to be stable in the bloodstream, but to release MMAE upon internalization into AGS-5-expressing tumor cells, resulting in targeted cell-killing.

Data presented at AACR show that AGS-5 is significantly expressed on more than 80 percent of samples derived from patients with prostate, pancreatic and gastric cancers. In preclinical models, ASG-5ME induced long-term regression of established prostate, pancreatic and colon cancer xenografts (Abstracts #2590 and #4393). Seattle Genetics and Agensys expect to initiate phase I clinical trials of ASG-5ME during 2010.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 192,000 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in the United States during 2009, making it the third most commonly diagnosed form of cancer. More than 27,000 men died of prostate cancer in 2009. The annual incidence of pancreatic cancer is estimated to be greater than 42,000 cases, and more than 35,000 people died from the disease in 2009. The 5-year survival rate for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is only five percent.

SOURCE Seattle Genetics, Inc.