ADAM9 is a cell surface protein belonging to the ADAM proteinase family, which includes integrins and metalloproteinases, and is involved in shedding of cytokines and growth factors as well as cell migration. Dysregulation of ADAM9 is associated with tumor progression and metastasis, as well as pathological angiogenesis.
Previous studies have shown that ADAM9 is overexpressed in various solid tumor types (e.g., non-small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, and colorectal cancer), with minimal expression in normal tissues, making ADAM9 an attractive target for TAA development.
During the 2021 AACR conference, ImmunoGen presented the research progress of IMGC936, the first ADC (antibody-drug conjugate) targeting ADAM9 developed in collaboration with MacroGenics, currently in phase I clinical trials.
