2023 LCRF–Daiichi Sankyo–AstraZeneca Research Grant on Antibody Drug Conjugates
Carl Gay, MD, PhD
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Research Project:
Pulmonary high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas as indications for antibody-drug conjugates targeting TROP2 and HER2
Summary:
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) are similarly aggressive lung cancers with poor prognosis due, in part, to limited personalized treatment options. Preliminary data demonstrate that TROP2 and HER2 are viable targets for treatment of these malignancies if the correct patients are selected. Antibody-drug conjugates targeting TROP2 and HER2 rely upon both expression of the antibody’s target and sensitivity to the drug to which the antibody is conjugated – each of which is heterogeneous in SCLC and LCNEC. This proposal highlights a strategy to delineate the precise patient population to which to apply these agents making use of an unparalleled collection of patient samples and patient-derived models for validation.
1-year update: spring 2025
What he’s doing:
Dr. Gay is evaluating targeted therapies for small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and large cell neuroendocrine lung cancer—both of which remain difficult to treat. His research focuses on two biomarkers, HER2 and TROP2, which are expressed in these aggressive cancers. Dr. Gay’s team is evaluating antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a promising treatment approach that uses antibodies to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells.
What it could mean for patients:
ADCs targeting HER2 and TROP2 are already in use for other cancers, and Dr. Gay is testing whether these existing therapies could offer a much-needed new option for patients with high-grade neuroendocrine lung cancers.