5A6, a monoclonal antibody targeting the human tetraspanin CD81

Cancers including breast, lung, colon and prostate account for almost ten million deaths worldwide every year. The main cause of cancer deaths is metastasis, which is the propensity of cancer cells to spread throughout the body. There is no existing treatment specifically tackling the issue of cancer metastasis.

CD81 is a protein found on immune cells and cancer cells. CD81 inhibits cancer cell invasion and modulates host adaptive and innate immune responses against cancer, such as regulatory T-cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs).

Stanford innovators therefore developed a unique anti-CD81 monoclonal antibody, dubbed 5A6, with specific biological properties compared to other anti-CD81 monoclonal antibodies. 5A6 stops the spreading of solid human tumors and B-cell lymphomas in xenograft models.

5A6 works independently from the tumor histotype; its clinical development could therefore be envisioned across cancers.

Stage of Development
Pre-clinical