Technology

The targeting ability of monoclonal antibodies provides a means to identify and kill cancer cells while limiting damage to normal tissue. Differences in antibody properties have given rise to multiple strategies for their use in therapy. Seattle Genetics is focused on two key antibody-based technologies:

Engineered Monoclonal Antibodies: Some monoclonal antibodies have intrinsic antitumor activity. Once the antibody binds to a target cell, it can result in direct cancer cell death and/or activate the body's anticancer immune response. Seattle Genetics' lead monoclonal antibody product candidates are SGN-40, SGN-33 and SGN-70.

Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs): While some antibodies are capable of killing cells on their own, many are not potent enough but can effectively target cancer and deliver cell-killing payloads. With our proprietary ADC technology, internalizing monoclonal antibodies are linked to cell-killing drugs, resulting in highly-potent agents. The linkers are stable in the bloodstream but release drug payloads under conditions inside target cells. The novel drug-linker systems that Seattle Genetics has developed are fully synthetic and therefore readily produced in large quantity. SGN-35, SGN-75 and anti-CD19 ADC employ this proprietary technology.