Farletuzumab (MORAb-003) is a humanized

monoclonal antibody A monoclonal antibody (mAb, more rarely called moAb) is an antibody produced from a cell Lineage made by cloning a unique white blood cell. All subsequent antibodies derived this way trace back to a unique parent cell. Monoclonal antibodies ...

of IgG1/κ which is being investigated for the treatment of

ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly from communicating nearby structures such as fallopian tubes or the inner lining of the abdomen. The ovary is made up of three different c ...

. This drug was developed by Morphotek, Inc. It is targeted at

folate receptor alpha Folate receptor 1 (Folate receptor alpha, FOLR1) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''FOLR1'' gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the folate receptor (FOLR) family. Members of this family have a high affinity for foli ...

(FRα) which is overexpressed in some cancers such as

epithelial ovarian cancer Surface epithelial-stromal tumors are a class of ovarian neoplasms that may be benign or malignant. Neoplasms in this group are thought to be derived from the ovarian surface epithelium (modified peritoneum) or from ectopic endometrial or Fallo ...

(EOC) and

non-small-cell lung carcinoma Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is any type of epithelial lung cancer other than small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). NSCLC accounts for about 85% of all lung cancers. As a class, NSCLCs are relatively insensitive to chemotherapy, compared to s ...

Mechanism of action

Farletuzumab uses the following mechanisms of action: * Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity * Complement-dependent cytotoxicity * Inhibition of interaction between FRα and Lyn kinase * Induces cell death associated with autophagy

Adverse effects

Common adverse effects include hypersensitivity reactions, fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and diarrhea.

References

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