Definition

A human-mouse chimeric bispecific antibody directed against both CD3 and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), with potential immunomodulating and antineoplastic activities. Upon administration, anti-EpCAM/anti-CD3 bispecific antibody M701 binds to both CD3 on cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and EpCAM on EpCAM-expressing tumor cells. This activates and redirects CTLs to EpCAM-expressing tumor cells, which results in the CTL-mediated cell death of EpCAM-expressing tumor cells. EpCAM, a cell surface protein upregulated on many tumor cell types, promotes the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of tumor cells.