Definition

An antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody against the tumor-associated antigen (TAA) proto-oncogene c-Met (hepatocyte growth factor receptor; HGFR) site-specifically conjugated to a linker-duocarmycin payload, with potential antineoplastic activity. Upon intravenous administration of anti-c-Met ADC BYON3521, the monoclonal antibody moiety targets and binds to c-Met expressed on tumor cells. Upon binding, the linker is cleaved inside the tumor thereby releasing the duocarmycin payload. Duocarmycin binds to the minor groove of DNA, alkylates adenine at the N3 position, and induces cell death in c-Met-expressing cancer cells. c-Met, a receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed or mutated in many tumor cell types, plays key roles in tumor cell proliferation, survival, invasion, metastasis and tumor angiogenesis.