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Early Study Finds MGC018 Active in Resistant Skin Cancer

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Sekwon Jang, MD

Sekwon Jang, MD in medical oncology at Inova Schar Cancer Institute, presented the latest data on the multi-institutional Phase 1 clinical trial for MGC018 at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology held June 4–8, 2021.

What is MGC018?

MGC018 is an investigational drug developed by MacroGenics that is being studied for the treatment of solid tumors that have been resistant to other therapies. It consists of two parts — a monoclonal antibody and the chemotherapy drug. The monoclonal antibody can attach in a lock-and-key mechanism to proteins on the surface of certain cancer cells, delivering the chemotherapy drug directly to the cell and resulting in cell death.

The Study

The Phase 1 clinical trial administered MGC018 to 29 patients (18 years and older). Three of the patients had advanced skin cancer (melanomas) that did not respond to FDA-approved medical treatments. During the study, the drug was delivered every three weeks. The tumor size was monitored throughout the treatment.

Results

As of January 21, 2021, the researchers found that the lesions of the three melanoma patients in the study were reduced by 24%, 27.5%, and 35%. Because of the promising early results, MacroGenics is expanding the study. The study will enroll additional skin cancer patients as well as patients with other cancer types, including prostate, breast, and lung.

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