Tagworks Pharmaceuticals has received FDA clearance for its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for TGW101, allowing the company to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumors. This milestone marks the clinical debut of a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology designed to overcome key limitations in current cancer therapeutics.
TGW101 represents a significant innovation in the ADC landscape as the first bioorthogonal, in vivo click chemistry-activated ADC targeting tumor associated glycoprotein 72 (TAG-72) with a monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) payload. The therapy employs Tagworks' proprietary Click-to-Release linker chemistry, enabling precise control of payload delivery.
Innovative Mechanism Targets Previously Unreachable Cancer Marker
TAG-72 has long been recognized as a promising target due to its overexpression across multiple epithelial-derived malignancies with high unmet medical needs. However, its non-internalizing nature has rendered it inaccessible to conventional ADC approaches, which typically require cellular uptake to activate their anti-tumor effects.
"TAG-72 is a validated target with overexpression in many high unmet need solid tumors. However, due to its non-internalizing nature, this target has remained unreachable by current ADCs and other therapies which require uptake by tumor cells to activate their anti-tumor activity," explained Marc Robillard, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Tagworks.
TGW101 circumvents this limitation through an innovative two-step mechanism. First, the ADC is administered intravenously and binds to TAG-72 on tumor cell surfaces. Subsequently, a small-molecule trigger is delivered, which selectively cleaves the chemical linker of tumor-bound TGW101, releasing the MMAE payload directly into the extracellular tumor microenvironment. The released MMAE can then diffuse into nearby tumor cells, exerting its cytotoxic effects.
This approach potentially offers enhanced tumor selectivity while limiting off-target toxicity, a common challenge with traditional ADC therapies.
Phase 1 Clinical Trial Details
The multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation trial is currently enrolling patients at select sites across the United States. The study aims to recruit up to 50 patients with advanced solid tumors and will evaluate several key parameters:
- Safety and tolerability of TGW101
- Pharmacokinetic profile
- Maximum tolerated dose
- Recommended Phase 2 dose
- Optimal dosing regimen for future studies
Anthony Tolcher, MD, FRCPC, CEO, Founder, and Director of Clinical Research of NEXT Oncology San Antonio, serves as the primary investigator for the Phase 1 trial. Dr. Tolcher expressed optimism about the therapeutic potential of TGW101, stating: "TGW101 represents an attractive new potential treatment option in advanced solid tumors with high unmet need, overcoming certain challenges and limitations of other ADC therapies. TGW101 has the potential to offer an improved anti-tumor effect and safety profile which may lead to better clinical outcomes."
Preclinical Promise and Leadership Expansion
Preclinical studies of TGW101 have demonstrated a favorable safety profile along with effective and durable responses in solid tumor models. These encouraging results supported the advancement of the program into clinical development.
Coinciding with the IND clearance, Tagworks announced the appointment of Keith Orford, MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Orford brings over three decades of leadership experience in oncology research and clinical drug development, having previously held positions at Parabilis Medicines (formerly Fog Pharma), Calithera Biosciences, GlaxoSmithKline, and Merck.
"I am thrilled to join the experienced team at Tagworks to develop and expand on the transformative potential of the Click-to-Release technology with the clear goal of providing safe and efficacious new therapies for patients with cancer," said Dr. Orford. "I look forward to immediately working closely with all of our investigators to evaluate the therapeutic utility of TGW101 in multiple advanced solid tumor indications."
Broader Implications for Cancer Treatment
The Click-to-Release platform technology underlying TGW101 has potential applications beyond this single therapeutic candidate. Tagworks is developing a pipeline of novel cancer treatments leveraging this technology across multiple modalities, including additional ADCs and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies.
Ken Mills, Chief Executive Officer of Tagworks, highlighted the strategic importance of Dr. Orford's appointment: "As we enter into clinical development, Keith's development expertise, strategic insights, and leadership in the oncology community will be critical in positioning Tagworks for long-term success."
If successful in clinical development, TGW101 could establish a new paradigm for targeting previously inaccessible tumor markers, potentially expanding treatment options for patients with limited therapeutic alternatives. The ongoing Phase 1 trial represents a critical first step in evaluating whether the promising preclinical profile of this novel ADC will translate into clinical benefit for patients with advanced solid tumors.
