# CD40

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/cd40/  
OnCo record `cd40` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

CD40 sits on the cells that teach T cells what to attack. Agonist antibodies press it to turn cold tumours hot; the strongest signals so far are in pancreatic cancer with chemotherapy.

## Summary

CD40 (chromosome 20q13.12) is the receptor for CD40 ligand (TNFSF5/CD40LG) and transduces TRAF6- and MAP3K8-mediated signals that activate ERK in macrophages and B cells; it is expressed in B cells and in primary carcinomas (UniProt P25942). On activation, CD40 licenses dendritic cells to promote antitumour T-cell activation and re-educates macrophages to destroy tumour stroma; numerous agonist antibodies have been tolerable, with mild to moderate transient cytokine release, antitumour activity in melanoma, and major regressions in pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma with chemotherapy (Vonderheide 2020, Annu Rev Med). In the corpus, selicrelumab's intratumoural study ended with the end of drug development (NCT03892525) and mitazalimab is entering a phase 2/3 study with chemotherapy (NCT07437287).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-24
- Also known as: TNFRSF5; CD40 molecule; Bp50; p50
- Tags: checkpoint-map
- Symbol: CD40
- Class: surface-antigen
- Biology: A TNF-receptor-superfamily member on antigen-presenting cells; the target of the CD40 agonist technology.
- Where found: B cells and primary carcinomas (UniProt P25942); Dendritic cells and macrophages, per Vonderheide 2020; Pancreatic cancer trials of CD40 agonists

## Notes

- Prevalence not recorded: HGNC and UniProt carry no positivity rates.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:11919: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:11919
- UniProt P25942: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P25942/entry
- NCBI Gene 958: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/958
- Vonderheide 2020, Annu Rev Med (Europe PMC): https://europepmc.org/article/MED/31412220

## Connected records

- targets: [CD28](https://onco.cc/targets/cd28/)
- terms: [Checkpoint (two meanings)](https://onco.cc/terms/checkpoint/), [Macrophage](https://onco.cc/terms/macrophage/)
- cancers: [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/pancreatic/)
- technologies: [CD40 agonist antibodies](https://onco.cc/technologies/cd40-agonists/)
- drugs: [Mitazalimab](https://onco.cc/drugs/mitazalimab/), [Selicrelumab](https://onco.cc/drugs/selicrelumab/)
- pathways: [The cancer-immunity cycle](https://onco.cc/pathways/cancer-immunity-cycle/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/cd40.json