# GD2 (disialoganglioside)

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/gd2/  
OnCo record `gd2` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

GD2 is a sugar-fat molecule on the surface of neuroblastoma cells (and some other childhood and adult tumours) with almost none on normal tissue except nerves, which is why anti-GD2 drugs cause pain.

## Summary

Disialoganglioside GD2 is expressed at high density on nearly all neuroblastomas, most osteosarcomas and melanomas, and diffuse midline gliomas, with normal expression restricted to peripheral nerves, melanocytes and CNS. Anti-GD2 antibodies (dinutuximab, dinutuximab beta, naxitamab) improved high-risk neuroblastoma survival; GD2 CAR-T (GD2-CART01, Italian phase 1/2) gives durable complete responses in relapsed disease and shows activity in diffuse midline glioma (Stanford). Neuropathic pain from nerve GD2 binding is the class toxicity.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-07
- Also known as: Disialoganglioside GD2
- Tags: antibody-target; car-t-target
- Symbol: GD2 (B4GALNT1 product)
- Class: surface-antigen
- Biology: Glycosphingolipid synthesised by GD2 synthase (B4GALNT1); not internalised efficiently, so antibodies act by ADCC/CDC rather than as ADC carriers.
- Where found: Neuroblastoma (~100%); Osteosarcoma; Melanoma; Diffuse midline glioma / DIPG; Small-cell lung cancer (subset); Ewing sarcoma (subset)

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GD2
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GD2

## Connected records

- cancers: [Childhood cancers (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/childhood-cancers/), [Diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27-altered (including DIPG)](https://onco.cc/cancers/dipg-dmg/), [Glioma & glioblastoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/glioblastoma/), [High-risk neuroblastoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroblastoma-high-risk/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Neuroblastoma (paediatric)](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroblastoma/), [Osteosarcoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/osteosarcoma/), [Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST)](https://onco.cc/cancers/sarcoma/)
- drugs: [Dinutuximab (ch14.18) / dinutuximab beta](https://onco.cc/drugs/dinutuximab/), [Naxitamab](https://onco.cc/drugs/naxitamab/)
- trials: [Adaptive Phase 1/2 Study of Dual-Target CAR-NK Cells in Relapsed/Refractory Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07744256/), [Adaptive Phase 1/2 Study of Dual-Target CAR-NK Cells in Relapsed/Refractory Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07480213/), [COG ANBL0032](https://onco.cc/trials/anbl0032/), [GD2-CART01 (Bambino Gesù phase 1/2)](https://onco.cc/trials/gd2-cart01/)
- companies: [Y-mAbs Therapeutics](https://onco.cc/companies/y-mabs/)
- pairings: [Anti-GD2 antibody + irinotecan-temozolomide (chemoimmunotherapy)](https://onco.cc/pairings/anti-gd2-plus-chemo-relapse/)
- ideas: [GD2 CAR-T as consolidation in high-risk neuroblastoma](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-gd2-car-t-frontline-consolidation/), [Open the barrier so engineered immune cells can enter the brain](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-bio2-fus-for-cell-entry/)
- people: [Alice L. Yu](https://onco.cc/people/alice-yu/), [Crystal L. Mackall](https://onco.cc/people/crystal-mackall/), [Julie R. Park](https://onco.cc/people/julie-park/)
- bottlenecks: [Rare and paediatric cancers without markets](https://onco.cc/bottlenecks/b-rare-cancers/)
- institutions: [Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine](https://onco.cc/institutions/baylor-duncan/), [Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center](https://onco.cc/institutions/texas-childrens/), [UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center](https://onco.cc/institutions/ucsd-moores/), [University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center](https://onco.cc/institutions/uw-carbone/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/gd2.json