KLK2 (kallikrein-2)

A relative of PSA that stays attached to prostate cancer cells, used as a T-cell engager address by J&J.

Human kallikrein-2 is prostate-restricted and, unlike PSA, retained on the membrane. Pasritamig (JNJ-78278343, KLK2×CD3) showed low cytokine release and PSA responses in phase 1 and is in phase 3 (KLK2-P3-01) in mCRPC.

KLK2 (kallikrein-2): what it is and how drugs act on it · animated generic schematic, not to scale

Target · the protein and the cell it sits on
Drug · antibody, small molecule, cell or radioligand
Effect · signal, damage or kill

In plain words · A relative of PSA that stays attached to prostate cancer cells, used as a T-cell engager address by J&J.

1 · What it is
A relative of PSA that stays attached to prostate cancer cells, used as a T-cell engager address by J&J.
2 · What goes wrong in cancer
Serine protease activating PSA; androgen-regulated.
3 · How drugs use it
1 product aims at KLK2 (kallikrein-2): bispecific antibodies. Because it sits on the outside of the cell, it can be reached from the bloodstream: antibodies flag the cell, ADCs deliver a toxin, radioligands deliver radiation, and CAR-T or bispecifics bring a T cell.