Bi-specific T-cell engager

Bi-specific T-cell engager (BiTE) is a class of artificial bispecific monoclonal antibodies that are investigated for use as anti-cancer drugs.

[1] BiTE molecules are fusion proteins consisting of two single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) of different antibodies, or amino acid sequences from four different genes, on a single peptide chain of about 55 kilodaltons.

The Food and Drug Administration (US) and the European Medicines Agency approved this therapy for adults with Philadelphia chromosome-negative relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Solitomab links T cells with the EpCAM antigen which is expressed by colon, gastric, prostate, ovarian, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

Tarlatamab, sold under the brand name Imdelltra, is an anti-cancer medication used for the treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

[17] The most common adverse reactions include cytokine release syndrome, fatigue, pyrexia, dysgeusia, decreased appetite, musculoskeletal pain, and constipation, anemia and nausea.

[18] After clinical trials, in January 2022, the US FDA approved tebentafusp (a BiTE targeting the gp100 peptide) for HLA-A*02:01-positive adult patients with unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma.