China-based biotech Mabwell is initiating two Phase I/II clinical trials of its CDH17-targeted antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) 7MW4911. The China study (CTR20254163) will evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors. A parallel US trial (NCT07216560) will enroll previously treated patients with advanced colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies.
Mabwell says 7MW4911 was developed fully in-house and consists of a highly selective anti-CDH17 monoclonal antibody, a novel cleavable linker designed for high plasma stability, and a proprietary DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor payload, MF-6, engineered to overcome multidrug resistance. In preclinical models, 7MW4911 demonstrated superior antitumor activity compared with MMAE- and DXd-based ADCs.
CDH17 (Cadherin-17) is strongly expressed in multiple GI cancers—including colorectal and gastric tumors—where it has been associated with disease progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Its limited expression in normal tissues makes it an attractive target for tumour-selective therapies such as ADCs, CAR-T, and T-cell engagers.
Other examples of CDH17-directed therapeutics under active clinical development include:
- BioRay Biopharmaceuticals with the CDH17-targeted ADC BR-116;
- Arbele Ltd, developing the CDH17/CD3 bispecific T-cell engager cabotamig (ARB202); and
- Chimeric Therapeutics, advancing the CDH17-targeted CAR-T program CHM-2101.