Antibody-drug conjugates are a type of therapy that offers patients with cancer a hopeful option, particularly where existing treatments such as chemotherapy are limited.
In a new phase I study available to women with hard-to-treat platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, an investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) called mocertatug rezetecan, or Mo-Rez, is being evaluated for safety and tolerability. Mo-Rez is a first-in-class B7-H4-targeted ADC that has shown promising results in earlier studies.
Providence Cancer Institute is currently enrolling patients in this study. Christopher Darus, M.D., is the principal investigator.
Why this study matters
Mo-Rez addresses an unmet need in treating platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, an aggressive and difficult-to- treat disease that occurs when the tumor becomes resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy within six months of treatment. Once ovarian cancer becomes platinum-resistant, other types of treatment, such as targeted therapies, are necessary.
How Mo-Rez works
Many people with ovarian cancer carry the B7-H4 protein on the surface of their cells. This protein can help tumors hide from the immune system, while at the same time giving researchers a clear target for treatment.
Mo-Rez is designed to recognize B7-H4 and deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells. Think of it as a guided missile. The antibody finds cancer cells carrying the B7-H4 marker and attaches. Then, it delivers potent chemotherapy inside them, damaging the cell’s DNA mechanism and causing the cell to die.
Because the drug is selective in how it delivers therapy, researchers hope it can be more effective and potentially have fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. Early results are encouraging. Researchers have described Mo-Rez's safety profile in the study so far as manageable.
This approach holds promise. In the earlier study, nearly two-thirds of patients with hard-to-treat ovarian cancer saw their tumors shrink. Most patients who responded to treatment at this dose began seeing the results within about six weeks. Responses took longer to appear in patients who took lower doses.
Study details
This two-part trial includes:
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- Dose Escalation - Patients with advanced solid tumors who are refractory or intolerant to established standard therapies
- Dose Expansion – Patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer
People interested in learning whether they may be eligible can find out more about the study here:
BEHOLD-1 is a randomized, international study. Providence Cancer Institute Franz Clinic is a GlaxoSmithKline investigational site; the only site in Oregon enrolling patients.
To refer a patient:
Call 503-215-1979
Find out about other clinical trials at Providence Cancer Institute.
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