PSMA-TRACIr (JANX013)
JANX013 is a novel tumor-activated immune modulator designed to target prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein expressed on prostate cancer cells and the tumor vasculature. JANX013 is engineered to deliver CD28-mediated co-stimulation selectively within the tumor microenvironment and is intended to be developed in combination with JANX007, Janux’s PSMA-targeted CD3 T cell engager candidate, in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). JANX013 represents a strategic extension of Janux’s emerging PSMA franchise.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second most common cancer overall in the United States. PSMA is highly expressed in prostate cancer, supporting the development of PSMA-targeted biologics. Clinical experience with PSMA-directed T cell engagers has demonstrated the potential of this approach, and co-stimulatory strategies such as CD28 may further enhance T-cell expansion, persistence, and durability of response when delivered in a tumor-restricted manner.
We designed our PSMA-TRACIr product candidate as a double-masked TRACIr in which the PSMA-binding domain and the T cell-specific binding domain, CD28, is masked.
In preclinical studies, PSMA-TRACIr demonstrated cleavage dependent activity and enhanced the duration of the PSMA-TRACTr anti-tumor response.