On November 4, 2025 Catalent, Inc., a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization, reported new innovations from its SMARTag antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology platform. The company announced preclinical efficacy and tolerability data demonstrating the potential of CAT-09-833, a SMARTag ADC targeting MUC1, for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The company also introduced SMARTag Enhanced Conjugates, a new class of ADCs that combines different payload types to benefit more patients by amplifying efficacy without compromising safety.
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The updates were presented at the 16th World ADC San Diego conference in a session in the Translational Medicine track entitled "SMARTag Enhanced Conjugates: Novel Payload Combinations to Enhance ADC Efficacy & Payload Delivery." The presentation was made by Ayodele Ogunkoya, Ph.D., Bioconjugation Group Leader, Catalent. World ADC provides a leading opportunity for Catalent to spotlight its ADC technologies and services to more than 1,400 ADC biopharma attendees actively seeking new partnerships and solutions.
"There is a growing appreciation for the role that ADCs may play in ovarian cancer treatment. The MUC1 tumor-associated antigen, which is highly expressed in ovarian tumors, demonstrates expression complementary to that of other ovarian ADC targets, such as folate receptor alpha," said Penelope Drake, Ph.D., Head of R&D Bioconjugates, Catalent. "Our novel antibody offers a unique way to access this target with an ADC, and the data thus far suggest that CAT-09-833 has a promising preclinical profile. We look forward to seeing the molecule advance and learning more about its potential to help cancer patients."
Catalent’s new SMARTag Enhanced Conjugates incorporate both cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic payloads to create unique dual- and triple-payload ADCs that can be optimized to the specific biology of the target tumor to amplify the effect of the cytotoxic payload without compromising safety. They are enabled by the SMARTag platform, which allows for a tunable drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR). Catalent presented data from a xenograft model demonstrating that the use of certepetide as a non-cytotoxic payload can yield improved ADC efficacy and broaden the distribution of the ADC cytotoxic payload and antibody in the tumor microenvironment. Certepetide is an internalizing RGD (iRGD) cyclic peptide that Catalent licensed (along with its analogs) from Lisata Therapeutics, Inc. for use with its SMARTag technology platform, with a goal of selectively targeting and penetrating solid tumors with ADCs more effectively.
Mike Blank, General Manager, Catalent, said, "We have a history of innovation dating back to 2008 when we spun the SMARTag technology out of the Bertozzi lab at UC Berkeley. Since then, we have made continuous progress on expanding the capabilities of the platform and understanding the design elements that underpin a successful ADC. We believe the new SMARTag Enhanced Conjugates represent the latest innovation in ADCs, allowing for the creation of an entirely new class of molecules that we hope will expand the scope of treatable cancer indications, reaching—and ultimately helping—more patients in need."
(Press release, Catalent, NOV 4, 2025, https://www.catalent.com/catalent-news/catalents-smartagadc-pipeline-and-new-enhanced-conjugates-offering-featured-at-16th-world-adc-san-diego/ [SID1234659383])