Is vedesitomab (Alexitux) a targeted drug or a chemotherapy drug?

Vedisitomab (Disitamab) is a targeted drug that belongs to the category of antibody conjugate drugs (ADC, Antibody-Drug Conjugate). It uses monoclonal antibodies to specifically recognize the HER2 receptor on the surface of tumor cells and deliver cytotoxic drugs directly into cancer cells to achieve precise killing. Unlike traditional chemotherapy drugs, vedicitomab can selectively act on tumor cells, cause relatively little damage to normal cells, and has higher targeting and safety.

As a targeted drug, the clinical application of vedicitomab is mainly concentrated inHER2 positive breast cancer, gastric cancer and some urothelial cancers. Its mechanism of action is that the antibody part recognizes the HER2 receptor, and the drug linker part releases cytotoxic components, which damages the DNA of tumor cells and induces apoptosis. Compared with traditional chemotherapy, it can improve the killing efficiency of tumor cells while reducing systemic side effects, so it is considered an innovative precision anti-tumor treatment drug.

Compared with chemotherapy drugs, vedicitumab has the characteristics of controllable dose, relatively better tolerability and higher specificity. Traditional chemotherapy drugs usually act on rapidly proliferating cells, including tumor cells and normal cells, through systemic distribution, and therefore have many side effects, such as hair loss, bone marrow suppression, and gastrointestinal reactions. Vedicitomab targets HER2-expressing tumor cells and locally releases toxic drugs, thereby reducing damage to normal tissue.

In general, vedicitomab is a targeted drug rather than a traditional chemotherapy drug. Its development and application mark the trend of tumor treatment changing from broad-spectrum killing to precise treatment. In clinical practice, doctors will develop individualized treatment plans based on the patient's HER2 status and overall physical condition. Vedicitomab can effectively inhibit tumor growth while minimizing adverse effects on normal cells and improving the patient's quality of life.

Reference materials:https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/homepage