EGFR- and HER3-targeted bispecific antibody-drug conjugate demonstrates anti-tumor activity in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains lethal with limited treatment options. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a transformative class across multiple solid tumors, yet their clinical application in prostate cancer has been limited. Izalontamab brengitecan (Iza-bren; BL-B01D1) is a bispecific ADC targeting EGFR and HER3 that has demonstrated activity in other malignancies. Here, we evaluated its therapeutic potential in prostate cancer. Multi-omics analyses revealed frequent EGFR and HER3 expression in CRPC adenocarcinoma but not in neuroendocrine subtypes. BL-B01D1 exerted potent, target-dependent cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cell lines, xenografts, and patient-derived organoids (PDOs). We highlight a representative mCRPC patient with high EGFR/HER3 expression who achieved a rapid and durable clinical and radiologic response to BL-B01D1, concordant with matched PDO sensitivity. Mechanistic studies identified ABCG2 upregulation as a driver of acquired resistance, with genetic or pharmacologic inhibition restoring BL-B01D1 sensitivity. Importantly, tumor tissue obtained at progression after BL-B01D1 treatment confirmed ABCG2 upregulation, validating a clinically relevant resistance mechanism. These findings support BL-B01D1 as a promising therapeutic strategy in mCRPC and nominate ABCG2 as a rational target for overcoming resistance.
Authors
- Bangwei Fang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3279-2140)
- Beihe Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6836-8720)
- Weiwei Ma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4151-5480)
- Zixian Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8781-4298)
- Hualei Gan
- Xiaojie Bian
- Gonghong Wei
- Ying Lu
- Qi Liu
- Yao Zhu
- Hai Zhu
- Tingwei Zhang
- Yi Zhu
- Sa Xiao
- Xiaomeng Li
- Dingwei Ye
Institutions
- Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University (CN)
- Fudan University (CN)
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (CN)
- Chengdu Organic Chemicals (China) (CN)
- Buchang Pharma (China) (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Clinical Investigation
- Published
- 2026-04-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1172/jci201090
- Primary Topic
- Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Fudan University