Overview
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal solid tumors, accounting for ~15% of the approximately 2.5 million patients diagnosed with lung cancer worldwide each year. Additionally, two-thirds of all SCLC patients are diagnosed at extensive stage.
DLL3 is an antigen overexpressed in many neuroendocrine tumors, such as SCLC, and is often associated with poor clinical outcomes. Zocilurtatug pelitecan (formerly ZL-1310) comprises a humanized anti-DLL3 monoclonal antibody connected via a cleavable linker to a novel camptothecin derivative (a topoisomerase 1 inhibitor) as its payload. The compound was designed with a novel ADC technology platform called TMALIN®, which leverages the tumor microenvironment to overcome challenges associated with first-generation ADC therapies.
Zocilurtatug pelitecan received an Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2025, recognizing its potential to treat patients with SCLC.