Cytotoxic T cells play an important role in the immune defense mechanism by identifying and eliminating malignant target cells.3
T cells are constantly circulating through blood, lymph, and tissues in search of malignant target cells.2 T cells are activated when T-cell receptors bind to antigens on the surface of target cells.4
Activated T cells use a variety of mechanisms to eliminate malignant target cells, inducing the release of cytotoxic components3,4:
This immune response can be induced by T cells engaged with target cells at different stages of the cell cycle which may allow for the killing of slowly dividing, stem, or progenitor cells.5,6 T cell mediated cytotoxicity may help facilitate expansion of a local T-cell population.2,11
Malignant cells can evade destruction by cytotoxic T cells.2,7 Mechanismsof evading the immune system can include:
Bispecific T cell Engager (BiTE®) technology is designed to bind polyclonal cytotoxic T cells and targeted malignant cells1,2,8
The BiTE® antibody construct is engineered from two flexibly linked,single-chain antibodies2:
BiTE® represents an innovative area of researchin the evolution of antibody-based immune therapeuticswhose clinical effectiveness is currently beinginvestigated by Amgen.2,8
BiTE®-activated T cells target malignant cells that can lead to subsequent expansion of local cytotoxic T-cell population in targeting additional malignant cells.9,11
THE CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS OF BiTE® IS CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED BY AMGEN.
Visit www.amgenoncology.com to learn more.