An anti-PMEL antibody-drug conjugate with a G<sub>q/1</sub><sub>1</sub> inhibitor payload in GNAQ/GNA11-mutant melanomas: a phase 1 trial.

Carlino, Matteo S; Kapiteijn, Ellen; Piperno-Neumann, Sophie; Sullivan, Ryan J; Carvajal, Richard; Dummer, Reinhard; Gromke, Tanja; Hassel, Jessica C et al. · Nat Med · 2026

rct · Level II

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Abstract

Metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) is an aggressive cancer with limited treatment options; 85-90% of tumors harbor activating GNAQ and GNA11 mutations. Uveal melanoma cells also express PMEL (also known as PMEL17 or gp100), a melanocyte lineage antigen. DYP688, a novel biology-matched antibody-drug conjugate, binds surface PMEL and delivers the potent Gα<sub>q</sub>/Gα<sub>11</sub> (G<sub>q/11</sub>) inhibitor SDZ475 as payload by internalization. This dose-escalating first-in-human phase 1 study of DYP688 in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma and other GNAQ/GNA11-mutant melanomas assessed safety as the primary endpoint and pharmacokinetics and preliminary antitumor activity as secondary endpoints. Sixty-six patients received varying DYP688 doses and schedules. Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in five patients (7.6%), including one dose-limiting toxicity of grade 3 hypotension. Objective responses were seen in 13 out of 66 patients (19.7%) and tumor reduction in 47 out of 66 patients (71.2%). Median progression-free survival was 7.2 (95% CI: 5.3-7.8) months. In summary, DYP688 was well tolerated and showed preliminary efficacy, supporting this novel therapeutic approach. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05415072 .