Context could herald what’s next for Nectin-4

Monday saw another deal in the hot area of Nectin-4 – but unusually the project in question, BioAtla’s BA3362 (now CT-202), is a T-cell engager rather than an antibody-drug conjugate. Context Therapeutics licensed the preclinical-stage conditionally active asset for just $15m up front, but has a long way to go, with an IND application not due until mid-2026. Context reckons T-cell engagers could address resistance to Nectin-4-targeting ADCs such as Pfizer and Astellas’s approved Padcev. Others are also vying for a piece of this space; according to OncologyPipeline 12 anti-Nectin-4 projects are under clinical development by industry – all ADCs or other types of conjugates – including assets from Lilly and Merck & Co/Kelun. BA3362 appears to be the only active Nectin-4-targeting T-cell engager; Elpis Biopharmaceutical previously had a similarly acting preclinical asset, EPB-002, but this is no longer listed in its pipeline. BA3362 will join Context’s T-cell engagers targeting Claudin6 (in phase 1) and mesothelin (preclinical). As for BioAtla, it’s now free to focus on its conditionally active clinical-stage projects: ADCs targeting AXL and ROR2 (mecbotamab vedotin and ozuriftamab vedotin respectively); the anti-CTLA4 MAb evalstotug; and the anti-Epcam T-cell engager BA3182. BioAtla also hinted at more deals to come.