MAGE-A4
A protein normally only in testis that some sarcomas and other tumours switch on; T cells can be engineered to recognise fragments of it.
Cancer-testis antigen presented on HLA-A*02. Afamitresgene autoleucel (Tecelra), the first TCR-T therapy approved for a solid tumour (synovial sarcoma, 2024), targets a MAGE-A4 peptide. The intracellular location means it is only reachable via TCR-based approaches.
- Target · the protein and the cell it sits on
- Drug · antibody, small molecule, cell or radioligand
- Effect · signal, damage or kill
In plain words · A protein normally only in testis that some sarcomas and other tumours switch on; T cells can be engineered to recognise fragments of it.
- 1 · What it is
A protein normally only in testis that some sarcomas and other tumours switch on; T cells can be engineered to recognise fragments of it.
- 2 · What goes wrong in cancer
Intracellular; presented as peptide-HLA complex.
- 3 · How drugs use it
1 product aims at MAGE-A4: cell therapies. Drugs bind the molecule precisely: to switch it off, flag the cell for the immune system, or deliver a payload.
Biology
Intracellular; presented as peptide-HLA complex.
- Synovial sarcoma
- Myxoid liposarcoma
- NSCLC, ovarian, gastric (subsets)
How common it is, by cancer
| Cancer | Prevalence | Measure | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarcomas | 60-80% | Synovial sarcoma, IHC/RNA | HLA-A*02 needed for TCR-T; ~40-45% of population | Wikipedia |
| Non-small-cell lung cancer | 20-30% | Squamous enriched | Wikipedia |
Approximate, population-level figures; the measure column says what was counted. Ranges show the midpoint as a bar.
Latest papers
topQuery for this target: (TITLE:"MAGE-A4" OR ABSTRACT:"MAGE-A4" OR TITLE:"MAGEA4" OR ABSTRACT:"MAGEA4") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about MAGE-A4, not a curated reading list.
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- Targetgp100 (PMEL)
Shares Antigen presentation & immune editing, TCR-T cell therapy, Melanoma and the tag tcr-target.
- TargetPRAME
Shares Antigen presentation & immune editing, TCR-T cell therapy, Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST), Melanoma and the tag tcr-target.
- CompanyAdaptimmune
Shares Afamitresgene autoleucel, SPEARHEAD-1: afamitresgene autoleucel, the first engineered T-cell receptor therapy approved for a solid tumour, in synovial sarcoma, Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST).
- TermHLA-A*02:01 restriction
Shares Afamitresgene autoleucel, Antigen presentation & immune editing, TCR-T cell therapy, Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST).
- ProductLetetresgene autoleucel
Shares Extending sarcoma TCR-T beyond HLA-A*02, TCR-T cell therapy, Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST).
- Key paperSPEARHEAD-1: afami-cel, the first engineered T-cell receptor therapy approved for a solid tumour, in synovial sarcoma
Shares Afamitresgene autoleucel, TCR-T cell therapy, Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST).
- CompanyImmatics
Shares TCR-T cell therapy, Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST), Melanoma.
- InstitutionComprehensive Cancer Center Tübingen-Stuttgart
Shares Afamitresgene autoleucel, TCR-T cell therapy, Melanoma.