Monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE)

Description: Monomethyl auristatin E (also known as MMAE; SGD-1010), a dolastatin 10 derivative, is a novel, synthetic and potent antimitotic/antitubulin agent which blocks the polymerization of tubulin, due to its high toxicity, it cannot be used as a drug itself; instead, it is linked to a monoclonal antibody (MAB) which directs it to the cancer cells. In the marketed drug Brentuximab vedotin, the name vedotin refers to MMAE plus its linking structure to the antibody (Brentuximab). MMAE is a potent antimitotic drug derived from peptides occurring in marine shell-less mollusc Dolabella auricularia called dolastatins which show potent activity in preclinical studies, both in vitro and in vivo, against a range of lymphomas, leukemia and solid tumors. MMAE show potency of up to 200 times that of vinblastine, another antimitotic drug used for Hodgkin lymphoma as well as other types of cancer.

References: Blood. 2003 Aug 15; 102(4):1458-65; Blood. 2009 Sep 24; 114(13):2721-9.