# Folate receptor alpha

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/folr1/  
OnCo record `folr1` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Folate receptor alpha is a vitamin receptor that ovarian cancer cells carry in large numbers, used as the docking site for the ADC mirvetuximab.

## Summary

FRα is overexpressed in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and lung adenocarcinoma. Mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elahere) is approved in FRα-high platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (MIRASOL). Next-generation FRα ADCs with topoisomerase-I payloads (ZW191, luveltamab tazevibulin, rinatabart sesutecan) target lower-expressing tumours.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-04
- Tags: adc-target
- Symbol: FOLR1
- Class: surface-antigen
- Biology: GPI-anchored folate transporter; limited to apical surfaces in normal kidney, lung, and choroid plexus.
- Where found: High-grade serous ovarian (~80% any expression); Endometrial; NSCLC adenocarcinoma; TNBC (subset)

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folate_receptor_1
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folate_receptor_1

## Connected records

- biomarkers: [Folate receptor alpha expression (FRα-positive, PS2+ >= 75%)](https://onco.cc/biomarkers/folr1-expression/)
- cancers: [Endometrial cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/endometrial/), [High-grade serous ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/high-grade-serous-ovarian-cancer/), [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/), [Ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/ovarian/), [Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/platinum-resistant-ovarian-cancer/), [Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)](https://onco.cc/cancers/tnbc/)
- drugs: [Chiauranib](https://onco.cc/drugs/chiauranib/), [Farletuzumab-exatecan](https://onco.cc/drugs/farletuzumab-exatecan/), [Luveltamab tazevibulin](https://onco.cc/drugs/luveltamab-tazevibulin/), [Mirvetuximab soravtansine](https://onco.cc/drugs/mirvetuximab-soravtansine/), [Pafolacianine](https://onco.cc/drugs/pafolacianine/), [Rinatabart sesutecan](https://onco.cc/drugs/rinatabart-sesutecan/), [Sofetabart Mipitecan](https://onco.cc/drugs/sofetabart-mipitecan/)
- companies: [ProfoundBio](https://onco.cc/companies/profoundbio/), [Sutro Biopharma](https://onco.cc/companies/sutro-biopharma/)
- trials: [Dual-Targeting CAR-NK Cells for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer (MSLN, FRα, MUC16)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct07480954/), [MIRASOL / GOG-3045](https://onco.cc/trials/mirasol/), [RAINFOL-01 (Rina-S)](https://onco.cc/trials/rainfol-01/)
- terms: [High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC)](https://onco.cc/terms/hgsoc/)
- ideas: [Re-map the tumour's surface proteins before choosing the next antibody drug](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-bio1-antigen-mapping-at-progression/), [Sequence folate-receptor ADCs by payload class](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-fra-adc-sequencing-ovarian/)
- technologies: [Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)](https://onco.cc/technologies/adc/)
- people: [Kathleen N. Moore](https://onco.cc/people/kathleen-moore/), [Ursula A. Matulonis](https://onco.cc/people/ursula-matulonis/)
- targets: [MUC16 (CA-125)](https://onco.cc/targets/muc16/)
- institutions: [Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida](https://onco.cc/institutions/mayo-clinic-florida/), [Purdue Institute for Cancer Research](https://onco.cc/institutions/purdue-cancer-research/), [Stephenson Cancer Center, OU Health](https://onco.cc/institutions/stephenson-oklahoma/)
- pathways: [Mitosis & the spindle assembly checkpoint](https://onco.cc/pathways/mitotic-spindle-checkpoint/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/folr1.json