# HLA-A*02:01 restriction

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/hla-a02-restriction/  
OnCo record `hla-a02-restriction` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Some T-cell-receptor drugs only work in people with a particular immune 'tissue type'. About half of people of European ancestry have it; far fewer in some other populations.

## Summary

Tebentafusp, brenetafusp, and afamitresgene autoleucel recognise peptides presented on HLA-A*02:01, so eligibility requires a blood test. Frequencies vary from ~45-50% in Europeans to under 20% in some African and East Asian populations, creating an equity problem that next-generation TCR agents against other alleles aim to address.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-07

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HLA-A*02
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HLA-A*02

## Connected records

- cancers: [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST)](https://onco.cc/cancers/sarcoma/), [Uveal melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/uveal-melanoma/)
- technologies: [T-cell engagers (bispecific)](https://onco.cc/technologies/t-cell-engager/), [TCR-T cell therapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/tcr-t/)
- drugs: [Afamitresgene autoleucel](https://onco.cc/drugs/afamitresgene-autoleucel/), [Brenetafusp](https://onco.cc/drugs/brenetafusp/), [Tebentafusp](https://onco.cc/drugs/tebentafusp/)
- ideas: [Check whether a tumour can still show itself to the immune system](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-bio2-antigen-presentation-triage/), [TCR therapeutics for non-HLA-A*02 patients](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-prame-tcr-beyond-a02/)
- targets: [PRAME](https://onco.cc/targets/prame/)
- pathways: [Antigen presentation & immune editing](https://onco.cc/pathways/antigen-presentation-immunoediting/)
- terms: [SS18::SSX fusion (synovial sarcoma)](https://onco.cc/terms/ss18-ssx-fusion/), [Uveal melanoma prognostic markers (GNAQ/GNA11, monosomy 3, gene-expression class)](https://onco.cc/terms/uveal-melanoma-prognostic-markers/)
- biomarkers: [HLA-A*02:01 (HLA typing for TCR therapies)](https://onco.cc/biomarkers/hla-a-02-01/)

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