Loading
Rovalpituzumab tesirine (Rova-T) was the first drug against DLL3 in small-cell lung cancer. AbbVie bought it for $5.8B and abandoned it after two failed phase 3 trials. The target later worked with a different weapon.
A DLL3-directed ADC with a PBD dimer payload (DAR ~2). Phase 2 TRINITY showed modest response rates with high toxicity (effusions, oedema, photosensitivity). Phase 3 TAHOE (second line vs topotecan) was stopped for shorter survival in the Rova-T arm; MERU (first-line maintenance) failed. AbbVie ended development in 2019 after the 2016 Stemcentrx acquisition. Tarlatamab, a DLL3×CD3 T-cell engager, later improved survival in the same setting (DeLLphi-304, 2025).
Lesson: target validation and modality are separable. DLL3 was the right address; a PBD payload with a narrow window in a frail population was the wrong weapon.
Ball-and-stick model from PubChem 2D record (no 3D conformer available). PubChem record
Humanised anti-DLL3 with PBD dimer (SC-DR002) via cleavable linker. Connects to DLL3.
1.Rovalpituzumab tesirine's antibody arm binds DLL3 on the surface of the cancer cell.
| Date | Deal | Type | Upfront | Total | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-04-28 | Stemcentrx to AbbVie (incl. ImmunoGen, Capstan) Rovalpituzumab tesirine (Rova-T), DLL3 ADC | Acquisition | $5.8bn | up to $9.8bn | source |
Country and place are remembered in this browser only. A postcode is sent to OpenStreetMap's Nominatim service to find coordinates when you press the button; nothing else leaves your device.
Query for this drug: (TITLE:"Rovalpituzumab tesirine" OR ABSTRACT:"Rovalpituzumab tesirine" OR TITLE:"Rova-T" OR ABSTRACT:"Rova-T" OR TITLE:"SC16LD6.5" OR ABSTRACT:"SC16LD6.5") 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 Rovalpituzumab tesirine, not a curated reading list.
Shares Public post-mortem reports when a cancer drug programme is stopped, Failures are hidden and the tag failure.
Shares Public post-mortem reports when a cancer drug programme is stopped, Failures are hidden and the tag failure.
Shares Failures are hidden, Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and the tag failure.
Shares Failures are hidden, Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and the tag failure.
Shares Failures are hidden and the tag failure.
Shares Failures are hidden and the tag failure.
Shares Failures are hidden, Small-cell lung cancer and the tag failure.
Shares Failures are hidden and the tag failure.