Coverage Initiated: June 2002

Seattle Genetics (SGEN) creates monoclonal antibodies, both naked and empowered with their ADC linker technology, for the treatment of cancer and auto-immune disease. SGEN is the second-oldest company in our coverage universe and we have significant experience with both this management team and their products under development.

The company's lead product is Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin aka SGN-35), an empowered antibody targeted to CD-30 for the treatment of CD-30 positive blood cancers. The drug passed a pivotal Phase II trial in Hodgkin's lymphoma and a similarly-designed Phase II trial in ALCL. SGEN submitted a BLA for approval on both indications early in 2011 and the FDA granted approval on August 22, 2011. Brentuximab vedotin is the best-in-class drug for relapsed/refractory patients in both diseases.

SGN-75 for cancer and autoimmune diseases and ASG5ME for prostate and pancreatic cancers round out the company's current portfolio of products in clinical trials. There are several more compounds in clinical trials by big pharma using SGEN's ADC linker technology.

The company's ADC technology allows licensees to link up the cellular toxin auristatin-e with their antibody of choice. Arguably the best linker technology available, SGEN is signing some big licensing deals for their ADC technology. We note SGEN competes in this area with ImmunoGen (IMGN), another company in our coverage universe (click here for more information).

A complete listing of our research on Seattle Genetics is available by clicking here.