Evaluation and use of an anti‐cynomolgus monkey CD79b surrogate antibody‐drug conjugate to enable clinical development of polatuzumab vedotin

Background and Purpose Polatuzumab vedotin is an antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) being developed for non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. It contains a humanized anti‐CD79b IgG1 monoclonal antibody linked to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), an anti‐mitotic agent. Polatuzumab vedotin binds to human CD79b only. Therefore, a surrogate ADC that binds to cynomolgus monkey CD79b was used to determine CD79b‐mediated pharmacological effects in the monkey and to enable first‐in‐human clinical trials.