Seattle Genetics: Advancing Cancer Therapeutics

Thanks to the advancements of science and technology, we are now getting closer to getting the perfect therapeutics that would eventually end the threat of cancer. Companies, like Seattle Genetics, have joined the world’s calling for innovative means of putting an end to the Big C. The company continues to innovate its offerings and currently, using its proprietary technology, is in the process of creating therapeutics that would target cancer cells directly. Through this process, healthy cells are spared and preserved to continue normal bodily functions.

Seattle Genetics is known as an industry leader in creating antibody-drug conjugates or ADCs. This technology is used today as a means of harnessing the ability of monoclonal antibodies to directly apply therapeutics to cancer cells. Through this technology, the entire treatment reduces the toxic effects of the medication like that of the traditional chemotherapy. While protecting healthy cells, this technology also advances the antitumor activity of the drugs. This technology has been applied to various medications more specifically to therapeutics intended for oncological treatments.

The flagship product of the company is their ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin), which is also their first ADC product. The approval of this product also marks the entry of a first new class of ADCs. Currently, this offering is available for two indications and is marketed in over 50 countries around the world. Through their collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, the business is able to expand the usage of this product to possibly address other forms of lymphoma and non-lymphoma settings. With this partnership Seattle Genetics maintains commercialization rights of the product across the United States and in Canada, while Takeda gets to have exclusive rights to commercialize the product in other countries.

Seattle Genetics is headquartered in Bothell, Washington and continues to trade on the NASDAQ market, using the symbol SGEN. Currently, the business employs more than 650 employees in the United States.