The protein product of the c-Met oncogene is the tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and Compugen has discovered soluble variants of this receptor. The HGF-Met pathway is involved in a wide range of biological functions, including cell proliferation and survival, cell migration and invasion, as well as angiogenesis. Inappropriate activation of this signaling pathway has been implicated in tumor development and progression of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.
CGEN-241 is a truncated form of the c-Met receptor predicted by Compugen's discovery engine to exist and be secreted from the cell. It comprises part of the extracellular domain and ends in a stretch of unique amino acids. In the assessment of the biological activity of CGEN-241 as an antagonist of the HGF-Met pathway in various assays and model systems, the molecule demonstrated strong inhibition of multiple functions related to the HGF-Met pathway. These included cell proliferation, motility and invasion - functions that are consistent with its potential use as an anti-tumorigenic and anti-metastatic biotherapeutic (Tiran et. al, 2008).