CD38

Class

Anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody

Pathway

Plasma cell / B-cell depletion

CD38 is a protein found in high amounts on the surface of plasma cells, the antibody-producing cells that, when malignant, cause multiple myeloma. CD38 is also expressed at lower levels on other immune cells and functions as an enzyme involved in calcium-related cell signaling. Antibodies directed against CD38 bind these cells and recruit the immune system's own destruction mechanisms, along with promoting direct cell death, to eliminate CD38-bearing cells. This makes the target relevant not only in multiple myeloma but potentially in other conditions driven by abnormal or excessive antibody-producing cells, since removing the source of unwanted antibodies can quiet disease activity. Beyond naked antibodies, CD38 is also being explored as an anchor point for delivering attached cytotoxic drugs or radioactive isotopes directly to target cells, a strategy intended to increase potency in cases where antibody-recruited immune killing alone is insufficient. Because CD38 is expressed on some healthy cells in addition to diseased ones, its modulation carries mechanistic trade-offs, including effects on normal antibody production and on certain immune cell populations. Understanding CD38 biology explains both the broad appeal of this target across plasma-cell disorders and the rationale behind pursuing multiple antibody formats against it.