Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 (EMP2), a member of the GAS3/tetraspanin family, is a four-transmembrane protein that plays a pivotal role in cell membrane organization, cell-cell adhesion, and protein trafficking. Highly overexpressed in several intractable malignancies—including endometrial, ovarian, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and glioblastoma—EMP2 has emerged as an attractive target for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and CAR-T cell therapies. Because of its complex four-transmembrane topology, successful drug discovery hinges on using conformationally intact target antigens and robust cell-based assay platforms.
TarMart Solution Ecosystem & Related Targets
To support discovery programs targeting EMP2, TarMart provides a rationally designed suite of reagents focusing on the major extracellular loop 2 (EC2) and full-length native cell-surface expression. Select your required modality below:
| Component / Network | Product Description | Product Link |
|---|---|---|
| Antigen | EMP2 EC2-Fc Recombinant Protein Specifically targets the larger extracellular loop 2 (EC2). High purity (>95% by SDS-PAGE), Endotoxin controlled (<1.0 EU/μg), Sequence Verified. HEK293 expressed for native glycosylation. |
View EMP2 Products |
| Gene Delivery | EMP2 Promise-ORF / Lentivirus Full-length human EMP2 ORF packaged in high-titer lentiviral particles. Engineered for robust, stable cell line generation to preserve native 4-transmembrane conformation. |
View EMP2 Products |
| Benchmark Ab | Anti-EMP2 Recombinant Antibody Recombinant positive control antibody derived from clinical-stage benchmark sequences. Ideal for binding, internalization, and FACS assays. |
View EMP2 Products |
| Validator | EMP2 siRNA Set Target-specific siRNA pool for target knockdown verification and functional assay validation. |
View EMP2 Products |
| Related Target A | Integrin beta 1 (ITGB1) Physical and functional partner of EMP2. EMP2 regulates ITGB1 surface trafficking and activation, driving tumor invasion. |
View ITGB1 Products |
| Related Target B | Integrin alpha V (ITGAV) Co-regulator of cell adhesion and angiogenesis. Works in tandem with EMP2-regulated integrin complexes. |
View ITGAV Products |
| Critical Assay Challenge | The TarMart Advantage (Technical Spec) |
|---|---|
| Conformational Integrity of 4-TM Target | High-titer Lentiviral particles enable stable cell line construction, providing the only viable way to present native 4-TM conformation for functional screening. |
| Selectivity Against GAS3 Family Homologs | Sequence-verified EC2-Fc recombinant proteins allow precise ELISA/SPR counter-screening against EMP1, EMP3, and PMP22. |
| Lack of Controls | Clinical-grade benchmark antibodies (biosimilars) included to serve as reliable positive controls in binding and internalization assays. |
| False Positives | Validated siRNA sets included for target knockdown and specificity validation in cell-based functional assays. |
Live EMP2 R&D Tracker
Market data changes daily. Access the latest global pipeline status directly:
Global Clinical Landscape & Future Outlook
The therapeutic targeting of EMP2 is rapidly transitioning from basic oncology research into clinical translation. While naked monoclonal antibodies targeting EMP2 have demonstrated significant anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic efficacy in preclinical models of endometrial and ovarian cancers, the industry is shifting toward high-potency modalities. Next-generation therapeutics primarily focus on Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) designed to exploit the rapid internalization kinetics of EMP2, as well as CAR-T cell therapies targeting solid tumors with high EMP2 expression density.
Competitive Modality & Indication Snapshot
Developing therapeutics against EMP2 requires tailored assay strategies based on the chosen modality:
| Modality | Representative Players | Key Indications | Critical Assay Need (Why TarMart?) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) | Academic Institutes, Biopharma Spin-offs | Endometrial Cancer, Ovarian Cancer | Internalization Assay (Requires high-purity EC2-Fc and stable cell lines for kinetic profiling) |
| Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) | Oncology-focused Biotechs | Glioblastoma, TNBC | Angiogenesis & Migration Assays (Requires stable cell lines and ITGB1/ITGAV pathway controls) |
| CAR-T Cell Therapy | Cell Therapy Developers | Solid Tumors (Ovarian, GBM) | Target Cell Killing & Specificity Panel (Requires EMP2-overexpressing target cells and homolog-negative controls) |