This Mal-PEG4-VC-PAB-MMAE Conjugation Kit is designed to conjugate 1 mg of antibody with the chemotherapeutic drug, MMAE via standard malemide/thiol chemistry. The linker structure (shown below) is also composed of a cleavable val-cit dipeptide, which enhances drug molecule release to the cell. The monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) is a synthetic compound that's used to treat cancer as part of an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). It is a microtubule-targeting agent (MTA) that binds to tubulin, which stops microtubule formation and arrests tumor cells in the cell cycle. MMAE is too toxic to use as a drug on its own, so it's attached to a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes a specific marker on cancer cells. The mAb directs MMAE to the cancer cells for specific kill the cancer cells. This product is used for research only.