The receptor target is the insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF receptor). Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) is a hormone that
is related to insulin. Like all hormones or growth factors, it acts by binding to a specific protein on the surface of cells that
recognizes it. These specific proteins are called receptors. It is like a lock and key mechanism. The IGF hormone is a key, and the
IGF receptor is the lock that recognizes the key.
We have chemically attached or coupled a standard chemotherapy drug, methotrexate, to IGF to form what we call an IGF-methotrexate
conjugate (Figure 2).
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