Tumor homing molecules, conjugates derived therefrom, and methods of using same

A conjugate, comprising a tumor homing molecule linked to a moiety, said tumor homing molecule obtained by in vivo panning, comprising the steps of:

• a) administering to a first subject having a tumor a library of diverse molecules;
• b) collecting a sample of the tumor;
• c) identifying a molecule that homes to said tumor;
• d) collecting a sample of normal tissue corresponding to said tumor;
• and
• e) determining that said molecule that homes to said tumor is not present in said normal tissue, thereby obtaining said tumor homing molecule,
• provided said tumor homing molecule is not an antibody.

A tumor homing peptide identified by in vivo panning, comprising the steps of:

• a) administering to a first subject having a tumor a library of diverse peptides;
• b) collecting a sample of the tumor;
• c) identifying a peptide that homes to said tumor;
• d) collecting a sample of normal tissue corresponding to said tumor;
• and
• e) determining that said peptide that homes to said tumor is not present in said normal tissue, thereby identifying said peptide as a tumor homing peptide,
• provided said peptide is not an antibody.

A tumor homing molecule identified by in vivo panning, comprising the steps of:

• a) administering to a first subject having a tumor a library of diverse molecules;
• b) collecting a sample of the tumor;
• c) identifying a molecule that homes to said tumor;
• d) collecting a sample of normal tissue corresponding to said tumor;
• and
• e) determining that said molecule that homes to said tumor is not present in said normal tissue, thereby identifying said molecule as a tumor homing molecule,
• provided said molecule is not an antibody.

A method of identifying a target molecule, which is expressed in a tumor tissue, comprising the steps of:

• a) contacting a tumor tissue sample with a tumor homing molecule that specifically binds to said tumor tissue, wherein said tumor homing molecule is not an antibody;
• b) identifying in said tumor tissue sample target molecules bound by said tumor homing molecule;
• c) contacting a corresponding nontumor tissue sample with said tumor homing molecule;
• d) identifying in said corresponding nontumor tissue sample target molecules bound by said tumor homing molecule;
• and
• e) comparing said target molecules of said tumor tissue with said target molecules of said corresponding nontumor tissue, thereby identifying a target molecule expressed by said tumor tissue, wherein said target molecule specifically binds said tumor homing molecule.