We identified a group of anti-CDCP1 antibodies in our selection outputs against NSCLC primary cells that were functionally active against the primary cells (and also some established tumour cells lines, Additional file 6: Figure S5B); for example, we observed activation of caspase 3/7 in the primary NSCLC tumour cells when grown as spheroids in the presence of anti-CDCP1 antibodies. Here, CASP3 is linked to neoplasm.