Development of antibody-drug conjugates in cancer: Overview and prospects

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a significant advancement in oncology, with 15 approved in the last decade.
• ADCs are a rapidly growing class of anticancer drugs, showing efficacy across various malignancies.
• Despite successes, unmet needs remain regarding wider application, enhanced efficacy, and minimized side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of current antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development and future prospects.
• To analyze marketed ADCs and global/China pipelines, highlighting key platforms and technologies.
• To discuss next-generation ADCs and future clinical research directions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of recent literature on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
• Analysis of marketed ADCs and ongoing clinical/preclinical pipelines.
• Examination of ADC platforms, technologies, and component optimization strategies.

Main Results:

• Significant growth in ADC approvals and market presence over the past decade.
• Identification of key components (antibody, linker, payload) influencing ADC performance.
• Overview of diverse ADC platforms and emerging technologies from various companies.

Conclusions:

• Optimization of ADC components is crucial for developing more potent and safer anticancer therapies.
• Continued research into next-generation ADCs and clinical strategies is essential.
• The field of ADCs holds substantial promise for improving cancer treatment outcomes.