Antibody-drug conjugates in solid tumors: a new frontier

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a targeted approach to cancer treatment.
• ADCs deliver cytotoxic payloads directly to tumor cells, minimizing systemic toxicity.
• Numerous ADCs are in development and clinical use for various cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of ADCs approved and under investigation for solid tumors.
• To highlight the current landscape and future directions of ADC therapy in oncology.

Main Methods:

• Review of currently approved ADCs.
• Analysis of ADCs in clinical investigation for solid tumors.
• Examination of regulatory approvals and biomarker selection criteria.

Main Results:

• Dozens of ADCs are in clinical evaluation for solid tumors with promising preliminary outcomes.
• Approved ADCs target breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and bladder cancer.
• Approvals include biomarker-selected and pan-cancer indications, with some independent of biomarker expression.

Conclusions:

• ADCs provide a more selective alternative to traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy.
• Optimizing target antigen selection, payload delivery, and response biomarkers is key to expanding ADC efficacy.
• Further research will enhance the therapeutic benefits of ADCs across diverse solid tumors.