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Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for oncology therapies are composed of an antibody chemically conjugated to a highly potent cytotoxic drug through a specific linker molecule. Currently, ADCs together with gene therapy CAR-Ts represent, in terms of the number of clinical trials, the fastest growing and most promising products in oncology. It is, therefore, not surprising that nearly 40% of antibody-based therapies for cancer therapy in late-stage development are ADCs or similar products.

It is worth underlining the diversity of the payloads present in the ADCs in Phase III; two products have a previously approved toxin (MMAE) targeting microtubules, while the remaining have seven new payloads including PBD dimers, duocarmicins, topoisomerase I inhibitors and radionuclides.

The high number of ADCs in late development is fo ... ...