The Development History of ADC Drugs

The development of ADC drugs has gone through three stages:

The first generation ADC is mainly based on mouse derived antibodies or chimeric antibodies, with unstable linkers and uncontrollable DAR values (drug antibody ratio), resulting in poor efficacy and strong toxicity/side effects.

Second generation ADC: Humanized modifications have been made to antibodies, reducing immunogenicity; Optimization has been made in terms of linkers and small molecule toxins, improving targeting and efficacy, but there are still issues such as strong toxic side effects and drug resistance.

The third generation ADC introduces site-specific conjugation technology, resulting in more uniform DAR values, greatly improved drug activity and stability, and lower toxicity. At present, multiple third-generation ADC drugs have been approved for market worldwide and have shown significant efficacy in clinical treatment.

The advantages of ADC drugs

High targeting: ADC drugs achieve precise targeting by recognizing antigens on the surface of tumor cells through antibody specificity.

Efficient killing: After entering tumor cells, the linker breaks and releases cytotoxic load, effectively killing tumor cells.

Low toxicity and side effects: Compared to traditional chemotherapy drugs, ADC drugs cause less damage to normal cells and have lower toxicity and side effects.

Market prospects of ADC drugs

With the continuous maturity of ADC drug technology and the expansion of clinical applications, its market prospects are very broad. Multiple ADC drugs have been approved for market worldwide and have achieved significant therapeutic effects in various cancer treatments. At the same time, more and more enterprises and research institutions are increasing their investment in the research and development of ADC drugs, promoting the rapid development of this field.

In summary, the arrival of the antibody coupled drug ADC era has brought new hope and challenges to anti-tumor therapy. With the continuous advancement of technology and the deepening of clinical applications, ADC drugs are expected to become important weapons for future cancer treatment.