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Review
. 2021 Sep 29;9(10):1111.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines9101111.

Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Functional Principles and Applications in Oncology and Beyond

Charalampos Theocharopoulos  1 , Panagiotis-Petros Lialios  1 , Michael Samarkos  1 , Helen Gogas  1 , Dimitrios C Ziogas  1
Affiliations
Review

Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Functional Principles and Applications in Oncology and Beyond

Charalampos Theocharopoulos et al. Vaccines (Basel). .

Abstract

In the era of precision medicine, antibody-based therapeutics are rapidly enriched with emerging advances and new proof-of-concept formats. In this context, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have evolved to merge the high selectivity and specificity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the cytotoxic potency of attached payloads. So far, ten ADCs have been approved by FDA for oncological indications and many others are currently being tested in clinical and preclinical level. This paper summarizes the essential components of ADCs, from their functional principles and structure up to their limitations and resistance mechanisms, focusing on all latest bioengineering breakthroughs such as bispecific mAbs, dual-drug platforms as well as novel linkers and conjugation chemistries. In continuation of our recent review on anticancer implication of ADC's technology, further insights regarding their potential usage outside of the oncological spectrum are also presented. Better understanding of immunoconjugates could maximize their efficacy and optimize their safety, extending their use in everyday clinical practice.

Keywords: antibody-drug conjugates; bispecific antibodies; dual-drug ADCs; immunoconjugates; targeted therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

HG has received grants and personal fees by Roche, BMS, MSD, Novartis and personal fees by Amgen and Pierre Fabre, outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Simplified design and favorable characteristics of ADCs’ components.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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