Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have generated a lot of interest in recent years because of their potential to target precisely highly potent cytotoxic drugs to tumour cells. Not only should they be more efficacious, the hope is that the side-effect profile will also be improved as they are less likely to damage healthy cells en route to the tumour.
The first of these to reach the market, Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamacin) from Wyeth (now Pfizer), was launched in 2000 but withdrawn a decade later because of lack of efficacy. Since then, however, two more ADCs have reached patients – lymphoma treatment Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) from Seattle Genetics, and Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) from Genentech, which is indicated in HER2+ breast cancer.
An ADC comprises an antibody designed to target tumour cells and a highly potent API, held together by a linker moiety. Two linkage technologies have predominated thus far, one developed by Seattle Genetics, and the other by ImmunoGen and used in the Genentech product. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and various alternative linking technologies are under development.
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- Companies:
- Synthon
- Pfizer
- Sanofi
- Genentech
- Bayer
- Seattle Genetics
- ImmunoGen Inc
- Merck Electronics KGaA
