Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) stand at the verge of a transformation. Scores of clinical programs have yielded only a few regulatory approvals, but a wave of technological innovation now empowers us to overcome past technical challenges. This volume focuses on the next generation of ADCs and the innovations that will enable them. The book inspires the future by integrating the field’s history with novel strategies and cutting-edge technologies. While the book primarily addresses ADCs for solid tumors, the last chapter explores the emerging interest in using ADCs to treat other diseases. The therapeutic rationale of ADCs is strong: to direct small molecules to the desired site of action (and away from normal tissues) by conjugation to antibodies or other targeting moieties. However, the combination of small and large molecules imposes deep complexity to lead optimization, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, analytics and manufacturing. The field has made significant advances in all of these areas by improving target selection, ADC design, manufacturing methods and clinical strategies. These innovations will inspire and educate scientists who are designing next-generation ADCs with the potential to transform the lives of patients.

This book describes the newest developments in antibody drug conjugates and immunotoxins, paving their way to clinical application. Lessons learned from the current state of the art are used to further improve our understanding of their mechanisms of action and off target activities. The book introduces scientists to all of the prerequisites that must be properly addressed, including identification of the right target, specific traits of target binding antibodies, proper selection of the toxic payload, internalization induced by binding, and next generation conjugation and linker technologies. These knowledge-based, revolutionary new drug principles will form the cornerstone of the future standard of care and will lead to major advances in application, as well as improved quality of life and patient survival rates. This book will be of interest to biotech companies and researchers working in the fields of immunology, pharmacology, and oncology.

Providing practical and proven solutions for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) drug discovery success in oncology, this book helps readers improve the drug safety and therapeutic efficacy of ADCs to kill targeted tumor cells. • Discusses the basics, drug delivery strategies, pharmacology and toxicology, and regulatory approval strategies • Covers the conduct and design of oncology clinical trials and the use of ADCs for tumor imaging • Includes case studies of ADCs in oncology drug development • Features contributions from highly-regarded experts on the frontlines of ADC research and development

This authoritative volume provides a holistic picture of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Fourteen comprehensive chapters are divided into six sections including an introduction to ADCs, the ADC construct, development issues, landscape, IP and pharmacoeconomics, case studies, and the future of the field. The book examines everything from the selection of the antibody, the drug, and the linker to a discussion of developmental issues such as formulations, bio-analysis, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships, and toxicological and regulatory challenges. It also explores pharmacoecomonics and intellectual properties, including recently issued patents and the cost analysis of drug therapy. Case studies are presented for the three ADCs that have received FDA approval: gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg®), Brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris®), and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla®), as well as an ADC in late-stage clinical trials, glembatumumab vedotin (CDX-011). Finally, the volume presents a perspective by the editors on the future directions of ADC development and clinical applications. Antibody-Drug Conjugates is a practical and systematic resource for scientists, professors, and students interested in expanding their knowledge of cutting-edge research in this exciting field.

This volume gathers the leading research on antibody-drug conjugates and immunotoxins. Following a rigorous overview, the volume delves into focused sections on all aspects of ADCs and ITs from clinical development through to targeted therapeutic applications and the latest technologies.

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) represent one of the most promising and exciting areas of anticancer drug discovery. Five ADCs are now approved in the US and EU [i.e., ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla™), brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris™), inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa™), gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg™) and moxetumomab pasudotox-tdfk (Lumoxiti®)] and over 70 others are in various stages of clinical development, with impressive interim results being reported for many. The technology is based on the concept of delivering a cytotoxic payload selectively to cancer cells by attaching it to an antibody targeted to antigens on the cell surfaces. This approach has several advantages including the ability to select patients as likely responders based on the presence of antigen on the surface of their cancer cells and a wider therapeutic index, given that ADC targeting enables a more efficient delivery of cytotoxic agents to cancer cells than can be achieved by conventional chemotherapy, thus minimising systemic toxicity. Although there are many examples of antibodies that have been developed for this purpose, along with numerous linker technologies used to attach the cytotoxic agent to the antibody, there is presently a relatively small number of payload molecules in clinical use. The purpose of this book is to describe the variety of payloads used to date, along with a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages and to provide information on novel payloads at the research stage that may be used clinically in the future.

Antibody-based therapeutics are a central driver of the success of biopharmaceuticals. The discovery technology of this field is isolated to a limited number of centers of excellence in industry and academia. The objective of this volume is to provide a series of guides to those evaluating and preparing to enter particular areas within the field. Each chapter is written with a historical perspective that sets into context the significance of the key developments, and with the provision of “points to consider” for the reader as a value-added feature of the volume. All contributors are experts in their fields and have played pivotal roles in the creation of the technology.