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Introduction to Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs)

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent an important class of novel biopharmaceutical modalities. ADCs are heterogeneous molecules with high complexity, containing numerous product-related features that contribute to the quality, efficacy, and safety of drugs. Most ADCs are synthesized by conjugating a cytotoxic compound or payload to a tumor-specific monoclonal antibody. The payloads are conjugated using amino or sulfhydryl-specific linkers that selectively react with lysines or cysteines on the antibody surface.

Fig 1. Anatomy of an ADC and considerations related to the three components (Drug Discovery Today: Technologies, 2018, 30: 71-83).

Key Parameters of ADCs

Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy is shifting from hematomas (lymphoma and leukemia) to solid tumors (such as breast, urethral, lung, and ovarian cancer), and the expansion of these clinical indications also highlighted the therapeutic potential of ADCs. In order to enable ADC drugs to function through all biological processes efficiently, antibodies, toxin molecules, linkers, and conjugation methods need to be considered when constructing ADCs.

• Antibody, the precise guidance component of ADCs that brings cytotoxic molecules to tumor cells; its selection depends on the target of the disease and can be divided into specific antigens and related antigens.
• Cytotoxin, is the critical factor contributing to the ADCs' activities and tumor cells' inhibitions; it usually has high toxicity and affinity, as well as low immunogenicity.
• Linker, requires high stability in the blood circulation so to effectively release small-molecule toxins after reaching the target cell surface or entering the cell.
• ADCs Cytotoxin with Linkers, the differentiation core of the whole ADCs construction, based upon the various combination of linkers and cytotoxins in conjugation with antibodies.
• Conjugation Methods, control the position and number of coupling small molecules to produce uniform antibody conjugates/antibody ratio (DAR) and stabilize the distribution and metabolism of ADCs drugs in vivo.

One-stop ADC Development Service Platform

ADCs combine both macromolecules and small molecule characteristics. The production and preparation process of ADC mainly includes monoclonal antibody preparation, linker development, small molecule drug preparation, ADCs conjugation, ADCs purification, and finished product production, leading to a highly complex production process. Nevertheless, ADC drugs discovery also confronts significant challenges, including structural analysis, design, and manufacturing. Based on the most-current demand, BOC Sciences offers a one-stop service platform to provide the most comprehensive cytotoxin and linker products for your research and production.

BOC Sciences can also provide personalized antibody modification and conjugation technologies with high specificity and affinity within a short turnaround time, and our customers know us as a professional and attentive partner who delivers quality results.