Antibody-drug conjugates in solid tumors: a look into novel targets

• Published in: Journal of hematology and oncology Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 20 - 18
• Main Authors: Criscitiello, Carmen, Morganti, Stefania, Curigliano, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 28.01.2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: ADCs; Animals; Antibodies; Antibody–drug conjugates; Antigens; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological - therapeutic use; Antitumor agents; Apoptosis; Biological products; Breast cancer; Brentuximab vedotin; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Cytotoxicity; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Drug Development; Drug Discovery; Drug therapy; Drugs; ErbB-2 protein; FDA approval; Health aspects; Hematology; Humans; Immunoconjugates - pharmacology; Immunoconjugates - therapeutic use; Kinases; Metastasis; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Monoclonal antibodies; Mutation; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Oncology; Permeability; Review; Solid tumors; Spyware; Targeted cancer therapy; Trastuzumab; Tumors; Solid tumors; Antibody–drug conjugates; ADCs; Cancer
• ISSN: 1756-8722; 1756-8722
• DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01035-z

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a relatively new class of anticancer agents designed to merge the selectivity of monoclonal antibodies with cell killing properties of chemotherapy. They are commonly described as the "Trojan Horses" of therapeutic armamentarium, because of their capability of directly conveying cytotoxic drug (payloads) into the tumor space, thus transforming chemotherapy into a targeted agent. Three novel ADCs have been recently approved, i.e., trastuzumab deruxtecan, sacituzumab govitecan and enfortumab vedotin, respectively, targeting HER2, Trop2 and Nectin4. Thanks to progressive advances in engineering technologies these drugs rely on, the spectrum of diseases sensitive to these drugs as well as their indications are in continuous expansion. Several novel ADCs are under evaluation, exploring new potential targets along with innovative payloads. This review aims at providing a summary of the technology behind these compounds and at presenting the latest ADCs approved in solid tumors, as well as at describing novel targets for ADCs under investigation and new strategies to optimize their efficacy in solid tumors.