Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Next Generation Of Targeted Cancer Treatments

Iwan Bertholjotti and Lawrence Bonnafoux from Lonza give an insider look at how these promising treatments make it from development to commercialization.

Chemotherapy is the first-line treatment for most types of cancer. However, one of the major challenges with this approach is that it targets both cancer and healthy cells, with patients suffering severe side effects. A new class of therapies, called antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs, can target tumors much more precisely by harnessing the power of antibodies. The antibody can bind specific types of tumor cells, delivering a fatal blow to the cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. These promising new drugs have seen a significant uptick in FDA approvals in recent years, pointing towards a trend that could transform the way many diseases are treated.

While numerous companies succeed in developing promising ADCs, manufacturing such complex and highly potent treatments presents unique challenges. The intricacy of scaling up the manufacturing of ADCs leads many companies to outsource their production, and Lonza currently fabricates the majority of ADC therapeutics in the world. For the companies that choose to work with Lonza, the collaboration simplifies the process and streamlines the supply chain. Decades of collective experience in fabricating ADCs means that the drugs make it from discovery to approval in less time, improving patients' lives through more effective, targeted treatments with fewer side effects.