Drug-Linker Conjugates for ADC

Drug-Linker Conjugates for Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) comprise of an active cytotoxic drug and an appropriate linker. After linked to a monoclonal antibody, those conjugates can be used for making ADCs, which are targeted agents for cancer cells with high selectivity and cytotoxicity.

The drug units in drug-linker conjugates are cytotoxic agents (i.e. ADC cytotoxins or payloads) with antitumor activity and can be classified in DNA damaging agents and tubulin inhibitors. The most commonly used DNA damaging agents in ADCs are Duocarmycins, Pyrrolobenzodiazepines, Camptothecins and Daunorubicins/Doxorubicins, while the popular tubulin inhibitors are Auristatins and Maytansinoids. Besides, there are also many traditional cytotoxic agents can be used in ADCs.

ADC linkers currently undergoing clinical evaluation are mostly classified into two categories: cleavable and noncleavable. Cleavable linkers rely on processes inside the cell to liberate the toxin, and noncleavable linkers require proteolytic degradation of the antibody portion of the ADC for release of the cytotoxic molecule.