Three things to know about antibody-drug conjugates

Ahead of World Cancer Day, this is a great time to reflect on the advances in oncology which are providing hope and momentum in the global fight against cancer, says Dr Michael Ybarra, chief medical officer at trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

He said that, when he was in medical school and residency, he started learning about and caring for patients being treated with a promising approach to cancer care called “immunotherapy.” Over the next 15 years, immunotherapy has become the standard of care for patients with certain cancers and improved outcomes. Fast forward to today, and you may be hearing about “antibody-drug conjugates,” or ADCs. While ADCs are not a new concept, there is a growing understanding and emerging science that has led to over a dozen approvals in just the last several years, he pointed out.

Here’s what you need to know