- Today's up to $3B development and commercialization deal from Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) for Eisai's (OTCPK:ESALY) for MORAb-202 is putting antibody drug conjugates ("ADCs"), which some feel is the future of cancer therapeutics, into the spotlight.
- The ones already on the market are for oncology indications and include: Pfizer's (NYSE:PFE) Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin), Seagen's (NASDAQ:SGEN) Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin), Roche's (OTCQX:RHHBY) Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine), Pfizer's Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin), AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN)/Daiichi Sankyo's (OTCPK:DSKYF) Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), and Gilead Sciences' (NASDAQ:GILD) Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy), ADC Therapeutics' (NYSE:ADCT) Zynlonta (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl), and GlaxoSmithKline's Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin).
- Abbvie's (NYSE:ABBV) experimental ADC, ABBV-3373, is currently in phase 2 as an anti-tumor necrosis factor ("TNF") glucocorticoid receptor modulator ("GRM") for rheumatoid arthritis.
- Private biotechs are also advancing ADCs. In April, Denmark-based Adcendo received about $62M in Series A funding, while San Diego-based Adcentryx Therapeutics compelted a $50M Series A.
- Adcendo is focused on targeting urokinase plasminogen activator activator receptor-associated protein ("uPARAP"), which is over expressed on several types of cancer.