Antibody Industry Trends

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are made up of a monoclonal antibody linked to a cytotoxic drug (payload) through a stable chemical linker, enabling targeted delivery of the drug to specific cancer cells. The ideal ADC payload should have sufficient toxicity, low immunogenicity, high stability, and

Ozempic, a brand name for the drug semaglutide, was originally developed to manage type 2 diabetes by improving blood sugar control. As a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it mimics a hormone that regulates glucose metabolism and appetite. Beyond its success in diabetes treatment, Ozempic has garnered signifi

ADCs for ES-SCLC. Image credit: DOI: 10.3390/genes15060701Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) is a particularly aggressive form of lung cancer characterized by rapid growth and early metastasis. Antibody drugs, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, have emerged as a promising treatme

Image credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41577-021-00542-xThe progress of COVID-19 therapies has seen remarkable strides, particularly in the development and application of antibody-based treatments. Early in the pandemic, the focus was on supportive care, but the rapid advancement in antibody therapies has sign

MAGMA-seq is an integrated technology for antibody wide mutational scanning. DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-48072-zThe use of bioinformatics and computational methods were of high interest in several papers published this past week. Protein language models, akin to natural language processing tools, p

DOI:10.1126/science.adg0564 B cells, or B lymphocytes, are a crucial component of the adaptive immune system andhumoral immunity. They originate from the bone marrow and mature in secondary lymphoid organs, such as the spleen and lymph nodes. The B ce

Antibody drugs for diabetes typically target specific molecules involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels or the immune response against insulin-producing cells, or specific hormones or receptors involved in glucose metabolism. For instance, teplizumab (Tzield), targets CD3 on T cells, thus deactivating immune cells which attack β-cells.

As we age, our innate and adaptive immune system undergoes various changes, typically characterized by decreased lymphopoiesis and adaptive immunity, and increased inflammation and myeloid pathologies. Immunosenescence (the gradual deterioration of the immune system associated with ageing), makes individuals more susceptible to infections, less responsive to vaccines, and prone to the development of chronic inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases.

Fc-mediated antibody effector functions play an important role in the humoral immune response and form a necessary link between innate and adaptive immunity. The constant (Fc) region is the tail portion of an antibody that interacts with other components of the immune system, such as immune cells and complement proteins. Well-known functions include opsonization, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), and complement activation.

Bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (BsADCs) are a new class of therapeutic drugs being developed to fight cancer. They combine the dual targeting ability of bispecific antibodies with the cell-killing power of cytotoxic drugs. BsADCs are designed to deliver cytotoxic drugs directly to cancer cells, while minimizing damage to healthy cells. While they are still in development, several exciting advances have occurred recently.

Here at the AACR Annual Meeting 2024, there are over 7000 abstracts, 300 poster presentations, and 50 symposia all about cancer research. A few topics that are currently trending in the conference include cancer vaccines, AI for diagnostics, novel immunotherapies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) as a new modality.

The start of 2024 has seen leaps in deals for antibody therapeutics, especially ADCs (antibody-drug conjugates). This report aims to explore the events and trends of the biopharmaceutical industry in Q1. As of now, only two novel antibody drugs have been approved this year, but many more in regulatory review are expected to be fully approved.