What are Antibody-drug Conjugates (ADCs)?

This video explains antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and their role in cancer care, including how antibodies deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, improving precision while reducing damage to healthy cells across many cancer types.

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Read the full video transcript below:

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This video is an overview of antibody-drug conjugates, also known as ADCs, and how they are used in cancer care.

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ADCs combine three parts into one treatment: an antibody that finds cancer cells, a chemotherapy drug that kills them, and a linker that connects the two. The antibody seeks out a specific protein on cancer cells, carrying the drug directly to its target. Once inside the cancer cell, the linker breaks apart and releases the chemo drug, where it can do the most damage.

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Because ADCs deliver medicine directly to cancer cells, they can attack tumors more precisely than traditional chemotherapy. This precision helps spare many healthy cells and can reduce some side effects compared with chemotherapy given by itself. 

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ADCs are now used for several cancers, including certain leukemia and lymphomas, breast cancers, cervical and ovarian cancer, some gastrointestinal cancers, bladder and lung cancer, and researchers are studying them in many others.

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How an ADC works is straightforward. First, the antibody portion finds and attaches to the target on the cancer cell surface. The cell then pulls the ADC inside. Inside the cell, the linker is broken, releasing the chemo drug where it can damage the cancer cell’s DNA, causing the cell to die.

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Some ADCs are also designed so that the released drug can affect nearby cancer cells that may not carry the target, which can help when tumors are mixed.

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ADCs are given in a clinic or hospital through an IV infusion. Treatment schedules vary depending on the drug and cancer type. Side effects can include fatigue, nausea, low blood counts (which can increase infection or bleeding risk), and sometimes damage to organs such as the liver or nerves. Because the antibody aims at a specific target, side effects can be different from standard chemotherapy, and doctors closely monitor patients with blood tests and exams during treatment.

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Scientists continue to improve ADCs by finding more targets on cancer cells, making the drug release process safer, and testing different medicines to make treatment more effective. These efforts are helping make ADCs an important step forward in more precise, effective cancer care.

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This is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before making any medical decisions.