Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Novel Biologic Agents: A New Frontier in Oncology Pharmacology

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a rapidly maturing class of biotherapeutics that combine the targeting specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the cytotoxic potency of small-molecule payloads. This chapter provides a detailed overview of ADC design principles — including linker chemistry, payload selection, and target antigen biology — reviews the clinical performance of approved ADCs in breast, urothelial, hematologic, and other cancers, and discusses the evolving landscape of next-generation biologic agents, including bispecific antibodies and immune cell engagers.