The Mechanism of Action and Use of Antibody Drug Conjugates

Bruce D. Cheson, MD, Professor of Medicine, Head of Hematology, Director of Hematology Research, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, describes the mechanism of action of antibody drug conjugates and their use.

For more than 15 years, Cheson says, physicians and researchers have relied on rituximab as the foundation for treatment regimens for follicular lymphoma. Cheson believes there is a need to go beyond this simple monoclonal antibody.

An antibody drug conjugate works by linking a monoclonal antibody to a poison, which then bonds to malignant cells, is taken up by the cells, and the poison is released.

Clinical Pearls

In Hodgkin's lymphoma, brentuximab vedotin is a very active drug in which the anti-CD30 is linked to MMAE. In follicular lymphoma, there are several antibody drug conjugates in development, such as DCDT2980S, an anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody that uses the same linker and poison as brentuximab vedotin.

• Physicians and researchers have relied on rituximab as the foundation for treatment regimens for follicular lymphoma
• In follicular lymphoma, there are several antibody drug conjugates in development, such as DCDT2980S, an anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody that uses the same linker and poison as brentuximab vedotin