RE:SEAGEN’s ADC toxicity
The Parts of an ADC and Their Importance
Antibody drug conjugates work like a “smart bomb” directed against cancer cells. These drugs are composed of 3 parts: an antibody drug that is specific for the type of cancer being targeted, a cytotoxic chemotherapy drug, and a linker protein to hold the 2 parts together. The drug is administered, usually through a vein, and the antibody part of the drug targets the specific cancer cell protein that it was made to find. When the antibody finds the protein on the outside of the cancer cell, the cell pulls the drug inside. Once inside the cell, the linker releases the toxic cancer drug directly inside the cancer cell. By targeting the cancer cells in this way, exposure of healthy cells to the toxic cancer drug is decreased.
The adverse effects of each drug are different based on the protein it is made to target and the cytotoxic drug it contains. The cytotoxic drugs that are used to make The Parts of an ADC and Their Importance
Antibody drug conjugates work like a “smart bomb” directed against cancer cells. These drugs are composed of 3 parts: an antibody drug that is specific for the type of cancer being targeted, a cytotoxic chemotherapy drug, and a linker protein to hold the 2 parts together. The drug is administered, usually through a vein, and the antibody part of the drug targets the specific cancer cell protein that it was made to find. When the antibody finds the protein on the outside of the cancer cell, the cell pulls the drug inside. Once inside the cell, the linker releases the toxic cancer drug directly inside the cancer cell. By targeting the cancer cells in this way, exposure of healthy cells to the toxic cancer drug is decreased.
The adverse effects of each drug are different based on the protein it is made to target and the cytotoxic drug it contains. The cytotoxic drugs that are used to make ADCs are usually too toxic to be given by themselves. The most common adverse effects are likely owing to some of the cytotoxic drug being released early into the blood before reaching the cancer cell and can include low red and white blood cell counts, low platelet counts, nerve pain known as peripheral neuropathy, damage to the liver, and changes in vision.