Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs)

Our ADC platform brings together experienced teams across multiple disciplines to initiate and evolve ADC discovery campaigns. We specialize in payload-focused development and have extensive capabilities to optimize therapeutic windows and biophysical properties.

We have expertise in multiple MOAs and can optimize your existing payloads to improve both therapeutic window and ADC biophysical properties. We are a highly experienced team that can develop all types of assay (biophysical, in vitro and in vivo assessment of both PD and PK attributes), tailored to ADC projects.

Conjugating to an ADC enhances tumor delivery versus systemic exposure, increasing local drug concentration. With variable DARs, we can help control exposure and optimize PK.

We can use our experience in the area to examine how small changes in linker and payload chemistry, DAR and other factors can have dramatic impacts on both PK and efficacy.

We design ADCs to deliver compounds directly to the site of action, reducing off-target toxicity. Our medicinal chemistry expertise ensures stability while maintaining potency, so any compound that enters the systemic circulation after lysosomal clearance and cell death is rapidly eliminated.

We are small molecule focused, but also and have a strong track record in other modalities, including biologics, ADCs and peptides. We have a large protein science department with extensive experience in antibody and biologics expression, purification, QC and developability assessments.

Antibody drug conjugate discovery is the process of designing, building and evaluating ADCs, molecules that combine a targeting antibody, a therapeutic payload and a chemical linker, to identify candidates with the right balance of potency, selectivity and stability to progress toward the clinic. Previously, ADCs were used exclusively to deliver potent, cytotoxic paylaods, but are now evolving toward the utilisation of more targeted therapeutics, to deliver kinder, safer and more efficacious therapies.

DAR is the average number of payload molecules conjugated to each antibody. Understanding, and control, of DAR can be critical for ADC developability and in vivo efficacy. Improved conjugation technologies can now allow more precise control of DAR and reduce heterogeneity of the ADC, improving overall properties.

The bystander effect occurs when a released payload diffuses to neighboring antigen-negative tumor cells, delivering efficacy across adjacent cells, not just the ones the antibody bindsound directly. It can extend therapeutic efficacy across, for example, heterogeneous tumours with widely differing expression levels of the antigen. However, it can also release the payload into the systemic circulation and can lead to reduced tolerability and therefore needs to be carefully balanced and considered.

Yes. Payload and linker optimization can be run as a standalone project — you don’t need to commit to a full ADC program to access this expertise.

Yes — this is the specific gap our platform is built around. ADC development sits at the interface of biologic and small molecule chemistry, and few providers work fluently across both.  We have several decades of expertise in optimising therapeutics for a variety of applications and are experienced in working with both large and small molecules and a broad range of modalities.

We take confidentiality and IP seriously throughout all ADC drug discovery programs. Client data is managed using secure, access-controlled systems and file-sharing platforms, supported by ISO 27001-certified information security processes, continuous monitoring, and robust backup and recovery measures. All project IP is owned by our customers – we do not take royalties or milestones, nor any licensing fees for access to our expertise and technologies.

Understanding ADC stability is critical for successful payload delivery and reduction of systemic toxicity.  By understanding your particular application, we can design and evaluate bespoke linkers and conjugation strategies to deliver the appropriate balance of systemic stability and payload release at the intended target site. This approach is facilitated by our extensive expertise in drug discovery and evaluation of the DMPK properties of differing modalities. 

Yes. Our ADC platform spans early design through early IND-enabling studies, so an initial feasibility or optimization study can progress directly into early IND-enabling studies with the same team.