Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases, causing million of deaths each year
globally. Conventional anti-cancer therapies are non-targeted and have
systemic toxicities limiting their versatile applications in many cancers. So,
there is an unmet need for more specific therapeutic options that will be
effective as well as free from toxicities. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are
suitable alternatives with the right potential and improved therapeutic index for
cancer therapy. The ADCs are highly precise new class of biopharmaceutical
products that covalently linked a monoclonal antibody (mAb) (binds explicitly to a
tumor-associated surface antigen) with a customized cytotoxic drug (kills cancer
cells) and tied via a chemical linker (releases the drug). Due to its precise design, it
brings about the target cell killing sparing the normal counterpart and free from
the toxicities of conventional chemotherapy. It has never been so easy to
develop potential ADCs for successful therapeutic usage. With relentless
efforts, it took almost a century for scientists to advance the formula and
design ADCs for its current clinical applications. Until now, several ADCs have
passed successfully through preclinical and clinical trials and because of proven
efficacy, a few are approved by the FDA to treat various cancer types. Even
though ADCs posed some shortcomings like adverse effects and resistance at
various stages of development, with continuous efforts most of these limitations
are addressed and overcome to improve their efficacy. In this review, the basics
of ADCs, physical and chemical properties, the evolution of design, limitations,
and future potentials are discussed
