Antibody Drug Conjugates

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine monoclonal antibody specificity with potent cytotoxic payloads. Their design includes: an Antibody for antigen recognition and targeted drug delivery, a Linker for stability and controlled release, and a Payload for tumor-specific cell killing. Beyond established cytotoxics and oncology, conjugation strategies also explore protein degraders, antibiotics, immune modulators, peptides, oligonucleotides, etc... expanding ADC versatility.

ADCs selectively deliver therapeutic payloads to diseased cells while sparing healthy tissues. After binding to cell-surface antigens, the ADC is internalized and trafficked via endosomes and lysosomes, where the linker is cleaved or degraded to release the active drug. This targeted delivery minimizes systemic toxicity, enhances selectivity, and broadens the therapeutic window. Through integrated antibody discovery, medicinal chemistry, linker technology, and payload engineering, Evotec optimizes ADCs for stability, controlled release, and superior therapeutic profiles.

By leveraging state-of-the-art infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies, Evotec conducts comprehensive preclinical discovery from gene to IND with multiple entry points. These evaluations include target identification/validation, access to patient samples, antibody discovery, ADC optimization, in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as rigorous toxicology assessments, ensuring the development of high-quality ADCs with the potential for clinical success. In addition, the ADC platform benefits from the entire Evotec/Cyprotex multi-modality infrastructure for bespoke studies.

Evotec’s collaborative partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as academic institutions, enable efficient identification and optimization of novel ADC candidates, ultimately accelerating the creation of next-generation therapies.