Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development is increasingly shifting from individual drug candidates to platform-based approaches, as companies seek technologies that can be scaled across multiple programs in cancer drug development, where costs and timelines are heavy.
According to global market research firm Grand View Research, the ADC market is projected to grow from about $12 billion in 2024 to about $32 billion in 2033. As the market expands, companies that control core technology platforms are gaining value. With tumor-killing efficacy reaching a certain level, precise design to reduce toxicity and improve stability in the body has emerged as a key differentiator.
Pfizer moved to secure an ADC platform by acquiring Seagen, an ADC leader, for about $43 billion in 2023. The goal was to obtain an integrated technology system that includes linkers, payloads and manufacturing know-how, rather than a single candidate. Pfizer expects more than $10 billion in revenue from the business by 2030.
A platform strategy can also reduce development risk. An industry official said that even if clinical results for a specific candidate fall short, a platform makes it possible to switch to other targets, creating a structural advantage.
South Korean drugmakers are also pursuing platform access. Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical followed joint ADC discovery research with Netherlands-based Synaffix by securing nonexclusive rights to related platform technology in 2023 for about $132 million. While other companies can also use the platform under a nonexclusive deal, the move is seen as a way to speed development by adopting a validated technology.
Synaffix is known for linker technology that precisely attaches payloads at specific sites, and it has signed multiple technology-transfer agreements with global drugmakers including Janssen and Amgen. Chong Kun Dang's candidate CKD-703 targets the hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-Met) and has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to begin a Phase 1 clinical trial.
Dong-A ST acquired ADC specialist Aptis to secure its third-generation linker platform, AbClick. The company aims to accelerate ADC development by combining its antibody research capabilities with Aptis' linker technology.
Previously, attaching drugs effectively often required genetically modifying antibodies. AbClick is designed to selectively connect drugs at specific sites without antibody modification. DA-3501, an ADC candidate targeting gastric and pancreatic cancers that applies the platform, is scheduled to enter Phase 1 trials in the first half of this year.
Samjin Pharm has also built in-house platforms for ADC development, including OncoStab and OncoFlame, and plans to improve research efficiency through open innovation with Novelty Nobility and APT Bio, companies specializing in antibody drug development. Its gastric and breast cancer treatment candidate SJA21 and immuno-oncology ADC candidate SJA71 are in preclinical stages.
As technology advances, competition is also shifting. Han Yong-hee, a researcher at Growth Research, wrote in an ADC industry report that biotech companies with platforms can secure stable cash flow through technology transfers and royalties, while global drugmakers can speed development and diversify portfolios by licensing platforms. He said the ADC market is evolving from competition over new drugs to competition over platforms.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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