Antibody-drug conjugates, a relatively new class of therapy that is improving cancer treatment, are likely to be a boon for the bottom line of companies marketing and developing them.
Given currently marketed ADCs as well as ones in the pipeline, Daiichi Sankyo (OTCPK:DSKYF), Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) and Roche (OTCQX:RHHBY) are seen as the pharmas and biotech set to benefit the most from them.
In 2028, revenue of ADCs from the top 5 biopharmas marketing them is expected to amount to ~$23.5B, according to Evaluate.
In a new report, the pharma commercial intelligence firm noted that the biggest selling ADC currently in the US is Daiichi Sankyo (OTCPK:DSNKY) and AstraZeneca’s (NASDAQ:AZN) Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki), which was approved in 2019.
Enhertu brought in a combined $2.57B for the two companies in 2023, more than twice the $1.25B total in 2022. Evaluate projects sales will reach $9B in 2028.
The science behind ADCs is rather simple. Cytotoxic drugs are “attached” to a monoclonal antibody. Because antibodies are highly targeted, they can deliver powerful medicine to cancer cells without harming healthy ones.
Citing information from BioMedtracker, the report notes that there are more than 150 clinical stage ADC programs — 12 in phase 3 and around 40 in phase 2.
The report also notes a couple of other companies to pay attention to in the ADC space: ImmunoGen and ADC Therapeutics (ADCT). The former was recently acquired by AbbVie (ABBV) for $10.1B. ADC’s (ADCT) stock price has been on a run since the end of November when the AbbVie/ImmunoGen deal was first announced.
AbbVie (ABBV) gained the ADC Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx) for a type of ovarian cancer, as well as pivekimab sunirine, presently in phase 2 for a rare blood cancer.
ADC (ADCT) markets the ADC Zynlonta (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl) for large B-cell lymphoma. It has two ADCs in early stage development for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and solid tumors.