AUTHOR=Long Rou , Zuo Hanrong , Tang Guiyang , Zhang Chaohui , Yue Xinru , Yang Jinsai , Luo Xinyu , Deng Yuqi , Qiu Jieya , Li Jiale , Zuo Jianhong 

TITLE=Antibody-drug conjugates in cancer therapy: applications and future advances

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1516419

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2025.1516419

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) represent an emerging cancer therapeutic strategy and are becoming increasingly significant in the field of public health. With the evolution of precision oncology, the potential applications of ADCs are being realized more broadly. This review provides an overview of the fundamental molecular design of ADCs, examining how each component—antibody, linker, payload, and coupling chemistry—affects the physicochemical and biological properties of the final product. The paper also discusses novel ADC designs that are in preclinical and early clinical development stages as next-generation cancer therapies. These include bispecific ADCs, Probody-drug conjugate, immunostimulatory ADCs (ISACs), Degrader-Antibody Conjugates (DACs), and Dual-Payload ADCs. Their applications and potential future advancements in cancer therapy are also explored.