The 3rd Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) in Boston, MA, brought together a group of diverse yet deeply specialized experts who shared their knowledge, clinical insights, and technical experience with remarkable openness and clarity.
The focus of the summit was on toxicities associated with Antibody-Drug Conjugates, a class of targeted cancer therapies that have shown great promise but also present challenges — especially in terms of off-target effects and patient safety. [1]
The summit opened with conversations around approved ADCs and the toxicities observed in the clinic, examining why these occur, where the gaps lie between preclinical prediction and clinical reality, and what can be done to mitigate these effects. I found these discussions especially compelling because they addressed toxicity not just as an afterthought, but as a central part of the ADC development lifecycle — right from molecule design through to clinical practice.
Authors: Sonia Jain, Ph.D.1
1 Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Author: Sonia Jain, Ph.D.
Key terms: ADC, antibody-drug conjugate, toxicity, translatability, payload, ocular toxicity, interstitial lung disease, ILD, D-ILD, Biologics.
Published In: ADC Review| Journal of Antibody-drug Conjugates
DOI: 10.14229/jadc.2025.08.25.001
How to cite:
Jain S. Takeaways from the 3rd Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Toxicity Summit (Opinion/Editorial) – J. ADC. August 25, 2025. DOI: 10.14229/jadc.2025.08.25.001.
Editorial Review: August 21, 2025
History:
- Original Manuscript Received: July 15, 2025
- Review results received: July 29, 2025
- Manuscript accepted for publication: August 22, 2025
- Article published online: August 25, 2025
Conflict of Interest
The author does not have any competing interests.
Featured image
Featured image: Boston. Courtesy ©2016 – 2025 Sunvalley Communication. Used with permission
© 2025 The Authors. Used with permission.
DOI: 10.14229/jadc.2025.08.25.001
