Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) continue to dominate the precision oncology field. They traditionally combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on tumour cells with highly potent anti-cancer agents (also known as a payload or toxin). Across recent years, the linker and conjugation approach – i.e. the attachment of the antibody to the payload – has gained increased attention as a lever for improving several key factors for success, including the ADC’s potency, stability profile and tumor delivery [1].
This year’s ADC Linker & Conjugation Summit held August 19-21, 2025, in Boston, MA., gathered experts in ADC chemistry to explore strategies to overcome payload hydrophobicity, achieve optimal stability profiles, and reduce aggregation, with a focus on how these innovations can help to transform safety and efficacy profiles for better patient outcomes.
This article will highlight some of the key themes which were discussed at the meeting and suggest directions for where the ADC chemistry space is heading, amid the growing competition to produce safe and efficacious ADCs.
Authors: Sharla Harvey MSci 1
1 Hanson Wade Group, London, UK
Author: Sharla Harvey, MSci
Key terms: ADC, antibody-drug conjugate, linker chemistry, payload, conjugation, Auristatin S, hydrophobicity, bioconjugation Strategies
Published In: ADC Review| Journal of Antibody-drug Conjugates
DOI: 10.14229/jadc.2025.09.12.001
How to cite:
Harvey S. Reviewing the Key Trends and Insights from the ADC Linker & Conjugation Summit (Opinion/Editorial) – J. ADC. September 12, 2025. DOI: 10.14229/jadc.2025.09.12.001.
Final Editorial Review: September 12, 2025
History:
- Original Manuscript Received: September 2, 2025
- Review results received: September 5, 2025
- Manuscript accepted for publication: September 11, 2025
- Article published online: September 12, 2025
Conflict of Interest
The author does not have any competing interests.
Featured image: 3rd ADC Linker & Conjugation Summit creative background. Courtesy ©2016 – 2025 Hanson Wade. Used with permission
© 2025 The Authors. Used with permission.
DOI: 10.14229/jadc.2025.09.12.001.
