Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Immunotoxins: From Pre-Clinical Development to Therapeutic Applications (Cancer Drug Discovery and Development Book 0)

This volume gathers the leading research on antibody-drug conjugates and immunotoxins. Following a rigorous overview, the volume delves into focused sections on all aspects of ADCs and ITs from clinical development through to targeted therapeutic applications and the latest technologies. The concept of delivering 'magic bullets to treat diseases was first proposed by Paul Erlich in the early 1900s. The realization of this concept for the treatment of cancer occurred in the late 1990s with the approval of monoclonal antibody therapies. The use of monoclonal antibodies conjugated (linked) to potent cytotoxic agents (antibody-drug conjugates, ADCs) for specifically delivering cytotoxics to cancer cells was an obvious extension of antibody-based therapy. ADCs have been under intense investigation for several decades; progress, however, has been limited due to toxicity or lack of improved efficacy compared to unconjugated cytotoxics. More recently, linker technology and target selection have advanced such that several ADCs and immunotoxins are undergoing clinical testing or are approved for use. This important volume gives the latest and most comprehensive information on the topic, describing different types of ADCs and immunotoxins for both hematologic and solid malignancies. Finally, the volume highlights the promise that this technology holds for diverse types of human cancer