TROP-2 and the Promise and Peril of High-Affinity in ADCs

Over the last decades, Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a transformative class of cancer therapeutics, offering the promise of targeted cytotoxicity with the precision of monoclonal antibodies.* To fulfill this promise, the ideal ADC includes an antibody that is specific for binding to the target antigen, has high binding affinity for that target, and, at the same time, has low immunogenicity. In addition, the antibody should have a long plasma half-life and rapid internalization.