Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are the novel class of targeted drugs that have been extensively studied in recent years as potential treatment options either as monotherapies or in combination with other anticancer drugs for various tumors on a global scale. In this context, the focus of several domestic companies in China has shifted to developing novel ADC-based treatment options for solid tumors like breast, gastric, and bladder cancer, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Intelligence Center, China is among the top countries reporting a high number of diagnosed prevalent cases for gastric, breast, and bladder cancers among the 16 major markets. 

The diagnosed prevalent cases of gastric, breast, and bladder cancers in China are expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.6%, 1.6%, and 3%, respectively, between 2022 and 2028. Specifically, the number of cases of gastric cancer is expected to rise from 946,090 to 1.1 million, breast cancer from 714,302 to 788,815, and bladder cancer from 259,985 to 310,138 during the period.

Neha Myneni, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As the clinical benefit derived from ADCs as monotherapy is limited due to the emergence of resistance mechanisms, several companies currently focus on developing ADC combinations with other anti-cancer drugs like chemotherapy, molecularly targeted agents, and immunotherapies.”

In recent years, key China-based companies like RemeGen, Jiangsu-Hengrui Medicine, and Zhejiang Medicine/NovoCodex have ventured into the ADC-based treatment space through active research and development. With RemeGen’s disitamab vedotin being the only ADC developed and marketed in China, these key companies are currently developing various novel ADC-based combination therapies for solid tumors like urothelial cancer, breast cancer, and gastric cancer.

Some of the key global companies currently engaged in ADC-based treatment marketing and development include Seagen, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, and Merck. These companies have active research and development collaborations with various local players worldwide.

Myneni concludes: “With no IO/ADC combination therapies approved to date, drug development in this space could be a potential game changer for oncology treatment. Shifting focus of domestic companies towards novel ADC-based therapeutic options in China is therefore expected to drive the development of these potential innovative treatment options. Furthermore, the successful development of these therapies is expected to reduce China's reliance on global players for expensive treatments of these highly prevalent cancers.”