Antibody-drug conjugates combinations in cancer treatment

Abstract

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a promising class of anticancer agents. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration has granted approval to 12 compounds, with 2 later undergoing withdrawal. Moreover, several other compounds are currently under clinical development at different stages. Despite substantial antitumoral activity observed among different tumor types, adverse events and the development of resistance represent significant challenges in their use. Over the last years, an increasing number of clinical trials have been testing these drugs in different combinations with other anticancer agents, such as traditional chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and small targeted agents, reporting promising results based on possible synergistic effects and a potential for improved treatment outcomes among different tumor types. Here we will review combinations of ADCs with other antitumor agents aiming at describing the current state of the art and future directions.