China introduces expert consensus on ADC drug use

BEIJING -- Chinese malignant tumor experts on Saturday released the country's first expert consensus on the clinical application of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), providing references on the use of the innovative anticancer drugs.

Known as "magic bullets," antibody-drug conjugates use antibodies as a carrier and a molecular GPS to efficiently transport small molecular cytotoxic drugs to target tumor cells. The antibody connects cytotoxic drugs by a linker molecule. The ADCs have emerged as one of the most promising classes of anticancer drugs in recent years.

Expert consensus refers to an agreed-upon set of principles to address the key questions facing clinicians in a specific field, providing practical guidance in an area where evidence may be limited, new and evolving.

The Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CACA), the National Cancer Quality Control Center and other institutions drew together malignant tumor experts from across the country to formulate the expert consensus. It was introduced at a two-day annual meeting of the CACA and will be published in the Chinese Journal of Oncology next January.

The expert consensus gives a systematic review of the eight currently available ADC drugs. So far, there are two ADC drugs approved to enter the Chinese market and six others that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The consensus will help clinicians to develop an in-depth understanding of the molecular characteristics and mechanism of ADC drugs, rationally choose the appropriate dose and course of treatment, and manage adverse events.

Ma Fei, a professor from the National Cancer Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, drafted the consensus. He said the mechanism of ADC drugs has the potential to become the development direction of medical treatment in the future, especially in cancer treatment.

He noted that it is the world's foremost expert consensus on ADC drugs in clinical practices, and aims to help doctors use the novel drugs to better serve their patients.

In January 2020, T-DM1 (trastuzumab emtansine) became the first ADC drug approved in China, filling the treatment gap for HER2 positive breast cancer patients who have not achieved a complete pathological response after neoadjuvant therapy. In May, BV (brentuximab vedotin) was approved in China, bringing new hope to patients with refractory lymphoma.