ADCs, or antibody-drug conjugates, are chemotherapeutic agents explicitly designed to treat cancer cells. Antibody-drug conjugates deliver chemotherapy by fusing a linker to a monoclonal antibody that attaches to a specific target expressed on cancer cells. Inside the cancer cell, a poisonous chemical is released when the ADC attaches to its intended target (a cancer protein or receptor). Linkers, drugs or poisons, monoclonal antibodies, and others are among the most prevalent types of antibody-drug conjugates. A single white blood cell is cloned in order to produce monoclonal antibodies. Each successive antibody produced in this method may be traced to a single parental cell. Adcertis, Kadcyla, and other drugs belong to this category.
The rising incidence of cancer is one of the primary drivers of market expansion throughout the forecast period. According to the WHO, cancer is the second most common cause of death worldwide. The International Agency for Research on Cancer projects that there will be 21.9 million new cancer cases in 2025 and 24.6 million in 2030. The number of cancer cases worldwide has increased significantly during the past decade. Additionally, the rising frequency of cancer in emerging nations is driving a significant need for ADCs. According to GLOBOCAN, over 49.2% of all cancer cases worldwide were expected to be reported in Asia in 2020. Therefore, this region continues to be a significant untapped market for ADCs. The general rise in cancer incidence is projected to increase the number of patients undergoing treatment, increasing the need for early diagnosis and therapy.
Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) are a distinct class of medicines composed of an antibody chemically linked to a cytotoxic substance. The goal of conventional chemotherapy is to eliminate proliferating tumor cells rapidly. Unfortunately, it can also harm healthy growing cells, resulting in negative side effects. On the other hand, ADC is intended to increase therapy efficacy and decrease systemic toxicity. Seagen, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., AstraZeneca, and Daiichi Sankyo are developing and marketing these medications. For instance, in October 2018, Takeda Pharmaceutical and Seagen, Inc. (formerly Seattle Genetics, Inc.) announced that phase 3 clinical trials of Adcetris for treating CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphoma met the primary endpoint. AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo teamed in July 2020 to develop and commercialize novel ADC medicines. This assisted AstraZeneca in expanding its ADC product line.
North America is the most significant shareholder in the global antibody drug conjugates market and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 21.3% during the forecast period. North America will likely significantly increase during the forecast period due to rising cancer rates and technological developments. Due to technological advancements in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the region is witnessing significant growth. In terms of clinical data, North America is a well-developed region. The use of ADCs, which comprise the majority of the existing market, is considered. For instance, in April 2021, Pfizer acquired Amplyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. to produce antibody-drug conjugates and other cancer medications. In addition, the regional market is expanding due to the growing incidence of cancer. The American Cancer Society projects that 1.9 million new cancer cases will be detected in the United States in 2022. The market for antibody-drug conjugates is expected to expand in the United States during the forecast period due to the rising demand for cancer drugs and the increasing number of cancer patients.
Europe is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 26.4% over the forecast period. Europe is the second largest market for antibody-drug conjugates worldwide. Antibody-drug conjugates are projected to benefit from Germany's high healthcare expenditures and expanding research institute population. Germany is anticipated to be one of Europe's most lucrative ADC markets. In addition, several German pharmaceutical companies are attempting to enter the ADC market by investing in R&D. For example, Heidelberg Pharma and Tubulis are developing new ADC therapies in the clinical and preclinical stages. Tubulis, a German biotech startup, raised USD 12.3 million in July 2021 to increase research on ADCs, namely to improve on the research that found linker chemistry to be more stable than the technology employed in ADCs such as Seagen's (formerly Seattle Genetics) Adcetris.
The key global antibody drug conjugates market players are Seagen, Inc. (previously Seattle Genetics, Inc.), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, AstraZeneca PLC, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Pfizer, Inc., ImmunoGen, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., and Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited.