Dr. Wenham on Future Directions with Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Ovarian Cancer

Robert Wenham, MD, MS, FACOG, FACS, a gynecologic oncologist and chair of the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses future directions with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

ADCs are a key focus for research in ovarian cancer, Wenham says. If a selective target can be identified on a cancer cell, a very toxic payload can be delivered in a way that had not been previously possible, leading to greater efficacy, which makes the use of ADCs attractive, Wenham explains. This has been examined in early studies, specifically folate receptor α (FRα), Wenham notes.

Currently, several studies are examining ADCs are ongoing, most of which are utilizing microtubule-disrupting agents, as their payload can target a host of different targets like MUC, mesothelin, tissue factor, FRα, and TIM-1, Wenham says. However, none of these targets are standard and still need to be properly examined, Wenham concludes.