Dr. Fanale on the Potential of Antibody-Drug Conjugates

Michelle A. Fanale, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the potential of antibody-drug conjugates, as a new category of therapy for patients with cancer.

Brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris), the first FDA approved antibody-drug conjugate, is indicated to treat patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma following progression on prior therapies. In addition to relapsed patients, Fanale anticipates potential for brentuximab as a frontline treatment. She believes the frontline administration of brentuximab plus chemotherapy may have the potential to prevent relapse.

Fanale adds that brentuximab sets the stage for the development of similar drug conjugates. These novel agents could herald a new era in cancer development, similar to the advent of monoclonal antibody therapies.