? Top themes this week: ADCs, European competitiveness and RNA skills and workforce gap

? Uncovering the potential of ADCs to target tumours

Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) are set to play a pivotal role in the future of oncology, thanks to their potential to offer targeted treatments with a lower risk of side effects. Here, Mary Jane Hinrichs , Senior Vice President of Early Development at Ipsen , examines how ADCs could transform treatment options for tumours.

What are antibody-drug conjugates and why do they hold potential over other treatment modalities?

Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) are an emerging technology adding significant value to the oncology treatment landscape. They are also increasingly the focus of R&D across the world and remain a modality that is regularly the focus of deals across the industry. As they can be highly targeted in their action, they could become the treatment of choice for clinicians and patients due to the reduced risk of side effects. This is especially important in forms of cancer where chemotherapy remains the main treatment option. Because ADCs offer a good way to specifically deliver an effective treatment to tumour systems, this could be an improvement on the systemic impact of chemotherapy.

Aside from oncology, what other indications do ADCs hold promise to treat in the future?

ADCs have seen success in haematology but there is still a lot of untapped potential in solid tumours. In theory, ADCs could be connected to a range of different agents to target diseases affecting different organs or systems around the body. But we have only touched on their potential in oncology and there is more to do to ensure patients with challenging forms of solid tumours can benefit from ADCs, so this is the area our teams focusing on to drive progress.

? Securing Europe’s competitiveness in life sciences

Digitalisation, R&D and AMR were highlighted as key areas of focus to support European competitiveness up to the end of the decade, as set out in new Political Guidelines for Europe.

Key areas included in the Political Guidelines

• Increasing competitiveness
• Taking advantage of digital tech to enhance Europe’s competitiveness
• Harnessing legislation
• Medicine shortages

? UK needs RNA workforce “fit for the future”

A?report produced by the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), alongside CDMO FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, has acknowledged “significant” gaps in the UK skills and workforce for RNA therapeutics.?

The future workforce could require “at least?150?future capabilities to meet?RNA?vaccine and treatment demand”, according to the report.?

?? Pharma Horizons: Formulation

Our latest Pharma Horizons report provides insight on key developments within pharmaceutical drug formulation for drug development, pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality control. Articles include:

• The trends and challenges for OSD and patient centric formulations
• Cell and gene therapy formulation including the prominent issues and opportunities for viral vector gene therapy
• Formulation design and manufacturing considerations and enabling greater medicine access
• Long-acting release formulation including clinical insight on improving drug efficiency of antidepressants??
• Excipients including release testing for PEG formulations and regulatory outlook for the sector.