Recently, several high-profile ADC deals have been announced. The most prominent deal is Pfizer's acquisition of Seattle Genetics for a staggering $43 billion dollars. Several of Pfizer's oncology drugs have come through the acquisition. Inotuzumab ozogamicin, the CD22 ADC, which was approved to treat relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor ALL patients, came through the acquisition of Wyeth.
Now Pfizer has an extensive ADC pipeline and Seattle Genetics' ADC technology platform, where six of the FDA approved ADCs use Seattle Genetics' linker/payloads. This acquisition could rejuvenate Pfizer's oncology pipeline and protect against pending revenue loss due to expiring patents for their top revenue earning assets such as Ibrance, which is set to expire in 2027 and was developed to treat of HR-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer patients. So, for Pfizer ADCs are worth the investment.
Will ADCs be worth the investment for early-stage clinical assets where the success rates are lower? Will larger biotech and pharmaceutical companies invest in internal research efforts to support their ADC pipelines? Only time will tell.
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