Innovations in antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies – what you need to know - a new special report

We are delighted to release our latest report Innovations in antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies – what you need to know. View the report here.

Led by Rebecca Tollervey, this report examines the rise of these key therapeutic technologies which meet the demand for targeted, patient-friendly cancer therapies, and are generating a stream of blockbuster products. It delves into the different aspects of ADC and bsAb innovation, and also looks at global patent filing data to identify trends in the bsAb and ADC intellectual property space. 

The report also looks at geographical filing trends, finding that whilst applicants from the US and Europe continue to dominate the ADC and bsAb space, the number of patent applications arising from Chinese applicants has risen steeply in both fields since 2018.

When it comes to key areas of innovation, the report finds this has focused on key categories. For ADCs, these are target selection, payload, linker and conjugation sites/protection strategies. For bsAbs, the innovation rests mainly in target selection, affinity and valency, formats, and production/isolation. 

This report includes commentary from Rebecca Tollervey, Robert Watson, Tanis Keirstead, Camille Terfve, Robert Andrews and Samuel Hart.

Tanis Keirstead circle

Commenting on the report, Tanis Keirstead, Partner, Patent Attorney and Head of Munich Office at Mewburn Ellis said: 

ADCs and bsAbs have emerged as a major force in the global pharma landscape in the last decade. Our research shows the extent of their upwards trajectory, with new patents being filed regularly all over the world. 


This is good news for patients, and good news for businesses in this space. However, it is important that  they are approaching their IP strategy in a way that maximises their investment, in what is likely to be a crowded marketplace in the coming years.