28 Nov 2025 08:00
Episode 391: Pharmacology 101: Antibody–Drug Conjugates
"Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) have three basic parts: the antibody part, the cytotoxic chemo, and the linker that connects the two. First, the antibody part binds to the target on the surface of the cell. Antibodies can be designed to bind to proteins with a very high level of specificity. That's what gives it the targeted portion. Then the whole thing gets taken up by the cell and broken down, which releases the chemotherapy part. Some sources will call this the 'payload' or the 'warhead.' That's the part that's attached to the 'heat-seeking' part, and that's what causes the cell death," Kenneth Tham, PharmD, BCOP, clinical pharmacist in general oncology at the University of Washington Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about antibody–drug conjugates.
Music Credit: "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod
Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0
Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by November 28, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to the mechanism of action of antibody–drug conjugates.
Episode Notes
- Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.
- ONS Podcast™ episodes:
- ONS Voice articles:
- An Oncology Nurse's Guide to Cancer-Related Ocular Toxicities
- Antibody–Drug Conjugates Join the Best of Two Worlds Into One New Treatment
- Nursing Management of Adverse Events From Enfortumab Vedotin Therapy for Urothelial Cancer
- Oncology Nurses' Role in Translating Biomarker Testing Results
- The Pharmacist's Role in Combination Cancer Treatments
- ONS Voice drug reference sheets:
