Antibody–drug conjugates in triple negative breast cancer

Abstract

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease that comprises 15–20% of all breast cancers and is more frequently seen in younger women, African–Americans, and BRCA1 expression. Advanced TNBC carries aggressive features and is associated with overall poor outcomes. Unfortunately, there are no targeted therapies available for non-BRCA associated TNBC, which remains a high unmet therapeutic need. One emerging treatment modality includes antibody–drug conjugates which are highly selective monoclonal antibodies conjugated to cytotoxic agents, designed to deliver cytotoxic drugs to antigen-expressing tumor cells. This review will highlight three antibody–drug conjugates currently being evaluated in TNBC (CDX-011, SGN-LIV1a, IMMU-132), including one that has been given Breakthrough Therapy designation from the US FDA.