Review

Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates

Volume: 2 Number: 1 June 25, 2026

Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates

Abstract

Biopharmaceuticals have transformed modern medicine by enabling highly specific and targeted therapeutic interventions for a wide range of diseases, including cancer, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, and genetic conditions. Advances in recombinant DNA technology, protein engineering, and biotechnology have expanded the development of complex biological products with improved efficacy and safety profiles compared with many conventional small-molecule drugs. Among these products, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as two of the most successful and rapidly evolving therapeutic modalities. Monoclonal antibodies provide selective target recognition and have become integral components of treatment strategies across multiple disease areas, whereas ADCs combine the specificity of antibodies with the potent cytotoxic activity of small-molecule payloads to enhance therapeutic precision. This review provides a focused overview of biopharmaceuticals, with particular emphasis on the structural characteristics, mechanisms of action, clinical applications, and approved products of mAbs and ADCs. In addition, key challenges associated with their development, characterization, and quality control are briefly discussed. Collectively, these therapeutics continue to play a pivotal role in modern medicine and represent an important direction for future biopharmaceutical innovation.

Keywords

References

  1. ADCdb: the Database of Antibody-drug Conjugates. https://adcdb.idrblab.net/ Accessed 10 June 2026. Alejandra, W. P., Miriam Irene, J. P., Fabio Antonio, G. S., Patricia, R. R., Elizabeth, T. A., Aleman-Aguilar, J. P., & Rebeca, G. V. (2023). Production of monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic purposes: A review. International immunopharmacology, 120, 110376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110376
  2. Alradwan, I. A., Alnefaie, M. K., Al Fayez, N., Aodah, A. H., Majrashi, M. A., Alturki, M., ... & Alshehri, A. A. (2025). Strategic and Chemical Advances in Antibody–Drug Conjugates. Pharmaceutics, 17(9), 1164. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17091164
  3. Augusto, A., Cristiano, M. L., & Conceição, J. (2026). Antibody–Drug Conjugates: Pharmacotherapeutic Properties and Future Perspectives. Pharmaceutics, 18(4), 468. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18040468
  4. Azevedo, V. F., Della Coletta Troiano, L., Galli, N. B., Kleinfelder, A., Catolino, N. M., & Cesar Urbano Martins, P. (2016). Adalimumab: a review of the reference product and biosimilars. Biosimilars, 6, 29–44. https://doi.org/10.2147/BS.S98177
  5. Bayer V. (2019). An Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies. Seminars in oncology nursing, 35(5), 150927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2019.08.006
  6. Beck, A., Goetsch, L., Dumontet, C. et al. (2017). Strategies and challenges for the next generation of antibody–drug conjugates. Nat Rev Drug Discov., 16, 315–337. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd.2016.268
  7. Buss, N. A., Henderson, S. J., McFarlane, M., Shenton, J. M., & de Haan, L. (2012). Monoclonal antibody therapeutics: history and future. Current opinion in pharmacology, 12(5), 615–622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coph.2012.08.001
  8. Cagatay, E. (2024). Development of exosome and monoclonal antibody based new generation drugs (Doctoral dissertation). Dokuz Eylul University.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Protein Trafficking, Biochemistry and Cell Biology (Other)

Journal Section

Review

Publication Date

June 25, 2026

Submission Date

June 14, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 22, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 2 Number: 1

APA
Erdoğan, D., Çağatay, E., & Ayar Kayalı, H. (2026). Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences, 2(1), 40-50. https://izlik.org/JA95MF85DK
AMA
1.Erdoğan D, Çağatay E, Ayar Kayalı H. Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences. 2026;2(1):40-50. https://izlik.org/JA95MF85DK
Chicago
Erdoğan, Duygu, Elçin Çağatay, and Hülya Ayar Kayalı. 2026. “Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates”. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences 2 (1): 40-50. https://izlik.org/JA95MF85DK.
EndNote
Erdoğan D, Çağatay E, Ayar Kayalı H (June 1, 2026) Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences 2 1 40–50.
IEEE
[1]D. Erdoğan, E. Çağatay, and H. Ayar Kayalı, “Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates”, Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 40–50, June 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA95MF85DK
ISNAD
Erdoğan, Duygu - Çağatay, Elçin - Ayar Kayalı, Hülya. “Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates”. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences 2/1 (June 1, 2026): 40-50. https://izlik.org/JA95MF85DK.
JAMA
1.Erdoğan D, Çağatay E, Ayar Kayalı H. Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences. 2026;2:40–50.
MLA
Erdoğan, Duygu, et al. “Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates”. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences, vol. 2, no. 1, June 2026, pp. 40-50, https://izlik.org/JA95MF85DK.
Vancouver
1.Duygu Erdoğan, Elçin Çağatay, Hülya Ayar Kayalı. Antibody-Based Biopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody–Drug Conjugates. Smyrna Journal of Natural and Data Sciences [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 1;2(1):40-5. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA95MF85DK