“A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”

That line, delivered by Gandalf the Grey in the film adaptation of the Fellowship of the Ring (alas, not in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel) also holds true for trends in oncology R&D. 

While science can be pushed to the cutting edge through diligence and know-how, it takes time and patience to answer important questions about safety, effectiveness and positioning in the clinical landscape. And in the case of early technology adopters, a little bit of faith.

Some trends have come and gone, but antibody-drug conjugates have become a pillar of the oncology sector 25 years after the first one was approved in the U.S. Where will they go from here? Leaders like Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca are showing that their drug Enhertu could potentially serve as a first-line treatment in tough breast cancers. Others like Pfizer and AbbVie are exploring new targets that might shape the next generation of ADCs.

Today, we’re digging deeper into how an oncology trend becomes a standard and ultimately, a lasting legacy for oncology advancement.

Thanks for reading.