Celebrating More than a Decade of Excellence at the World ADC Awards – Winners Announcement

Taking place during the 15^th World ADC San Diego, the 11^th World ADC Awards reunited both newcomers and leaders of the antibody-drug conjugate industry this November 6, 2024. Celebrating eleven years of recognizing top caliber achievements, differentiation and impact in ADC development, hundreds of attendees shared in a special gala after the second conference day.  

Hosted by the World ADC Team in partnership with Ambrx, the ceremony was a perfect opportunity to recognize recent successes, long-term commitment to the field and upcoming pioneers who have gone above and beyond to ensure the continued success of ADCs. 

 With over 2,500 votes cast and many scientific proposals drafted, the expert judging panel selected the winners and runners up across 11 categories highlighting amazing individual work, extraordinary endeavors, teamwork, and commercial acumen. 

List of Winners Below: 

• Best ADC Platform Technology: This award is granted to the best platform technology for any component of the ADC. Merit is awarded for novelty and originality as well as scientific and clinical validation of the platform
  • Winner: LigaChem Biosciences ConjuAll^TM
    Runner Up: Catalent SMARTag
    Shortlisted: Abzena – ThioBridge, Ajinomoto Biopharma Services – AJICAP, Daiichi Sankyo – DXd ADC Technology, Sichuan Kelun-Biotech – optiDC, WuXi XDC - WuXiDAR4 Platform
    
    
• Best New Drug Developer: This award is designed to highlight a newcomer to the ADC field (<10 years) who has made progress with their preclinical pipeline. Novelty and differentiation of programs along with data generated to date is used to assess the winner
  • Winner: Duality Biologics
    Runner Up: ProfoundBio (Genmab)
    Shortlisted: Exelixis, LigaChem Biosciences, MBrace Therapeutics, Sichuan Kelun-Biotech
    
    
• Most Promising Clinical Candidate: This award recognizes the most promising ADC program in clinical development. Candidates are considered based on their clinical performance, addressing unmet patient need and commercial potential
  • Co-Winners: Raludotatug Deruxtecan, Daiichi Sankyo and Ifinatamab Deruxtecan, Daiichi Sankyo
    Shortlisted: BL-B01D1 – SystImmune, MBRC-101 - MBrace Therapeutics, OBI-992 - OBI Pharma, Sacituzumab Tirumotecan - Sichuan Kelun-Biotech/ MSD

• Best Contract Research Organization (CRO): Awarded to the best provider of contract research services. Both preclinical and clinical research providers are evaluated on their service range, reliability, value and uniqueness in the ADC market
  • Co-Winner: NJ Bio Inc. and PPD
    Shortlisted: Abzena, ChemExpress, Crown Bioscience, WuXi XDC
    
    

• Best Contract Manufacturing Development Organization (CDMO): Awarded to the best provider of contract manufacturing services. Nominees are evaluated on their service range, reliability, accepted regulatory history and value to the market
  • Co-Winner: Lonza and WuXi XDC
    Shortlisted: Abzena, AsymBio, Aton Biotech, BSP Pharmaceuticals, Cerbios AG, MilliporeSigma, Simtra BioPharma Solutions
    
    

• Best ADC Preclinical Publication 2023: This award is for the most impactful preclinical publication of the last year. Journal of publication, scientific influence and citation record will all influence the winner’s selection
  • Winner: AJICAP Second Generation: Improved Chemical Site-Specific Conjugation Technology for Antibody-Drug Conjugate Production
    Runner Up: Antibody-Drug Conjugate Sacituzumab Govitecan Drives Efficient Tissue Penetration and Rapid Intracellular Drug Release

• Best ADC Clinical Publication 2023: This Award is for the most impactful clinical publication of the last year. Journal of publication, scientific influence and citation record will all influence the winner’s selection
  • Winner: Efficacy and Safety of Mirvetuximab Soravtansine in Patients With Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer With High Folate Receptor Alpha Expression: Results From the SORAYA Study
    Runner Up: Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Versus Treatment of Physician's Choice in Patients with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer (DESTINY-Breast02): a Randomised, Open-Label, Multicentre, Phase 3 Trial

• Outstanding Academic Investigator Award: This award aims to acknowledge exceptional contributions and strengthen the collaborative environment between commercial partners and academic researchers to accelerate the development of effective agents and ultimately benefit patients
  • Winner: Joseph Balthasar, University at Buffalo

• Best Poster 2024: This award celebrates the best Posters shared during the Scientific Poster Session at World ADC San Diego 2024. Merit is given to depth of scientific content and novelty within the ADC space
  • Winner: Tub-040, a Novel napi2B-Targeting ADC Built With Ethynylphosphonamidate Conjugation Chemistry, Demonstrates High and Long-Lasting Anti-tumor Efficacy via Topoisomerase I Inhibition and Excellent Tolerability Predictive of a Wide Therapeutic Window in Humans
    
    
• The George R Pettit Individual Input to the Field Award: This award honors the professional who has made the biggest contribution to the field in the last 12 months, and to the company they represent
  • Co-Winners: Andrew Polson, Genentech and Brian Mendelsohn, Exelixis

• Long Standing Contribution to the Field Award: The most prestigious award. Designed to highlight and reward long standing contribution to the ADC field
  • Winner: Morris Rosenberg

 
Each year, during the World ADC Awards’ team alongside a panel of independent judges select scientists, researchers, and drug developers select the brightest minds and organizations helping to progress ADCs to the front-line as life-changing treatments for cancer patients.

For more information about World ADC San Diego and the World ADC Awards please visit: www.worldadc-usa.com and www.worldadc-awards.com