Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a type of targeted therapy used to treat metastatic breast cancer (MBC). ADCs are sometimes called “smart drugs” for good reason. The antibody is programmed to attach to specific receptors on cancer cells, such as HER2, and then deliver a toxic dose of chemotherapy directly inside them. This approach aims to kill only the targeted cells, sparing the surrounding healthy tissue.
There are now four ADCs approved by the FDA for MBC:
- Kadcyla® (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) — for HER2-positive MBC
- Enhertu® (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan) — for HER2-positive and HER2-low MBC
- Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan) — for triple-negative and hormone receptor-positive MBC
- Datroway® (datopotamab deruxtecan) — the newest approval, for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative MBC
The addition of Datroway® in 2025 marks an important step forward. It is also being reviewed by the FDA as a possible first-line treatment for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), based on promising results from a Phase 3 clinical trial.
Learn More About How ADCs Work
- Susan G. Komen: Antibody-Drug Conjugates – What Do They Mean for Patients?
- BreastCancer.org: Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) for Breast Cancer
About the Newest Approval: Datroway®
- Very Well Health: A New ‘Missile’ Drug Is Approved to Treat the Most Common Breast Cancer Type
- OncoDaily: Datroway 2025 Guide: What Patients Need to Know
Datroway® for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Datroway® is currently under FDA priority review for use in metastatic TNBC. Results from the TROPION-Breast02 Phase 3 trial showed meaningful improvements in survival for people with this subtype.
- Targeted Oncology: Dato-DXd Delivers Significant TNBC Survival Benefits in Phase 3 Trial
Clinical Trials
ADCs continue to be studied in many ongoing clinical trials for MBC. To find trials that may be right for you:
- Metastatic Trial Search: Trials for Datroway® (datopotamab deruxtecan)
- Metastatic Trial Search: All MBC Trials That Include ADCs
Last Modified on May 8, 2026