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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDActa pharmaceutica Sinica. B

Antibody peptide conjugates as multifunctional therapeutics: Mechanisms, challenges, and prospects.

  • Fei Xie1,2
  • Lianqi Liu1,2
  • Qi Cheng1,2,3
  • Dian Xiao1,2
  • Xinbo Zhou1,2
  • Song Li1,2
  1. 1Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
  2. 2National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, Beijing 100039, China.
  3. 3School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China.
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Abstract

Antibody peptide conjugates (APCs) represent a newly emerging class of targeted biotherapeutics that embody a novel structural paradigm by combining the precise targeting capabilities of antibodies with the versatile biological functions of peptides. APCs not only overcome the inherent limitations of conventional peptide therapeutics but also go beyond the cytotoxicity-focused paradigm of traditional antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). By flexibly combining peptide payload activities with antibody functions, APCs have developed into diverse therapeutic strategies, including immunomodulation, targeted antibacterial, and targeted protein degradation, among others. Several APCs have already achieved notable progress and entered clinical studies, underscoring their potential as a next-generation targeted therapeutic platform. In this review, we present the first comprehensive structural framework for APCs, defining seven distinct subtypes and discussing their biological mechanisms, structure-activity relationships, recent advances, and major challenges. Furthermore, we propose guiding principles for the rational design of APCs and highlight future research directions, aiming to accelerate progress in this rapidly developing field of innovative therapeutics.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{xie2026antibody,
  title = {{Antibody peptide conjugates as multifunctional therapeutics: Mechanisms, challenges, and prospects.}},
  author = {Fei Xie and Lianqi Liu and Qi Cheng and Dian Xiao and Xinbo Zhou and Song Li},
  journal = {Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1016/j.apsb.2026.07.049},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948721},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Antibody peptide conjugates as multifunctional therapeutics: Mechanisms, challenges, and prospects.
AU  - Fei Xie
AU  - Lianqi Liu
AU  - Qi Cheng
AU  - Dian Xiao
AU  - Xinbo Zhou
AU  - Song Li
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/03
JO  - Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
DO  - 10.1016/j.apsb.2026.07.049
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948721
AB  - Antibody peptide conjugates (APCs) represent a newly emerging class of targeted biotherapeutics that embody a novel structural paradigm by combining the precise targeting capabilities of antibodies with the versatile biological functions of peptides. APCs not only overcome the inherent limitations of conventional peptide therapeutics but also go beyond the cytotoxicity-focused paradigm of traditional antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). By flexibly combining peptide payload activities with antibody functions, APCs have developed into diverse therapeutic strategies, including immunomodulation, targeted antibacterial, and targeted protein degradation, among others. Several APCs have already achieved notable progress and entered clinical studies, underscoring their potential as a next-generation targeted therapeutic platform. In this review, we present the first comprehensive structural framework for APCs, defining seven distinct subtypes and discussing their biological mechanisms, structure-activity relationships, recent advances, and major challenges. Furthermore, we propose guiding principles for the rational design of APCs and highlight future research directions, aiming to accelerate progress in this rapidly developing field of innovative therapeutics.
SN  - 2211-3835
SN  - 2211-3843
ER  -