European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer: Leaders in Pharma 2026 Predictions

With 2026 on the horizon, pharma leaders are already looking ahead. European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer asked industry voices what they think 2026 will bring, from innovation and AI to regulation and resilience. Here’s what our SVP & Scientific Leader, Petra Dieterich, had to say….

In 2025, we saw a marked shift from Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs) in clinical development activities, and we expect this to continue to grow through 2026 and beyond.

ADCs have seen extraordinary progress in oncology research, and innovators are building on this success by leveraging the precise targeting mechanism of antibodies in conjugation with other therapeutic agents, specifically RNA drugs, also called oligonucleotides.

Existing oligonucleotide drugs improve the health of cells by modifying protein production caused by defective genes. However, oligonucleotides have limited bioavailability, often requiring direct injection into the eye or spinal cord.  One solution to this problem is through covalent linkage of the oligonucleotide to a targeting protein to form Antibody Oligo-Conjugates (AOCs).  These are amenable to systemic delivery, which is far more patient-friendly.

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Abzena has over two decades of experience designing, developing, and manufacturing AOCs. To learn more about our extensive capabilities or to access our recent case studies, click here.