What stages of ADC development does Pharmaron support?

End-to-end support from antibody discovery and bioconjugation chemistry through DMPK/bioanalysis, in vivo pharmacology, PK/PD modeling, and safety assessment.

Do you provide ADC bioconjugation and linker–payload optimization?

Yes. Services include site-specific and conventional conjugation strategies, linker–payload selection and optimization, and analytical characterization to achieve the desired DAR and stability.

Can Pharmaron run in vivo efficacy and safety studies for ADCs?

Yes. In vivo pharmacology studies are available alongside PK/PD modeling and safety assessment to evaluate efficacy, exposure, and tolerability.

What bioanalytical and DMPK capabilities are available for ADC programs?

Integrated DMPK and bioanalytical support for total antibody, conjugated and unconjugated payloads, metabolites, and immunogenicity, enabling informed decision-making across discovery and development.

How can I discuss an ADC project with your team?

Use the contact options on this page or email bd@pharmaron.com to speak with our ADC experts about scope, timeline, and study design.

Antibody Drug Conjugate Services I Pharmaron CRO & CDMO

Integrated ADC Discovery, Development, and Manufacturing from Target Identification to GMP Production

At Pharmaron, we deliver a true end-to-end solution for the discovery, development and manufacturing of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Our expert teams support clients for all steps, from identification of targets, antibody discovery, payload-linker chemistry, bioconjugation, analytics, in vitro and in vivo evaluation, bioanalysis, DMPK, safety assessment and GMP manufacturing. As an integrated provider of antibody drug conjugate services, our portfolio was designed to get clients from idea to clinical trial – all from one contract service provider.

Connect with a Scientific Expert

Why Choose Pharmaron as your Antibody Drug Conjugate CRO/CDMO?

Pharmaron’s one-stop-shop approach provides a time- and cost-efficient solution, while mitigating risks by reducing transfers between multiple service providers. Co-located facilities and a streamlined supply chain simplify logistics, while short design-make-test-analyze cycles, centralized compound management, and connected teams drive rapid program advancement..

Longstanding Antibody Drug Conjugate Service Expertise and Track Record

Since 2019, Pharmaron has delivered more than 2,000 ADCs and other bioconjugates. Across biology, chemistry, DMPK, safety and manufacturing dedicated ADC specialists ensure every project and research question is met with ADC-specific expertise.

Some of the critical aspects we frequently solve in ADC projects:

Testing whether targets are sufficiently expressed and internalized
Optimizing linker stability and payload release
Optimizing DAR and its homogeneity
Evaluating efficacy in relation to ADC stability and payload release kinetics
Bioanalysis strategies to measure all components of the ADC compound
Tackling safety issues such as on-target toxicities in healthy tissues as well as payload-driven toxicities through bystander effects

Innovative Antibody Drug Conjugates Through Antibody Engineering and Linker-Payload Design

Stylized antibody fragment graphic in red and blue, symbolizing engineered alternatives to whole antibodies for targeted therapeutic use.

Targeting moiety options:

Antibodies
Fragments
Bi-specifics
Peptides
Proteins

Abstract payload capsule icon in dark blue and red, representing diverse payload options in antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development.

Bioconjugate payload options

Antibodies
Fragments
Bi-specifics
Peptides
Proteins

Pharmaron Alt Image Text Generator said: Stacked capsule icon on dark blue background, representing diverse linker-payload libraries for ADC development and screening.

Linker and payload libraries for swift project initiation

Interlocking chain icon in dark blue and white, symbolizing innovative linker designs for stable and effective drug delivery in ADCs.

Innovative linker designs to minimize aggregation

Badge-style graphic with antibody icon and red-blue bars, representing site-specific conjugation and Drug-to-Antibody Ratio (DAR) optimization.

Site-specific conjugation for consistent drug-antibody-ratio (DAR)

Circular arrow icon in deep blue tones, representing controlled and optimized payload release in targeted drug delivery systems.

Optimized payload release to amplify bystander effects

End-to-End ADC Discovery and Development from Idea to Regulatory Approval

Pharmaron’s flexible business model empowers clients to engage at any stage of ADC development, from concept to ready molecule. Offering fee-for-service, FTE-based work, and integrated solutions, Pharmaron delivers seamless support across molecule design, rigorous testing, and scalable manufacturing—providing comprehensive end-to-end services for therapeutic success.

ADC Discovery

Our team combines expertise in biology, chemistry, and antibody engineering to provide comprehensive ADC development services tailored to your project needs.

We help identify specific target antigens for precise payload delivery with minimal toxicity.
Our antibody discovery team offers a full suite of technologies, including hybridoma and phage display, for efficient screening and selection.
We enhance specificity, stability, and half-life while reducing immunogenicity via antibody engineering.
Our expression team produces antibodies at scalable quantities, from milligrams to grams, using transient or stable cell lines.
We support diverse payload designs, including custom-tailored novel payloads, commercially available options, and client-preferred linker-payload combinations. Our team offers deep expertise in high-potency payload integration and conjugation strategies, ensuring flexibility to meet unique project requirements.

Learn More about Pharmaron’s antibody discovery capabilities

Target Antigen Identification

Antibody Discovery

Antibody Engineering

Antibody Generation

Payload Selection

Linker Design and Bioconjugation

Pharmaron leverages cutting-edge expertise in linker design and bioconjugation to deliver high-quality ADC solutions efficiently.

We have released and delivered 2,000 ADCs to date!
Our high-potency R&D labs produce batches of up to 100 g across discovery, pilot, and early development scales. Explore our GMP manufacturing capabilities below.
Libraries of commonly used fragments of linkers and payload-linker combinations can be tested to accelerate early-stage or proof-of-concept studies.
We use AI/ML models and structure-based design to optimize linker selection early in development.
We design linkers that ensure ADC stability en route to the target and precise payload release upon arrival.
Our team supports homogeneous conjugation through cross-linking, enzyme-facilitated methods, site-specific conjugation, and antibody engineering.
We design linkers that facilitate tissue-specific payload release via pH-sensitive or enzyme-sensitive mechanisms.

Learn More about our ADC chemistry and bioconjugation capabilities

Linker Design

in silico Modelling

Linker Library Synthesis

Payload-Linker Synthesis

Bioconjugation

Analytical Characterization of ADCs

Our dedicated ADC analytics team provides comprehensive testing to optimize ADC design during the discovery phase and ensure rigorous quality control throughout preclinical development and manufacturing.

Intact Level: We evaluate DAR, conjugate concentration, aggregation risk, charge variants, and isoelectric point to ensure uniformity and stability.
Subunit Level: We assess positional isomers and conjugation sites to reduce heterogeneity and improve payload consistency.
Peptide Level: We examine sequence coverage, terminal integrity, conjugation mapping, and disulfide bonds for structural accuracy.
We quantify free drug levels, analyze N-glycans, measure free thiol content, endotoxins and residual solvents.

Structural Integrity

Conjugation and Payload Distribution

Stability

Quality and Scalability for Production

In vitro ADC Screening and Mechanistic Evaluation

Efficacy testing of ADCs requires more than just killing assays. We provide the whole suite of in vitro assays to investigate target biology, binding, payload activity, linker stability – to provide the whole picture of where, when, and how the ADC exerts its effects.

Target Binding Confirmation: We use cell-free and cell-based assays with biophysical and imaging technologies to confirm antigen and Fc receptor binding.
Internalization: We evaluate ADC uptake efficiency using pH-sensitive labeling to monitor cellular internalization.
Linker Cleavage & Payload Release: We measure the kinetics of payload release and evaluate how released payloads contribute to potency, bystander effects using cell biology and translational assays.
Fc-Mediated Immune Functions: We use ADCP, ADCC, and CPC assays to evaluate immune cell engagement and screen for immunotoxicity potentially associated with ADC candidates.
Organoid Testing Platform: We test PDX-organoids for potency testing and healthy donor organoids for off-target and toxicity profiling.
in vitro ADMET: We assess linker-payload and ADC stability, payload release efficiency, and intracellular processing to guide rational ADC design and optimization.

Target Binding

Internalization

in vitro Efficacy and Bystander Effects

Payload Release Optimization

in vitro Toxicity

Animal Studies for Evaluation of ADC DMPK, Efficacy and Safety

Pharmaron advances ADCs through preclinical development with regulatory expertise and robust in vivo testing.

Pharmaron’s DMPK services for ADCs encompass ADME, PK, immunogenicity, metabolism, tissue-distribution, DAR, and drug-drug interaction evaluation comprehensively addressing all our client’s needs.
Our in vivo pharmacology team conducts in vivo efficacy testing using nearly 2,000 validated disease animal models for oncology, autoimmune and other disease areas . Bystander effects can be measured in vivo.
Our in vivo team conducts a wide range of readouts for PKPD modeling as well as biodistribution using imaging and label-free methods across multiple species including small and large animals.
Our on-site bioanalysis units support the pharmacology and safety assessment by quantifying the antibody, payload, and conjugate in matrices from small and large animal species.
Safety assessment comprises safety pharmacology, immunotoxicity, and general toxicology under non-GLP or GLP conditions available in all relevant animal species.

ADME & PK

Payload Release Optimization

in vivo Efficacy Testing

Safety Assessment

ADC CDMO

Pharmaron offers global clients a one-stop solution for ADC development and manufacturing. With all key facilities located within a 15-minute radius, we provide seamless operational and geographical advantages for client projects.

Our process development team is engaged early in ADC discovery to guide the selection of suitable linkers and conjugation technologies that are scalable for clinical and commercial use.
State-of-the-art equipment is utilized for the analysis of DAR, free-drug residue, conjugation efficiency, and other ADC-specific characterizations.
The formulation and drug product development team provides services from ADC developability assessment to fill-finish process optimization, including lyophilization cycle development.
Across our specialized biologics, high potency, and bioconjugation facilities, we perform non-GMP and GMP manufacturing of ADCs for toxicology and clinical studies.
Adhering to FDA, EMA, NMPA regulations, and ICH guidelines, we assist clients in setting specifications for in-process testing, product release, and stability study protocols.