Antonio Bhatt

Antonio Bhatt contributed to the preclinical and translational development of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), a next-generation HER2-targeting ADC with a novel topoisomerase-I inhibitor payload and cleavable linker. His research characterized the bystander killing effect of T-DXd, explaining its activity in HER2-low tumors where not all cells express the target. He has studied ADC optimization strategies including payload potency, linker stability, and drug-to-antibody ratio. His work exemplifies how ADC engineering can expand the therapeutic window of HER2 targeting.