# Payload (ADC)

Source: https://nuclide.cc/terms/payload/  
Nuclide record `payload` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from Nuclide (nuclide.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

The payload is the poison an ADC carries, usually a chemotherapy far too toxic to give on its own.

## Summary

The payload is the cytotoxic warhead conjugated to the antibody. Classes: tubulin inhibitors (MMAE, MMAF, DM1, DM4), topoisomerase-I inhibitors (DXd, SN-38, exatecan, belotecan derivatives), DNA-damaging agents (PBD dimers, calicheamicin, duocarmycin). Newer payloads: degraders, immune agonists, radionuclides. Membrane permeability determines bystander killing.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-04

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibody-drug_conjugate
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibody-drug_conjugate

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JSON: https://nuclide.cc/api/v1/entities/payload.json