Oncoleader

Minibinder-Drug Conjugates

University of Washington’s minibinder-drug conjugates (MDCs) are ultra-stable, computationally designed proteins with high affinity to target molecules that are conjugated to cytotoxic payloads; potentially superior to traditional antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

Featured on Bio2Bedside Episode #3 (starting at 3:10)

Take a Deeper Dive: In-Depth Tech Analysis

Learn More

When a technology piques your interest, go deeper with a detailed, actionable report designed specifically for entrepreneurs, investors, and business development professionals:

Technical Deep-Dive
Competitive Differentiation
Clinical & Commercial Viability
Risk Assessment

The Opportunity

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have changed the game in targeted cancer therapy. However, despite receiving “blockbuster” status, traditional ADCs suffer from some major drawbacks – one of the biggest being: their large size limits their ability to reach deep-seeded tumor tissue.

Enter, minibinders – synthetic proteins engineered for extreme specificity, high affinity, and deep tissue penetration.

These fully synthetic binding proteins, pioneered by the David Baker Lab, are only ~40 amino acids long (~2–3 kDa – about 1/35th the size of an antibody), they’re designed using AI-based protein modeling, and optimized through large-scale parallel screening. The result is a molecule that binds tightly to its target, is thermally stable, easy to manufacture, and small enough to reach the parts of tumors that antibodies can’t.

The Invention

Okay, now take the minibinder format and slap on a cytotoxic payload. What you get are Minibinder-Drug Conjugates (MDCs). Think ADCs, but with massively improved tissue penetration, shelf-life stability, and manufacturability.

So far, the Baker Lab has built MDCs against:

PD-L1, a key immune checkpoint molecule upregulated in many immunoresistant tumors
EpCAM, an epithelial marker overexpressed in many cancers, particularly in advanced disease

Overall, I believe MDC technology holds transformative potential for targeted cancer therapies, combining potent tumor-targeting capabilities with favorable pharmacokinetics and manufacturing advantages.

Differentiation & Potential Risks

Highly differentiated: Fully synthetic binders; AI-optimized for affinity and structure
Scalable: Easily manufactured and stable without refrigeration
Penetration advantage: Significantly smaller than antibodies; better for solid tumors
Risks: As with any novel binder class, pharmacokinetics and off-target effects will need to be validated in vivo

Why This Matters Now

ADCs are booming, but they’re still biologically and logistically limited by their size and expensive manufacturing. This platform offers a next-generation solution: deep-penetrating, stable, targeted cytotoxins that are easier to make and potentially more effective in solid tumors.

As immune-evasive, dense-tissue cancers become more of a therapeutic focus, this technology could offer a more practical and potent way to deliver cytotoxic therapies directly to resistant tumors.

Share this page: