This article is the first half of the Morningglorysciences Summer Beginner Series Grand Summary. We revisit three major therapeutic modalities—anti-obesity drugs, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and In vivo CAR-T cell therapy—highlighting their key takeaways and drawing cross-cutting insights on shared challenges and lessons learned.
For readers who have followed the series from the beginning, this serves as a structured review. For those encountering it for the first time, it provides a panoramic overview. Although introduced as a “beginner series,” the journey has in fact guided readers into intermediate and even advanced-level perspectives.
Introduction｜The Aim and Value of This Series
The Summer Beginner Series set out to explain key areas of life sciences—metabolic diseases, oncology, and cell therapy—in a way that was accessible to newcomers while still substantial for professionals. Timed with the summer break, the series was designed as an intellectual journey, guiding readers step by step across domains.
At first glance, the three topics appear unrelated. Yet anti-obesity drugs reshape public health paradigms, ADCs exemplify the refinement of molecularly targeted therapies, and In vivo CAR-T embodies the future of cellular immunotherapy. Viewed together, they illuminate the recurring challenges in modern drug development: safety, specificity, cost-effectiveness, and societal acceptance.
Chapter 1｜Anti-Obesity Drugs — From Metabolic Control to Societal Impact
The history of anti-obesity drugs has been one of repeated cycles of “hope and disappointment.” Early appetite suppressants and fat absorption inhibitors proved unsustainable due to severe side effects. The breakthrough came with GLP-1 receptor agonists. Drugs such as Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide and Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide legitimized obesity treatment as a serious medical discipline.
Large-scale trials such as the STEP and SURMOUNT studies demonstrated weight reductions of 10–20%, rivaling bariatric surgery. Additional evidence suggested benefits in reducing diabetes and cardiovascular risk, placing obesity drugs at the center of medical and economic discussions.
Still, challenges remain: high prices, uncertain long-term safety, and debates over cosmetic versus medical use. The conversation around obesity drugs extends beyond pharmacology into ethical, cultural, and economic dimensions of how society defines and addresses obesity.
Chapter 2｜ADCs — Precision Weapons of Modern Oncology
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) fuse the targeting specificity of antibodies with the cytotoxic power of small molecules, enabling selective killing of cancer cells. Research began in the 1970s but was long hampered by unstable linkers and toxicity.
The approvals of Adcetris and Kadcyla in the 2000s marked a turning point. In particular, Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu (DS-8201) redefined HER2 biology by demonstrating efficacy in HER2-low breast cancer. This represented a paradigm shift in molecularly targeted therapy.
More recently, ADCs targeting TROP2 and Nectin-4 have broadened treatment options in solid tumors. Advances in payload diversity, linker chemistry, and bispecific ADC designs are driving the field toward “next-generation ADCs.”
Yet hurdles remain: toxicity such as interstitial lung disease, high manufacturing costs, and technical complexity. Still, ADCs epitomize the fusion of biologics and small molecules, and their expansion over the next decade seems inevitable.
Chapter 3｜In vivo CAR-T — The Future of Cellular Immunotherapy
Conventional CAR-T therapy involves extracting T cells, genetically modifying them ex vivo, and reinfusing them—a process limited by cost and time. In vivo CAR-T, by contrast, aims to induce CAR-T cells directly inside the patient, bypassing external manufacturing.
Vectors include viral systems as well as mRNA-LNP technologies, the latter accelerated by the success of COVID-19 vaccines. Biotechs such as Capstan Therapeutics and Kyverna, alongside pharma leaders like Novartis and BMS, are pursuing this approach aggressively.
Though still largely preclinical, promising results have been observed in hematologic cancers, with solid tumor trials on the horizon. Regulators such as the FDA have signaled openness to expedited review, framing In vivo CAR-T as a potential “second-generation cell therapy.”
Chapter 4｜Comparing the Three Modalities
While anti-obesity drugs, ADCs, and In vivo CAR-T target different diseases and rely on distinct platforms, they share a common trait: each emerged by breaking past the limitations of conventional medicine.
- Anti-obesity drugs: Expanding the scope of metabolic disease therapy
- ADCs: Refining targeted therapy through antibody–drug fusion
- In vivo CAR-T: Overcoming ex vivo limitations via in-body engineering
Though their paths differ, all three modalities represent a redefinition of therapeutic paradigms.
Chapter 5｜Shared Challenges
Despite their differences, these modalities face overlapping challenges:
- Safety: Long-term toxicity in obesity drugs, off-target effects in ADCs, cytokine storms in CAR-T
- Cost and access: High prices limiting adoption
- Target specificity: Difficulty in identifying ideal targets
- Societal acceptance: Ethical debates around cosmetic use or gene-modified therapies
These issues transcend science and touch upon healthcare economics, regulation, and cultural norms, making them challenges for medicine and society alike.
Chapter 6｜From Beginner to Intermediate and Beyond
Although framed as an introductory series, readers exploring anti-obesity drugs, ADCs, and In vivo CAR-T inevitably engaged with cutting-edge issues. This progression mirrors the natural shift from basic understanding to professional-level insight.
The next installment (Part 2) will integrate bispecific antibodies alongside these three modalities, moving from individual technical understanding to a panoramic view of the future therapeutic landscape.
Conclusion｜The Perspective Gained
The greatest lesson of the series is that medical innovation is not just about new drugs—it redefines therapeutic frameworks and reshapes society’s relationship with disease. Anti-obesity drugs, ADCs, and In vivo CAR-T each exemplify this transformative power. For readers, the series has served as a bridge from beginner knowledge to intermediate and advanced perspectives.
Next in the Series
Part 2 of the Grand Summary will incorporate bispecific antibodies, synthesizing all four modalities into a holistic vision of next-generation therapies. It will explore convergence, complementarity, and competition, offering a true culmination of the Summer Beginner Series.
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This article was edited by the Morningglorysciences team.
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