BusinessJuly 6, 2026

conjugate

/ˈkɒn.dʒʊ.ɡeɪt/

Definition

In biochemistry, to chemically link two distinct molecules together—such as a therapeutic drug payload and an antibody—to create a unified substance.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'conjugatus', the past participle of 'conjugare', meaning 'to yoke or join together.' The term entered English in the 16th century, originally relating to grammar before being adopted by scientific fields to describe the pairing of chemical entities.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which are specialized cancer therapies that combine an antibody's targeting ability with a potent tumor-killing payload. This combination is central to the innovative medical platform being acquired by Novartis.

Brandon Capital Announces Agreement for Novartis to Acquire Portfolio Company Myricx Bio to Advance New Class of Cancer Therapeutics

Read the full article ↗

markets.businessinsider.com

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.