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Current perspectives on therapeutic antibodies

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Abstract

Since the first monoclonal antibody, muromonab-CD3, was approved for therapeutic use in 1986, numerous molecules have been targeted using therapeutic antibody technology, resulting in 26 therapeutic antibodies being approved by the US FDA as of November, 2009. Initial concerns regarding antibody drugs focused on immunogenicity, short serum half-life, and weak efficacy. As the types of antibodies progressed from murine to chimeric, humanized, and fully human antibodies, great progress has been made in immunogenicity and in vivo instability issues. For example, humanized antibodies, such as bevacizumab, exhibit less than 0.2% immunogenicity and a 20 day serum half-life, which is comparable to native immunoglobulin. Some recently developed antibodies are exceedingly efficacious and have become first-line therapy for their target diseases. Here, we address and analyze all clinically approved therapeutic antibodies to date by discussing immunogenicity, half-life, and efficacy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 110-799, Korea

    Soomin Yoon & Junho Chung

  2. Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Division of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, 443-749, Korea

    Yong-Sung Kim

  3. Department of Life Science and Division of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 120-750, Korea

    Hyunbo Shim

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  1. Soomin Yoon
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  2. Yong-Sung Kim
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  3. Hyunbo Shim
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  4. Junho Chung
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Correspondence to Junho Chung.

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Yoon, S., Kim, YS., Shim, H. et al. Current perspectives on therapeutic antibodies. Biotechnol Bioproc E 15, 709–715 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-009-3113-1

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