Antibody conjugation has been a major breakthrough as regards the treatment of different conditions. Most of the benefits have been seen in cancer treatment. In this process, an antibody is linked to a pharmacological agent to facilitate the delivery of the latter to a desired site of action. The complex molecule is termed an antibody drug complex (ADC) and thus form of treatment is one of the many forms of targeted therapy.
There are a number of advantages that can be attributed to the use of conjugate antibodies. Perhaps the most important is the fact that there is some degree of synergism between these two components of the complex. Side effects associated with the use of chemotherapeutic agents are a very common occurrence. This is mainly due to the inability of the chemotherapeutic agents to differentiate the cancerous cells from the normal ones. With the use of the ADCs, however, the distinguishing ability is greatly enhanced.
The science that is involved in the process is rather complex but we will try to understand the main steps that take place. The main requirements for the process are a chemotherapeutic agent (cell toxin) and monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies have specific targets in the body. Each type of tumour secretes unique substances known as tumour markers and these can be easily targeted.
Once the complex is delivered into the blood stream, it identifies the cancerous cells and links with them through the monoclonal antibodies. Tumour markers expressed on the cancer cells act as antigens. A signal is then transmitted to the inside of the cell and this results in the absorption of the ADC. The drug disintegrates and causes cellular destruction at this point.
It is important that the link between the two components is stable. There are many types of links that exist including peptides, disulfides and thioethers. The peptides and the disulfides are cleavable while the thioethers are non-cleavable. Both types have been shown to be safe through clinical trials. The ADCs that are available commercially may either fall in either category. Those that have cleavable links are usually combined with some type of an enzyme.
There are a number of other applications other than drug delivery. Radionuclide agents have been delivered to target cells in very much the same way. This technique is popularly known as radioimmunotherapy and carries numerous advantages over conventional radiotherapy. For instance, the high specificity for targets has resulted in way fewer side effects than was the case in the past. It is also an effective method for treatment of metastatic disease.
There are a number of disadvantages that users should be aware of. One of the disadvantages is the fact that tumours have tested for antigens before the development of antibodies. This requires technical skill that is not always available and is a very expensive undertaking. The other disadvantage is that some degree of dilution takes place and the doses that reach the target tissue may not be sufficiently lethal to cause destruction.
Antibody conjugation is a process that has gone a long way into changing the way in which therapies are delivered. There have been huge efforts aimed at reducing the associated disadvantages and enhancing the potency of the drugs at the site of action. It is now being incorporated into preventive medicine.
There are a number of advantages that can be attributed to the use of conjugate antibodies. Perhaps the most important is the fact that there is some degree of synergism between these two components of the complex. Side effects associated with the use of chemotherapeutic agents are a very common occurrence. This is mainly due to the inability of the chemotherapeutic agents to differentiate the cancerous cells from the normal ones. With the use of the ADCs, however, the distinguishing ability is greatly enhanced.
The science that is involved in the process is rather complex but we will try to understand the main steps that take place. The main requirements for the process are a chemotherapeutic agent (cell toxin) and monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies have specific targets in the body. Each type of tumour secretes unique substances known as tumour markers and these can be easily targeted.
Once the complex is delivered into the blood stream, it identifies the cancerous cells and links with them through the monoclonal antibodies. Tumour markers expressed on the cancer cells act as antigens. A signal is then transmitted to the inside of the cell and this results in the absorption of the ADC. The drug disintegrates and causes cellular destruction at this point.
It is important that the link between the two components is stable. There are many types of links that exist including peptides, disulfides and thioethers. The peptides and the disulfides are cleavable while the thioethers are non-cleavable. Both types have been shown to be safe through clinical trials. The ADCs that are available commercially may either fall in either category. Those that have cleavable links are usually combined with some type of an enzyme.
There are a number of other applications other than drug delivery. Radionuclide agents have been delivered to target cells in very much the same way. This technique is popularly known as radioimmunotherapy and carries numerous advantages over conventional radiotherapy. For instance, the high specificity for targets has resulted in way fewer side effects than was the case in the past. It is also an effective method for treatment of metastatic disease.
There are a number of disadvantages that users should be aware of. One of the disadvantages is the fact that tumours have tested for antigens before the development of antibodies. This requires technical skill that is not always available and is a very expensive undertaking. The other disadvantage is that some degree of dilution takes place and the doses that reach the target tissue may not be sufficiently lethal to cause destruction.
Antibody conjugation is a process that has gone a long way into changing the way in which therapies are delivered. There have been huge efforts aimed at reducing the associated disadvantages and enhancing the potency of the drugs at the site of action. It is now being incorporated into preventive medicine.
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