[What is biotherapy? The monoclonal antibody case]

Biotherapy is the use of molecules derived from living organisms, cells, or even tissues for therapy. It is based on the exploitation of recent new insights of various biological mechanisms and relies heavily on a sophisticated cellular and molecular expertise. One of the major tools of biotherapy is currently monoclonal antibodies and derived products, whose are the subject of the present issue. Monoclonal antibodies have become major therapeutic drugs for treating a number of diseases, thanks to a remarkable molecular engineering. The success of the first generation of monoclonal antibodies opens the way to new challenges such as antibody functional optimization, better control of unwanted side effects, or low cost production at an industrial scale. A new generation of antibodies is now emerging and one can already foresee the future: oligoclonal approaches based on the use of specific antibodies cocktails, selection of eligible patients, antibody production at low costs... To date, up to 22 monoclonal antibodies are on the market, with more than two hundred being evaluated in clinical trials.