Antibody phage display libraries: contributions to oncology

Carmela Dantas-Barbosa1, Marcelo De Macedo Brigido2, Andrea Queiroz Maranhao2

  • 1Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052-CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cheney D, 28 Rue Laënnec, 69373 Lyon Cedex 08, France.

Insights

Phage display technology identifies tumor-targeting antibodies for cancer research and clinical trials. This high-throughput method screens antibody libraries to find binders for tumor markers and angiogenesis, aiding in diagnostics and therapeutics.

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Immunology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Phage display technology, established in 1985, utilizes antibody libraries on phage surfaces for molecular recognition.
  • This high-throughput screening method enables the identification of specific binders against diverse targets, including cancer cells and serum markers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the application of phage display technology in identifying tumor-targeting antibodies.
  • To highlight antibodies used as probes for molecular imaging and in clinical trials for cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Screening of billions of random fusion antibodies against tumoral cells or soluble markers.
  • Utilizing protein microarrays in conjunction with phage display for autoantibody identification in patient sera.

Main Results:

  • Identification of numerous phage display-derived binders targeting key tumor markers and unknown tumoral antigens.
  • Discovery of multiple antibody molecules targeting angiogenesis, with one (ramucirumab) progressing through extensive clinical trials.

Conclusions:

  • Phage display is a powerful tool for discovering cancer-related antibodies, including diagnostic and therapeutic agents.
  • Advancements in phage display methods facilitate the use of patient samples and the development of novel cancer therapies and imaging probes.