[Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for hematological diseases]

Over the past decade, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been demonstrated to be powerful therapeutic options for hematological diseases. MAbs exert selective therapeutic effects through binding specific molecules, which can minimize the frequency and magnitude of their adverse effects. The major mechanisms of the cytotoxic activity by mAbs against hematological malignancies are complement-dependent cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). To enhance the ADCC activity, the defucosylated version of mAbs have been developed to enhance their binding ability to Fcgamma receptor IIIa. Antibody-drug conjugates and radiolabeled mAbs are also designed to selectively kill tumor cells. Owing to the recent innovation of mAb generation and modification techniques, we can expect more benefical mAbs with diverse functions as important therapeutic strategies.