[Cancer therapy using bispecific antibodies]

Bispecific antibodies comprise two antigen-binding sites that recognize different antigens or epitopes. Blinatumomab, a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) that lacks the Fc portion, recognizes CD19 on B tumor cells and CD3 on T cells and induces the T cell-mediated killing of the B tumor cells. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of blinatumomab for the treatment of precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with minimal residual disease and relapsed/refractory ALL. Various bispecific antibodies have been developed, including BiTEs that target surface molecules on myeloma cells or intracellular antigens presented on the major histocompatibility complex and Fc portion-containing bispecific antibodies that have a potent T cell-activating capacity and a long half-life. These efforts could lead to the development of potent, off-the-shelf bispecific antibodies for the treatment of a broad array of hematological malignancies.