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Advances in antibody engineering for rheumatic diseases
1Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland.
Nature Reviews. Rheumatology
|March 1, 2019
Summary
Biologic therapies, especially antibody therapeutics, have transformed rheumatic disease treatment. Advances enable fully human antibodies and novel strategies like armed and bispecific antibodies for targeted inflammation control.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Biologic therapies, particularly antibody therapeutics, have revolutionized rheumatic disease treatment.
- Early antibody discovery involved rodent immunoglobulins; advances now allow fully human antibody generation for improved patient tolerance.
- Antibodies are primarily used to neutralize pro-inflammatory proteins like TNF in rheumatology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution and current applications of antibody therapeutics in rheumatic diseases.
- To highlight advancements in antibody engineering, including armed and bispecific antibodies.
- To discuss the future role of antibody-based therapies in managing rheumatic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on antibody therapeutics in rheumatology.
- Analysis of antibody engineering techniques and their clinical implications.
- Examination of emerging strategies for antibody-based drug development.
Main Results:
- Fully human antibodies offer better tolerability compared to rodent-derived ones.
- Antibodies function as blocking agents neutralizing pro-inflammatory proteins (e.g., TNF).
- Novel strategies include armed antibodies (with drugs/cytokines) and bispecific antibodies for multi-target inhibition.
Conclusions:
- Antibody therapeutics are a cornerstone in treating rheumatic diseases, with significant global sales.
- Engineered antibodies, including armed and bispecific formats, represent the future of targeted inflammation therapy.
- Continued innovation in antibody development will further enhance treatment efficacy and selectivity for rheumatic conditions.
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