Autologous Production: The Future of Sustainable Antibody Treatments

Antibody gene transfer offers a promising solution to the high cost and frequent administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), enabling the body to produce its own drugs economically and sustainably. This review addresses the challenges faced by antibody therapies, including economic and environmental impacts, as well as patient-related issues such as efficacy and tolerance. We propose that direct in vivo protein production, or autologous production, via plasmid DNA (pDNA) injection may address some of these challenges. This pDNA-based strategy provides a cost-effective alternative while maintaining flexibility and adaptability for various proteins, making it suitable for a wide range of pathological contexts. Additionally, gene therapy with plasmids could reduce the need for frequent injections, improving patient compliance. In this review, we provide an overview of the pioneering studies that introduced the use of pDNA for in vivo protein production. We focus on key factors for successful autologous production, such as plasmid design, vectorization, and methods of administration. Finally, we explore various applications where autologous production could serve as a promising alternative for therapeutic antibody treatments.