Monoclonal Antibodies: Historical Perspective and Current Trends in Biological Drug Development

Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, play a key role in the body's immune response, binding to specific molecular targets. Of the five classes of antibodies, IgG has found the greatest clinical application. The article presents the mechanisms of antibody action, including interactions with FcR receptors on leukocytes, complement activation, and direct cytotoxic interactions, as well as the main methods of antibody production, which include hybridoma technology, phage display, and production using transgenic animals and their modifications, which allowed for the production of antibodies with reduced immunogenicity and increased their effectiveness and safety of use. It also characterizes various types of antibodies and presents the differences between them resulting from the structure and content of individual protein domains encoded by human genes and genes from other species. Antibodies are currently one of the most important groups of biological drugs used in the treatment of autoimmune, infectious, and neoplastic diseases. The properties of these large biomolecules and the achievements in the field of obtaining and modifying antibodies mean that they are currently the subject of many studies. New forms of antibodies, such as antibody-drug conjugates with highly potent cytotoxic agents, bispecific antibodies, and nanobodies, demonstrate an innovative approach to the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The dynamic development of the antibody market indicates its growing importance in modern pharmacy and medicine. Further research in this area may lead to the development of more effective and precise therapies, as well as to increase the safety of their use.