Antibody-based therapies for emerging infectious diseases

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Historical use of immune sera for infectious diseases in the 19th century.
• Abandonment of serum therapy in the 1940s due to toxicity and emergence of antimicrobial chemotherapy.
• Advancements in monoclonal antibody production enabling renewed interest in antibody-based therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the potential of antibody-based therapies for infectious diseases.
• To highlight the advantages and disadvantages of modern antibody therapies.
• To explore the role of antibodies against newly emergent pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical data on serum therapy.
• Analysis of recent technological advancements in monoclonal antibody production.
• Evaluation of antibody therapy characteristics: versatility, toxicity, specificity, immune function enhancement, pharmacokinetics, cost, and diagnostic requirements.

Main Results:

• Modern monoclonal antibody technology overcomes historical toxicity issues of serum therapy.
• Antibody-based therapies offer versatility, low toxicity, pathogen specificity, and immune enhancement.
• Potential drawbacks include high cost, limitations in treating mixed infections, and reliance on accurate diagnostics.

Conclusions:

• Antibody-based therapies represent a promising, low-toxicity approach for infectious disease treatment.
• The full potential of antibodies as anti-infective agents remains largely untapped.
• Antibody therapies are a valuable option for combating newly emergent pathogens.