Exp Mol Med.  2011 Oct;43(10):539-549. 10.3858/emm.2011.43.10.063.

One target, different effects: a comparison of distinct therapeutic antibodies against the same targets

• Shim H

• KMID: 1123366
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3858/emm.2011.43.10.063

Abstract

To date, more than 30 antibodies have been approved worldwide for therapeutic use. While the monoclonal antibody market is rapidly growing, the clinical use of therapeutic antibodies is mostly limited to treatment of cancers and immunological disorders. Moreover, antibodies against only five targets (TNF-alpha, HER2, CD20, EGFR, and VEGF) account for more than 80 percent of the worldwide market of therapeutic antibodies. The shortage of novel, clinically proven targets has resulted in the development of many distinct therapeutic antibodies against a small number of proven targets, based on the premise that different antibody molecules against the same target antigen have distinct biological and clinical effects from one another. For example, four antibodies against TNF-alpha have been approved by the FDA -- infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, and certolizumab pegol -- with many more in clinical and preclinical development. The situation is similar for HER2, CD20, EGFR, and VEGF, each having one or more approved antibodies and many more under development. This review discusses the different binding characteristics, mechanisms of action, and biological and clinical activities of multiple monoclonal antibodies against TNF-alpha, HER-2, CD20, and EGFR and provides insights into the development of therapeutic antibodies.

Keyword

antibodies, monoclonal; antigens, CD20; pharmacology; receptor, epidermal growth factor; receptor, erbB-2; tumor necrosis factor-alpha

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antibodies, Monoclonal/*pharmacology/therapeutic use
Antigens, CD20/immunology
Drug Discovery
Humans
Immune System Diseases/*drug therapy/immunology
*Immunotherapy/trends
*Molecular Targeted Therapy
Neoplasms/*drug therapy/immunology
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor/immunology
Receptor, erbB-2/immunology
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology
United States
United States Food and Drug Administration
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/immunology