Antibodies are outstanding tools for therapeutic and diagnosis purposes. Besides their extensive use as recognition elements for diagnostic systems, antibodies have established themselves as major tools to treat cancer but also other chronic and metabolic diseases. The highly specific recognition properties, the potential the inhibitory effect of the antibody for its target and the subsequent recruitment of immune system, give to immunotherapies outstanding successes compared to small molecule drugs.
In this context the engineering of antibodies and their GMP production is a path to go event further an alleviate such large biomolecules limitations. Antibodies can be modified thanks to a range of bioorthogonal chemical reactions to get ADC (antibody drug conjugates) or conjugates with polymers or probes to improve their stability or to give them imaging properties for theranostic applications. Alternatives to classical IgG will be also presented such as chimeras, nanobodies, and ongoing research on aptamers and artificial antibodies such molecularly imprinted polymers.
- Enseignant: Chardes Thierry