Coming-of-Age of Antibodies in Cancer Therapeutics

Abstract

Antibody-based therapies have garnered considerable success in recent years. This is due to the availability of strategies to successfully engineer antibodies into humanized forms, better understanding of the biological processes involved in cancer development, the availability of novel recombinant antibody formats, better antibody selection platforms, and improved antibody conjugation methodologies. Such achievements have led to an explosion in the generation of antibodies and antibody-associated constructs for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. In this review, we critically assess recent trends in the development and applications of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs), antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as cancer therapeutics. We also highlight recent US FDA approvals and clinical trials of antibody-based cancer therapies.

Keywords: antibody drug conjugates; antibody-based therapeutics; bispecific antibodies; cancer therapies; immune checkpoint inhibitors.