Recombinant monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (or mAbs) are large heterodimeric molecules composed of two different polypeptide chains  the heavy and the light chains.  MAbs are used in therapy predominantly for oncology or arthritis, immune and inflammatory disorders and are being developed for a broader range of indications.

Monoclonal drug development has seen four major antibody types developed: murine, chimeric, humanised and human.  Chimeric and humanized antibodies have generally replaced murine antibodies in modern therapeutic antibody applications.