Therapeutic applications of monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies drive the development of multibillion dollar biotechnology industry. Many of the pharmaceuticals companies have entered monoclonal antibodies sector, attracted by quicker and less costly development, higher success rates, premium pricing, and potentially reduced threats from generics. The ideal treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should be safe, produce sustained disease remission and stop radiological damage after a brief course of treatment. If repeated treatments are necessary, they must be safe and economical to use in the long term. It is against these criteria that new treatments for RA, including mAb, should and will be assessed. Monoclonal antibodies are used in the treatment of cancer, including leukemia, colorectal cancer, breast cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, RA, ischemic heart disease and transplant rejection.