Since the invention of monoclonal antibodies in the 1970s, the antibody as a therapeutic has variously inspired great hope and equally great disappointment. Initially, the ability to produce monoclonals provoked visions of antibodies that would bind tightly and specifically to therapeutic targets of interest. It was thought that antibodies would revolutionize cancer treatment, in particular, by specifically targeting markers unique to tumour cells while sparing normal tissue. Yet, after the initial romance, feelings towards antibodies as therapeutics turned sour. Not only were unique tumour markers difficult to define, but the effects of the antibodies themselves were more complicated than initially anticipated. In the past 20 years, however, intense research efforts in antibody generation, selection and engineering have finally yielded products that have reached the market, with many more in the clinic. Moreover, antibodies are filling unique therapeutic roles in areas as diverse as cancer, inflammatory disorders and immunosuppression.
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