monoclonals
Identical therapeutic antibodies
Monoclonals is shorthand for monoclonal antibodies—laboratory-produced molecules engineered to target specific proteins in the body.
They're used to treat cancers, autoimmune diseases, and infections: The doctor recommended monoclonals for her rheumatoid arthritis.
Drug names often end in -mab: rituximab, adalimumab.
During COVID-19, monoclonal antibody treatments became widely discussed.
Protective blood proteins
- epitopeAntibody binding region
- antigenImmune response inducer
- Y-shapedForked at one end
- bindingLegally or morally required
specificity · heavy chain · hybridoma · neutralizing · isotype · affinity · avidity · humanized
Fused immortal antibody-producer
- bioreactorsTanks for biological reactions
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- bioprocessingManufacturing via living organisms
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
transfection · scale-up · chromatography · recombinant · biosynthesis · perfusion
Uncontrolled cell proliferation disease
- tumorsAbnormal tissue masses
- lymphomaCancer from immune cells
- leukemiaMalignancy of blood-forming tissues
- melanomaAggressive pigment-cell cancer
carcinoma · HER2 · targeted therapy · antitumor · metastasis · remission · combination therapy
Steeping to extract essence
- injectionSyringe-delivered dose
- subcutaneousBelow the skin
- intravenousInto the vein
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
FDA approval · clinical trials · efficacy · side effects · biosimilars · pharmacokinetics · half-life · adverse reactions
Autoimmune joint disease
- psoriasisImmune system attacks skin cells
- Crohn's diseaseChronic intestinal inflammation disorder
- ulcerative colitisInflammatory bowel condition with sores
- multiple sclerosisAutoimmune demyelinating neurological disease
lupus · interleukin · inflammation · immunosuppression · flare · biologics · disease-modifying
Exactly the same
- uniformIdentical throughout
- homogeneousAlike in composition throughout
- specificityExactness of detail
- standardizedMade uniform across cases
immunoglobulins
Protective blood proteins
binding · specificity · heavy chain · hybridoma · neutralizing · isotype · affinity · avidity · humanized · chimeric
hybridoma
Fused immortal antibody-producer
- bioreactorsTanks for biological reactions
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- bioprocessingManufacturing via living organisms
purification · transfection · scale-up · chromatography · recombinant · biosynthesis · perfusion
cancer
Uncontrolled cell proliferation disease
- tumorsAbnormal tissue masses
- lymphomaCancer from immune cells
- leukemiaMalignancy of blood-forming tissues
melanoma · carcinoma · HER2 · targeted therapy · antitumor · metastasis · remission · combination therapy
infusion
Steeping to extract essence
- injectionSyringe-delivered dose
- subcutaneousBelow the skin
- intravenousInto the vein
dosage · FDA approval · clinical trials · efficacy · side effects · biosimilars · pharmacokinetics · half-life · adverse reactions · indication
rheumatoid arthritis
Autoimmune joint disease
- psoriasisImmune system attacks skin cells
- Crohn's diseaseChronic intestinal inflammation disorder
- ulcerative colitisInflammatory bowel condition with sores
multiple sclerosis · lupus · interleukin · inflammation · immunosuppression · flare · biologics · disease-modifying
identical
Exactly the same
- uniformIdentical throughout
- homogeneousAlike in composition throughout
- specificityExactness of detail
- monoclonal antibodiesIdentical lab-cloned immune proteins
- monoclonal antibodyEngineered protein from cloned cells