Uses of antibody-based biologics. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01296
Fc-mediated antibody effector functions play an important role in the humoral immune response and form a necessary link between innate and adaptive immunity. The constant (Fc) region is the tail portion of an antibody that interacts with other components of the immune system, such as immune cells and complement proteins. Well-known functions include opsonization, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), and complement activation.
During last week’s Fc-Mediated Function Summit, researchers explored various aspects of Fc-mediated functions, such as the pathophysiology of FcRn, targeting FcγR for antibody-based immunotherapy, and innovative drug design with Fc Factor 8. The use of Fc biology was clearly demonstrated to have high potential in advancing molecular development, clinical utility, and novel therapeutic applications.
A study published this month in Nature explores influenza antibody breadth and effector functions as immune correlates from acquisition of pandemic infection of children. In the study, Jia et al. describes how cross-reactive antibodies with FcR effector functions could lessen pandemic virus impact in the absence of neutralizing antibodies. Their results show that seasonal vaccination is beneficial against pandemic influenza viruses.
Also related to pandemics, a journal pre-proof by Severa et al. highlights how Fc-mediated regulation of antiviral and inflammatory responses, in absence of viral replication, might positively tune immune response during SARS-CoV-2 infection. It may also be exploited in monoclonal antibody-based therapeutic and prophylactic strategies against viral infections.
This report aims to explore the events and trends of the biopharmaceutical industry in Q2 (April, May, June). Besides crovalimab and Vyloy, two more novel antibody drugs have been approved this year
These past few weeks, several antibody drug startups have progressed from the pre-seed stage to final funding rounds. In the pre-seed stage, the focus is on early research, often funded by founders, grants, or angel investors. As the company progresses to the seed stage, it seeks additional funding to validate its scientific concept and develop initial prototypes, attracting early-stage venture capital.
In August, the US FDA approved Galderma’s Nemluvio (nemolizumab) for adult patients living with prurigo nodularis (PN). Nemluvio is the first approved monoclonal antibody specifically inhibiting the signaling of IL-31, a neuroimmune cytokine that drives multiple disease mechanisms in (PN). Prurigo nodularis is a chronic skin condition that affects approximately 181,000 patients in the United States
Anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) are immune system proteins that can develop in response to therapeutic drugs, particularly biologics like monoclonal antibodies. These biopharmaceuticals have significantly advanced therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, but their long-term use can elicit immunogenicity due to repeated administration. The host immune system may recognize epitopes in the biologic drug as foreign, triggering the production of ADAs. This can lead to the formation of drug–ADA immune complexes, which accelerate drug clearance and potentially neutralize the drug's efficacy.
