Drug carriers, antibodies

Torchilin, V. P., and Klibanov, A. L. The antibody-linked chelating polymers for nuclear therapy and diagnostics. CRC Crit. Rev. Then Drug Carriers Syst. 1991, 7, 275-308. 

Whereas initially the focus on antibody-based therapies was on cancer, anti-TNFa antibodies in particular have recently proven powerful in the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and rhemnatoid arthritis [71], These antibodies complex serum TNFa, the clinical benefit to RA patients most likely being the reduction of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and acute phase protein levels [9], Although they are directed against soluble proteins and as such will not serve as a drug carrier, they do show that targeted, i.e. selective, interference with a specific molecule or process can have a powerful effect without significant concomitant toxicity. 

Whole IgG antibodies with a molecular weight of 150 kDa, are often unable to penetrate tumour tissue as efficiently as smaller molecules [18]. Therefore, smaller antibody fragments and genetically-engineered antibody derivatives have been investigated as drug carriers (see Figure 11.5). These carrier molecules will be discussed in Section 11.8.1. 

Balthasar, S., K. Michaelis, et al. (2005). Preparation and characterisation of antibody modified gelatin nanoparticles as drug carrier system for uptake in lymphocytes. Biomaterials 26(15) 2723-32. 

Moreover, Voinea et al. attached antibodies against vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) overexpressed on activated human endothelial cells on liposomes with the intention of using them as drug carriers [162], A-gluraryl-PE was used as membrane anchor for the antibody coupling via its free amino groups after its activation with carbodiimide. There is no necessity of antibody modification before the coupling reaction. 

Lundberg, B. B., Griffiths, G., and Hansen, H. J. (1999), Conjugation of an anti-B-cell lymphoma monoclonal antibody, LL2, to longcirculating drug-carrier lipid emulsions,... 

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