Targeting Cancer With Therapeutic Antibodies

Ongoing advances in the understanding of cancer biology and the emergence of next-generation sequencing technologies have accelerated the identification of molecular drivers of cancer and the search for antibody-based agents to block them. Molecularly targeted therapies are formidable weapons in the fight against cancer, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in particular have emerged as a major targeted treatment strategy because of their ability to preferentially attack molecules responsible for cancer cell growth and survival while leaving healthy cells relatively unscathed.

Innovations in the biomanufacturing processes for developing these therapies have enabled commercial-scale production with efficiencies that were previously unattainable. As the demand for mAbs grows, the pressure on pharma companies to bring new products to market more quickly is growing as well. But streamlining the development of therapeutic mAb candidates requires overcoming some of the unique challenges associated with antibody production. Some key considerations include finding ways to decrease the time it takes to get to human trials by leveraging technology to accelerate the early development stages and pursuing careful construction and parallelization of drug substance and drug product activities.

Process and product development complexities constrain the speed at which a new therapeutic mAb can reach the market. To manage the opposing pressures, manufacturers must carefully and constantly balance cost, risk, and speed without sacrificing quality. Explore considerations for antibody therapy development as this whitepaper identifies the key challenges faced at each stage of mAb development and provides guidance for streamlining pipeline progress of therapeutic mAb candidates.