Humanized antibodies

Hybridoma technology enabled rodent monoclonal antibodies to be created against human pathogens and cells, but these had limited clinical utility. Protein engineering, reviewed here by Greg Winter and William Harris, is now generating antibodies for treatment of infectious disease, autoimmune disease and cancer by 'humanizing' rodent antibodies. Humanized antibodies have improved pharmacokinetics, reduced immunogenicity and have been used to clinical advantage.