What is a monoclonal antibody treatment?
Quick Answer
A monoclonal antibody treatment uses lab-made antibodies designed to bind one specific target. It can be used to prevent or treat some infections and diseases.
The Full Story
Monoclonal antibodies are copies of a single type of antibody produced in the lab. They can be engineered to target a virus, toxin, or a marker on cancer cells with high precision. In infectious disease, some monoclonal antibodies have been used for prevention, such as protecting high-risk infants against RSV. They can also be used in cancer and autoimmune medicine, but they are not vaccines because they provide direct antibodies rather than teaching the immune system to make them. Their development transformed modern medicine after the first approved monoclonal antibody drugs in the 1980s.
Key Facts
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