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Bispecific Antibodies

Bispecific antibodies may play a role in tumor cell apoptosis. Learn more about how they interact with T cells.

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What Are Bispecific Antibodies?
T-Cell–Engaging Bispecific Antibody
Abbreviations

What Are Bispecific Antibodies?

Bispecific antibodies are designed to recognize and bind either to two different1-4:

  • Antigens on the same cell or different cells, OR
  • Epitopes on a single target antigen

References

  1. Dahlén E, et al. Ther Advances Vacc Immunother. 2018;6(1):3-17. doi:10.1177/​2515135518763280
  2. Sedykh SE, et al. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2018;12:195–208. doi:10.2147/​DDDT.S151282
  3. Kontermann RE, Brinkmann U. Drug Discov Today. 2015;20(7):838-847. doi:10.1016/​j.drudis.2015.02.008
  4. Krishnamurthy A, Jimeno A. Pharmacol Ther. 2018;185:122–134. doi:10.1016/​j.pharmthera.2017.12.002

T-Cell–Engaging Bispecific Antibody

An example of a bispecific antibody is a T-cell–engaging bispecific antibody. These antibodies are designed/engineered to target CD3, a component of the TCR complex on the surface of cytotoxic T cells, and a cell surface antigen on the target tumor cell.1-4,a

Binding to CD3 on T-cells and the target tumor cell may lead to2-4:

1 Activation and proliferation of T cells

2 Secretion of cytotoxic granules

3 Apoptosis of target tumor cell

Bispecific Antibodies May Impact Various Steps of the Cancer-Immunity Cycle

Binding to CD3 on T-cells and the target antigen on tumor cells is thought to trigger T cell activation and proliferation, leading to secretion of cytotoxic granules and tumor cell apoptosis

Footnote

  1. Non-cancerous cells containing the antigen may also be targeted.

References

  1. Ferl GZ, et al. Clin Transl Sci. 2018;11(3):296-304. doi:10.1111/​cts.12535
  2. Sun LL, et al. Sci Transl Med. 2015;7(287):287ra70. doi:10.1126/​scitranslmed.aaa4802
  3. Bacac M, et al. Clin Cancer Res. 2018;24(19):4785-4797. doi:10.1158/​1078-0432.CCR-18-0455
  4. Dieckmann NM, et al. J Cell Sci. 2016;129(15):2881-2886. doi:10.1242/​jcs.186205

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