Essential Questions to ask if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma ***IMPORTANT***

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)

Posted on: October 25, 2023 *Updated on: May 27, 2024

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a type of bioengineered molecule that can mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful pathogens, including cancer cells. While monoclonal antibodies are used in the treatment of various diseases including infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and different types of cancer, their application in the treatment of mesothelioma is a specialized area of interest.

Mechanism of Action

Monoclonal antibodies are engineered to be highly specific to a particular antigen, usually a protein on the surface of cancer cells. Once they bind to these specific molecules, they can either inhibit the cancer cell’s ability to grow and spread or they can “mark” the cancer cell for destruction by other elements of the immune system. Additionally, some monoclonal antibodies are conjugated with toxins, drugs, or radioactive substances to directly kill the cancer cells they attach to.

Examples

  1. LMB-100: This is a recombinant immunotoxin designed to target mesothelin, a cell surface glycoprotein highly expressed in mesothelioma. It combines a fragment of an anti-mesothelin antibody with a bacterial toxin (PE38). Once it binds to mesothelin, the toxin component is internalized, ultimately killing the cell.
  2. Ramucirumab: This monoclonal antibody targets the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). By binding to VEGFR2, it inhibits the binding of vascular endothelial growth factors, thus limiting blood supply to the tumor, which in turn can slow down or stop tumor growth.
  3. Anetumab Ravtansine: This is an antibody-drug conjugate that targets mesothelin and is linked to a toxic molecule. Once it binds to the mesothelin on the surface of mesothelioma cells, the toxic molecule is internalized and released, leading to the death of the cell.

Challenges and Ongoing Research

  1. Specificity: While monoclonal antibodies are designed to be highly specific, there is always a risk of off-target effects, which could harm normal, healthy cells.
  2. Resistance: Over time, tumors can develop resistance to treatment, including monoclonal antibodies.
  3. Cost: These therapies are often expensive to produce, which can limit their accessibility.
  4. Clinical Trials: Many of these antibodies are still in the experimental stage and are being studied for their safety and effectiveness.

Conclusion

The use of monoclonal antibodies in treating mesothelioma is an exciting development that offers another therapeutic avenue for this challenging disease. However, more research is required to optimize these treatments for safety and efficacy.