VERITAS: Harnessing the power of nomenclature in biologic discovery

We are entering an era in which therapeutic proteins are assembled using building block-like strategies, with no standardized schema to discuss these formats. Existing nomenclatures, like AbML, sacrifice human readability for precision. Therefore, considering even a dozen such formats, in combination with hundreds of possible targets, can create confusion and increase the complexity of drug discovery. To address this challenge, we introduce Verified Taxonomy for Antibodies (VERITAS). This classification and nomenclature scheme is extensible to multispecific therapeutic formats and beyond. VERITAS names are easy to understand while drawing direct connections to the structure of a given format, with or without specific target information, making these names useful to adopt in scientific discourse and as inputs to machine learning algorithms for drug development.

Automated summary

We are transitioning into an era where therapeutic proteins are constructed using building block-like strategies, but there is no standardized protocol for discussing these formats. Existing nomenclatures sacrifice readability for precision, causing confusion and complexity in drug discovery. To overcome this challenge, VERITAS is introduced as a flexible classification and naming scheme for antibodies, adaptable to various therapeutic formats. VERITAS names are user-friendly and directly reflect the structure of a format, making them valuable in scientific discourse and drug development algorithms.