Designing antibodies for oncology

The past five years have witnessed the emergence of monoclonal antibodies as important therapeutics for cancer treatment. Lower toxicity for antibodies versus small molecules, the potential for increased efficacy by conjugation to radioisotopes and cellular toxins, or the ability to exploit immune cell functions have led to clinical performances on par or superior to conventional drug therapies. This review outlines the various immunoglobulin design strategies currently available, techniques used to reduce Ig antigenicity and toxicity, and points to consider during the manufacture of antibodies for use in clinical oncology.