Engineered antibodies act as targeted therapies in cancer treatment

Over the last two decades cancer cure rates have not gone up as expected, and the effectiveness of chemotherapy has reached a plateau. This has prompted a search for targeted therapies with higher efficacy and lesser toxicities. Monoclonal antibodies against cancer cells offer targeted therapies with little or no toxicities against normal tissues. In this review we will discuss the concepts behind the development of monoclonal antibodies in cancer and their present status in the clinic. Specifically, we will discuss the clinical use of Rituximab (RituxanÓ), Trastuzumab (HerceptinÓ) and Bevacizumab (AvastinÓ) in various cancers and the key clinical trials that have led to their incorporation in cancer therapeutics.