Therapeutic antibodies are precisely targeted biopharmaceuticals that recognize and bind to a cell surface antigen and then trigger a biological response. The therapeutic antibody may itself be the drug, or may be a carrier to target a potent drug to specific cells. After binding to the target antigen, the therapeutic antibody may perform one of several functions: activate cell membrane receptors and change the cell’s function, block the growth of a tumor, recruit the body’s immune system to attack the cell, or sensitize a cancer cell to chemotherapy.
