MABs / Nomenclature
Nomenclature for monoclonal antibodies and fusion proteins
from Ballow (2005) Am. Acad. Allergy Asthma and Immunology
AS WITH MOST PHARMACOLOGY NAMING RULES, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS!!!
Formation of name: [Drug company term] [ Target] [Source Identifier] MAB
Source Identifiers (i.e., species that the product was obtained from) |
General Disease or Target last consonant often dropped to make the name more pronouncable |
Tumours |
u = human |
vir = viral |
col = colon |
o = mouse |
bac = bacterial |
mel = melanoma |
xi = chimeric |
lim = immune |
mar = mammary |
zu = humanized |
les = infectious lesions |
got = testis |
e.g., TRASTUZUMAB is a humanized monoclonal antibody Knowing the source of an antibody allows you to predict the severity of side effects! A notable exception! ABCIXIMAB is a HUMANIZED monoclonal antibody |
cir = cardiovascular |
gov = ovary |
| e.g., ABCIXIMAB is anti-platelet PALIVIZUMAB is anti-viral ADALIMUMAB is a rheumatoid arthritis treatment |
pr(o) = prostate |
|
tum = misc |
||
e.g., ALEMTUZUMAB is a CLL treatment EDRECOLOMAB is used to treat colon cancer |
-
fusion proteins are included in this class of drugs, for example ABATACEPT, ALEFACEPT, ETANERCEPT and RILONACEPT, as well as DENILEUKIN DIFTITUX
- fusion proteins are proteins created through the joining of two or more genes which originally coded for separate proteins
(see drug design)
- the first fusion proteins approved as drugs consisted of the target protein fused to human IgG1 constant regions, which provide stability (i.e., act as a scaffold) but are not designed to evoke an immune system reaction to the fusion protein