Scale-Up of Antibody Purification

Recent developments of highly specific biotherapeutics are mainly based on immunoaffinity mechanisms. After ups and downs of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) these molecules are now gaining respect again. Among the “Top Twenty” biopharmaceuticals the number of antibodies and related products is increasing. In the pipeline of new biological entities most of the molecules either are murine monoclonal antibodies, chimeric monoclonal antibodies, humanized monoclonal antibodies, or human monoclonal antibodies. Examples of approved monoclonal antibodies which have already a multi-million dollar market volume are the chimeric monoclonal antibodies ReoPro and Remicade (Johnson & Johnson/Centocor), Simulect (Novartis), and IDEC’s Zevlin, the human or humanized antibodies Humira (Abbott), Herceptin (Genentech/Roche), Zenapax (Roche/PDL), Mylotarg (Celltech/Wyeth), Campath (Ilex/Schering), Xanelim (Genentech/Xoma) and Avastin (Genentech) or the murine derived antibodies Bexxar (Corixa/GSK), Rituxan (IDEC/Genentech) and Orthoclone (Johnson & Johnson).