Rabbit Monoclonal Antibodies Now Available for Use in Cancer-Related Research

Cancer researchers now have access to 23 novel, cancer-related rabbit monoclonal antibodies that have been released to the commercial market.

The antibodies are the fruit of cooperation between the [US] National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD, USA) and the biotechnology company Epitomics, Inc. (Burlingame, CA, USA). Epitomics has developed a unique and proprietary method for making monoclonal antibodies from rabbits rather than the conventional method of starting with mice.

The basic principal for making the antibody is the same as for mouse monoclonal antibodies. Proprietary rabbit fusion-partner cells fuse to rabbit B-cells to create rabbit hybridoma cells. Hybridomas are then screened to select for clones with specific and sensitive antigen recognition, and the antibodies are characterized using a variety of methods. The rabbit immune system generates antibody diversity and optimizes affinity by mechanisms that are more efficient than those of mice and other rodents. This increases the possibility of obtaining a functional antibody that will work in a variety of applications.

This technology - combined with the expertise of researchers at the National Cancer Institute – has produced a line of 23 rabbit monoclonal antibodies that should be of use to cancer investigators. The antibodies are available for purchase in the United States directly through Epitomics and around the world through Epitomics’ international distributors. The collaborators plan to develop another 20 antibodies for commercial release over the next two years.

“We are very excited to see the progress we have made in developing several key antibodies with National Cancer Institute investigators and look forward to continuing working with them to develop high quality rabbit monoclonal antibodies,” said Dr. Guo-Liang Yu, CEO of Epitomics, Inc.

Related Links:
National Cancer Institute
Epitomics, Inc.