polyclonal xeno-antibody (anti-melanoma)

Polyclonal xeno-antibody (anti-melanoma) refers to a class of immunotherapeutic agents produced by immunizing animals (typically horses, goats, or rabbits) with human melanoma cells or purified melanoma-associated antigens (MAAs). The resulting serum contains a heterogeneous mixture of antibodies (polyclonal) that recognize multiple epitopes on the surface of melanoma cells. The "xeno" designation indicates that the antibodies are derived from a non-human species. The primary mechanism of action involves the binding of these antibodies to various tumor-specific antigens, which triggers immune-mediated destruction via complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). While early clinical trials in the 1980s and 1990s explored their use for metastatic melanoma, the approach faced significant challenges, including the development of human anti-animal antibodies (HAAA) and serum sickness, leading to its displacement by more refined monoclonal antibody therapies and modern checkpoint inhibitors.

Other names

anti-melanoma polyclonal antibodyxeno-antibody anti-melanomaanti-melanoma horse serumanti-melanoma goat serum