The dawn of the 20th century saw the formative years of developments in immunology. In particular, immunochemistry, specifically pertaining to
antibodies, was extensively studied. These studies laid the foundations for employing
antibodies in a variety of ways. Not surprisingly,
antibodies have been used for applications ranging from biomedical research to disease diagnostics and
therapeutics to evaluation of immune responses during natural
infection and those elicited by
vaccines. Despite recent advancements in cellular immunology and the excitement of T cell
therapy, use of
antibodies represents a large proportion of immunotherapeutic approaches as well as clinical interventions. Polyclonal
antibodies in the form of plasma or sera continue to be used to treat a number of diseases, including autoimmune disorders,
cancers, and
infectious diseases. Historically,
antisera to toxins have been the longest serving biotherapeutics. In addition,
intravenous immunoglobulins (
IVIg) have been extensively used to treat not only immunodeficiency conditions but also autoimmune disorders. Beyond the simplistic suppositions of their action, the
IVIg have also unraveled the immune regulatory and homeostatic ramifications of their use. The advent of
monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), on the other hand, has provided a clear pathway for their development as drug molecules. MAbs have found a clear place in the treatment of
cancers and extending lives and have been used in a variety of other conditions. In this review, we capture the important developments in the therapeutic applications of
antibodies to alleviate disease, with a focus on some of the recent developments.