title: Making high-affinity T-cell receptors: a new class of targeted therapeutics.
abstract: The last two decades have seen the development of an expanding array of monoclonal antibodies, which are proving to be effective treatments for both cancer and autoimmune disease. A related protein, the human T-cell receptor (TCR), is able to access a new range of targets for which antibodies are unsuitable, and is being developed as a new class of protein therapeutics. Similar to antibodies, TCRs have a specific target and therefore a limited potential for side effects; however, a possible drawback with these receptors is that their natural affinity is low. This problem has recently been overcome using phage display to increase TCR affinity up to a million-fold.
authors.affiliation: Avidex Ltd, 57C Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RX, UK. rebecca.ashfield@avidex.com
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ashfield
authors.forename: Bent K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D019151:Peptide Library; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019151:Peptide Library; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell