title: Camelid and shark single domain antibodies: structural features and therapeutic potential.
abstract: In addition to canonical antibodies composed of heavy and light chains, the adaptive immune systems of camelids and cartilaginous fish comprise heavy-chain only isotypes (HcAb) devoid of light chains, where antigen-binding is mediated exclusively by one variable domain. Due to their inherent favorable attributes, such as high affinity and specificity for their cognate antigen, extraordinary stability, small size and, most importantly, the possibility to complement classical antibodies in terms of 'drugable' target-space, HcAb-derived entities evolved as promising candidates for biomedical applications of which many have already proven to be successful in early stage clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Doreen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Könning
authors.affiliation: Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zielonka
authors.affiliation: Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grzeschik
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Department Drug Design and Optimization, Saarland University, Campus C2.3, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Empting
authors.affiliation: Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valldorf
authors.affiliation: Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krah
authors.affiliation: Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schröter
authors.affiliation: Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sellmann
authors.affiliation: Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany. Electronic address: Bjoern.Hock@merckgroup.com.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hock
authors.affiliation: Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany. Electronic address: Kolmar@Biochemie-TUD.de.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kolmar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000071194:Camelidae; D006801:Humans; D000072417:Protein Domains; D012754:Sharks; D061905:Single-Domain Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D061905:Single-Domain Antibodies