Why Recombinant Antibodies Are the Next Step Up in Antibody Technology

Biomedical research has made great advancements through the use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in various experimental applications. However, each of these types of antibodies has its own weaknesses and limitations, which have led numerous researchers to prefer recombinant antibodies. At Cell Culture Company, our recombinant antibody production capabilities enable us to assist our customers in their advancement of medical research and development of treatments that meet the unique health needs of patients.

Shortcomings of Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies

The use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in experiments has revealed some inconsistent results, including issues related to reproducibility when utilizing animals. Variations between batches and non-specific antibody binding were observed. These variations in results are to be expected for polyclonal antibodies since they originate from animal serum and each new batch is produced from a different immunization or animal. However, the variations have also been noticed with monoclonal antibody production. Therefore, a new form of antibodies has been sought – and that is where recombinant antibodies come in.

Recombinant Antibodies – The Future

As a type of monoclonal antibody, recombinant antibodies are produced in-vitro using a synthetic gene without creating hybridomas or immunizing animals.

Any species of animals that produces antibodies may be used to clone recombinant antibodies. Modification of the sequence is possible after it has been cloned, which gives recombinant antibodies a distinct advantage.

There are a number of advantages recombinant antibodies have over monoclonal antibodies. These include:

• The time required to produce recombinant antibodies is much shorter, often just a few weeks compared to months for the production of effective antibodies from hybridomas.
• Their technology is reproducible. They are more reproducible and reliable than monoclonal antibodies since the sequence of the recombinant antibody gene is known and cloned.
• The production of recombinant antibodies uses animal-free technology, relieving concerns about complying with rules around the world related to animal experimentation.

The shorter turnaround time involved with the production of recombinant antibodies and the complete control over the antibody sequence makes them ideal for diagnostics, therapeutics, and research.

For information about our recombinant antibody production capabilities at Cell Culture Company, call us today at 763.786.0302 or reach us through our contact form.