Daunomycin and doxorubicin Lym-1—drug conjugates for the treatment of malignant lymphomas

With the establishment of methods to produce monoclonal antibodies, renewed hope was kindled among investigators interested in identifying new carrier molecules for the delivery of cytotoxic compounds to cancer lesions and related diseases of cellular proliferation. As reagents, monoclonal antibodies appear ideal since they are homogeneous in nature, recognize specific antigenic determinants, are relatively stable to conjugation methods, and are biocompatible in vivo. As carriers, however, they are relatively complex molecules since they are composed of sites or domains that interact with cellular receptors or circulating blood components such as the Fc receptor and complement. Fragmentation of the molecule can simplify its structure without damaging the antigenic binding sites or carrier function.