Nivolumab is a fully human IgG4 (S228P) monoclonal antibody that targets the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor found on activated T cells, B cells, and myeloid cells. Nivolumab binds and blocks the activation of the PD-1 receptor, thereby resulting in the activation of T cells and cell-mediated immune responses. This antibody contains an engineered hinge region mutation (S228P) designed to prevent the exchange of IgG4 molecules. Nivolumab has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of melanoma and metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Pembrolizumab is a humanized IgG4 (S228P) monoclonal antibody that targets PD-1. Pembrolizumab binds and blocks the activation of the PD-1 receptor, thereby resulting in the activation of T cells. This antibody contains an engineered hinge region mutation (S228P) designed to prevent the exchange of IgG4 molecules. Pembrolizumab has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma and is currently under regulatory review in the EU.
The anti-hPD1 isotype family has been generated by recombinant DNA technology. It has been produced in CHO cells and purified by different types of affinity chromatography: protein G for IgG1/2/4 and peptide M for IgA2.
