Molecular Recognition Units (MRUs) and the Imaging of Human Disease

Abstract

The use of monoclonal antibodies as in-vivo, targeting vehicles for human imaging applications has gone from a research curiosity to wide clinical acceptance in the past several years. Monoclonal antibodies appear to be one of the best currently available targeting systems for a variety in-vivo, delivery uses particularly for diagnostic and therapeutic radioisotopes¹. While monoclonal antibodies represent an exquisite targeting vehicle for in-vivo, use, they are not without drawbacks which may somewhat limit their use. For instance the use of murine monoclonals in humans may give rise to human-anti-mouse antibody response (HAMA). While the clinical manifestations of the HAMA response are still poorly understood, for some antibodies, this may be a problem for repeated in-vivo, use.