PEGylation of Antibody Fragments for drug delivery purposes

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are widely used for drug delivery due to their high specificity and affinity for target antigens. A critical component of mAbs is the antigen binding site or Fab fragment, which plays an important role in antigen recognition and binding. Recent advances in the conjugation of Fabs have opened a promising avenue for drug delivery by enabling the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to specific cells or tissues. However, conjugation of Fabs poses some problems, such as the lower stability of Fabs in the bloodstream and potential immunogenicity. To address these issues, Fab pegylation has emerged as a promising approach to increase Fab stability in the circulation while minimising immune activation.

To further investigate the efficacy of Fab conjugation, researchers have explored cross-linked Fab-conjugated nanoparticles as an alternative to Fab pegylation. The goal is to determine the differences or similarities between the two approaches in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) by performing various in vitro analyses. This should lead to a better understanding of the potential advantages and limitations of these two approaches in drug delivery and pave the way for the development of more effective therapies for GBM and other diseases.