HGS has acquired rights to a variety of human antibody technologies. We have integrated these technologies into our research and development program, and continue to collaborate with a number of antibody companies.

Many medical conditions are the result of an excess of a specific protein in the body, and some antibody drugs can inactivate such proteins and bring therapeutic benefits to patients. These drugs are known as antagonistic antibodies. For example, BENLYSTA™ (belimumab), which has successfully completed Phase 3 development for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, is an antagonistic human monoclonal antibody.

In certain medical conditions, it may be desirable to stimulate a specific biological activity. Antibodies that stimulate biological activity are known as agonistic antibodies. Mapatumumab is an excellent example. Binding of mapatumumab to TRAIL receptor 1 triggers programmed cell death (apoptosis) in cancer cells. We believe that mapatumumab is the first human agonistic monoclonal antibody to enter clinical trials.