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, LymphoStat-B®, which is in Phase 3 clinical trials 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. Our two agonistic antibodies in clinical trials are HGS-ETR1 and HGS-ETR2. Binding of these antibodies to their respective TRAIL receptors triggers programmed cell death (apoptosis) in cancer cells. We believe that they are the first human agonistic monoclonal antibodies to enter clinical trials.