nomenclature naming of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies

-umab

100% human

• human

-omad

0% human

• mouse

-ximab

50-75% human

• chimeric

-zumab

>90% human

• humanized

names =

prefix + substem A + substem B + suffix (mab)

abciximab ab ci xi mab

rituximab ri tu xi mab

substem B

-u-, -o-, -xi-, -zu- represent species

note: for human antibodies, the letter ___, ____, ____, ___ will generally precede the -u-

• so human mab’s will show up as -mumab or -numab

l, m, n ,s

substem A:

-b(a)-

bacterial

substem A:

-c(i)-

cardiovascular

substem A:

-f(u)-

fungal

substem A:

-k(i)-

interleukin

substem A:

-l(i)-

immunomodulating

substem A:

-n(e)-

neural

substem A:

-s(o)-

bone

substem A:

-tox(a)

toxin

substem A:

t(u)

tumor

substem A:

-v(i)-

viral

substem B:

o

mouse

substem B:

u

human

substem B:

xi

chimeric

substem B:

xizu

chimeric/humanized

substem B:

zu

humanized