Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Absence of a significant human immune response against murine proteins (reduced HAMA)
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Fully murine monoclonal antibodies often elicit HAMA responses, reducing efficacy and safety. Humanization reduces murine sequences in the variable regions while retaining antigen specificity, aiming to diminish immunogenicity and extend therapeutic utility (e.g., anti-IL-2R antibodies for immune modulation).
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The logical prediction—and what early trials supported—is that humanized anti-IL-2R antibodies show reduced HAMA compared with murine counterparts, improving tolerability and enabling repeated dosing without rapid clearance or hypersensitivity.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
Multiple humanized therapeutics (beyond anti-IL-2R) demonstrated decreased anti-drug antibody incidence compared with murine antibodies, supporting the same conclusion.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Equating chimeric and humanized antibodies; humanized constructs generally contain less murine sequence than chimeric antibodies and thus even lower immunogenicity.
Final Answer:
Absence of a significant human immune response against murine proteins (reduced HAMA)
Discussion & Comments