From lab to labelling, does a drug name says it's story ?

Yes, it does….

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a class of biologic drugs that act on specific antigenic receptors to stimulate or suppress the immune system. They are used to treat lymphoma, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, breast cancer, and several other autoimmune conditions.

In terms of structure, they are identical to natural antibodies. However, their initial sources were not entirely human. Based on their source of origin, monoclonal antibody drugs receive distinct suffixes in their names, as follows:

  1. Murine based (100% :mouse:) - omab. Eg: Tositumomab
  2. Chimeric ( 75% human+ 25% mouse) - ximab Eg: Infliximab, Rituximab
  3. Humanized ( 90-95% human) - zumba Eg: Trastuzumab, Omalizumab, Pembrolizumab.
  4. Fully human ( 100% human) - umab Eg: Adalimumab.

Thus, the suffix in the drug name itself indicates its origin.

Interesting

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That’s so cool, I never knew the endings of those drug names actually meant something. It’s fascinating how scientists started with mouse-based antibodies and gradually made them more human to make treatments safer and stronger. It’s like the names quietly tell the story of how far medicine has come.

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Thankyou

Thankyou for your understanding of the concept, what I wrote.

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That is interesting. The suffixes referring to sources are a good tactic! Kudos to all those scientists who serve humanity by working hard to improve the quality of healthcare!

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Yes that’s true

Such an informative breakdown. The way you explained monoclonal antibodies and their naming system makes the concept so easy to understand. Many people use these drugs in clinical practice without realizing how the suffix reveals their origin and degree of humanization. Posts like this really simplify complex pharmacology.

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In the context of pharmacology, there are many suffixed drugs , Knowing that helps your to remember many drugs.

This is a very legit post!