Therapeutic Antibodies Chronic forms of fibrosis require a different therapeutic approach due to the systemic and progressive nature of these disorders. To address this issue, FibroGen is developing human monoclonal antibodies to block the key proteins involved in fibrosis. Proprietary targets include cytokines implicated in the fibrotic cascade as well as collagen assembly enzymes.
Antibodies are important proteins produced by the body's immune system to fight disease.
In response to infection or immunization, antibodies clear foreign substances by binding to a specific target and blocking its function. The process used by many companies produces antibodies that are part human and part mouse. Using antibodies that contain mouse components can cause an additional immune reaction further complicating the disorder being treated. By contrast, novel technology being used by FibroGen allows transgenic mice to produce antibodies that are fully human. These fully human antibodies do not create immune reactions and are believed to be superior for that reason.