Development of anti-ricin protective monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) started
in the early 1980s. Much progress has been made since then. Antibodies possess great
potential for development as antidotes against toxins. These can be used either
prophylactically to prevent, or therapeutically to treat, toxin-mediated intoxications in
an emergency situation. Unlike many other therapeutic products, antibodies offer
unique and high target specificity, and long half-life in serum. There are several mAbs
which are currently in the discovery stage for medical countermeasures against ricin
intoxication. This review summarizes these mAbs, including their anti-ricin mechanism,
generation, and efficacies in vivo.
Keywords: Ricin, protective, monoclonal antibodies, chimerization,
humanization.
