Advances in antibody-based strategies for targeting cancer-associated glycopeptide antigens

The development of tumor-targeting antibodies has progressed tremendously over the past few decades, yet improving tumor selectivity and efficacy remains a challenge. Among tumor-associated antigens, tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) have emerged as critical immunological targets because of their overexpression in malignant cells. However, the weak immunogenicity and structural homogeneity of carbohydrates pose obstacles for therapeutic antibody development. By designing antibodies to recognize epitopes that span both TACAs and adjacent amino acid residues on tumor glycoprotein surfaces, researchers can achieve higher specificity and functional efficacy while lowering on-target off-tumor related toxicities.