how monoclonal antibodies get their strange-looking names

November 1998

Have you ever wondered how monoclonal antibodies get their strange-looking names...abciximab, trastuzumab, palivizumab, etc.

They all end in "mab"...for monoclonal antibody.

The one or two letters before "mab" describe the antibody's source..."u" for human..."o" for mouse..."xi" for combinations, etc.

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