Antibody Based Therapy in Coronary Artery Disease and Heart Failure

Abstract

The function of the immune system is to protect the host against disease. Antibodies are a
key part of the adaptive response, recognising specific antigens and invading pathogens and
marking them for destruction or blocking their activities. A mechanistic and molecular understanding
of this process has allowed researchers to harness their natural function. They are
now routinely used as a diagnostic tool in the clinic and in research to investigate pathological
signalling. More recently, antibodies have been utilised for another application – therapy. Antibody
based therapy is one of the newest and fastest growing with nearly 70 approved drugs to
date and over 1000 in clinical trials. Investment from the pharmaceutical sector shows no signs
of abating and this technology is now widely accepted for treating cancer, autoimmune and
infectious diseases. In the context of the cardiovascular system however, antibody therapies
are relatively limited. This review summarises the monoclonal antibodies approved for clinical
use or currently in clinical trials for treating cardiovascular disorders. Presently, coronary
artery disease, heart failure and transplant are the main indications, and monoclonal antibody
therapies are discussed in the context of their specific applications.