Catalytic Antibodies for Therapeutic Applications

The long term objectives are to generate antibody catalysts for therapeutic applications. Specifically, we will prepare antibody catalysts to inactivate the AIDS virus and to deliver anti-tumor drugs to tumor sites for the treatment of cancer. Subsequent commercialization will include the development of therapies for other viral diseases and the preparation of detoxification agents. The therapeutic catalytic antibodies will be prepared by synthesizing specific haptens and raising antibodies to antigens derived from these haptens. A new approach to the design of these haptens involves the use of aminophosphinic acids and is based on an analysis of enzyme mechanisms.