Researchers Develop Efficient Hybridoma Generation Strategy for Promising Anti-PD-1 Molecules in Cancer Immunotherapy

A team of researchers from Chulalongkorn University has developed a highly efficient hybridoma generation and screening strategy to generate high-potency chimeric anti-PD-1 molecules, a protein that plays a significant role in suppressing antitumor immune responses. The lead chimeric prototypes exhibited overall in vitro performance comparable to commercially available anti-PD-1 antibodies and could be qualified as promising therapeutic candidates for further development toward immuno-oncology applications. The study showcases the details of the hybridoma generation, selection, and screening procedure, including an efficient immunization strategy, efficient fusion technique, and effective hybridoma selection, which ultimately provide five potent chimeric anti-PD-1 candidate prototypes. The xCUSB0103 chimeric lead prototype exhibited high binding affinity, PD-1/PD-L1 binding blockade activity, and T cell-stimulating ability in vitro, comparable to OPDIVO, a commercially available anti-PD-1 antibody. These results suggest that the lead prototype could potentially be developed as an ICI in various formats for cancer immunotherapy. The ongoing development of anti-PD-1 molecules is necessary for next-generation cancer immunotherapy to maximize clinical efficacy and avoid intellectual property conflicts.