Creating molecules that modulate immune responses

During evolution, humans developed innate and adaptive immune systems to survive infection by pathogens. The immune system needs to be finely balanced, as an overactive immune system can result in autoimmunity, allergy and inflammatory disorders, whereas over-attenuation can result in infections and cancer. Here, we describe how the immune system can be modulated using chemical approaches, with a focus on the chemical modification and application of antibodies, one of the major components of the immune defence system. Progress includes the development of antibody-drug conjugates and imaging reagents based on antibody fragments and nanobodies, and their clinical and preclinical applications for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease are discussed.