-mab

Etymology

 * MAb,

Suffix

 * 1)  monoclonal antibody

Usage notes
USAN guidelines for non-proprietary names of monoclonal antibodies are as follows:
 * an arbitrary prefix to create a unique name (officially monosyllabic)
 * a suffix for the disease state
 * a suffix for the animal source
 * -mab to identify it as a monoclonal antibody (MAb)

The source suffixes are as follows:
 * -a- for rat-derived,
 * -e- for hamster,
 * -i- for primate,
 * -o- for mouse,
 * -u- for human,
 * -xi- for chimeric,
 * -zu- for humanized,
 * -xizu- for humanized and chimeric,
 * -axo- for rat-mouse hybrid.

The disease target suffixes are:


 * -vir- viral,
 * -bac- bacterial,
 * -lim- immune system, immunomodulator,
 * -les- infectious lesions,
 * -cir- cardiovascular
 * -col- colon tumor,
 * -mel- melanoma,
 * -mar- mammary tumor,
 * -got- testicular (gonad) tumor,
 * -gov- ovarian (gonad) tumor,
 * -pro- prostate tumor,
 * -tum- other tumors, or combinations of the above;
 * -ner- nervous system,
 * -kin- interleukin,
 * -mul- musculoskeletal,
 * -os- bone,
 * -toxa- toxin,
 * -fung- fungus

Other attested target affixes are -anibi- and -neur-. The target affix takes the primary stress.

For instance, capromab is a murine MAb that targets prostate cancer; imiciromab pentatate is used to target myocardial infarctions; satumomab pendetide is used for both colorectal and ovarian cancers.

For humanized (-zu-) and chimeric (-xi-) MAbs (and -xizu-), the final consonant of the target suffix is dropped, and for all others the o of -pro- and the a of -toxa- is dropped: natalizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (an immunological disease).

Related terms

 * for polyclonal antibodies
 * for tyrosine kinase inhibitors
 * for tyrosine kinase inhibitors