Progress and Remaining Opportunities to Increase the Use of Animal-free Antibodies in the USA

Abstract

The scientific and ethical issues associated with the use of animal-derived antibodies in research can be overcome by the use of animal-free, sequence-defined recombinant antibodies, whose benefits are well documented. Here, we describe progress made following a 2019 expert meeting focused on improving the quality and reproducibility of biomedical research by accelerating the production and use of animal-free recombinant antibodies in the USA. In the five intervening years since the meeting, participants have established multifaceted initiatives to tackle the next steps outlined during the meeting. These initiatives include: prioritising the replacement of ascites-derived and polyclonal antibodies; distributing educational materials describing recombinant antibodies; fostering public-private partnerships to increase access to recombinant antibodies; and increasing the availability of funding for recombinant antibody development. Given the widescale use of antibodies across scientific disciplines, a transition to modern antibody production methods relies on a commitment from government agencies, universities, industry and funding organisations, to initiatives such as those outlined here.

Keywords: animal-free affinity reagents; animal-free antibodies; antibody sequencing; funding; partnerships; reagent policies; recombinant antibodies.