Monoclonal antibodies have a multitude of uses – they can treat viral diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), be used in diagnostic tests such as lateral flow tests to detect the presence of disease, or past instances of it, and are commonly used for various research purposes. Normally, antibodies are created by immunizing an animal with the desired target and harvesting the antibodies from their sera.
However, this is not quick, reliable or always functional – especially as more and more researchers turn towards animal-free products. Unfortunately, generating antibodies in vitro has traditionally been less effective, with the antibodies showing lower functionality.