Cancer immunotherapeutics: evolution of monoclonal antibodies to peptide immunogens.

The Wistar Institute under Hilary Koprowski's direction played a preeminent role in bringing the fruits of basic science to clinic through biotechnology and life science enterprises. Koprowski's early view on the utility of monoclonal antibodies has been validated to some extent, because monoclonal therapeutics form one of the fastest growing and most successful and lucrative segments within the biopharmaceutical sector. Over 30 monoclonal antibody drugs have now been approved in the United States and Europe. However, monoclonal antibodies might be viewed in the context of a bridge to the future for vaccines. The Wistar Institute's reputation, while built on vaccines for infectious diseases, can be translated in years to come into vaccines for cancer.