What is the source of monoclonal antibodies that end with "-umab"?

Monoclonal antibodies that end with "-umab" are derived from fully human sources. This suffix indicates that the antibodies are mostly made from human sequences, which helps to improve their compatibility with the human immune system, reducing the risk of immunogenicity compared to non-human or chimeric antibodies. By using fully human antibodies, patients tend to experience fewer adverse reactions and better overall tolerance to the treatment.

The development of fully human monoclonal antibodies employs techniques such as phage display or transgenic mice that produce human antibodies, allowing for a high degree of specificity and affinity towards targeted antigens. This results in therapeutic agents that can effectively modulate immune responses or directly target cancer cells with a minimized likelihood of triggering an immune response against the treatment itself.

Other options, such as chimeric or murine antibodies, are associated with different suffixes and indicate a mix of human and animal components or entirely murine sources respectively. These variations can lead to more pronounced immune responses in patients due to the non-human elements. Thus, the understanding of the suffix "-umab" closely ties to the antibody's human origin, affirming the choice of fully human as the correct answer.