Since an IgG antibody has two antigen-binding fragments (Fab) both of which link to an Fc region, there had long been a concept of an asymmetric bispecific IgG antibody capable of binding to two different antigens or epitopes. The asymmetric reengineering technology immunoglobulin (ART-Ig) is a humanized asymmetric bispecific IgG antibody. An asymmetric bispecific IgG antibody typically has 2 kinds of heavy chain and 2 kinds of light chain. If the 4 chains were simultaneously expressed in a recombinant cell to produce the desired asymmetric bispecific IgG antibody, as many as 9 kinds of unwanted byproduct IgG molecules would also be assembled and secreted. A method of reducing the byproduct IgG molecules using a common light chain in the asymmetric bispecific IgG antibody and also by introducing “knobs-into-holes” mutations in its Fc region to prioritize a specific hetero-dimerization of the heavy chains.

Formats of bispecific antibodies (BsAbs)
Many formats have been developed for BsAb generation as listed in the following table.
Format | Schematic structure | Description | Example BsAb | Trademark | Company |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
tandem VHH | Tandem VHH fragment-based BsAb | N/A | |||
tandem scFv | ![]() | Tandem ScFv fragment-based BsAb | AMG330 | BiTETM | Amgen |
Dual-affinity re-targeting antibody | ![]() | Tandem domain-exchanged Fv (can also be used to fuse with Fc domain to create whole Abs) | Flotetuzumab | DARTTM | Macrogenics |
Diabody | ![]() | dimer of single-chain Fv (scFv) fragment | vixtimotamab | ReSTORETM | Amphivena Therapeutics |
(scFv)2-Fab | ![]() | a Fab domain and two scFv domains bind | A-337 | ITabTM | Generon/EVIVE Biotech |
Rat–mouse hybrid IgG | ![]() | Full-size IgG-like half antibodies from two different species | Catumaxomab | TriomabTM | Trion Pharma |
Hetero heavy chain, Common light chain | ![]() | Hetero heavy chain, Common light chain | Emicizumab | ART-IgTM | Genentech/ Chugai/Roche |
Controlled Fab arm exchange | ![]() | Recombin the parental half antibodies | JNJ-64007957 | DuobodyTM | Genmab/ Janssen |
Hetero H, forced HL IgG1 | ![]() | KIH technology for heterodimerization of 2 distinct H chains, replacing the native disulfide bond in one of the CH1-CL interfaces with an engineered disulfide bond to enhance the cognate of H and L paring | MEDI5752 | DuetMabTM | MedImmune/ AstraZeneca |
cH IgG1 | ![]() | Identical heavy chains; 2 different light chains: one kappa (κ) and one lambda (λ) | NI-1701 | κλ bodyTM | Novimmune SA |
Hetero H, CrossMab | ![]() | KIH technology; domain crossover of immunoglobulin domains in the Fab region | Vanucizumab | CrossMabTM | Roche |
scFv-Fab IgG | ![]() | Fab-Fc; ScFv-Fc | Vibecotamab; M802 | XmabTM (the engineered Fc to enhance the generation of heterodimeric Fc); YBODYTM | Xencor/Amgen; YZYBio |
VH1-VH2-CH1-Fc1(G1) x VL2-VL1-CL-Fc2(G1) | ![]() | 2 binding motif in one half antibody | SAR440234 | CODV-IgTM | Sanofi |
VL1-CL1-VH2-CH2-Fc x VH1-CH1 x VL2-CL2 | ![]() | 2 binding motif in one half antibody | EMB-01 | FIT-IgTM | EPIMAB BIOTHERAPEUTICS |
VH-1-TCR Cα x VL-1-TCR Cβ; VH-2-CH-2-Fc x VL-2-CL-2 | ![]() | KIH technology; TCR Cα/Cβ is used to substitute the CH1 and CL domain in one arm | WuXibodyTM | WuXi Biologics | |
C-terminal linker of Fc | ![]() | Link the other molecules at the C-terminal of Fc | APVO442 | ADAPTIR-FLEXTM | Aptevo Therapeutics |
Fc antigen binding site | ![]() | 2 natural binding sites; 2 additional binding sites in the Fc loop | FS118 | mAb2 | F-star Therapeutics |