DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW 2ND-GENERATION HETEROLOGOUS DOUBLE-DETERMINANT BISPECIFIC ANTIBODY-BASED CA125 IMMUNOASSAY

CA125 is an important marker for ovarian cancer. Although this antigen has been used in the clinic for more than 10 years, many of its biolo gical as well biochemical characteristics are still unknown. Some effo rts to immunologically characterize this antigen were reported recentl y. The CA125 molecule seems to have at least two distinct epitopic sit es, that can be identified by the OC 125 and M11 monoclonal antibodies . Double determinant sandwich assays present some advantages when comp ared with the single determinant assay. Previously we described the de velopment of a bispecific monoclonal antibody (bsMAb) antiCA125/anti-p eroxidase that was used in a single determinant immunoassay. In order to evaluate the use of this new immonoprobe in a double determinant as say, we developed new M11 like monoclonal antibodies. Preliminary stan dardization of the new double determinant bispecific CA125 assay was a chieved.