{
  "id": 1568581,
  "title": "Albumin-Fused Antibodies May Reduce Fetal Exposure to Therapeutics",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/albumin-fused-antibodies-may-reduce-fetal-exposure-to-therapeutics",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-17T21:06:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "GEN Biotechnology",
    "slug": "gen-biotechnology",
    "url": "https://www.genengnews.com/topics/drug-discovery/albumin-fused-antibodies-may-reduce-fetal-exposure-to-therapeutics/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, alongside global partners, have conducted preclinical research that could change the way biologic medicines are designed for use during pregnancy with minimal fetal exposure. Under the leadership of Jan Terje Andersen, PhD, the team studied mice and human tissues and discovered that the placenta can differentiate between antibodies and albumin. While the neonatal Fc receptor attaches to both IgG antibodies and albumin, FcRn expressed in the placenta only transfers IgG to the fetus, largely excluding albumin. Mice experiments showed that fusing IgG antibodies to albumin reduced their transport across the placenta, preventing harmful effects on offspring. This discovery addresses the growing need for safer biologic medicines for use during pregnancy, as many women use monoclonal IgG antibodies for chronic diseases. Andersen, the corresponding author of a Science Immunology paper, stated that the findings could lead to a new generation of biologics that combine long-lasting efficacy with improved safety for pregnant women. Albumin and IgG antibodies are the most common soluble proteins in blood, with IgG crucial in fighting infections and albumin transporting various molecules in the body. Monoclonal IgG antibodies, used for various acute and chronic diseases, are often actively transported across the placenta by the neonatal Fc receptor, limiting their use during pregnancy. To understand the mechanism, the researchers used mouse models and an advanced human placental perfusion system. They found that IgG antibodies were efficiently transferred to the fetus, while albumin was not. Fusion of albumin to therapeutic IgG antibodies produced biologics with a long plasma half-life and reduced placental transport. This concept was validated in human placental tissue and disease models, including a mouse model of fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, a potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication. The study highlights the placenta's remarkable ability to distinguish between IgG and albumin and suggests that further research is needed to understand the mechanisms restricting albumin transport, which could inform the development of tailored therapeutics with varied fetal exposure profiles.",
  "summary": "Preclinical study found that fusing immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to albumin minimized antibody transport across the placenta and prevented adverse effects in offspring in mice, pointing to albumin as an attractive fusion partner for IgG-based therapeutics. The post Albumin-Fused Antibodies May Reduce Fetal Exposure to Therapeutics appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}