Antibodies galore!

It seems like lab-designed antibodies that block effects of hormones, receptors and neurotransmitters are becoming a hot concept.

I wrote in passing about an antibody designed by Pfizer that blocks nicotine receptors, preventing on a molecular level the chemical nicotine from binding onto its receptors on brain cell membranes, and thus preventing on a human level the craving for the "nicotine effect" from smoking cigarettes.

There's a new antibody therapy aimed at obesity that's not close to testing in humans, but is apparently successful in stopping lab mice from getting fat. Read more about it in the Reuters article "Scientists take step toward obesity vaccine." Ghrelin is the hormone that this experimental antibody targets.

For more on antibodies, go to this Wikipedia article.