Table 1 Aptamer advantage vs. antibodies
Features | Monoclonal Antibody | Aptamer | Aptamer Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
Size |  ~ 150–170 kDa |  ~ 12–30 kDa (~ 30–80 nucleotides) | Aptamers, due to their small size, can penetrate tissues and cells, exhibit superior target access and blood clearance, and have a lower tendency to be toxic and immunogenic |
Stability | Susceptible to high temperatures and pH changes Require refrigeration for storage The denaturation is irreversible | Fairly stable at ambient temperature The denaturation is reversible | Aptamers possess remarkable stability and remain effective even after prolonged storage. Moreover, they are capable of being transported at room temperature without any special handling requirements. This makes them a highly convenient and practical option |
Target potential | Targets must produce an immune response, minimum target size ≥ 600 Daltons | Can bind to very small targets, minimum target size ≥ 60 Daltons | Aptamers can be selected against a wide range of targets, including small molecules, toxic compounds, and non-immunogenic substances |
Development Process | Require immune response and animals through in vivo production and cell culture | Chemical synthesis through SELEX process | SELEX screens large molecular diversity and requires only a few nanomoles for selection, while ensuring batch-to-batch consistency and no contamination |
Modification | Typically conjugated with one type of signaling or binding molecule | Can be modified at both the 5’ and 3’ end | Aptamers can be easily modified for attachment and easy addition of functionalities during synthesis |
Production time and cost | The production requires long time (~ 4–6 months) and expensive in vivo procedures | The selected aptamers are chemically synthesized (~ 1–3 months), reducing the production cost | Faster development time means faster time to market or publication |