Table 1.

Comparison of small synthetic molecules and monoclonal antibodies with respect to therapeutic applications

Small synthetic molecules	Monoclonal antibodies
Unlimited structural diversity	Limited structural diversity
Easy to manufacture large diversity	Difficult to manufacture large diversity
Short half-life	Tunable half-life
Difficult to block protein–protein interactions	Adept at blocking protein–protein interactions
Reach recessed sites on macromolecules	Rarely reach recessed sites on macromolecules
Limited valency requires high affinity	Tunable valency provides activity even at low affinities
Limited control of biodistribution	Tunable biodistribution
Limited control of effector activities	Tunable effector activities
Cross-species activity is readily identified	Cross-species activity is difficult to find
Difficult to screen on complex targets	Easy to screen on complex targets
Binding screens are difficult and vary	Binding screens are standardized

Boldface indicates advantages.