As instigators of immunity, monoclonal antibodies are marvels of modern medicine, lab-made proteins that can treat cancers, autoimmune diseases, and many other conditions. With the market for these therapies forecast to double by 2030, it might seem that the only thing they can’t do is grow fast enough. New research from the University of Oklahoma aims to put an end to that limitation, too.

“We’re trying to solve a key bottleneck in the biomanufacturing production process,” said Wang. “It’s all about getting to market faster.”

In humans, antibodies are produced by white blood cells known as B cells, but in biomanufacturing, the job falls to Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), the industry standard for producing therapeutic antibodies.