PDGF-B

Class

Anti-PDGF-B monoclonal antibody

Platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGF-B) is a signaling protein that, upon secretion, forms dimers that bind to PDGF receptors—chiefly PDGF receptor-beta—on the surface of mesenchymal cells such as pericytes, vascular smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts. This receptor engagement triggers intracellular signaling cascades that drive cell proliferation, migration, and survival. Physiologically, PDGF-B signaling is essential for recruiting pericytes to newly formed blood vessels, stabilizing vascular architecture, and supporting wound healing. When this pathway is dysregulated—overactive or chronically stimulated—it contributes to excessive fibrous tissue deposition (fibrosis), abnormal blood vessel growth, and in some tumors, supports the surrounding supportive tissue (stroma) that sustains cancer growth. A monoclonal antibody directed against PDGF-B works by binding the ligand directly, preventing it from engaging its receptor and thereby dampening downstream proliferative and fibrotic signaling. This approach is of interest in conditions marked by pathological fibrosis, abnormal vascular proliferation such as certain eye diseases, and cancers where stromal or vascular support cells depend on PDGF-B signaling. By targeting the ligand rather than the receptor, such antibodies aim to reduce signaling without directly altering receptor expression on target cells, offering a mechanistically distinct approach compared to small-molecule receptor kinase inhibitors.