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A human monoclonal antibody against Rabies NS-protein was developed using peripheral blood lymphocytes. A special immunization protocol was used in order to achieve maximal cell numbers of active secreting B cells. These B cells were subjected to Epstein-Barr virus transformation and the transformed cells were cloned stepwise by limiting dilution using supernatant of stimulated macrophages. Active anti-Rabies-IgG secreting cell clones were adapted to serum-free conditions producing stably for more than one year antibodies of the subtype IgG1 at a rate of 10 micrograms/ml/10(6) cells/24 h.

The "state of the art" in the development of human monoclonal antibodies is reported. The classical cellular fusion method according to well established procedures, the Epstein-Barr virus mediated B-lymphocyte transformation and the modern genetic engineering method to obtain chimeric antibodies is reviewed in detail. Although they were praised in the last five years as the most efficient drugs against cancer and infectious diseases, no great success was clinically and experimentally reported in the past. The many experimental obstacles hindered the efficient development of these promising drugs. In the last two years, however, new ways were proposed to get this new therapeutic principle on a more efficient way in order to use them in the therapeutic treatment of patients with certain cancer and infectious diseases.