This product is an unconjugated, non-therapeutic recombinant analog of tilavonemab (ABBV-8E12), an investigational anti-tau monoclonal antibody. Built around the tau target as a human IgG4 (S228P stabilized) kappa molecule, it is intended strictly for research use only and is not the clinical drug, nor is it for human or veterinary use. The analog reproduces the antigen-binding specificity of the originator against microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT), making it useful as a reference reagent in tau-focused research. Typical applications include use as an isotype-matched binding standard, a positive control in immunoassays profiling anti-tau antibodies, a tool for benchmarking tau capture/detection reagents, and a starting point for ADC or engineering workflows. It is supplied at low endotoxin levels (research grade <1 EU/mg; ultra-low <0.5 EU/mg) and available in bulk milligram-to-gram quantities to support in-vitro assay development, preclinical characterization, and comparability studies. The S228P hinge substitution reduces IgG4 Fab-arm exchange, giving a stable, well-defined reagent for reproducible experiments.
Tau, encoded by MAPT (UniProt P10636), is a microtubule-associated protein highly enriched in neuronal axons. It promotes the assembly and stabilization of tubulin into microtubules and links microtubules to other cytoskeletal and membrane components, supporting axonal transport and neuronal polarity. Six major isoforms arise in the adult human CNS from alternative splicing, differing in the number of N-terminal inserts and microtubule-binding repeats (3R vs 4R). Tau activity is regulated by phosphorylation; abnormal hyperphosphorylation reduces microtubule binding and promotes aggregation into paired helical filaments and neurofibrillary tangles. These aggregates, and the trans-cellular spread of misfolded tau species, are central features of tauopathies including Alzheimer disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, which motivates anti-tau antibody research.