History
Before it was well known as CD47, the protein molecule was first called integrin-associated protein (IAP). From very early on (1989) we knew of an antibody that inhibited phagocytosis that was associated with CD47. However, it was only in the 2000s that scientists began to realise that CD47 was highly expressed on cancer cells. Expressing CD47 meant that those cells would not be cleared by macrophages and hence resulted in one of the hallmarks of cancer – evasion of immune response. Since then researchers have studied the use of anti-CD47 antibody to combat different cancers. Below outlines the history of studies that lead to the breakthrough.