These clues are phonetic clues for immunotherapy agents. Simply identify the agents being clued for, then identify their targets. Where the agent is a bispecific T-cell engager, use the non-CD3 target. Using the numbers associated with the targets, use A1-Z26 to convert them to the solution of ARMED FORCES, referring of course to the fact that antibodies have Y-shaped arms.
Clue
Solution
Immunotherapy
Target
Letter (A1-Z26)
tin-like-umab
can-akin-umab
canakinumab
IL-1
A
premature-zumab
early-zumab
erlizumab
CD18
R
article-joey-family-zumab
an-roo-kin-zumab
anrukinzumab
IL-13
M
"I am Albo"-zumab
"me polly"-zumab
mepolizumab
IL-5
E
view-meatshop-zumab
see-deli-zumab
cedelizumab
CD4
D
sediment-suit-imab
silt-tux-imab
siltuximab
IL-6
F
ventilator-cheer-note-mab
fan-ole-so-mab
fanolesomab
CD15
O
notlate-zumab
early-zumab
erlizumab (again)
CD18
R
compete-foolish-zumab
vie-silly-zumab
visilizumab
CD3
C
relax-shelter-zumab
rest-lee-zumab
reslizumab
IL-5
E
pancake-sneeze-facialhair-mab
blin-achoo-mo-mab
blinatumomab
CD19
S
Author's notes
Author: Dan
This puzzle was also influenced by the fact that I am currently undertaking a haematology rotation where I encounter lots of different monoclonal antibody regimens, typically as part of clinical trials. Monoclonal antibodies and targeted therapies are a burgeoning field and are as close as we can get to Paul Ehrlich’s so-called “magic bullet”. With the number of monoclonal antibodies available, I thought it would serve as a worthy basis for a puzzle.
I also quite enjoyed the clue “I am Albo”-zumab to clue for mepolizumab (i.e. “me polly”-zumab). It was surprisingly difficult to write phonetic clues for some of these monoclonal antibodies — whoever has been naming them has clearly been trying to make them as unpronounceable as possible.