Infectious disease includes a wide variety of microscopic pathogenic organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. These pathogens can penetrate the body's natural barriers and multiply to induce a range of symptoms, from mild to deadly. Historically, the use of antibodies directed against infectious organisms was achieved through the use of serum therapy. Serum therapy was in turn largely replaced by antibiotics and vaccination.

A resurgence of interest in antibody therapeutics for infectious diseases is now being fuelled by the wide dissemination of drug-resistant microbes, the emergence of new diseases, and the failure of currently available antimicrobial drugs, especially in at risk and immunocompromised patients. Scientists at Regeneron are using various proprietary platforms, including the VelocImmune^® technology to produce fully human monoclonal antibodies directed against infectious organisms, with the hope of developing antibody-based therapies for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.