Overview of Antibody Drug Delivery

Biopharmaceutics 4.0, Advanced Pre-Clinical Development of mRNA-Encoded Monoclonal Antibodies to Immunosuppressed Murine Models

Administration of mRNA against SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated sufficient efficacy, tolerability and clinical potential to disrupt the vaccination field. A multiple-arm, cohort randomized, mixed blind, placebo-controlled study was designed to investigate the in vivo expression of mRNA antibodies to immunosuppressed murine models to conduct efficacy, safety and bioavailability evaluation. Enabling 4.0 tools we reduced animal sacrifice, while interventions were designed compliant to HARRP and SPIRIT engagement: (a) Randomization, blinding; (b) pharmaceutical grade formulation, monitoring; (c) biochemical and histological analysis; and (d) theoretic, statistical analysis. Risk assessment molded the study orientations, according to the ARRIVE guidelines. The primary target of this protocol is the validation of the research hypothesis that autologous translation of Trastuzumab by in vitro transcribed mRNA-encoded antibodies to immunosuppressed animal models, is non-inferior to classical treatments. The secondary target is the comparative pharmacokinetic assessment of the novel scheme, between immunodeficient and healthy subjects. Herein, the debut clinical protocol, investigating the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic impact of mRNA vaccination to immunodeficient organisms. Our design, contributes novel methodology to guide the preclinical development of RNA antibody modalities by resolving efficacy, tolerability and dose regime adjustment for special populations that are incapable of humoral defense.

Bio-Nanocarriers for Lung Cancer Management: Befriending the Barriers

Lung cancer is a complex thoracic malignancy developing consequential to aberrations in a myriad of molecular and biomolecular signaling pathways. It is one of the most lethal forms of cancers accounting to almost 1.8 million new annual incidences, bearing overall mortality to incidence ratio of 0.87. The dismal prognostic scenario at advanced stages of the disease and metastatic/resistant tumor cell populations stresses the requisite of advanced translational interdisciplinary interventions such as bionanotechnology. This review article deliberates insights and apprehensions on the recent prologue of nanobioengineering and bionanotechnology as an approach for the clinical management of lung cancer. The role of nanobioengineered (bio-nano) tools like bio-nanocarriers and nanobiodevices in secondary prophylaxis, diagnosis, therapeutics, and theranostics for lung cancer management has been discussed. Bioengineered, bioinspired, and biomimetic bio-nanotools of considerate translational value have been reviewed. Perspectives on existent oncostrategies, their critical comparison with bio-nanocarriers, and issues hampering their clinical bench side to bed transformation have also been summarized.

Quantification of Drug Release Degree In Vivo Using Antibody-Guided, Dual-NIR-Dye Ratiometric System

Fluorescent dyes linked to drug delivery systems provide important real-time information on the efficacy of drug delivery. However, the quantitative monitoring of drug distribution is challenging because of interferences from the biological sample and instrumental setup. To improve quantification of anticancer drug delivery followed by drug release in tumor, we equipped an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) with a turn-on near-infrared (NIR) dye, sensitive to drug release, and a reference NIR dye. In this study, chlorambucil (CLB) was chosen as a model anticancer drug and Trastuzumab monoclonal antibody specific to Her2 receptors overexpressed in many tumors was taken as the carrier. The advantage of the obtained dual-dye ratiometric system for drug release monitoring was demonstrated in mice model.

A Narrative Review of a Pulmonary Aerosolized Formulation or a Nasal Drop Using Sera Containing Neutralizing Antibodies Collected from COVID-19-Recovered Patients as a Probable Therapy for COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a new contagion during December 2019, since which time it has triggered a rampant spike in fatality rates worldwide due to insufficient medical treatments and a lack of counteragents and prompted the World Health Organization to declare COVID-19 a public health emergency. It is, therefore, vital to accelerate the screening of new molecules or vaccines to win the battle against this pandemic. Experiences from previous epidemiological data on coronaviruses guide investigators in designing and exploring new compounds for a safe and cost-effective treatment. Several reports on the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic indicate that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the novel COVID-19 use angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor for binding to the host cell in the lung epithelia through the spike protein on their virion surface. ACE2 is a mono-carboxypeptidase best known for cleaving major peptides and substrates. Its degree in human airway epithelia positively correlates with coronavirus infection. The treatment approach can be the neutralization of the virus entering lung epithelial cells by using sera containing antibodies collected from COVID-19-recovered patients. Hence, we herein propose a pulmonary aerosolized formulation or a nasal drop using sera, which contain antibodies to prevent, treat, or immunize against COVID-19 infection.

Therapeutic potential of HIV-1 entry inhibitor peptidomimetics

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection remains a public health concern globally. Although great strides in the management of HIV-1 have been achieved, current highly active antiretroviral therapy is limited by multidrug resistance, prolonged use-related effects, and inability to purge the HIV-1 latent pool. Even though novel therapeutic options with HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are being explored, the scalability of bNAbs is limited by economic cost of production and obligatory requirement for parenteral administration. However, these limitations can be addressed by antibody mimetics/peptidomimetics of HIV-1 bNAbs. In this review we discuss the limitations of HIV-1 bNAbs as HIV-1 entry inhibitors and explore the potential therapeutic use of antibody mimetics/peptidomimetics of HIV-1 entry inhibitors as an alternative for HIV-1 bNAbs. We highlight the reduced cost of production, high specificity, and oral bioavailability of peptidomimetics compared to bNAbs to demonstrate their suitability as candidates for novel HIV-1 therapy and conclude with some perspectives on future research toward HIV-1 novel drug discovery.

Multiphysics Modeling and Simulation of Subcutaneous Injection and Absorption of Biotherapeutics: Model Development

PURPOSE

Many monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are administered via subcutaneous (SC) injection. Local transport and absorption kinetics and mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. A multiphysics computational model was developed to simulate the injection and absorption processes of a protein solution in the SC tissue.

METHODS

Quantitative relationships among tissue properties and transport behaviors of an injected solution were described by respective physical laws. SC tissue was treated as a 3-dimensional homogenous, poroelastic medium, in which vasculatures and lymphatic vessels were implicitly treated. Tissue deformation was considered, and interstitial fluid flow was modeled by Darcy's law. Transport of the drug mass was described based on diffusion and advection, which was integrated with tissue mechanics and interstitial fluid dynamics.

RESULTS

Injection and absorption of albumin and IgG solutions were simulated. Upon injection, a sharp rise in tissue pressure, porosity, and fluid velocity could be observed at the injection tip. Largest tissue deformation appeared at the model surface. Transport of drug mass out of the injection zone was minimal. Absorption by local lymphatics was found to last several weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

A bottom-up method was developed to simulate drug transport and absorption of protein solutions in skin tissue base on physical principles. The results appear to match experimental observations.

Development of mAb-loaded 3D-printed (FDM) implantable devices based on PLGA

The main objective of this work was to explore the feasibility to print monoclonal antibody (mAb)-loaded implantable systems using fused-deposition modelling (FDM) to build complex dosage form designs. Indeed, to our knowledge, this work is the first investigation of mAb-loaded devices using FDM. To make this possible, different steps were developed and optimized. A mAb solution was stabilized using trehalose (TRE), sucrose (SUC), hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), sorbitol or inulin (INU) in order to be spray dried (SD). Printable filaments were then made of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and mAb powder (15% w/w) using hot melt extrusion (HME). The FDM process was optimized to print these filaments without altering the mAb stability. TRE was selected and associated to L-leucine (LEU) to increase the mAb stability. The stability was then evaluated considering high and low molecular weight species levels. The mAb-based devices were well-stabilized with the selected excipients during both the HME and the FDM processes. The 3D-printed devices showed sustained-release profiles with a low burst effect. The mAb-binding capacity was preserved up to 70% following the whole fabrication process. These promising results demonstrate that FDM could be used to produce mAb-loaded devices with good stability, affinity and sustained-release profiles of the mAb.

Peptide-based electrochemical biosensors utilized for protein detection

Proteins are generally detected as biomarkers for tracing or determining various disorders in organisms. Biomarker proteins can be tracked in samples with various origins and in different concentrations, revealing whether an organism is in a healthy or unhealthy state. In regard to detection, electrochemical biosensors are a potential fusion of electronics, chemistry, and biology, allowing for fast and early point-of-care detection from a biological sample with the advantages of high sensitivity, simple construction, and easy operation. Peptides present a promising approach as a biorecognition element when connected with electrochemical biosensors. The benefits of short peptides lie mainly in their good stability and selective affinity to a target analyte. Therefore, peptide-based electrochemical biosensors (PBEBs) represent an alternative approach for the detection of different protein biomarkers. This review provides a summary of the past decade of recently proposed PBEBs designed for protein detection, dividing them according to different protein types: (i) enzyme detection, including proteases and kinases; (ii) antibody detection; and (iii) other protein detection. According to these protein types, different sensing mechanisms are discussed, such as the peptide cleavage by a proteases, phosphorylation by kinases, presence of antibodies, and exploiting of affinities; furthermore, measurements are obtained by different electrochemical methods. A discussion and comparison of various constructions, modifications, immobilization strategies and different sensing techniques in terms of high sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, and potential for practical application are presented.

Therapeutic and Systemic Adverse Events of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis for Clinical Management of NSCLC

Non-small-cell lung cancer takes up the majority of lung carcinoma-caused deaths. It is reported that targeting PD-1/PD-L1, a well-known immune evasion checkpoint, can eradicate tumor. Checkpoint inhibitors, such as monoclonal antibodies, are actively employed in cancer treatment. Thus, this review aimed to assess the therapeutic and toxic effects of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in treatment of NSCLC. So far, 6 monoclonal antibodies blocking PD-1/PD-L1 interaction are identified and used in clinical trials and randomized controlled trials for NSCLC therapy. These antibody-based therapies for NSCLC were collected by using search engine PubMed, and articles about the assessment of adverse events were collected by using Google search. Route of administration and dosage are critical parameters for efficient immunotherapy. Although antibodies can improve overall survival and are expected to be target-specific, they can cause systemic adverse effects in the host. Targeting certain biomarkers can limit the toxicity of adverse effects of the antibody-mediated therapy. Clinical experts with knowledge of adverse effects (AEs) of checkpoint inhibitors can help manage and reduce mortalities associated with antibody-based therapy of NSCLC.

Electrospinning for healthcare: recent advancements

This perspective explores recent developments and innovations in the electrospinning technique and their potential applications in biomedicine.

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and Fluorescence Correlation Methods for the Evaluation of Molecular Interactions

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and related microscopic techniques allow a unique and versatile approach to image and analyze living cells due to their specificity and high sensitivity. Among confocal related techniques, fluorescence correlation methods, such as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and dual-color fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCCS), are highly sensitive biophysical methods for analyzing the complex dynamic events of molecular diffusion and interaction change in live cells as well as in solution by exploiting the characteristics of fluorescence signals. Analytical and quantitative information from FCS and FCCS coupled with fluorescence images obtained from CLSM can now be applied in convergence science such as drug delivery and nanomedicine, as well as in basic cell biology. In this chapter, a brief introduction into the physical parameters that can be obtained from FCS and FCCS is first provided. Secondly, experimental examples of the methods for evaluating the parameters is presented. Finally, two potential FCS and FCCS applications for convergence science are introduced in more detail.

Effect of a Neuropilin-1-Derived Virus Receptor Trap on Enterovirus A71 Infection In Vitro

We discovered that neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is a new receptor candidate to mediate enterovirus A71 (EVA71) into cells. In the engineered form as a decoy receptor, NRP1 was able to recognize and neutralize EVA71 but not enterovirus D68 or coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). NRP1 recognizes EVA71 through a novel domain on the VP3 capsid protein. The principle in the design, engineering, and refinement of the NRP1-based decoy receptor described in this study represents a general and well-suited antiviral strategy.

From cell line development to the formulated drug product: The art of manufacturing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies

Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and related products have steadily grown to become the dominant product class within the biopharmaceutical market. Production of antibodies requires special precautions to ensure safety and efficacy of the product. In particular, minimizing antibody product heterogeneity is crucial as drug substance variants may impair the activity, efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic properties of an antibody, consequently resulting in the failure of a product in pre-clinical and clinical development. This review will cover the manufacturing and formulation challenges and advances of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, focusing on improved processes to minimize variants and ensure batch-to-batch consistency. Processes put in place by regulatory agencies, such as Quality-by-Design (QbD) and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), and how their implementation has aided drug development in pharmaceutical companies will be reviewed. Advances in formulation and considerations on the intended use of a therapeutic antibody, including the route of administration and patient compliance, will be discussed.

Treatment of Rare Inflammatory Kidney Diseases: Drugs Targeting the Terminal Complement Pathway

The complement system comprises the frontline of the innate immune system. Triggered by pathogenic surface patterns in different pathways, the cascade concludes with the formation of a membrane attack complex (MAC; complement components C5b to C9) and C5a, a potent anaphylatoxin that elicits various inflammatory signals through binding to C5a receptor 1 (C5aR1). Despite its important role in pathogen elimination, priming and recruitment of myeloid cells from the immune system, as well as crosstalk with other physiological systems, inadvertent activation of the complement system can result in self-attack and overreaction in autoinflammatory diseases. Consequently, it constitutes an interesting target for specialized therapies. The paradigm of safe and efficacious terminal complement pathway inhibition has been demonstrated by the approval of eculizumab in paroxysmal nocturnal hematuria. In addition, complement contribution in rare kidney diseases, such as lupus nephritis, IgA nephropathy, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, C3 glomerulopathy, or antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis has been demonstrated. This review summarizes the involvement of the terminal effector agents of the complement system in these diseases and provides an overview of inhibitors for complement components C5, C5a, C5aR1, and MAC that are currently in clinical development. Furthermore, a link between increased complement activity and lung damage in severe COVID-19 patients is discussed and the potential for use of complement inhibitors in COVID-19 is presented.

The Confluence of Innovation in Therapeutics and Regulation: Recent CMC Considerations

The field of human therapeutics has expanded tremendously from small molecules to complex biological modalities, and this trend has accelerated in the last two decades with a greater diversity in the types and applications of novel modalities, accompanied by increasing sophistication in drug delivery technology. These innovations have led to a corresponding increase in the number of therapies seeking regulatory approval, and as the industry continues to evolve regulations will need to adapt to the ever-changing landscape. The growth in this field thus represents a challenge for regulatory authorities as well as for sponsors. This review provides a brief description of novel biologics, including innovative antibody therapeutics, genetic modification technologies, new developments in vaccines, and multifunctional modalities. It also describes a few pertinent drug delivery mechanisms such as nanoparticles, liposomes, coformulation, recombinant human hyaluronidase for subcutaneous delivery, pulmonary delivery, and 3D printing. In addition, it provides an overview of the current CMC regulatory challenges and discusses potential methods of accelerating regulatory mechanisms for more efficient approvals. Finally, we look at the future of biotherapeutics and emphasize the need to bring these modalities to the forefront of patient care from a global perspective as effectively as possible.

Nanomedicine strategies to target coronavirus

With the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2002, the middle east respiratory syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV) in 2012 and the recently discovered SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019, the 21st first century has so far faced the outbreak of three major coronaviruses (CoVs). In particular, SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly over the globe affecting nearly 25.000.000 people up to date. Recent evidences pointing towards mutations within the viral spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 that are considered the cause for this rapid spread and currently around 300 clinical trials are running to find a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Nanomedicine, the application of nanocarriers to deliver drugs specifically to a target sites, has been applied for different diseases, such as cancer but also in viral infections. Nanocarriers can be designed to encapsulate vaccines and deliver them towards antigen presenting cells or function as antigen-presenting carriers themselves. Furthermore, drugs can be encapsulated into such carriers to directly target them to infected cells. In particular, virus-mimicking nanoparticles (NPs) such as self-assembled viral proteins, virus-like particles or liposomes, are able to replicate the infection mechanism and can not only be used as delivery system but also to study viral infections and related mechanisms. This review will provide a detailed description of the composition and replication strategy of CoVs, an overview of the therapeutics currently evaluated in clinical trials against SARS-CoV-2 and will discuss the potential of NP-based vaccines, targeted delivery of therapeutics using nanocarriers as well as using NPs to further investigate underlying biological processes in greater detail.

Use of computed tomography to assess subcutaneous drug dispersion with recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 in a swine model

INTRODUCTION

Subcutaneous (SC) formulations of therapeutics with recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20) are currently approved across various disease indications. The rHuPH20-mediated enzymatic degradation of SC hyaluronan (HA) facilitates bulk fluid flow and dispersion of co-administered therapeutics. However, current methods of quantifying dispersion in the SC space are limited. Here, a novel method is outlined to quantify and follow rapid SC volumetric dispersion of a representative therapeutic fluid in the presence of rHuPH20 using computed tomography (CT).

METHODS

Ten Yucatan miniature swine were randomized to three groups. Animals received simultaneous infusions of contrast agent (CA) alone (left side of the animal) or in combination with rHuPH20 (right side) at infusion rates of 2.5, 5, or 10 mL/min. Spiral CT scans (1.5 mm thickness) were conducted before and after the infusion and at regular time intervals throughout. Scans were used to create three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of the fluid pockets and analyze surface area, volume, and sphericity.

RESULTS

3D reconstruction showed increased dispersion of CA with rHuPH20 compared with CA alone, with fenestration and increased dispersion in the craniocaudal and lateromedial directions. The CA with rHuPH20 fluid pockets showed an average increase of 46% in surface area (p = 0.001), a 35% increase in volume (p = 0.001) and a 17% decrease in sphericity post-infusion compared with CA alone at 30 min post-infusion.

DISCUSSION

This exploratory study confirms the value of CT imaging as a non-invasive method of assessing real-time spatial and temporal behavior of SC-administered fluids. This technique could help to assess the dispersion pattern of novel rHuPH20 SC co-formulations.

Pulmonary Delivery of Biological Drugs

In the last decade, biological drugs have rapidly proliferated and have now become an important therapeutic modality. This is because of their high potency, high specificity and desirable safety profile. The majority of biological drugs are peptide- and protein-based therapeutics with poor oral bioavailability. They are normally administered by parenteral injection (with a very few exceptions). Pulmonary delivery is an attractive non-invasive alternative route of administration for local and systemic delivery of biologics with immense potential to treat various diseases, including diabetes, cystic fibrosis, respiratory viral infection and asthma, etc. The massive surface area and extensive vascularisation in the lungs enable rapid absorption and fast onset of action. Despite the benefits of pulmonary delivery, development of inhalable biological drug is a challenging task. There are various anatomical, physiological and immunological barriers that affect the therapeutic efficacy of inhaled formulations. This review assesses the characteristics of biological drugs and the barriers to pulmonary drug delivery. The main challenges in the formulation and inhalation devices are discussed, together with the possible strategies that can be applied to address these challenges. Current clinical developments in inhaled biological drugs for both local and systemic applications are also discussed to provide an insight for further research.

Williams G, Brocchini S, Awwad S. Injectables and Depots to Prolong Drug Action of Proteins and Peptides

Proteins and peptides have emerged in recent years to treat a wide range of multifaceted diseases such as cancer, diabetes and inflammation. The emergence of polypeptides has yielded advancements in the fields of biopharmaceutical production and formulation. Polypeptides often display poor pharmacokinetics, limited permeability across biological barriers, suboptimal biodistribution, and some proclivity for immunogenicity. Frequent administration of polypeptides is generally required to maintain adequate therapeutic levels, which can limit efficacy and compliance while increasing adverse reactions. Many strategies to increase the duration of action of therapeutic polypeptides have been described with many clinical products having been developed. This review describes approaches to optimise polypeptide delivery organised by the commonly used routes of administration. Future innovations in formulation may hold the key to the continued successful development of proteins and peptides with optimal clinical properties.

Immunotoxin Screening System: A Rapid and Direct Approach to Obtain Functional Antibodies with Internalization Capacities

Toxins, while harmful and potentially lethal, have been engineered to develop potent therapeutics including cytotoxins and immunotoxins (ITs), which are modalities with highly selective targeting capabilities. Currently, three cytotoxins and IT are FDA-approved for treatment of multiple forms of hematological cancer, and additional ITs are tested in the clinical trials or at the preclinical level. For next generation of ITs, as well as antibody-mediated drug delivery systems, specific targeting by monoclonal antibodies is critical to enhance efficacies and reduce side effects, and this methodological field remains open to discover potent therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Here, we describe our application of engineered toxin termed a cell-based IT screening system. This unique screening strategy offers the following advantages: (1) identification of monoclonal antibodies that recognize cell-surface molecules, (2) selection of the antibodies that are internalized into the cells, (3) selection of the antibodies that induce cytotoxicity since they are linked with toxins, and (4) determination of state-specific activities of the antibodies by differential screening under multiple experimental conditions. Since the functional monoclonal antibodies with internalization capacities have been identified successfully, we have pursued their subsequent modifications beyond antibody drug conjugates, resulting in development of immunoliposomes. Collectively, this screening system by using engineered toxin is a versatile platform, which enables straight-forward and rapid selection for discovery of novel functional antibodies.

Enhancing the Injectability of High Concentration Drug Formulations Using Core Annular Flows

Highly concentrated biological drug formulations would offer tremendous benefits to global health, yet they cannot be manually injected using commercial syringes and needles due to their high viscosities. Current approaches to address this problem face several challenges such as crosscontamination, high cost, needle clogging, and protein inactivation. This work reports a simple method to enhance formulation injectability using a core annular flow, where the transport of highly viscous fluids through a needle is enabled by coaxial lubrication by a less viscous fluid. A phase diagram to ensure optimally lubricated flow while minimizing the volume fraction of lubricant injected is established. The technique presented here allows for up to a 7x reduction in injection force for the highest viscosity ratio tested. The role of buoyancy-driven eccentricity in governing nominal pressure reduction is also examined. Finally, the findings are implemented into the development of a double barreled syringe that significantly expands the range of injectable concentrations of several biologic formulations.

Preparation and Evaluation of Doxorubicin-Loaded PLA-PEG-FA Copolymer Containing Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) for Cancer Treatment: Combination Therapy with Hyperthermia and Chemotherapy

Background

Among the novel cancer treatment strategies, combination therapy is a cornerstone of cancer therapy.

Materials and Methods

Here, combination therapy with targeted polymer, magnetic hyperthermia and chemotherapy was presented as an effective therapeutic technique. The DOX-loaded PLA–PEG–FA magnetic nanoparticles (nanocarrier) were prepared via a double emulsion method. The nanocarriers were characterized by particle size, zeta potential, morphology, saturation magnetizations and heat generation capacity, and the encapsulation efficiency, drug content and in-vitro drug release for various weight ratios of PLA:DOX. Then, cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and apoptosis level of nanocarrier-treated cells for HeLa and CT26 cells were investigated by MTT assay, flow cytometry, and apoptosis detection kit.

Results and Conclusions

The synthesized nanoparticles were spherical in shape, had low aggregation and considerable magnetic properties. Meanwhile, the drug content and encapsulation efficiency of nanoparticles can be achieved by varying the weight ratios of PLA:DOX. The saturation magnetizations of nanocarriers in the maximum applied magnetic field were 59/447 emu/g and 28/224 emu/g, respectively. Heat generation capacity of MNPs and nanocarriers were evaluated in the external AC magnetic field by a hyperthermia device. The highest temperature, 44.2°C, was measured in the nanocarriers suspension at w/w ratio 10:1 (polymer:DOX weight ratio) after exposed to the magnetic field for 60 minutes. The encapsulation efficiency improved with increasing polymer concentration, since the highest DOX encapsulation efficiency was related to the nanocarriers’ suspension at w/w ratio 50:1 (79.6 ± 6.4%). However, the highest DOX loading efficiency was measured in the nanocarriers’ suspension at w/w ratio 10:1 (5.14 ± 0.6%). The uptake efficiency and apoptosis level of nanocarrier-treated cells were higher than those of nanocarriers (folic acid free) and free DOX-treated cells in both cell lines. Therefore, this targeted nanocarrier may offer a promising nanosystem for cancer-combined chemotherapy and hyperthermia.

A Preclinical Investigation into the Effects of Aging on Dermal Hyaluronan Properties and Reconstitution Following Recombinant Human Hyaluronidase PH20 Administration

INTRODUCTION

There is currently no consensus in the literature concerning the impact of aging on the properties of hyaluronan (HA) in the subcutaneous (SC) space. Recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20) facilitates SC administration of injected therapeutics by depolymerizing SC HA, facilitating bulk fluid flow, dispersion and absorption. This study assessed the impact of intrinsic aging on HA in the SC space and thus the ability of rHuPH20 to enhance delivery of co-administered therapeutics.

METHODS

Histologic evaluations of HA levels and degradation were performed on human skin samples from six age groups, aged from 20 to 100 years. HA levels were evaluated by HA staining and degradation by staining samples for HA following incubation with rHuPH20. HA was extracted from samples and HA size determined by gel electrophoresis. Dermal reconstitution was assessed in young (aged 1.5 months) and elderly (aged > 16 months) mice. Baseline dye dispersion was measured at 5 and 20 min post-intradermal dye injection. Following treatment with rHuPH20, dye dispersion was measured again at 2, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h.

RESULTS

Distribution of HA was confined to the interstitial space between adipocytes, with similar pericellular presence and levels of HA found across all age groups. Substantial levels of high-molecular-weight HA were observed in all age groups at baseline. Incubation with a clinically relevant dose of rHuPH20 resulted in degradation of all SC HA and similar degradation profiles independent of age. No difference in dye dispersion time was observed between young and elderly mice across the range of time points assessed, with dye dispersion returning to baseline levels by 24 h after rHuPH20 treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Subcutaneous delivery of approved therapeutics facilitated by co-administration with rHuPH20 should not be impacted by intrinsic aging, with this study providing no evidence for an effect of aging on HA distribution, structure or a loss of rHuPH20 efficacy.

When two are better than one: Modeling the mechanisms of antibody mixtures

It is difficult to predict how antibodies will behave when mixed together, even after each has been independently characterized. Here, we present a statistical mechanical model for the activity of antibody mixtures that accounts for whether pairs of antibodies bind to distinct or overlapping epitopes. This model requires measuring n individual antibodies and their n(n-1)2 pairwise interactions to predict the 2ⁿ potential combinations. We apply this model to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies and find that the activity of antibody mixtures can be predicted without positing synergy at the molecular level. In addition, we demonstrate how the model can be used in reverse, where straightforward experiments measuring the activity of antibody mixtures can be used to infer the molecular interactions between antibodies. Lastly, we generalize this model to analyze engineered multidomain antibodies, where components of different antibodies are tethered together to form novel amalgams, and characterize how well it predicts recently designed influenza antibodies.

With the rise of new antibody combinations in therapeutic regimens, it is important to understand how antibodies work together as well as individually. Here, we investigate the specific case of monoclonal antibodies targeting a cancer-causing receptor or the influenza virus and develop a statistical mechanical framework that predicts the effectiveness of a mixture of antibodies. The power of this model lies in its ability to make a large number of predictions based on a limited amount of data. For example, once 10 antibodies have been individually characterized and their epitopes have been mapped, our model can predict how any of the 2¹⁰ = 1024 combinations will behave. This predictive power can aid therapeutic efforts by assessing which combinations of antibodies will elicit the most effective response.

Functionalizing nanoparticles with cancer-targeting antibodies: A comparison of strategies

Standard cancer therapies sometimes fail to deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to tumor cells in a safe and effective manner. Nanotechnology takes the lead in providing new therapeutic options for cancer due to major potential for selective targeting and controlled drug release. Antibodies and antibody fragments are attracting much attention as a source of targeting ligands to bind specific receptors that are overexpressed on cancer cells. Therefore, researchers are devoting time and effort to develop targeting strategies based on nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies, which hold great promise to enhance therapeutic efficacy and circumvent severe side effects. Several methods have been described to immobilize antibodies on the surface of nanoparticles. However, selecting the most appropriate for each application is challenging but also imperative to preserve antigen binding ability and yield stable antibody-conjugated nanoparticles. From this perspective, we aim to provide considerable knowledge on the most widely used methods of functionalization that can be helpful for decision-making and design of conjugation protocols as well. This review summarizes adsorption, covalent conjugation (carbodiimide, maleimide and "click" chemistries) and biotin-avidin interaction, while discussing the advantages, limitations and relevant therapeutic approaches currently under investigation.

Considerations for the Design of Antibody-Based Therapeutics

Antibody-based proteins have become an important class of biologic therapeutics, due in large part to the stability, specificity, and adaptability of the antibody framework. Indeed, antibodies not only have the inherent ability to bind both antigens and endogenous immune receptors but also have proven extremely amenable to protein engineering. Thus, several derivatives of the monoclonal antibody format, including bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and antibody fragments, have demonstrated efficacy for treating human disease, particularly in the fields of immunology and oncology. Reviewed here are considerations for the design of antibody-based therapeutics, including immunological context, therapeutic mechanisms, and engineering strategies. First, characteristics of antibodies are introduced, with emphasis on structural domains, functionally important receptors, isotypic and allotypic differences, and modifications such as glycosylation. Then, aspects of therapeutic antibody design are discussed, including identification of antigen-specific variable regions, choice of expression system, use of multispecific formats, and design of antibody derivatives based on fragmentation, oligomerization, or conjugation to other functional moieties. Finally, strategies to enhance antibody function through protein engineering are reviewed while highlighting the impact of fundamental biophysical properties on protein developability.

Durable multitransgene expression in vivo using systemic, nonviral DNA delivery

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are transforming therapies for rare human monogenic deficiency diseases. However, adaptive immune responses to AAV and its limited DNA insert capacity, restrict their therapeutic potential. HEDGES (high-level extended duration gene expression system), a nonviral DNA- and liposome-based gene delivery platform, overcomes these limitations in immunocompetent mice. Specifically, one systemic HEDGES injection durably produces therapeutic levels of transgene-encoded human proteins, including FDA-approved cytokines and monoclonal antibodies, without detectable integration into genomic DNA. HEDGES also controls protein production duration from <3 weeks to >1.5 years, does not induce anti-vector immune responses, is reexpressed for prolonged periods following reinjection, and produces only transient minimal toxicity. HEDGES can produce extended therapeutic levels of multiple transgene-encoded therapeutic human proteins from DNA inserts >1.5-fold larger than AAV-based therapeutics, thus creating combinatorial interventions to effectively treat common polygenic diseases driven by multigenic abnormalities.

Humanistic and economic impact of subcutaneous versus intravenous administration of oncology biologics

More oncology biologics are becoming available for subcutaneous (sc.) administration and are expected to provide useful therapeutic options. We evaluated evidence published in the past 5 years to assess the humanistic and economic impact of sc. versus intravenous administration of approved cancer therapies and identify outcomes favoring either administration route. These publications focused predominantly on healthcare resource utilization and economic outcomes, demonstrating resource and cost savings with sc. administration. Patients reported a better health-related quality of life and preference for sc. formulations. Time-and-motion study analyses confirmed the convenience of sc. administration. These findings suggest that future availability of sc. oncology biologics, especially anti-PD-1/PD-ligand 1 antibodies due to their increased utility in various malignancies, may be beneficial for patients, healthcare providers and payers.

Anti-proteinuria effect of antibody against ANGPTL3 coil-coiled domain on adriamycin-induced nephropathy in mice

Proteinuria is an important marker and is closely related to the progressive decline of renal function. Our previous research showed that angiopoietin-like-3 (ANGPTL3) plays a crucial role in proteinuria. In this study, we prepared an antibody against ANGPTL3 coil-coiled domain (ANGPTL3-CCD) and investigated the protective effect of anti-ANGPTL3-CCD antibody in mice with adriamycin-induced nephropathy. Nephropathy was established by adriamycin injection at a dose of 25 mg per kg in 8-12 week-old male mice in the ADR group. Blockade of ANGPTL3 by anti-ANGPTL3-CCD antibody (20 mg per kg) was performed every three days nine times after adriamycin injection in the ADR plus anti-angptl3-antibody group. The anti-ANGPTL3-CCD antibody can specifically recognize ANGPTL3. After anti-ANGPTL3-CCD antibody intervention, the urinary protein level in the ADR plus anti-angptl3-antibody group was significantly lower than that in the ADR group. Serum albumin was higher and triglyceride and total cholesterol were lower in the ADR plus anti-angptl3-antibody group than in the ADR group. The levels of serum creatinine did not significantly differ among the groups. Focal sclerotic glomeruli and podocyte foot processes extensive fusion were found in the renal tissue of the ADR group, whereas no sclerotic glomeruli and only partial fusion were found in the ADR plus anti-angptl3-antibody group. This study demonstrated that the anti-ANGPTL3-CCD antibody ameliorated proteinuria and podocyte dysfunction in adriamycin-induced nephropathy in mice.

Current Advancements in Addressing Key Challenges of Therapeutic Antibody Design, Manufacture, and Formulation

Therapeutic antibody technology heavily dominates the biologics market and continues to present as a significant industrial interest in developing novel and improved antibody treatment strategies. Many noteworthy advancements in the last decades have propelled the success of antibody development; however, there are still opportunities for improvement. In considering such interest to develop antibody therapies, this review summarizes the array of challenges and considerations faced in the design, manufacture, and formulation of therapeutic antibodies, such as stability, bioavailability and immunological engagement. We discuss the advancement of technologies that address these challenges, highlighting key antibody engineered formats that have been adapted. Furthermore, we examine the implication of novel formulation technologies such as nanocarrier delivery systems for the potential to formulate for pulmonary delivery. Finally, we comprehensively discuss developments in computational approaches for the strategic design of antibodies with modulated functions.

mRNA Delivery for Therapeutic Anti-HER2 Antibody Expression In Vivo

Antibody-based drugs are a leading class of biologics used to treat a variety of diseases, including cancer. However, wide antibody implementation is hindered by manufacturing challenges and high production cost. Use of in-vitro-transcribed mRNA (IVT-mRNA) for endogenous protein expression has the potential to circumvent many of the shortcomings of antibody production and therapeutic application. Here, we describe the development of an IVT-mRNA system for in vivo delivery of a humanized anti-HER2 (also known as ERBB2) antibody, trastuzumab, and demonstrate its anticancer activity. We engineered the IVT-mRNA sequence to maximize expression, then formulated the IVT-mRNA into lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) to protect the mRNA from degradation and enable efficient in vivo delivery. Systemic delivery of the optimized IVT-mRNA loaded into LNPs resulted in antibody serum concentrations of 45 ± 8.6 μg/mL for 14 days after LNP injection. Further studies demonstrated an improved pharmacokinetic profile of the produced protein compared to injection of trastuzumab protein. Finally, treatment of tumor-bearing mice with trastuzumab IVT-mRNA LNPs selectively reduced the volume of HER2-positive tumors and improved animal survival. Taken together, the results of our study demonstrate that using IVT-mRNA LNPs to express full-size therapeutic antibodies in the liver can provide an effective strategy for cancer treatment and offers an alternative to protein administration.

Informatics and Computational Methods in Natural Product Drug Discovery: A Review and Perspectives

The discovery of new pharmaceutical drugs is one of the preeminent tasks-scientifically, economically, and socially-in biomedical research. Advances in informatics and computational biology have increased productivity at many stages of the drug discovery pipeline. Nevertheless, drug discovery has slowed, largely due to the reliance on small molecules as the primary source of novel hypotheses. Natural products (such as plant metabolites, animal toxins, and immunological components) comprise a vast and diverse source of bioactive compounds, some of which are supported by thousands of years of traditional medicine, and are largely disjoint from the set of small molecules used commonly for discovery. However, natural products possess unique characteristics that distinguish them from traditional small molecule drug candidates, requiring new methods and approaches for assessing their therapeutic potential. In this review, we investigate a number of state-of-the-art techniques in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, and knowledge engineering for data-driven drug discovery from natural products. We focus on methods that aim to bridge the gap between traditional small-molecule drug candidates and different classes of natural products. We also explore the current informatics knowledge gaps and other barriers that need to be overcome to fully leverage these compounds for drug discovery. Finally, we conclude with a "road map" of research priorities that seeks to realize this goal.

Cognizance of Molecular Methods for the Generation of Mutagenic Phage Display Antibody Libraries for Affinity Maturation

Antibodies leverage on their unique architecture to bind with an array of antigens. The strength of interaction has a direct relation to the affinity of the antibodies towards the antigen. In vivo affinity maturation is performed through multiple rounds of somatic hypermutation and selection in the germinal centre. This unique process involves intricate sequence rearrangements at the gene level via molecular mechanisms. The emergence of in vitro display technologies, mainly phage display and recombinant DNA technology, has helped revolutionize the way antibody improvements are being carried out in the laboratory. The adaptation of molecular approaches in vitro to replicate the in vivo processes has allowed for improvements in the way recombinant antibodies are designed and tuned. Combinatorial libraries, consisting of a myriad of possible antibodies, are capable of replicating the diversity of the natural human antibody repertoire. The isolation of target-specific antibodies with specific affinity characteristics can also be accomplished through modification of stringent protocols. Despite the ability to screen and select for high-affinity binders, some 'fine tuning' may be required to enhance antibody binding in terms of its affinity. This review will provide a brief account of phage display technology used for antibody generation followed by a summary of different combinatorial library characteristics. The review will focus on available strategies, which include molecular approaches, next generation sequencing, and in silico approaches used for antibody affinity maturation in both therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Nanocarrier-based systems for targeted and site specific therapeutic delivery

Systemic drug delivery methods such as oral or parenteral administration of free drugs possess relatively low treatment efficiency and marked adverse side effects. The use of nanoparticles for drug delivery in most cases substantially enhances drug efficacy, improves pharmacokinetics and drug release and limits their side effects. However, further enhancement in drug efficacy and significant limitation of adverse side effects can be achieved by specific targeting of nanocarrier-based delivery systems especially in combination with local administration. The present review describes major advantages and limitations of organic and inorganic nanocarriers or living cell-based drug and nucleic acid delivery systems. Among these, different nanoparticles, supramolecular gels, therapeutic cells as living drug carriers etc. have emerged as a new frontier in modern medicine.