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Wu S, Luo Q, Li F, Zhang S, Zhang C, Liu J, Shao B, Hong Y, Tan T, Dong X, Chen B. Development of novel humanized CD19/BAFFR bicistronic chimeric antigen receptor T cells with potent antitumor activity against B-cell lineage neoplasms. Br J Haematol 2024. [PMID: 38960449 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.19631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has shown remarkable efficacy in treating advanced B-cell malignancies by targeting CD19, but antigen-negative relapses and immune responses triggered by murine-derived antibodies remain significant challenges, necessitating the development of novel humanized multitarget CAR-T therapies. Here, we engineered a second-generation 4-1BB-CD3ζ-based CAR construct incorporating humanized CD19 single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) and BAFFR single-variable domains on heavy chains (VHHs), also known as nanobodies. The resultant CAR-T cells, with different constructs, were functionally compared both in vitro and in vivo. We found that the optimal tandem and bicistronic (BI) structures retained respective antigen-binding abilities, and both demonstrated specific activation when stimulated with target cells. At the same time, BI CAR-T cells (BI CARs) exhibited stronger tumour-killing ability and better secretion of interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha than single-target CAR-T cells. Additionally, BI CARs showed less exhaustion phenotype upon repeated antigen stimulation and demonstrated more potent and persistent antitumor effects in mouse xenograft models. Overall, we developed a novel humanized CD19/BAFFR bicistronic CAR (BI CAR) based on a combination of scFv and VHH, which showed potent and sustained antitumor ability both in vitro and in vivo, including against tumours with CD19 or BAFFR deficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungui Wu
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Luo
- Iaso Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feiyu Li
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Suwen Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Cuiling Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianwei Liu
- Iaso Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bang Shao
- Iaso Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yang Hong
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Taochao Tan
- Iaso Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoqing Dong
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Peng BJ, Alvarado A, Cassim H, Guarneri S, Wong S, Willis J, SantaMaria J, Martynchuk A, Stratton V, Patel D, Chen CC, Li Y, Binder GK, Dryer-Minnerly R, Lee J, Basu S. Preclinical specificity & activity of a fully human 41BB-expressing anti-CD19 CART- therapy for treatment-resistant autoimmune disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101267. [PMID: 38883975 PMCID: PMC11176803 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Over 4% of the global population is estimated to live with autoimmune disease, necessitating immunosuppressive treatment that is often chronic, not curative, and carries associated risks. B cells have emerged as key players in disease pathogenesis, as evidenced by partial responsiveness to B cell depletion by antibody-based therapies. However, these treatments often have transient effects due to incomplete depletion of tissue-resident B cells. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting B cells have demonstrated efficacy in refractory systemic lupus erythematosus. To this end, we developed an anti-CD19 CAR T cell product candidate, CABA-201, containing a clinically evaluated fully human CD19 binder (IC78) with a 4-1BB costimulatory domain and CD3 zeta stimulation domain for treatment refractory autoimmune disease. Here, we demonstrate specific cytotoxic activity of CABA-201 against CD19+ Nalm6 cells with no off-target effects on primary human cells. Novel examination of CABA-201 generated from primary T cells from multiple patients with autoimmune disease displayed robust CAR surface expression and effective elimination of the intended target autologous CD19+ B cells in vitro. Together, these findings support the tolerability and activity of CABA-201 for clinical development in patients with autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghao J Peng
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Andrea Alvarado
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Hangameh Cassim
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Soprina Guarneri
- Department of Protein and Molecular Biology, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Steven Wong
- Department of Protein and Molecular Biology, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Jonathan Willis
- Department of Analytical Development, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Julia SantaMaria
- Department of Analytical Development, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Ashley Martynchuk
- Department of Manufacturing, Science, and Technologies, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Victoria Stratton
- Department of Manufacturing, Science, and Technologies, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Darshil Patel
- Department of Protein and Molecular Biology, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Chien-Chung Chen
- Department of Analytical Development, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Manufacturing, Science, and Technologies, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | | | | | - Jinmin Lee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
| | - Samik Basu
- Cabaletta Bio, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
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Seigner J, Zajc CU, Dötsch S, Eigner C, Laurent E, Busch DH, Lehner M, Traxlmayr MW. Solving the mystery of the FMC63-CD19 affinity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:23024. [PMID: 38155191 PMCID: PMC10754921 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48528-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of approved CAR T cell products are based on the FMC63-scFv directed against CD19. Surprisingly, although antigen binding affinity is a major determinant for CAR function, the affinity of the benchmark FMC63-scFv has not been unambiguously determined. That is, a wide range of affinities have been reported in literature, differing by more than 100-fold. Using a range of techniques, we demonstrate that suboptimal experimental designs can cause artefacts that lead to over- or underestimation of the affinity. To minimize these artefacts, we performed SPR with strictly monomeric and correctly folded soluble CD19, yielding an FMC63-scFv affinity of 2-6 nM. Together, apart from analyzing the FMC63-scFv affinity under optimized conditions, we also provide potential explanations for the wide range of published affinities. We expect that this study will be highly valuable for interpretations of CAR affinity-function relationships, as well as for the design of future CAR T cell generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Seigner
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Animal Cell Technology and Systems Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Charlotte U Zajc
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- CD Laboratory for Next Generation CAR T Cells, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah Dötsch
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Eigner
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Laurent
- BOKU Core Facility Biomolecular and Cellular Analysis, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dirk H Busch
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Manfred Lehner
- CD Laboratory for Next Generation CAR T Cells, Vienna, Austria
- St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute, CCRI, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Anna Kinderspital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael W Traxlmayr
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
- CD Laboratory for Next Generation CAR T Cells, Vienna, Austria.
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Dai Z, Mu W, Zhao Y, Jia X, Liu J, Wei Q, Tan T, Zhou J. The rational development of CD5-targeting biepitopic CARs with fully human heavy-chain-only antigen recognition domains. Mol Ther 2021; 29:2707-2722. [PMID: 34274536 PMCID: PMC8417515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell malignancies are a group of hematologic cancers with high recurrence and mortality rates. CD5 is highly expressed in ∼85% of T cell malignancies, although normal expression of CD5 is restricted to thymocytes, T cells, and B1 cells. However, CD5 expression on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells leads to CAR-T cell fratricide. Once this limitation is overcome, CD5-targeting CAR-T therapy could be an attractive strategy to treat T cell malignancies. Here, we report the selection of novel CD5-targeting fully human heavy-chain variable (FHVH) domains for the development of a biepitopic CAR, termed FHVH3/VH1, containing FHVH1 and FHVH3, which were validated to bind different epitopes of the CD5 antigen. To prevent fratricide in CD5 CAR-T cells, we optimized the manufacturing procedures of a CRISPR-Cas9-based CD5 knockout (CD5KO) and lentiviral transduction of anti-CD5 CAR. In vitro and in vivo functional comparisons demonstrated that biepitopic CD5KO FHVH3/VH1 CAR-T cells exhibited enhanced and longer lasting efficacy; produced moderate levels of cytokine secretion; showed similar specificity profiles as either FHVH1, FHVH3, or the clinically tested H65; and is therefore suitable for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Dai
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Wei Mu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Ya Zhao
- Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China
| | - Xiangyin Jia
- Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China
| | - Jianwei Liu
- Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China
| | - Qiaoe Wei
- Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China
| | - Taochao Tan
- Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China.
| | - Jianfeng Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
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