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Lim K, Zhu XS, Zhou D, Ren S, Phipps A. Clinical Pharmacology Strategies for Bispecific Antibody Development: Learnings from FDA-Approved Bispecific Antibodies in Oncology. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024. [PMID: 38825990 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies, by enabling the targeting of more than one disease-associated antigen or engaging immune effector cells, have both advantages and challenges compared with a combination of two different biological products. As of December 2023, there are 11 U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved BsAb products on the market. Among these, 9 have been approved for oncology indications, and 8 of these are CD3 T-cell engagers. Clinical pharmacology strategies, including dose-related strategies, are critical for bispecific antibody development. This analysis reviewed clinical studies of all approved bispecific antibodies in oncology and identified dose-related perspectives to support clinical dose optimization and regulatory approvals, particularly in the context of the Food and Drug Administration's Project Optimus: (1) starting doses and dose ranges in first-in-human studies; (2) dose strategies including step-up doses or full doses for recommended phase 2 doses or dose level(s) used for registrational intent; (3) restarting therapy after dose delay; (4) considerations for the introduction of subcutaneous doses; (5) body weight vs. flat dosing strategy; and (6) management of immunogenicity. The learnings arising from this review are intended to inform successful strategies for future bispecific antibody development.
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Affiliation(s)
- KyoungSoo Lim
- Clinical Pharmacology & Quantitative Pharmacology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Xu Sue Zhu
- Clinical Pharmacology & Quantitative Pharmacology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diansong Zhou
- Clinical Pharmacology & Quantitative Pharmacology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Song Ren
- Clinical Pharmacology & Quantitative Pharmacology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Alex Phipps
- Clinical Pharmacology & Quantitative Pharmacology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
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Venetsanopoulou AI, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA. Investigational bispecific antibodies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38698301 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2024.2351507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder with a characteristic chronic inflammation of the synovium that may lead to the destruction of the joints in untreated patients. Interestingly, despite the availability of several effective treatments, many patients do not achieve remission or low disease activity or may experience disease relapse.Following the above unmet needs, bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have emerged as a new approach to improve the disease's treatment. BsAbs are designed to simultaneously target two different proteins involved in RA pathogenesis, leading to enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects compared to traditional monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). AREAS COVERED In this review, we discuss the development of BsAbs for RA treatment, including their mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety profile. We also deal with the challenges and future directions in this field. EXPERT OPINION BsAbs show promise in preclinical and clinical evaluations for treating RA. Further research is needed to optimize design and dosage and identify ideal patient groups. BsAbs can benefit disease management and improve outcomes of RA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliki I Venetsanopoulou
- Department of Rheumatology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Paraskevi V Voulgari
- Department of Rheumatology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Alexandros A Drosos
- Department of Rheumatology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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Logghe T, van Zwol E, Immordino B, Van den Cruys K, Peeters M, Giovannetti E, Bogers J. Hyperthermia in Combination with Emerging Targeted and Immunotherapies as a New Approach in Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:505. [PMID: 38339258 PMCID: PMC10854776 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite significant advancements in the development of novel therapies, cancer continues to stand as a prominent global cause of death. In many cases, the cornerstone of standard-of-care therapy consists of chemotherapy (CT), radiotherapy (RT), or a combination of both. Notably, hyperthermia (HT), which has been in clinical use in the last four decades, has proven to enhance the effectiveness of CT and RT, owing to its recognized potency as a sensitizer. Furthermore, HT exerts effects on all steps of the cancer-immunity cycle and exerts a significant impact on key oncogenic pathways. Most recently, there has been a noticeable expansion of cancer research related to treatment options involving immunotherapy (IT) and targeted therapy (TT), a trend also visible in the research and development pipelines of pharmaceutical companies. However, the potential results arising from the combination of these innovative therapeutic approaches with HT remain largely unexplored. Therefore, this review aims to explore the oncology pipelines of major pharmaceutical companies, with the primary objective of identifying the principal targets of forthcoming therapies that have the potential to be advantageous for patients by specifically targeting molecular pathways involved in HT. The ultimate goal of this review is to pave the way for future research initiatives and clinical trials that harness the synergy between emerging IT and TT medications when used in conjunction with HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tine Logghe
- Elmedix NV, Dellingstraat 34/1, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Eke van Zwol
- Elmedix NV, Dellingstraat 34/1, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Benoît Immordino
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, San Giuliano, 56017 Pisa, Italy
- Institute of Life Sciences, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Marc Peeters
- Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, San Giuliano, 56017 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit, Cancer Center Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes Bogers
- Elmedix NV, Dellingstraat 34/1, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
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Qi T, Liao X, Cao Y. Development of bispecific T cell engagers: harnessing quantitative systems pharmacology. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:880-890. [PMID: 37852906 PMCID: PMC10843027 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.09.009] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Bispecific T cell engagers (bsTCEs) have emerged as a promising class of cancer immunotherapy. Several bsTCEs have achieved marketing approval; dozens more are under clinical investigation. However, the clinical development of bsTCEs remains rife with challenges, including nuanced pharmacology, limited translatability of preclinical findings, frequent on-target toxicity, and convoluted dosing regimens. In this opinion article we present a distinct perspective on how quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) can serve as a powerful tool for overcoming these obstacles. Recent advances in QSP modeling have empowered developers of bsTCEs to gain a deeper understanding of their context-dependent pharmacology, bridge gaps in experimental data, guide first-in-human (FIH) dose selection, design dosing regimens with expanded therapeutic windows, and improve long-term treatment outcomes. We use recent case studies to exemplify the potential of QSP techniques to support future bsTCE development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Qi
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Xiaozhi Liao
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yanguang Cao
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Jayachandran P, Desikan R, Krishnaswami S, Hennig S. Role of pharmacometrics and systems pharmacology in facilitating efficient dose optimization in oncology. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 2023; 12:1569-1572. [PMID: 37849052 PMCID: PMC10681474 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.13066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rajat Desikan
- Clinical Pharmacology Modeling & SimulationGlaxoSmithKline (GSK)StevenageHertfordshireUK
| | | | - Stefanie Hennig
- Certara, Inc.MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of HealthQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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Niu J, Wang W, Ouellet D. Mechanism-based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling for bispecific antibodies: challenges and opportunities. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2023; 16:977-990. [PMID: 37743720 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2023.2257136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Unlike conventional antibodies, bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are engineered antibody- or antibody fragment-based molecules that can simultaneously recognize two different epitopes or antigens. Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of bsAbs being developed across therapeutic areas. Development of bsAbs presents unique challenges and mechanism-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling has served as a powerful tool to optimize their development and realize their clinical utility. AREAS COVERED In this review, the guiding principles and case examples of how fit-for-purpose, mechanism-based PK/PD models have been applied to answer questions commonly encountered in bsAb development are presented. Such models characterize the key pharmacological elements of bsAbs, and they can be utilized for model-informed drug development. We also include the discussion of challenges, knowledge gaps and future direction for such models. EXPERT OPINION Mechanistic PK/PD modeling is a powerful tool to support the development of bsAbs. These models can be extrapolated to predict treatment outcomes based on mechanisms of action (MoA) and clinical observations to form positive learn-and-confirm cycles during drug development, due to their abilities to differentiate system- and drug-specific parameters. Meanwhile, the models should keep being adapted according to novel drug design and MoA, providing continuous opportunities for model-informed drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Niu
- Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Weirong Wang
- Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Daniele Ouellet
- Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development, Spring House, PA, USA
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Shanshal M, Caimi PF, Adjei AA, Ma WW. T-Cell Engagers in Solid Cancers-Current Landscape and Future Directions. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2824. [PMID: 37345160 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibody treatment initially heralded an era of molecularly targeted therapy in oncology and is now widely applied in modulating anti-cancer immunity by targeting programmed cell receptors (PD-1, PD-L1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and, more recently, lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG3). Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) recently proved to be a valid approach to inducing anti-cancer immunity by directly modifying the host's immune cells. However, such cell-based therapy requires extensive resources such as leukapheresis, ex vivo modification and expansion of cytotoxic T-cells and current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) laboratories and presents significant logistical challenges. Bi-/trispecific antibody technology is a novel pharmaceutical approach to facilitate the engagement of effector immune cells to potentially multiple cancer epitopes, e.g., the recently approved blinatumomab. This opens the opportunity to develop 'off-the-shelf' anti-cancer agents that achieve similar and/or complementary anti-cancer effects as those of modified immune cell therapy. The majority of bi-/trispecific antibodies target the tumor-associated antigens (TAA) located on the extracellular surface of cancer cells. The extracellular antigens represent just a small percentage of known TAAs and are often associated with higher toxicities because some of them are expressed on normal cells (off-target toxicity). In contrast, the targeting of intracellular TAAs such as mutant RAS and TP53 may lead to fewer off-target toxicities while still achieving the desired antitumor efficacy (on-target toxicity). Here, we provide a comprehensive review on the emerging field of bi-/tri-specific T-cell engagers and potential therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Wen Wee Ma
- Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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Ball K, Dovedi SJ, Vajjah P, Phipps A. Strategies for clinical dose optimization of T cell-engaging therapies in oncology. MAbs 2023; 15:2181016. [PMID: 36823042 PMCID: PMC9980545 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2181016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Innovative approaches in the design of T cell-engaging (TCE) molecules are ushering in a new wave of promising immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Their mechanism of action, which generates an in trans interaction to create a synthetic immune synapse, leads to complex and interconnected relationships between the exposure, efficacy, and toxicity of these drugs. Challenges thus arise when designing optimal clinical dose regimens for TCEs with narrow therapeutic windows, with a variety of dosing strategies being evaluated to mitigate key side effects such as cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, and on-target off-tumor toxicities. This review evaluates the current approaches to dose optimization throughout the preclinical and clinical development of TCEs, along with perspectives for improvement of these strategies. Quantitative approaches used to aid the understanding of dose-exposure-response relationships are highlighted, along with opportunities to guide the rational design of next-generation TCE molecules, and optimize their dose regimens in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Ball
- Clinical Pharmacology and Quantitative Pharmacology, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Pavan Vajjah
- Clinical Pharmacology and Quantitative Pharmacology, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alex Phipps
- Clinical Pharmacology and Quantitative Pharmacology, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
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