LC/MS Methods for Studying Lysosomal ADC Catabolism

Rational Identification of Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugate with High Bystander Killing Effect against Heterogeneous Tumors

Bystander-killing payloads can significantly overcome the tumor heterogeneity issue and enhance the clinical potential of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), but the rational design and identification of effective bystander warheads constrain the broader implementation of this strategy. Here, graph attention networks (GAT) are constructed for a rational bystander killing scoring model and ADC construction workflow for the first time. To generate efficient bystander-killing payloads, this model is utilized for score-directed exatecan derivatives design. Among them, Ed9, the most potent payload with satisfactory permeability and bioactivity, is further used to construct ADC. Through linker optimization and conjugation, novel ADCs are constructed that perform excellent anti-tumor efficacy and bystander-killing effect in vivo and in vitro. The optimal conjugate T-VEd9 exhibited therapeutic efficacy superior to DS-8201 against heterogeneous tumors. These results demonstrate that the effective scoring approach can pave the way for the discovery of novel ADC with promising bystander payloads to combat tumor heterogeneity.

Bioanalytical strategy for the characterization and bioanalysis of biologics: a global, nonregulated bioanalytical lab perspective

Over the past two decades, we have seen an increase in the complexity and diversity of biotherapeutic modalities pursued by biopharmaceutical companies. These biologics are multifaceted and susceptible to post-translational modifications and in vivo biotransformation that could impose challenges for bioanalysis. It is vital to characterize the functionality, stability and biotransformation products of these molecules to enable screening, identify potential liabilities at an early stage and devise a bioanalytical strategy. This article highlights our perspective on characterization and bioanalysis of biologics using hybrid LC-MS in our global nonregulated bioanalytical laboratories. AbbVie's suite of versatile, stage-appropriate characterization assays and quantitative bioanalytical approaches are discussed, along with guidance on their utility in answering project-specific questions to aid in decision-making.