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Chis AA, Dobrea CM, Arseniu AM, Frum A, Rus LL, Cormos G, Georgescu C, Morgovan C, Butuca A, Gligor FG, Vonica-Tincu AL. Antibody-Drug Conjugates-Evolution and Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6969. [PMID: 39000079 PMCID: PMC11241239 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Antineoplastic therapy is one of the main research themes of this century. Modern approaches have been implemented to target and heighten the effect of cytostatic drugs on tumors and diminish their general/unspecific toxicity. In this context, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a promising and successful strategy. The aim of this review was to assess different aspects regarding ADCs. They were presented from a chemical and a pharmacological perspective and aspects like structure, conjugation and development particularities alongside effects, clinical trials, safety issues and perspectives and challenges for future use of these drugs were discussed. Representative examples include but are not limited to the following main structural components of ADCs: monoclonal antibodies (trastuzumab, brentuximab), linkers (pH-sensitive, reduction-sensitive, peptide-based, phosphate-based, and others), and payloads (doxorubicin, emtansine, ravtansine, calicheamicin). Regarding pharmacotherapy success, the high effectiveness expectation associated with ADC treatment is supported by the large number of ongoing clinical trials. Major aspects such as development strategies are first discussed, advantages and disadvantages, safety and efficacy, offering a retrospective insight on the subject. The second part of the review is prospective, focusing on various plans to overcome the previously identified difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anca Maria Arseniu
- Faculty of Medicine, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Adina Frum
- Faculty of Medicine, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Luca-Liviu Rus
- Faculty of Medicine, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Gabriela Cormos
- Faculty of Medicine, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Cecilia Georgescu
- Faculty of Agriculture Science, Food Industry and Environmental Protection, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Claudiu Morgovan
- Faculty of Medicine, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Anca Butuca
- Faculty of Medicine, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania
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2
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Fang P, You M, Cao Y, Feng Q, Shi L, Wang J, Sun X, Yu D, Zhou W, Yin L, Mei F, Zhu X, Cheng A, Tan X. Development and validation of bioanalytical assays for the quantification of 9MW2821, a nectin-4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 248:116318. [PMID: 38908237 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116318] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
We designed and developed 9MW2821, an anti-Nectin-4 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) with an enzymatically cleavable valine-citrulline linker and monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) as the payload. Four bioanalytical assays for total antibodies, conjugated antibodies, conjugated payload, and free payload were then developed and validated for the comprehensive evaluation of the multiple drug forms of 9MW2821. Specific sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to quantify total antibodies and conjugated antibody, showing good drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) tolerance. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to determine free MMAE, and conjugated MMAE was quantified using a combination of ligand-binding assay (LBA) and LC-MS/MS. Based on these four assays, we studied the serum stability and monkey pharmacokinetic profiles of 9MW2821, and the in vivo DAR of 9MW2821 was calculated and dynamically monitored. In conclusion, we developed and validated series of bioanalytical assays to quantify multiple forms of 9MW2821, a new ADC, and used the assays to evaluate the serum stability and monkey pharmacokinetic characteristics. The results indicate good linker stability and suggest that the developed assays can be further used in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Fang
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Meng You
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Yuxia Cao
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Qingjun Feng
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Xiaowei Sun
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Dongan Yu
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Long Yin
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Fei Mei
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhu
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Aidi Cheng
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Xiaoding Tan
- Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China.
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3
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Yap SY, Butcher T, Spears RJ, McMahon C, Thanasi IA, Baker JR, Chudasama V. Chemo- and regio-selective differential modification of native cysteines on an antibody via the use of dehydroalanine forming reagents. Chem Sci 2024; 15:8557-8568. [PMID: 38846383 PMCID: PMC11151841 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc00392f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein modification has garnered increasing interest over the past few decades and has become an important tool in many aspects of chemical biology. In recent years, much effort has focused on site-selective modification strategies that generate more homogenous bioconjugates, and this is particularly so in the antibody modification space. Modifying native antibodies by targeting solvent-accessible cysteines liberated by interchain disulfide reduction is, perhaps, the predominant strategy for achieving more site-selectivity on an antibody scaffold. This is evidenced by numerous approved antibody therapeutics that have utilised cysteine-directed conjugation reagents and the plethora of methods/strategies focused on antibody cysteine modification. However, all of these methods have a common feature in that after the reduction of native solvent-accessible cystines, the liberated cysteines are all reacted in the same manner. Herein, we report the discovery and application of dehydroalanine forming reagents (including novel reagents) capable of regio- and chemo-selectively modifying these cysteines (differentially) on a clinically relevant antibody fragment and a full antibody. We discovered that these reagents could enable differential reactivity between light chain C-terminal cysteines, heavy chain hinge region cysteines (cysteines with an adjacent proline residue, Cys-Pro), and other heavy chain internal cysteines. This differential reactivity was also showcased on small molecules and on the peptide somatostatin. The application of these dehydroalanine forming reagents was exemplified in the preparation of a dually modified antibody fragment and full antibody. Additionally, we discovered that readily available amide coupling agents can be repurposed as dehydroalanine forming reagents, which could be of interest to the broader field of chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Y Yap
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Tobias Butcher
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Richard J Spears
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Clíona McMahon
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Ioanna A Thanasi
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - James R Baker
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
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4
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Journeaux T, Bernardes GJL. Homogeneous multi-payload antibody-drug conjugates. Nat Chem 2024; 16:854-870. [PMID: 38760431 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01507-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Many systemic cancer chemotherapies comprise a combination of drugs, yet all clinically used antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) contain a single-drug payload. These combination regimens improve treatment outcomes by producing synergistic anticancer effects and slowing the development of drug-resistant cell populations. In an attempt to replicate these regimens and improve the efficacy of targeted therapy, the field of ADCs has moved towards developing techniques that allow for multiple unique payloads to be attached to a single antibody molecule with high homogeneity. However, the methods for generating such constructs-homogeneous multi-payload ADCs-are both numerous and complex owing to the plethora of reactive functional groups that make up the surface of an antibody. Here, by summarizing and comparing the methods of both single- and multi-payload ADC generation and their key preclinical and clinical results, we provide a timely overview of this relatively new area of research. The methods discussed range from branched linker installation to the incorporation of unnatural amino acids, with a generalized comparison tool of the most promising modification strategies also provided. Finally, the successes and challenges of this rapidly growing field are critically evaluated, and from this, future areas of research and development are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby Journeaux
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gonçalo J L Bernardes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
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Gray ME, Zielinski KM, Xu F, Elder KK, McKay SJ, Ojo VT, Benjamin SR, Yaseen AA, Brooks TA, Tumey LN. A comparison of the activity, lysosomal stability, and efficacy of legumain-cleavable and cathepsin cleavable ADC linkers. Xenobiotica 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38738708 DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2024.2352051] [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: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
1. Over the past two decades antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a highly effective drug delivery technology. ADCs utilize a monoclonal antibody, a chemical linker, and a therapeutic payload to selectively deliver highly potent pharmaceutical agents to specific cell types.2. Challenges such as premature linker cleavage and clearance due to linker hydrophobicity have adversely impacted the stability and safety of ADCs. While there are various solutions to these challenges, our team has focused on replacement of hydrophobic ValCit linkers (cleaved by CatB) with Asn-containing linkers that are cleaved by lysosomal legumain.3. Legumain is abundantly present in lysosomes and is known to play a role in tumor microenvironment dynamics. Herein, we directly compare the lysosomal cleavage, cytotoxicity, plasma stability, and efficacy of a traditional cathepsin cleavable ADC to a matched Asn-containing legumain-cleavable ADC.4. We demonstrate that Asn-containing linker sequences are specifically cleaved by lysosomal legumain and that Asn-linked MMAE ADCs are broadly active against a variety of tumors, even those with low legumain expression. Finally, we show that AsnAsn-linked ADCs exhibit comparable or improved efficacy to traditional ValCit-linked ADCs. Our study paves the way for replacement of the traditional ValCit linker technology with more hydrophilic Asn-containing peptide linker sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E Gray
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Karina M Zielinski
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Fanny Xu
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Kayla K Elder
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Steven J McKay
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Victor T Ojo
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Samantha R Benjamin
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Aiman A Yaseen
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Tracy A Brooks
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - L Nathan Tumey
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
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Liu B, Zou X, Zhang Y, Yang Y, Xu H, Tang F, Yu H, Xia F, Liu Z, Zhao J, Shi W, Huang W. Site- and Stereoselective Glycomodification of Biomolecules through Carbohydrate-Promoted Pictet-Spengler Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202401394. [PMID: 38396356 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202401394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Carbohydrates play pivotal roles in an array of essential biological processes and are consequently involved in many diseases. To meet the needs of glycobiology research, chemical enzymatic and non-enzymatic methods have been developed to generate glycoconjugates with well-defined structures. Herein, harnessing the unique properties of C6-oxidized glycans, we report a straightforward and robust strategy for site- and stereoselective glycomodification of biomolecules with N-terminal tryptophan residues by a carbohydrate-promoted Pictet-Spengler reaction, which is not adapted to typical aldehyde substrates under biocompatible conditions. This method reliably delivers highly homogeneous glycoconjugates with stable linkages and thus has great potential for functional modulation of peptides and proteins in glycobiology research. Moreover, this reaction can be performed at the glycosites of glycopeptides, glycoproteins and living-cell surfaces in a site-specific manner. Control experiments indicated that the protected α-O atom of aldehyde donors and free N-H bond of the tryptamine motif are crucial for this reaction. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that the reaction exhibited a first-order dependence on both tryptophan and glycan, and deprotonation/rearomatization of the pentahydro-β-carbolinium ion intermediate might be the rate-determining step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiangman Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yang Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Hao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Rd, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Feng Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Huixin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Fei Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jianwei Zhao
- Shenzhen HUASUAN Technology Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wei Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, 310024, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Rd, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Guo Y, Li X, Xie Y, Wang Y. What influences the activity of Degrader-Antibody conjugates (DACs). Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116216. [PMID: 38387330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The targeted protein degradation (TPD) technology employing proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has been widely applied in drug chemistry and chemical biology for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. PROTACs have demonstrated significant advantages in targeting undruggable targets and overcoming drug resistance. However, despite the efficient degradation of targeted proteins achieved by PROTACs, they still face challenges related to selectivity between normal and cancer cells, as well as issues with poor membrane permeability due to their substantial molecular weight. Additionally, the noteworthy toxicity resulting from off-target effects also needs to be addressed. To solve these issues, Degrader-Antibody Conjugates (DACs) have been developed, leveraging the targeting and internalization capabilities of antibodies. In this review, we elucidates the characteristics and distinctions between DACs, and traditional Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Meanwhile, we emphasizes the significance of DACs in facilitating the delivery of PROTACs and delves into the impact of various components on DAC activity. These components include antibody targets, drug-antibody ratio (DAR), linker types, PROTACs targets, PROTACs connections, and E3 ligase ligands. The review also explores the suitability of different targets (antibody targets or PROTACs targets) for DACs, providing insights to guide the design of PROTACs better suited for antibody conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaolin Guo
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoxue Li
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yang Xie
- Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China.
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8
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Liubomirski Y, Tiram G, Scomparin A, Gnaim S, Das S, Gholap S, Ge L, Yeini E, Shelef O, Zauberman A, Berger N, Kalimi D, Toister-Achituv M, Schröter C, Dickgiesser S, Tonillo J, Shan M, Deutsch C, Sweeney-Lasch S, Shabat D, Satchi-Fainaro R. Potent antitumor activity of anti-HER2 antibody-topoisomerase I inhibitor conjugate based on self-immolative dendritic dimeric-linker. J Control Release 2024; 367:148-157. [PMID: 38228272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a rapidly expanding class of anticancer therapeutics, with 14 ADCs already approved worldwide. We developed unique linker technologies for the bioconjugation of drug molecules with controlled-release applications. We synthesized cathepsin-cleavable ADCs using a dimeric prodrug system based on a self-immolative dendritic scaffold, resulting in a high drug-antibody ratio (DAR) with the potential to reach 16 payloads due to its dendritic structure, increased stability in the circulation and efficient release profile of a highly cytotoxic payload at the targeted site. Using our novel cleavable linker technologies, we conjugated the anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (anti-HER2) antibody, trastuzumab, with topoisomerase I inhibitors, exatecan or belotecan. The newly synthesized ADCs were tested in vitro on mammary carcinoma cells overexpressing human HER2, demonstrating a substantial inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HER2-positive cells. Importantly, a single dose of our trastuzumab-based ADCs administered in vivo to mice bearing HER2-positive tumors, showed a dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth and survival benefit, with the most potent antitumor effects observed at 10 mg/kg, which resulted in complete tumor regression and survival of 100% of the mice. Overall, our novel dendritic technologies using the protease-cleavable Val-Cit linker present an opportunity for the development of highly selective and potent controlled-released therapeutic payloads. This strategy could potentially lead to the development of novel and effective ADC technologies for patients diagnosed with HER2-positive cancers. Moreover, our proposed ADC linker technology can be implemented in additional medical conditions such as other malignancies as well as autoimmune diseases that overexpress targets, other than HER2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Liubomirski
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Galia Tiram
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Anna Scomparin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Samer Gnaim
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Sayantan Das
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Sachin Gholap
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Liang Ge
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Eilam Yeini
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Omri Shelef
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Arie Zauberman
- Inter-Lab, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, South Industrial Area, Yavne 8122004, Israel
| | - Nir Berger
- Inter-Lab, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, South Industrial Area, Yavne 8122004, Israel
| | - Doron Kalimi
- Inter-Lab, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, South Industrial Area, Yavne 8122004, Israel
| | - Mira Toister-Achituv
- Inter-Lab, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, South Industrial Area, Yavne 8122004, Israel
| | | | | | | | - Min Shan
- Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, 64293, Germany
| | | | | | - Doron Shabat
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
| | - Ronit Satchi-Fainaro
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
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9
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Zhang W, Oh JH, Zhang W, Aldrich CC, Sirianni RW, Elmquist WF. Pharmacokinetics of panobinostat: Inter-species difference in metabolic stability. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 389:JPET-AR-2023-002051. [PMID: 38409112 PMCID: PMC10949161 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.002051] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Panobinostat is a potent pan-HDAC inhibitor that has been tested in multiple studies for the treatment of brain tumors. There have been contrasting views surrounding its efficacy for the treatment of tumors in the CNS following systemic administration when examined in different models or species. We conducted experiments using three different mouse strains or genotypes to have a more comprehensive understanding of the systemic as well as the CNS distributional kinetics of panobinostat. Our study found that panobinostat experienced rapid degradation in vitro in FVB mouse matrices and a faster degradation rate was observed at 37{degree sign}C compared with room temperature and 4{degree sign}C, suggesting that the in vitro instability of panobinostat was due to enzymatic metabolism. Panobinostat also showed inter-strain and inter-species differences in the in vitro plasma stability; and was stable in human plasma. The objective of this study was to examine the in vitro metabolic stability of panobinostat in different matrices and assess the influence of that metabolic stability on the in vivo pharmacokinetics and CNS delivery of panobinostat. Importantly, the plasma stability in various mouse strains was not reflected in the in vivo systemic pharmacokinetic behavior of panobinostat. Several hypotheses arise from this finding, including: the binding of panobinostat to red blood cells, the existence of competing endogenous compounds to enzyme(s), the distribution into tissues with a lower level of enzymatic activity or the metabolism occurring in the plasma is a small fraction of the total metabolism in vivo Significance Statement Panobinostat showed different in vitro degradation in plasma from different mouse strains and genotypes. However, despite the differences surrounding in vitro plasma stability, panobinostat showed similar in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior in different mouse models. This suggests that the inter-strain difference in enzymatic activity did not affect the in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior of panobinostat and its CNS distribution in mice. This lack of translation between in vitro metabolism assays and in vivo disposition can confound drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqiu Zhang
- Pharmaceutics, University of Minnesota, United States
| | - Ju-Hee Oh
- University of Minnesota, United States
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10
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Slezak A, Chang K, Hossainy S, Mansurov A, Rowan SJ, Hubbell JA, Guler MO. Therapeutic synthetic and natural materials for immunoengineering. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:1789-1822. [PMID: 38170619 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00805c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Immunoengineering is a rapidly evolving field that has been driving innovations in manipulating immune system for new treatment tools and methods. The need for materials for immunoengineering applications has gained significant attention in recent years due to the growing demand for effective therapies that can target and regulate the immune system. Biologics and biomaterials are emerging as promising tools for controlling immune responses, and a wide variety of materials, including proteins, polymers, nanoparticles, and hydrogels, are being developed for this purpose. In this review article, we explore the different types of materials used in immunoengineering applications, their properties and design principles, and highlight the latest therapeutic materials advancements. Recent works in adjuvants, vaccines, immune tolerance, immunotherapy, and tissue models for immunoengineering studies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Slezak
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Kevin Chang
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Samir Hossainy
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Aslan Mansurov
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Stuart J Rowan
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Hubbell
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Mustafa O Guler
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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11
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Strickland S, Jorns M, Fourroux L, Heyd L, Pappas D. Cancer Cell Targeting Via Selective Transferrin Receptor Labeling Using Protein-Derived Carbon Dots. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:2707-2718. [PMID: 38250381 PMCID: PMC10795060 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Carbon dot (CD) nanoparticles offer tremendous advantages as fluorescent probes in bioimaging and biosensing; however, they lack specific affinity for biomolecules, limiting their practical applications in selective targeting. Nanoparticles with intrinsic affinity for a target have applications in imaging, cytometry, therapeutics, etc. Toward that end, we report the transferrin receptor (CD71) targeting CDs, synthesized for the first time. The formation of these particles is truly groundbreaking, as direct tuning of nanoparticle affinity was achieved by simple and careful precursor selection of a protein, which has the targeting characteristic of interest. We hypothesized that the retention of the original protein's peptides on the nanoparticle surface provides the CDs with some of the function of the precursor protein, enabling selective binding to the protein's receptor. This was confirmed with FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) data and subsequent affinity-based cell assays. These transferrin (Tf)-derived CDs have been shown to possess an affinity for CD71, a cancer biomarker that is ubiquitously expressed in nearly every cancer cell line due to its central role mediating the uptake of cellular iron. The CDs were tested using the human leukemia cell line HL60 and demonstrated the selective targeting of CD71 and specific triggering of transferrin-mediated endocytosis via clathrin-coated pits. The particle characterization results reflect a carbon-based nanoparticle with bright violet fluorescence and 7.9% quantum yield in aqueous solution. These unpresented CDs proved to retain the functional properties of the precursor protein. Indicating that this process can be repeated for other disease biomarkers for applications ranging from biosensing and diagnostic bioimaging to targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Strickland
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Mychele Jorns
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Luke Fourroux
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Lindsey Heyd
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Dimitri Pappas
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
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12
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Balamkundu S, Liu CF. Lysosomal-Cleavable Peptide Linkers in Antibody-Drug Conjugates. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3080. [PMID: 38002080 PMCID: PMC10669454 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11113080] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-drug Conjugates (ADCs) are a powerful therapeutic modality for cancer treatment. ADCs are multi-functional biologics in which a disease-targeting antibody is conjugated to an effector payload molecule via a linker. The success of currently used ADCs has been largely attributed to the development of linker systems, which allow for the targeted release of cytocidal payload drugs inside cancer cells. Many lysosomal proteases are over expressed in human cancers. They can effectively cleave a variety of peptide sequences, which can be exploited for the design of ADC linker systems. As a well-established linker, valine-citrulline-p-aminobenzyl carbamate (ValCitPABC) is used in many ADCs that are already approved or under preclinical and clinical development. Although ValCitPABC and related linkers are readily cleaved by cathepsins in the lysosome while remaining reasonably stable in human plasma, many studies have shown that they are susceptible to carboxylesterase 1C (Ces1C) in mouse and rat plasma, which hinders the preclinical evaluation of ADCs. Furthermore, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, two of the most commonly observed dose-limiting adverse effects of ADCs, are believed to result from the premature hydrolysis of ValCitPABC by human neutrophil elastase. In addition to ValCitPABC, the GGFG tetrapeptidyl-aminomethoxy linker is also cathepsin-cleavable and is used in the highly successful ADC drug, DS8201a. In addition to cathepsin-cleavable linkers, there is also growing interest in legumain-sensitive linkers for ADC development. Increasing plasma stability while maintaining lysosomal cleavability of ADC linkers is an objective of intensive current research. This review reports recent advances in the design and structure-activity relationship studies of various peptide/peptidomimetic linkers in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chuan-Fa Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore;
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13
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Yang Q, Chen H, Ou C, Zheng Z, Zhang X, Liu Y, Zong G, Wang LX. Evaluation of Two Chemoenzymatic Glycan Remodeling Approaches to Generate Site-Specific Antibody-Drug Conjugates. Antibodies (Basel) 2023; 12:71. [PMID: 37987249 PMCID: PMC10660516 DOI: 10.3390/antib12040071] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fc-glycosite-specific antibody-drug conjugation represents a promising direction for the preparation of site-specific antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). In the present research, we conducted a systemic evaluation of two endoglycosidase-catalyzed chemoenzymatic glycoengineering technologies to prepare glycosite-specific ADCs. In the first two-step approach, the antibody was deglycosylated and then reglycosylated with a modified intact N-glycan oxazoline. In the second one-pot approach, antibodies were deglycosylated and simultaneously glycosylated with a functionalized disaccharide oxazoline. For the comprehensive evaluation, we first optimized and scaled-up the preparation of azido glycan oxazolines. Afterwards, we proved that the one-pot glycan-remodeling approach was efficient for all IgG subclasses. Subsequently, we assembled respective ADCS using two technology routes, with two different linker-payloads combinations, and performed systemic in vitro and in vivo evaluations. All the prepared ADCs achieved high homogeneity and illustrated excellent stability in buffers with minimum aggregates, and exceptional stability in rat serum. All ADCs displayed a potent killing of BT-474 breast cancer cells. Moving to the mouse study, the ADCs prepared from two technology routes displayed potent and similar efficacy in a BT-474 xenograft model, which was comparable to an FDA-approved ADC generated from random conjugation. These ADCs also demonstrated excellent safety and did not cause body weight loss at the tested dosages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yang
- GlycoT Therapeutics, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - He Chen
- GlycoT Therapeutics, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Chong Ou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Zhihao Zheng
- GlycoT Therapeutics, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Guanghui Zong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Lai-Xi Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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14
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Fu Z, Gao C, Wu T, Wang L, Li S, Zhang Y, Shi C. Peripheral neuropathy associated with monomethyl auristatin E-based antibody-drug conjugates. iScience 2023; 26:107778. [PMID: 37727735 PMCID: PMC10505985 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107778] [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] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the successful approval of gemtuzumab ozogamicin, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a pivotal category of targeted therapies for cancer. Among these ADCs, the use of monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) as a payload is prevalent in the development of ADC drugs, which has significantly improved overall therapeutic efficacy against various malignancies. However, increasing clinical observations have raised concerns regarding the potential nervous system toxicity associated with MMAE-based ADCs. Specifically, a higher incidence of peripheral neuropathy has been reported in ADCs incorporating MMAE as payloads. Considering the increasing global use of MMAE-based ADCs, it is imperative to provide an inclusive overview of diagnostic and management strategies for this adverse event. In this review, we examine current information and what future research directions are required to better understand and manage this type of clinical challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Fu
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Precision Medicine for Critical Illness, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Chen Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Precision Medicine for Critical Illness, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Tingting Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Precision Medicine for Critical Illness, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Lulu Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Precision Medicine for Critical Illness, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Shijun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Precision Medicine for Critical Illness, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Precision Medicine for Critical Illness, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Chen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Precision Medicine for Critical Illness, Wuhan 430000, China
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15
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Qiu S, Zhang J, Wang Z, Lan H, Hou J, Zhang N, Wang X, Lu H. Targeting Trop-2 in cancer: Recent research progress and clinical application. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188902. [PMID: 37121444 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The development of new antitumor drugs depends mainly upon targeting tumor cells precisely. Trophoblast surface antigen 2 (Trop-2) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein involved in Ca2+ signaling in tumor cells. It is highly expressed in various tumor tissues than in normal tissues and represents a novel and promising molecular target for caner targeted therapy. Up to now, the mechanisms and functions associated with Trop-2 have been extensively studied in a variety of solid tumors. According to these findings, Trop-2 plays an important role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell adhesion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as well as tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In addition, Trop-2 related drugs are also being developed widely. There are a number of Trop-2 related ADC drugs that have demonstrated potent antitumor activity and are currently been studied, such as Sacituzumab Govitecan (SG) and Datopotamab Deruxtecan (Dato-Dxd). In this study, we reviewed the progress of Trop-2 research in solid tumors. We also sorted out the composition and rationale of Trop-2 related drugs and summarized the related clinical trials. Finally, we discussed the current status of Trop-2 research and expanded our perspectives on its future research directions. Importantly, we found that Trop-2 targeted ADCs have great potential for combination with other antitumor therapies. Trop-2 targeted ADCs can reprogramme tumor microenvironment through multiple signaling pathways, ultimately activating antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuying Qiu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianping Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Lan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University/Lishui Central Hospital and Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Lishui, China
| | - Jili Hou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhuji People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhuji, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, China Coast Guard Hospital of the People's Armed Police Force, Jiaxing, China
| | - Xian Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Haiqi Lu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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16
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Danielewicz N, Rosato F, Tomisch J, Gräber J, Wiltschi B, Striedner G, Römer W, Mairhofer J. Clickable Shiga Toxin B Subunit for Drug Delivery in Cancer Therapy. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:15406-15421. [PMID: 37151527 PMCID: PMC10157870 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c00667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, receptor-mediated drug delivery has gained major attention in the treatment of cancer. The pathogen-derived Shiga Toxin B subunit (STxB) can be used as a carrier that detects the tumor-associated glycosphingolipid globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) receptors. While drug conjugation via lysine or cysteine offers random drug attachment to carriers, click chemistry has the potential to improve the engineering of delivery systems as the site specificity can eliminate interference with the active binding site of tumor ligands. We present the production of recombinant STxB in its wild-type (STxBwt) version or incorporating the noncanonical amino acid azido lysine (STxBAzK). The STxBwt and STxBAzK were manufactured using a growth-decoupled Escherichia coli (E. coli)-based expression strain and analyzed via flow cytometry for Gb3 receptor recognition and specificity on two human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines-HT-29 and LS-174-characterized by high and low Gb3 abundance, respectively. Furthermore, STxBAzK was clicked to the antineoplastic agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) and evaluated in cell-killing assays for its ability to deliver the drug to Gb3-expressing tumor cells. The STxBAzK-MMAE conjugate induced uptake and release of the MMAE drug in Gb3-positive tumor cells, reaching 94% of HT-29 cell elimination at 72 h post-treatment and low nanomolar doses while sparing LS-174 cells. STxBAzK is therefore presented as a well-functioning drug carrier, with a possible application in cancer therapy. This research demonstrates the feasibility of lectin carriers used in delivering drugs to tumor cells, with prospects for improved cancer therapy in terms of straightforward drug attachment and effective cancer cell elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Danielewicz
- enGenes
Biotech GmbH, Muthgasse
11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Department
of Biotechnology, University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Francesca Rosato
- Faculty
of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Signaling
Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University
of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße
18, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jana Tomisch
- Faculty
of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Signaling
Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University
of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße
18, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Gräber
- Faculty
of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Signaling
Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University
of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße
18, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Birgit Wiltschi
- Department
of Biotechnology, University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Austrian
Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB), Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerald Striedner
- Department
of Biotechnology, University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Winfried Römer
- Faculty
of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Signaling
Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University
of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße
18, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Freiburg
Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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17
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Chang HP, Le HK, Shah DK. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Antibody-Drug Conjugates Administered via Subcutaneous and Intratumoral Routes. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041132. [PMID: 37111619 PMCID: PMC10142912 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We hypothesize that different routes of administration may lead to altered pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) behavior of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and may help to improve their therapeutic index. To evaluate this hypothesis, here we performed PK/PD evaluation for an ADC administered via subcutaneous (SC) and intratumoral (IT) routes. Trastuzumab-vc-MMAE was used as the model ADC, and NCI-N87 tumor-bearing xenografts were used as the animal model. The PK of multiple ADC analytes in plasma and tumors, and the in vivo efficacy of ADC, after IV, SC, and IT administration were evaluated. A semi-mechanistic PK/PD model was developed to characterize all the PK/PD data simultaneously. In addition, local toxicity of SC-administered ADC was investigated in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice. Intratumoral administration was found to significantly increase tumor exposure and anti-tumor activity of ADC. The PK/PD model suggested that the IT route may provide the same efficacy as the IV route at an increased dosing interval and reduced dose level. SC administration of ADC led to local toxicity and reduced efficacy, suggesting difficulty in switching from IV to SC route for some ADCs. As such, this manuscript provides unprecedented insight into the PK/PD behavior of ADCs after IT and SC administration and paves the way for clinical evaluation of these routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsuan-Ping Chang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14241, USA
| | - Huyen Khanh Le
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14241, USA
| | - Dhaval K. Shah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14241, USA
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18
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Shi W, Zhang J, Liu L, Li W, Liu Z, Ren A, Wang J, Tang C, Yang Y, Xu D, Huang Q, Wang Y, Luo C, Huang W, Tang F. Hiding Payload Inside the IgG Fc Cavity Significantly Enhances the Therapeutic Index of Antibody-Drug Conjugates. J Med Chem 2023; 66:1011-1026. [PMID: 36584232 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The inadequate understanding of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of glycosite-specific antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) hinders its design and development. Herein, we revealed the systemic SAR and structure-toxicity relationship (STR) of gsADCs by constructing 50 gsADC structures bearing three glycan subtypes and diverse linker-drug combinations. According to the results, extra hydrophilic linkers are indispensable for the intact glycan-based gsADCs to achieve better in vivo efficacy. Meanwhile, the gsADCs that conjugate linker-drug complexes onto the terminal sialic acid are more stable and potent than the ones conjugated onto the terminal galactose in vivo. Notably, the LacNAc-based gsADCs, which shortened the spacer and located the linker-drug more inside the immunoglobulin class G (IgG) Fc cavity, showed excellent hydrophilicity, in vivo activity, pharmacokinetics, and safety. Conclusively, we found that hiding the linker-toxin into the Fc cavity can significantly enhance the therapeutic index of LacNAc-based gsADCs, which will benefit the further design of ADCs with optimal druggability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Jianxin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Liya Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wanzhen Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhi Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Anni Ren
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Jie Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Caihong Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yang Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Dandan Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Qianqian Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yongqin Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Caili Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Wei Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China.,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing 210023, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.,Shanghai GlycanLink Biotech. Co. Ltd. Minhang, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Feng Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
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19
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Guo K, Ma X, Li J, Zhang C, Wu L. Recent advances in combretastatin A-4 codrugs for cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 241:114660. [PMID: 35964428 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
CA4 is a potent microtubule polymerization inhibitor and vascular disrupting agent. However, the in vivo efficiency of CA4 is limited owing to its poor pharmacokinetics resulting from its high lipophilicity and low water solubility. To improve the water solubility, CA4 phosphate (CA4P) has been developed and shows potent antivascular and antitumor effects. CA4P had been evaluated as a vascular disrupting agent in previousc linical trials. However, it had been discontinued due to the lack of a meaningful improvement in progression-free survival and unfavorable partial response data. Codrug is a drug design approach to chemically bind two or more drugs to improve therapeutic efficiency or decrease adverse effects. This review describes the progress made over the last twenty years in developing CA4-based codrugs to improve the therapeutic profile and achieve targeted delivery to cancer tissues. It also discusses the existing problems and the developmental prospects of CA4 codrugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerong Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Xin Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Jian Li
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Chong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Liqiang Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China.
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20
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Zhang Y, Li J, Pu K. Recent advances in dual- and multi-responsive nanomedicines for precision cancer therapy. Biomaterials 2022; 291:121906. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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21
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Stadlmayr G, Stracke F, Stadlbauer K, Rybka J, Dickgiesser S, Rasche N, Becker S, Toleikis L, Rüker F, Knopp GW. Efficient spontaneous site-selective cysteine-mediated toxin attachment within a structural loop of antibodies. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2022; 1866:130155. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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22
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Sheyi R, de la Torre BG, Albericio F. Linkers: An Assurance for Controlled Delivery of Antibody-Drug Conjugate. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020396. [PMID: 35214128 PMCID: PMC8874516 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As one of the major therapeutic options for cancer treatment, chemotherapy has limited selectivity against cancer cells. Consequently, this therapeutic strategy offers a small therapeutic window with potentially high toxicity and thus limited efficacy of doses that can be tolerated by patients. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are an emerging class of anti-cancer therapeutic drugs that can deliver highly cytotoxic molecules directly to cancer cells. To date, twelve ADCs have received market approval, with several others in clinical stages. ADCs have become a powerful class of therapeutic agents in oncology and hematology. ADCs consist of recombinant monoclonal antibodies that are covalently bound to cytotoxic chemicals via synthetic linkers. The linker has a key role in ADC outcomes because its characteristics substantially impact the therapeutic index efficacy and pharmacokinetics of these drugs. Stable linkers and ADCs can maintain antibody concentration in blood circulation, and they do not release the cytotoxic drug before it reaches its target, thus resulting in minimum off-target effects. The linkers used in ADC development can be classified as cleavable and non-cleavable. The former, in turn, can be grouped into three types: hydrazone, disulfide, or peptide linkers. In this review, we highlight the various linkers used in ADC development and their design strategy, release mechanisms, and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotimi Sheyi
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa;
| | - Beatriz G. de la Torre
- Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
- Correspondence: (B.G.d.l.T.); (F.A.); Tel.: +27-614-047-528 (B.G.d.l.T.); +27-6140-09144 (F.A.)
| | - Fernando Albericio
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa;
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: (B.G.d.l.T.); (F.A.); Tel.: +27-614-047-528 (B.G.d.l.T.); +27-6140-09144 (F.A.)
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23
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Zacharias N, Podust VN, Kajihara KK, Leipold D, Del Rosario G, Thayer D, Dong E, Paluch M, Fischer D, Zheng K, Lei C, He J, Ng C, Su D, Liu L, Masih S, Sawyer W, Tinianow J, Marik J, Yip V, Li G, Chuh J, Morisaki JH, Park S, Zheng B, Hernandez-Barry H, Loyet KM, Xu M, Kozak KR, Phillips GL, Shen BQ, Wu C, Xu K, Yu SF, Kamath A, Rowntree RK, Reilly D, Pillow T, Polson A, Schellenberger V, Hazenbos WLW, Sadowsky J. A homogeneous high-DAR antibody-drug conjugate platform combining THIOMAB antibodies and XTEN polypeptides. Chem Sci 2022; 13:3147-3160. [PMID: 35414872 PMCID: PMC8926172 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc05243h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) is a well-validated modality for the cell-specific delivery of small molecules with impact expanding rapidly beyond their originally-intended purpose of treating cancer. However, antibody-mediated delivery (AMD)...
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vladimir N Podust
- Amunix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2 Tower Place South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | | | | | | | - Desiree Thayer
- Amunix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2 Tower Place South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Emily Dong
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Maciej Paluch
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - David Fischer
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Kai Zheng
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Corinna Lei
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Jintang He
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Carl Ng
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Dian Su
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Luna Liu
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | | | - William Sawyer
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Jeff Tinianow
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Jan Marik
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Victor Yip
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Guangmin Li
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Josefa Chuh
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | | | - Summer Park
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Bing Zheng
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | | | - Kelly M Loyet
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Min Xu
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | | | | | - Ben-Quan Shen
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Cong Wu
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Keyang Xu
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Shang-Fan Yu
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Amrita Kamath
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | | | | | - Thomas Pillow
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | - Andrew Polson
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
| | | | | | - Jack Sadowsky
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco CA 94080 USA
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24
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Ashman N, Bargh JD, Spring DR. Non-internalising antibody–drug conjugates. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:9182-9202. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00446a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This review introduces non-internalising Antibody–Drug Conjugates (ADCs), highlighting the linker chemistry that enables extracellular payload release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Ashman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry University of Cambridge Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Jonathan D. Bargh
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - David R. Spring
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry University of Cambridge Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
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25
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Giese M, Davis PD, Woodman RH, Hermanson G, Pokora A, Vermillion M. Linker Architectures as Steric Auxiliaries for Altering Enzyme-Mediated Payload Release from Bioconjugates. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:2257-2267. [PMID: 34587447 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protease-activated prodrugs leverage the increased activity of proteases in the tumor microenvironment and the tight regulation in healthy tissues to provide selective activation of cytotoxins in the tumor while minimizing toxicity to normal tissues. One of the largest classes of protease-activated prodrugs are composed of therapeutic agents conjugated to macromolecular carriers via peptide motifs that are substrates for cathepsin B, and antibody-drug conjugates are one of the most successful designs within this class. However, many of these peptide motifs are also cleaved by extracellular enzymes such as elastase and carboxylesterase 1C. Additionally, some peptide sequences have little selectivity for other lysosomal cathepsins, which have also been found to have extracellular activity in normal physiological processes. A lack of selectivity or oversensitivity to other extracellular enzymes can lead to off-target release of the cytotoxic payload and subsequent toxicities. In this report, we describe an approach for modulating cathepsin-mediated release of the cytotoxic payload through steric shielding provided by the synergistic effects of appropriately designed hydrophilic linkers and the conjugated carrier. We prepared a fluorogenic model payload with a Val-Cit cleavable trigger and attached the trigger-payload to a variety of PEG-based linker architectures with different numbers of PEG arms (y), different numbers of ethylene oxide units in each arm (n), and different distances between the cleavable trigger and PEG branch point (D'). These linker-payloads were then used to prepare DAR2 conjugates with the cleavable triggers at three different distances (D) from the antibody, and cathepsin-mediated payload release was monitored with in vitro assays. The results show that structural variables of the linker architectures can be manipulated to effectively shield enzymatically labile trigger-payloads from enzymes with readily accessible binding sites, and may offer an additional strategy for balancing off-target and tumor-targeted payload release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Giese
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Paul D Davis
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Robert H Woodman
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Greg Hermanson
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Alex Pokora
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Melissa Vermillion
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
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26
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Jäger S, Dickgiesser S, Tonillo J, Hecht S, Kolmar H, Schröter C. EGFR binding Fc domain-drug conjugates: stable and highly potent cytotoxic molecules mediate selective cell killing. Biol Chem 2021; 403:525-534. [PMID: 34535048 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2021-0321] [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: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The exposition of cancer cells to cytotoxic doses of payload is fundamental for the therapeutic efficacy of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) in solid cancers. To maximize payload exposure, tissue penetration can be increased by utilizing smaller-sized drug conjugates which distribute deeper into the tumor. Our group recently explored small human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) targeting Fc antigen binding fragments (Fcabs) for ADC applications in a feasibility study. Here, we expand this concept using epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeting Fcabs for the generation of site-specific auristatin-based drug conjugates. In contrast to HER2-targeting Fcabs, we identified novel conjugation sites in the EGFR-targeting Fcab scaffold that allowed for higher DAR enzymatic conjugation. We demonstrate feasibility of resultant EGFR-targeting Fcab-drug conjugates that retain binding to half-life prolonging neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) and EGFR and show high serum stability as well as target receptor mediated cell killing at sub-nanomolar concentrations. Our results emphasize the applicability of the Fcab format for the generation of drug conjugates designed for increased penetration of solid tumors and potential FcRn-driven antibody-like pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Jäger
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephan Dickgiesser
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jason Tonillo
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Hecht
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293Darmstadt, Germany
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27
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Matsuda Y. Current approaches for the purification of antibody-drug conjugates. J Sep Sci 2021; 45:27-37. [PMID: 34473399 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202100575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In the past two decades, antibody-drug conjugates have gained increasing attention because they expand the therapeutic index when compared with that of traditional chemotherapies. Antibody-drug conjugates are highly complex structures consisting of antibodies covalently conjugated with small-molecule cytotoxic drugs. The complex structure of antibody-drug conjugates makes chemistry, manufacturing, and control difficult. In contrast to antibody production, distinct purification methods following conjugation of antibodies with drug-linkers are required for the manufacturing. For process development of antibody drug conjugates, the drug-to-antibody ratio, free drug-linkers, and aggregates are critical quality attributes that must be strictly controlled and removed by appropriate purification techniques. In this review, features of various purification methods used to purify antibody drug conjugates are described and evaluated. The future landscape of the antibody-conjugates field is also discussed briefly.
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28
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Javaid F, Pilotti C, Camilli C, Kallenberg D, Bahou C, Blackburn J, R Baker J, Greenwood J, Moss SE, Chudasama V. Leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) as a novel ADC target. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1206-1220. [PMID: 34458833 PMCID: PMC8341842 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00104c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) is present abundantly in the microenvironment of many tumours where it contributes to vascular dysfunction, which impedes the delivery of therapeutics. In this work we demonstrate that LRG1 is predominantly a non-internalising protein. We report the development of a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) comprising the anti-LRG1 hinge-stabilised IgG4 monoclonal antibody Magacizumab coupled to the anti-mitotic payload monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via a cleavable dipeptide linker using the site-selective disulfide rebridging dibromopyridazinedione (diBrPD) scaffold. It is demonstrated that this ADC retains binding post-modification, is stable in serum and effective in in vitro cell studies. We show that the extracellular LRG1-targeting ADC provides an increase in survival in vivo when compared against antibody alone and similar anti-tumour activity when compared against standard chemotherapy, but without undesired side-effects. LRG1 targeting through this ADC presents a novel and effective proof-of-concept en route to improving the efficacy of cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Javaid
- UCL Department of Chemistry 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology 11-43 Bath Street London EC1V 9EL UK
| | - Camilla Pilotti
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology 11-43 Bath Street London EC1V 9EL UK
| | - Carlotta Camilli
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology 11-43 Bath Street London EC1V 9EL UK
| | - David Kallenberg
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology 11-43 Bath Street London EC1V 9EL UK
| | - Calise Bahou
- UCL Department of Chemistry 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Jack Blackburn
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology 11-43 Bath Street London EC1V 9EL UK
| | - James R Baker
- UCL Department of Chemistry 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - John Greenwood
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology 11-43 Bath Street London EC1V 9EL UK
| | - Stephen E Moss
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology 11-43 Bath Street London EC1V 9EL UK
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- UCL Department of Chemistry 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
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29
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Kaempffe A, Dickgiesser S, Rasche N, Paoletti A, Bertotti E, De Salve I, Sirtori FR, Kellner R, Könning D, Hecht S, Anderl J, Kolmar H, Schröter C. Effect of Conjugation Site and Technique on the Stability and Pharmacokinetics of Antibody-Drug Conjugates. J Pharm Sci 2021; 110:3776-3785. [PMID: 34363839 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Appropriate selection of conjugation sites and conjugation technologies is now widely accepted as crucial for the success of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Herein, we present ADCs conjugated by different conjugation methods to different conjugation positions being systematically characterized by multiple in vitro assays as well as in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) analyses in transgenic Tg276 mice. Conjugation to cysteines, genetically introduced at positions N325, L328, S239, D265, and S442, was compared to enzymatic conjugation via microbial transglutaminase (mTG) either to C-terminal light (LC) or heavy chain (HC) recognition motifs or to endogenous position Q295 of a native antibody. All conjugations yielded homogeneous DAR 2 ADCs with similar hydrophobicity, thermal stability, human neonatal Fc receptor (huFcRn) binding, and serum stability properties, but with pronounced differences in their PK profiles. mTG-conjugated ADC variants conjugated either to Q295 or to LC recognition motifs showed superior PK behavior. Within the panel of engineered cysteine variants L328 showed a similar PK profile compared to previously described S239 but superior PK compared to S442, D265, and N325. While all positions were first tested with trastuzumab, L328 and mTG LC were further evaluated with additional antibody scaffolds derived from clinically evaluated monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Based on PK analyses, this study confirms the newly described position L328 as favorable site for cysteine conjugation, comparable to the well-established engineered cysteine position S239, and emphasizes the favorable position Q295 of native antibodies and the tagged LC antibody variant for enzymatic conjugations via mTG. In addition, hemizygous Tg276 mice are evaluated as an adequate model for ADC pharmacokinetics, facilitating the selection of suitable ADC candidates early in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kaempffe
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany; Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephan Dickgiesser
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rasche
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andrea Paoletti
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Elisa Bertotti
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Ilse De Salve
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Federico Riccardi Sirtori
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Roland Kellner
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Doreen Könning
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Hecht
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jan Anderl
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
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30
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Jäger S, Wagner TR, Rasche N, Kolmar H, Hecht S, Schröter C. Generation and Biological Evaluation of Fc Antigen Binding Fragment-Drug Conjugates as a Novel Antibody-Based Format for Targeted Drug Delivery. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:1699-1710. [PMID: 34185508 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Fragment crystallizable (Fc) antigen binding fragments (Fcabs) represent a novel antibody format comprising a homodimeric Fc region with an engineered antigen binding site. In contrast to their full-length antibody offspring, Fcabs combine Fc-domain-mediated and antigen binding functions at only one-third of the size. Their reduced size is accompanied by elevated tissue penetration capabilities, which is an attractive feature for the treatment of solid tumors. In the present study, we explored for the first time Fcabs as a novel scaffold for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). As model, various HER2-targeting Fcab variants coupled to a pH-sensitive dye were used in internalization experiments. A selective binding on HER2-expressing tumor cells and receptor-mediated endocytosis could be confirmed for selected variants, indicating that these Fcabs meet the basic prerequisite for an ADC approach. Subsequently, Fcabs were site-specifically coupled to cytotoxic monomethyl auristatin E yielding homogeneous conjugates. The conjugates retained HER2 and FcRn binding behavior of the parent Fcabs, showed a selective in vitro cell killing and conjugation site-dependent serum stability. Moreover, Fcab conjugates showed elevated penetration in a spheroid model, compared to their full-length antibody and Trastuzumab counterparts. Altogether, the presented results emphasize the potential of Fcabs as a novel scaffold for targeted drug delivery in solid cancers and pave the way for future in vivo translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Jäger
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tim R Wagner
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rasche
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Hecht
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
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31
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Nicolaou KC, Rigol S, Pitsinos EN, Das D, Lu Y, Rout S, Schammel AW, Holte D, Lin B, Gu C, Sarvaiya H, Trinidad J, Barbour N, Valdiosera AM, Sandoval J, Lee C, Aujay M, Fernando H, Dhar A, Karsunky H, Taylor N, Pysz M, Gavrilyuk J. Uncialamycin-based antibody-drug conjugates: Unique enediyne ADCs exhibiting bystander killing effect. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2107042118. [PMID: 34155147 PMCID: PMC8237573 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107042118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as valuable targeted anticancer therapeutics with at least 11 approved therapies and over 80 advancing through clinical trials. Enediyne DNA-damaging payloads represented by the flagship of this family of antitumor agents, N-acetyl calicheamicin [Formula: see text], have a proven success track record. However, they pose a significant synthetic challenge in the development and optimization of linker drugs. We have recently reported a streamlined total synthesis of uncialamycin, another representative of the enediyne class of compounds, with compelling synthetic accessibility. Here we report the synthesis and evaluation of uncialamycin ADCs featuring a variety of cleavable and noncleavable linkers. We have discovered that uncialamycin ADCs display a strong bystander killing effect and are highly selective and cytotoxic in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- K C Nicolaou
- BioScience Research Collaborative, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005;
| | - Stephan Rigol
- BioScience Research Collaborative, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Emmanuel N Pitsinos
- BioScience Research Collaborative, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Laboratory of Natural Products Synthesis & Bioorganic Chemistry, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", 153 10 Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - Dipendu Das
- BioScience Research Collaborative, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Yong Lu
- BioScience Research Collaborative, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Subhrajit Rout
- BioScience Research Collaborative, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | | | - Dane Holte
- Discovery Chemistry Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Baiwei Lin
- Bioconjugation and Process Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Christine Gu
- Bioconjugation and Process Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Hetal Sarvaiya
- Bioconjugation and Process Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Jose Trinidad
- Bioconjugation and Process Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Nicole Barbour
- Bioconjugation and Process Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Amanda M Valdiosera
- Bioconjugation and Process Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Joseph Sandoval
- Assay Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Christina Lee
- Assay Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Monette Aujay
- Assay Development Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Hanan Fernando
- Cancer Biology Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Anukriti Dhar
- Cancer Biology Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Holger Karsunky
- Cancer Biology Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Nicole Taylor
- In Vivo Pharmacology Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Marybeth Pysz
- In Vivo Pharmacology Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Julia Gavrilyuk
- Discovery Chemistry Department, AbbVie Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080;
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32
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Miller JT, Vitro CN, Fang S, Benjamin SR, Tumey LN. Enzyme-Agnostic Lysosomal Screen Identifies New Legumain-Cleavable ADC Linkers. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:842-858. [PMID: 33788548 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs) have widely employed valine-citruline and related cathepsin-cleavable linkers due to their stability in plasma and their rapid cleavage by lysosomal cathepsins. However, a number of recent studies have illustrated that these linkers are subject to cleavage by exogenous enzymes such as Ces1C and neutrophil elastase, thus resulting in off-target release of drug. As such, there is a need to diversify the portfolio of ADC linkers in order to overcome nonspecific drug release. Rather than targeting cathepsins, we began with an "enzyme agnostic" screen in which a panel of 75 peptide FRET pairs were screened for cleavage in lysosomal extracts and in plasma. Unexpectedly, a series of Asn-containing peptides emerged from this screen as being cleaved far more quickly than traditional ValCit-type linkers while retaining excellent stability in plasma. Catabolism studies demonstrated that these linkers were cleaved by legumain, an asparaginyl endopeptidase that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and is known to be present in the lysosome. MMAE-containing ADCs that incorporated these new linkers were shown to exhibit highly potent and selective cytotoxicity, comparable to analogous ValCit ADCs. Importantly, the Asn-containing linkers were shown to be completely stable to human neutrophil elastase, an enzyme thought to be responsible for the neutropenia and thrombocytopenia associated with ValCitPABC-MMAE ADCs. The legumain-cleavable ADCs were shown to have excellent stability in both mouse and human serum, retaining >85% of the drug after 1 week of incubation. Moreover, the corresponding small molecule FRET pairs exhibited <10% cleavage after 18 h in mouse and human serum. On the basis of these results, we believe that these new linkers (AsnAsn in particular) have significant potential in both ADC and SMDC drug delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared T Miller
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Caitlin N Vitro
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Siteng Fang
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Samantha R Benjamin
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - L Nathan Tumey
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
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33
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Chuprakov S, Ogunkoya AO, Barfield RM, Bauzon M, Hickle C, Kim YC, Yeo D, Zhang F, Rabuka D, Drake PM. Tandem-Cleavage Linkers Improve the In Vivo Stability and Tolerability of Antibody-Drug Conjugates. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:746-754. [PMID: 33689309 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although peptide motifs represent the majority of cleavable linkers used in clinical-stage antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the sequences are often sensitive to cleavage by extracellular enzymes, such as elastase, which leads to systemic release of the cytotoxic payload. This action reduces the therapeutic index by causing off-target toxicities that can be dose-limiting. For example, a common side-effect of ADCs made using peptide-cleavable linkers is myelosuppression, including neutropenia. Only a few reports describe methods for optimizing peptide linkers to maintain efficient and potent tumor payload delivery while enhancing circulating stability. Herein, we address these critical limitations through the development of a tandem-cleavage linker strategy, where two sequential enzymatic cleavage events mediate payload release. We prepared dipeptides that are protected from degradation in the circulation by a sterically encumbering glucuronide moiety. Upon ADC internalization and lysosomal degradation, the monosaccharide is removed and the exposed dipeptide is degraded, which liberates the attached payload inside the target cell. We used CD79b-targeted monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) conjugates as our model system and compared the stability, efficacy, and tolerability of ADCs made with tandem-cleavage linkers to ADCs made using standard technology with the vedotin linker. The results, where rat studies showed dramatically improved tolerability in the hematopoietic compartment, highlight the role that linker stability plays in efficacy and tolerability and also offer a means of improving an ADC's therapeutic index for improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stepan Chuprakov
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Ayodele O Ogunkoya
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Robyn M Barfield
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Maxine Bauzon
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Colin Hickle
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Yun Cheol Kim
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Dominick Yeo
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Fangjiu Zhang
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - David Rabuka
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Penelope M Drake
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
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Fourie-O'Donohue A, Chu PY, Dela Cruz Chuh J, Tchelepi R, Tsai SP, Tran JC, Sawyer WS, Su D, Ng C, Xu K, Yu SF, Pillow TH, Sadowsky J, Dragovich PS, Liu Y, Kozak KR. Improved translation of stability for conjugated antibodies using an in vitro whole blood assay. MAbs 2021; 12:1715705. [PMID: 31997712 PMCID: PMC6999835 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1715705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
For antibody-drug conjugates to be efficacious and safe, they must be stable in circulation to carry the payload to the site of the targeted cell. Several components of a drug-conjugated antibody are known to influence stability: 1) the site of drug attachment on the antibody, 2) the linker used to attach the payload to the antibody, and 3) the payload itself. In order to support the design and optimization of a high volume of drug conjugates and avoid unstable conjugates prior to testing in animal models, we wanted to proactively identify these potential liabilities. Therefore, we sought to establish an in vitro screening method that best correlated with in vivo stability. While traditionally plasma has been used to assess in vitro stability, our evaluation using a variety of THIOMABTM antibody-drug conjugates revealed several disconnects between the stability assessed in vitro and the in vivo outcomes when using plasma. When drug conjugates were incubated in vitro for 24 h in mouse whole blood rather than plasma and then analyzed by affinity capture LC-MS, we found an improved correlation to in vivo stability with whole blood (R2 = 0.87, coefficient of determination) compared to unfrozen or frozen mouse plasma (R2 = 0.34, 0.01, respectively). We further showed that this whole blood assay was also able to predict in vivo stability of other preclinical species such as rat and cynomolgus monkey, as well as in human. The screening method utilized short (24 h) incubation times, as well as a custom analysis software, allowing increased throughput and in-depth biotransformation characterization. While some instabilities that were more challenging to identify remain, the method greatly enhanced the process of screening, optimizing, and lead candidate selection, resulting in the substantial reduction of animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee Fourie-O'Donohue
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Phillip Y Chu
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Josefa Dela Cruz Chuh
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robert Tchelepi
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Siao Ping Tsai
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John C Tran
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William S Sawyer
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dian Su
- BioAnalytical Sciences Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carl Ng
- BioAnalytical Sciences Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Keyang Xu
- BioAnalytical Sciences Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shang-Fan Yu
- In Vivo Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thomas H Pillow
- Discovery Chemistry Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jack Sadowsky
- Protein Chemistry Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Peter S Dragovich
- Discovery Chemistry Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yichin Liu
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine R Kozak
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology Department, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
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Walsh SJ, Bargh JD, Dannheim FM, Hanby AR, Seki H, Counsell AJ, Ou X, Fowler E, Ashman N, Takada Y, Isidro-Llobet A, Parker JS, Carroll JS, Spring DR. Site-selective modification strategies in antibody-drug conjugates. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:1305-1353. [PMID: 33290462 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00310g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) harness the highly specific targeting capabilities of an antibody to deliver a cytotoxic payload to specific cell types. They have garnered widespread interest in drug discovery, particularly in oncology, as discrimination between healthy and malignant tissues or cells can be achieved. Nine ADCs have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and more than 80 others are currently undergoing clinical investigations for a range of solid tumours and haematological malignancies. Extensive research over the past decade has highlighted the critical nature of the linkage strategy adopted to attach the payload to the antibody. Whilst early generation ADCs were primarily synthesised as heterogeneous mixtures, these were found to have sub-optimal pharmacokinetics, stability, tolerability and/or efficacy. Efforts have now shifted towards generating homogeneous constructs with precise drug loading and predetermined, controlled sites of attachment. Homogeneous ADCs have repeatedly demonstrated superior overall pharmacological profiles compared to their heterogeneous counterparts. A wide range of methods have been developed in the pursuit of homogeneity, comprising chemical or enzymatic methods or a combination thereof to afford precise modification of specific amino acid or sugar residues. In this review, we discuss advances in chemical and enzymatic methods for site-specific antibody modification that result in the generation of homogeneous ADCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Walsh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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36
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Matsuda Y, Mendelsohn BA. An overview of process development for antibody-drug conjugates produced by chemical conjugation technology. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2020; 21:963-975. [PMID: 33141625 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2021.1846714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: We discuss chemical conjugation strategies for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) from an industrial perspective and compare three promising chemical conjugation technologies to produce site-specific ADCs.Areas covered: Currently, nine ADCs are commercially approved and all are produced by chemical conjugation technology. However, seven of these ADCs contain a relatively broad drug distribution, potentially limiting their therapeutic indices. In 2019, the first site-specific ADC was launched on the market by Daiichi-Sankyo. This achievement, and an analysis of clinical trials over the last decade, indicates that current industrial interest in the ADC field is shifting toward site-specific conjugation technologies. From an industrial point of view, we aim to provide guidance regarding established conjugation methodologies that have already been applied to scale-up stages. With an emphasis on highly productive, scalable, and synthetic process robustness, conjugation methodologies for ADC production is discussed herein.Expert opinion: All three chemical conjugation technologies described in this review have various advantages and disadvantages, therefore drug developers can utilize these depending on their biological and/or protein targets. The future landscape of the ADC field is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Matsuda
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co Inc., 1-1 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-8681, Japan
| | - Brian A Mendelsohn
- Process Development & Tech Transfer, Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services, 11040 Roselle Street, San Diego, CA 92121, United States
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37
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Wang X, Xuan Z, Zhu X, Sun H, Li J, Xie Z. Near-infrared photoresponsive drug delivery nanosystems for cancer photo-chemotherapy. J Nanobiotechnology 2020; 18:108. [PMID: 32746846 PMCID: PMC7397640 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-020-00668-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug delivery systems (DDSs) based on nanomaterials have shown a promise for cancer chemotherapy; however, it remains a great challenge to localize on-demand release of anticancer drugs in tumor tissues to improve therapeutic effects and minimize the side effects. In this regard, photoresponsive DDSs that employ light as an external stimulus can offer a precise spatiotemporal control of drug release at desired sites of interest. Most photoresponsive DDSs are only responsive to ultraviolet-visible light that shows phototoxicity and/or shallow tissue penetration depth, and thereby their applications are greatly restricted. To address these issues, near-infrared (NIR) photoresponsive DDSs have been developed. In this review, the development of NIR photoresponsive DDSs in last several years for cancer photo-chemotherapy are summarized. They can achieve on-demand release of drugs into tumors of living animals through photothermal, photodynamic, and photoconversion mechanisms, affording obviously amplified therapeutic effects in synergy with phototherapy. Finally, the existing challenges and further perspectives on the development of NIR photoresponsive DDSs and their clinical translation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Wang
- Xuhui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Zeliang Xuan
- Xuhui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhu
- Xuhui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Haitao Sun
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jingchao Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
| | - Zongyu Xie
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, China.
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38
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Antibody-Drug Conjugates: The New Frontier of Chemotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155510. [PMID: 32752132 PMCID: PMC7432430 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have become promising antitumor agents to be used as one of the tools in personalized cancer medicine. ADCs are comprised of a drug with cytotoxic activity cross-linked to a monoclonal antibody, targeting antigens expressed at higher levels on tumor cells than on normal cells. By providing a selective targeting mechanism for cytotoxic drugs, ADCs improve the therapeutic index in clinical practice. In this review, the chemistry of ADC linker conjugation together with strategies adopted to improve antibody tolerability (by reducing antigenicity) are examined, with particular attention to ADCs approved by the regulatory agencies (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA)) for treating cancer patients. Recent developments in engineering Immunoglobulin (Ig) genes and antibody humanization have greatly reduced some of the problems of the first generation of ADCs, beset by problems, such as random coupling of the payload and immunogenicity of the antibody. ADC development and clinical use is a fast, evolving area, and will likely prove an important modality for the treatment of cancer in the near future.
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39
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Wang J, Wen Y, Zheng L, Dou B, Li L, Zhao K, Wang N, Ma J. Characterization of chemical profiles of pH-sensitive cleavable D-gluconhydroximo-1, 5-lactam hydrolysates by LC–MS: A potential agent for promoting tumor-targeted drug delivery. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2020; 185:113244. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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40
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Poreba M. Protease-activated prodrugs: strategies, challenges, and future directions. FEBS J 2020; 287:1936-1969. [PMID: 31991521 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Proteases play critical roles in virtually all biological processes, including proliferation, cell death and survival, protein turnover, and migration. However, when dysregulated, these enzymes contribute to the progression of multiple diseases, with cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, inflammation, and blood disorders being the most prominent examples. For a long time, disease-associated proteases have been used for the activation of various prodrugs due to their well-characterized catalytic activity and ability to selectively cleave only those substrates that strictly correspond with their active site architecture. To date, versatile peptide sequences that are cleaved by proteases in a site-specific manner have been utilized as bioactive linkers for the targeted delivery of multiple types of cargo, including fluorescent dyes, photosensitizers, cytotoxic drugs, antibiotics, and pro-antibodies. This platform is highly adaptive, as multiple protease-labile conjugates have already been developed, some of which are currently in clinical use for cancer treatment. In this review, recent advancements in the development of novel protease-cleavable linkers for selective drug delivery are described. Moreover, the current limitations regarding the selectivity of linkers are discussed, and the future perspectives that rely on the application of unnatural amino acids for the development of highly selective peptide linkers are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Poreba
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland
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41
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Dickgiesser S, Rieker M, Mueller-Pompalla D, Schröter C, Tonillo J, Warszawski S, Raab-Westphal S, Kühn S, Knehans T, Könning D, Dotterweich J, Betz UAK, Anderl J, Hecht S, Rasche N. Site-Specific Conjugation of Native Antibodies Using Engineered Microbial Transglutaminases. Bioconjug Chem 2020; 31:1070-1076. [PMID: 32134638 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Site-specific bioconjugation technologies are frequently employed to generate homogeneous antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and are generally considered superior to stochastic approaches like lysine coupling. However, most of the technologies developed so far require undesired manipulation of the antibody sequence or its glycan structures. Herein, we report the successful engineering of microbial transglutaminase enabling efficient, site-specific conjugation of drug-linker constructs to position HC-Q295 of native, fully glycosylated IgG-type antibodies. ADCs generated via this approach demonstrate excellent stability in vitro as well as strong efficacy in vitro and in vivo. As it employs different drug-linker structures and several native antibodies, our study additionally proves the broad applicability of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcel Rieker
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.,Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Jason Tonillo
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Stefanie Kühn
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tim Knehans
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Doreen Könning
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Jan Anderl
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Hecht
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rasche
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
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42
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Liu H, Bolleddula J, Nichols A, Tang L, Zhao Z, Prakash C. Metabolism of bioconjugate therapeutics: why, when, and how? Drug Metab Rev 2020; 52:66-124. [PMID: 32045530 DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2020.1716784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Bioconjugation of therapeutic agents has been used as a selective drug delivery platform for many therapeutic areas. Bioconjugates are prepared by the covalent linkage of active compounds (small or large molecule) to a carrier molecule (lipids, proteins, peptides, carbohydrates, and polymers) through a chemical linker. The linkage of the active component to a carrier molecule enhances the therapeutic window through a targeted delivery and by reducing toxicity. Bioconjugates also possess improved pharmacokinetic properties such as a long half-life, increased stability, and cleavage by intracellular enzymes/environment. However, premature cleavage of the bioconjugates and the resulting metabolites/catabolites may produce undesirable toxic effects and, hence, it is critical to understand cleavage mechanisms, metabolism of bioconjugates, and translatability to human in the discovery stages. This article provides a comprehensive overview of linker cleavage pathways and catabolism/metabolism of antibody-drug conjugates, glycoconjugates, polymer-drug conjugates, lipid-drug conjugates, folate-targeted small molecule-drug conjugates, and drug-drug conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlan Liu
- KSQ Therapeutics Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
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43
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Recent progress in transglutaminase-mediated assembly of antibody-drug conjugates. Anal Biochem 2020; 595:113615. [PMID: 32035039 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are hybrid molecules intended to overcome the drawbacks of conventional small molecule chemotherapy and therapeutic antibodies by merging beneficial characteristics of both molecule classes to develop more efficient and patient-friendly options for cancer treatment. During the last decades a versatile bioconjugation toolbox that comprises numerous chemical and enzymatic technologies have been developed to covalently attach a cytotoxic cargo to a tumor-targeting antibody. Microbial transglutaminase (mTG) that catalyzes isopeptide bond formation between proteinaceous or peptidic glutamines and lysines, provides many favorable properties that are beneficial for the manufacturing of these conjugates. However, to efficiently utilize the enzyme for the constructions of ADCs, different drawbacks had to be overcome that originate from the enzyme's insufficiently understood substrate specificity. Within this review, pioneering methodologies, recent achievements and remaining limitations of mTG-assisted assembly of ADCs will be highlighted.
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Vainshtein I, Sun B, Roskos LK, Liang M. A novel approach to assess domain specificity of anti-drug antibodies to moxetumomab pasudotox, an immunotoxin with two functional domains. J Immunol Methods 2020; 477:112688. [PMID: 31676342 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2019.112688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Biologics are potentially immunogenic and can elicit immune response. Complex biologics, such as bispecific antibodies or multi-domain molecules can induce anti-drug antibodies (ADA) with specificity to different domains. Domain specific ADAs may differently affect drug efficacy and safety, and thus, characterization of ADA domain specificity has become a regulatory expectation for multi-domain biologics. Unlike well-established methods for screening, confirmation, titer and neutralizing ADA detection, characterization of ADA domain specificity is an emerging field. The conventional approach for determination of ADA domain specificity is a competitive inhibition with domain-containing molecules. When developing a conventional domain specificity assay for moxetumomab pasudotox, a recombinant anti-CD22 immunotoxin, comprised of two functional domains (CD22-binding fragment and truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE38), we encountered a bioanalytical challenge. The method was able to detect immunodominant anti-PE38 (ADA-PE) but generated false negative results for low abundant CD22-binding domain ADA (ADA-BD) in a polyclonal sample. Troubleshooting experiments using control samples with varying levels of each ADA subtype demonstrated that a major factor for successful ADA identification was the ratio of the ADA signals contributed by each ADA subtype. To overcome this unique bioanalytical challenge, we developed a novel approach, which ensures detection of a domain-specific ADA subtype regardless of its relative level in a polyclonal ADA sample by evaluating signal inhibition by a respective domain-containing molecule at the condition when signals from all other ADAs are fully blocked. The method has been used for characterization of ADA domain specificity in moxetumomab pasudotox clinical trials, including study 1053, the pivotal Phase III study in hairy cell leukemia patients. It allowed for successful detection of ADA-BD in the presence of immunodominant ADA-PE, enabling accurate determination of domain specificity for moxetumomab pasudotox. The results demonstrated that the method was superior than the conventional approach. The method could be applied broadly to other biologics with two or more domains when there is a need to detect a minor ADA subtype in polyclonal samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Vainshtein
- BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Bo Sun
- BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Lorin K Roskos
- BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Meina Liang
- BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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Antibody Conjugates-Recent Advances and Future Innovations. Antibodies (Basel) 2020; 9:antib9010002. [PMID: 31936270 PMCID: PMC7148502 DOI: 10.3390/antib9010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies have evolved from research tools to powerful therapeutics in the past 30 years. Clinical success rates of antibodies have exceeded expectations, resulting in heavy investment in biologics discovery and development in addition to traditional small molecules across the industry. However, protein therapeutics cannot drug targets intracellularly and are limited to soluble and cell-surface antigens. Tremendous strides have been made in antibody discovery, protein engineering, formulation, and delivery devices. These advances continue to push the boundaries of biologics to enable antibody conjugates to take advantage of the target specificity and long half-life from an antibody, while delivering highly potent small molecule drugs. While the "magic bullet" concept produced the first wave of antibody conjugates, these entities were met with limited clinical success. This review summarizes the advances and challenges in the field to date with emphasis on antibody conjugation, linker-payload chemistry, novel payload classes, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), and product developability. We discuss lessons learned in the development of oncology antibody conjugates and look towards future innovations enabling other therapeutic indications.
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Kotapati S, Passmore D, Yamazoe S, Sanku RKK, Cong Q, Poudel YB, Chowdari NS, Gangwar S, Rao C, Rangan VS, Cardarelli PM, Deshpande S, Strop P, Dollinger G, Rajpal A. Universal Affinity Capture Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Assay for Evaluation of Biotransformation of Site-Specific Antibody Drug Conjugates in Preclinical Studies. Anal Chem 2019; 92:2065-2073. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Deweid L, Avrutina O, Kolmar H. Microbial transglutaminase for biotechnological and biomedical engineering. Biol Chem 2019; 400:257-274. [PMID: 30291779 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2018-0335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Research on bacterial transglutaminase dates back to 1989, when the enzyme has been isolated from Streptomyces mobaraensis. Initially discovered during an extensive screening campaign to reduce costs in food manufacturing, it quickly appeared as a robust and versatile tool for biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications due to its excellent activity and simple handling. While pioneering attempts to make use of its extraordinary cross-linking ability resulted in heterogeneous polymers, currently it is applied to site-specifically ligate diverse biomolecules yielding precisely modified hybrid constructs comprising two or more components. This review covers the extensive and rapidly growing field of microbial transglutaminase-mediated bioconjugation with the focus on pharmaceutical research. In addition, engineering of the enzyme by directed evolution and rational design is highlighted. Moreover, cumbersome drawbacks of this technique mainly caused by the enzyme's substrate indiscrimination are discussed as well as the ways to bypass these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Deweid
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Olga Avrutina
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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Targeted delivery and endosomal cellular uptake of DARPin-siRNA bioconjugates: Influence of linker stability on gene silencing. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2019; 141:37-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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The "Utility" of Highly Toxic Marine-Sourced Compounds. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17060324. [PMID: 31159276 PMCID: PMC6627392 DOI: 10.3390/md17060324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently a few compounds isolated from marine sources have become drugs, mainly directed towards cancer and pain. Compounds from marine sources have exquisite potencies against eukaryotic cells, as they act as protective agents against attack by predators in the marine environment. Their toxicities act as a “double-edged sword” as they are often too toxic for direct use in humans and thus have to be chemically modified. By linking suitably modified compounds to monoclonal antibodies directed against specific epitopes in mammalian cancer cells, they can be delivered to a specific cell type in humans. This review updates and extends an article published in early 2017, demonstrating how by careful chemical modifications, highly toxic compounds, frequently peptidic in nature, can be utilized as antitumor drug candidates. The antibody-drug- conjugates (ADCs) discussed are those that are currently in clinical trials listed in the NIH Clinical Trials Registry as, “currently active, recruiting or in some cases, recently completed”. There are also some ADCs discussed that are at the advanced preclinical stage, that in some cases, are repurposing current drug entities, and the review finishes with a short discussion of the aplyronines as potential candidate warheads as a result of scalable synthetic processes.
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Benjamin SR, Jackson CP, Fang S, Carlson DP, Guo Z, Tumey LN. Thiolation of Q295: Site-Specific Conjugation of Hydrophobic Payloads without the Need for Genetic Engineering. Mol Pharm 2019; 16:2795-2807. [PMID: 31067063 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Site-specific conjugation technology frequently relies on antibody engineering to incorporate rare or non-natural amino acids into the primary sequence of the protein. However, when the primary sequence is unknown or when antibody engineering is not feasible, there are very limited options for site-specific protein modification. We have developed a transglutaminase-mediated conjugation that incorporates a thiol at a "privileged" location on deglycosylated antibodies (Q295). Perhaps surprisingly, this conjugation employs a reported transglutaminase inhibitor, cystamine, as the key enzyme substrate. The chemical incorporation of a thiol at the Q295 site allows for the site-specific attachment of a plethora of commonly used and commercially available payloads via maleimide chemistry. Herein, we demonstrate the utility of this method by comparing the conjugatability, plasma stability, and in vitro potency of these site-specific antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with analogous endogenous cysteine conjugates. Cytotoxic ADCs prepared using this methodology are shown to exhibit comparable in vitro efficacy to stochastic cysteine conjugates while displaying dramatically improved plasma stability and conjugatability. In particular, we note that this technique appears to be useful for the incorporation of highly hydrophobic linker payloads without the addition of PEG modifiers. We postulate a possible mechanism for this feature by probing the local environment of the Q295 site with two fluorescent probes that are known to be sensitive to the local hydrophobic environment. In summary, we describe a highly practical method for the site-specific conjugation of genetically nonengineered antibodies, which results in plasma-stable ADCs with low intrinsic hydrophobicity. We believe that this technology will find broad utility in the ADC community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha R Benjamin
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Binghamton University , P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton , New York 13902 , United States
| | - Courtney P Jackson
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Binghamton University , P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton , New York 13902 , United States
| | - Siteng Fang
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Binghamton University , P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton , New York 13902 , United States
| | - Dane P Carlson
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Binghamton University , P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton , New York 13902 , United States
| | - Zhongyuan Guo
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Binghamton University , P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton , New York 13902 , United States
| | - L Nathan Tumey
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Binghamton University , P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton , New York 13902 , United States
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