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Szepesi Kovács D, Pásztor B, Ábrányi-Balogh P, Petri L, Imre T, Simon J, Tátrai E, Várady G, Tóvári J, Szijj PA, Keserű GM. Site-Selective Antibody Conjugation with Dibromopyrazines. Bioconjug Chem 2024. [PMID: 39151068 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, antibody conjugates have evolved as state-of-the-art options for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. During site-selective antibody conjugation, incomplete rebridging of antibody chains limits the homogeneity of conjugates and calls for the development of new rebridging agents. Herein, we report a dibromopyrazine derivative optimized to reach highly homogeneous conjugates rapidly and with high conversion on rebridging of trastuzumab, even providing a feasible route for antibody modification in acidic conditions. Furthermore, coupling a fluorescent dye and a cytotoxic drug resulted in effective antibody conjugates with excellent serum stability and in vitro selectivity, demonstrating the utility of the dibromopyrazine rebridging agent to produce on-demand future antibody conjugates for diagnostic or therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dénes Szepesi Kovács
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
- National Drug Research and Development Laboratory, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bettina Pásztor
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
- National Drug Research and Development Laboratory, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Ábrányi-Balogh
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
- National Drug Research and Development Laboratory, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Petri
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- National Drug Research and Development Laboratory, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, Egyetem t. 1-3, H-1053 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tímea Imre
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- MS Metabolomics Research Laboratory, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Simon
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- MS Metabolomics Research Laboratory, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Tátrai
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György u. 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary
- National Tumor Biology Laboratory, Ráth György u. 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Várady
- Molecular Cell Biology Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György u. 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary
- National Tumor Biology Laboratory, Ráth György u. 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Peter A Szijj
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, WC1H 0AJ London, U.K
| | - György M Keserű
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
- National Drug Research and Development Laboratory, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
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2
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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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3
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Patel M, Forte N, Bishop CR, Porter MJ, Dagwell M, Karu K, Chudasama V, Baker JR. The Nitrile Bis-Thiol Bioconjugation Reaction. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:274-280. [PMID: 38124442 PMCID: PMC10786040 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08762] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Electron-poor aryl nitriles are promising reagents for bioconjugation due to their high electrophilicity and selectivity for reaction with thiols, albeit generally in a reversible manner. A transient species has previously been observed in such reactions, involving the addition of two thiols to the nitrile functional group, forming a tetrahedral amino dithioacetal (ADTA). In this work, the reaction of heteroaryl nitriles with bis-thiols is explored in an attempt to generate stable ADTAs, which could facilitate new bioconjugation protocols. By use of a 1,2-dithiol, or the incorporation of an electrophilic trap into the aryl nitrile design, the formation of stable products is achieved. The resultant "nitrile bis-thiol" (NBT) reaction is then explored in the context of protein modification, specifically to carry out antibody conjugation. By addition of these nitriles to the reduced disulfide bond of an antibody fragment, it is shown that, depending on the reagent design, cysteine-to-lysine transfer or disulfide bridged NBT products can be generated. Both represent site-selective conjugates and are shown to be stable when challenged with glutathione under physiological conditions and upon incubation in serum. Furthermore, the NBT reaction is tested in the more challenging context of a full antibody, and all four disulfide bonds are effectively modified by these new one-carbon bridging reagents. Overall, this reaction of heteroaryl-nitriles with bis-thiols is shown to be highly efficient and versatile, of tunable reversibility, and offers enticing prospects as a new addition to the toolbox of biocompatible "click"-type reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikesh Patel
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - Nafsika Forte
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - Charlie R. Bishop
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - Michael J. Porter
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - Matthew Dagwell
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - Kersti Karu
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
| | - James R. Baker
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
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4
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Chauhan P, V R, Kumar M, Molla R, Mishra SD, Basa S, Rai V. Chemical technology principles for selective bioconjugation of proteins and antibodies. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:380-449. [PMID: 38095227 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00715d] [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: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Proteins are multifunctional large organic compounds that constitute an essential component of a living system. Hence, control over their bioconjugation impacts science at the chemistry-biology-medicine interface. A chemical toolbox for their precision engineering can boost healthcare and open a gateway for directed or precision therapeutics. Such a chemical toolbox remained elusive for a long time due to the complexity presented by the large pool of functional groups. The precise single-site modification of a protein requires a method to address a combination of selectivity attributes. This review focuses on guiding principles that can segregate them to simplify the task for a chemical method. Such a disintegration systematically employs a multi-step chemical transformation to deconvolute the selectivity challenges. It constitutes a disintegrate (DIN) theory that offers additional control parameters for tuning precision in protein bioconjugation. This review outlines the selectivity hurdles faced by chemical methods. It elaborates on the developments in the perspective of DIN theory to demonstrate simultaneous regulation of reactivity, chemoselectivity, site-selectivity, modularity, residue specificity, and protein specificity. It discusses the progress of such methods to construct protein and antibody conjugates for biologics, including antibody-fluorophore and antibody-drug conjugates (AFCs and ADCs). It also briefs how this knowledge can assist in developing small molecule-based covalent inhibitors. In the process, it highlights an opportunity for hypothesis-driven routes to accelerate discoveries of selective methods and establish new targetome in the precision engineering of proteins and antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Chauhan
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, 462 066, India.
| | - Ragendu V
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, 462 066, India.
| | - Mohan Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, 462 066, India.
| | - Rajib Molla
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, 462 066, India.
| | - Surya Dev Mishra
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, 462 066, India.
| | - Sneha Basa
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, 462 066, India.
| | - Vishal Rai
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, 462 066, India.
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5
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Zhao Y, Chudasama V, Baker JR. Trifunctional Dibromomaleimide Reagents Built Around A Lysine Scaffold Deliver Site-selective Dual-modality Antibody Conjugation. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300356. [PMID: 37548625 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300356] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
We describe the synthesis and application of a selection of trifunctional reagents for the dual-modality modification of native, solvent accessible disulfide bonds in trastuzumab. The reagents were developed from the dibromomaleimide (DBM) platform with two orthogonal clickable functional groups built around a lysine core. We also describe the development of an aryl diselenide additive which enables antibody disulfide reduction in 4 minutes and a rapid overall reduction-bridging-double click sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbo Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon St, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon St, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - James R Baker
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon St, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
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6
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Thoreau F, Rochet LNC, Baker JR, Chudasama V. Enabling the formation of native mAb, Fab' and Fc-conjugates using a bis-disulfide bridging reagent to achieve tunable payload-to-antibody ratios (PARs). Chem Sci 2023; 14:3752-3762. [PMID: 37035695 PMCID: PMC10074397 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc06318b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Either as full IgGs or as fragments (Fabs, Fc, etc.), antibodies have received tremendous attention in the development of new therapeutics such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). The production of ADCs involves the grafting of active payloads onto an antibody, which is generally enabled by the site-selective modification of native or engineered antibodies via chemical or enzymatic methods. Whatever method is employed, controlling the payload-antibody ratio (PAR) is a challenge in terms of multiple aspects including: (i) obtaining homogeneous protein conjugates; (ii) obtaining unusual PARs (PAR is rarely other than 2, 4 or 8); (iii) using a single method to access a range of different PARs; (iv) applicability to various antibody formats; and (v) flexibility for the production of heterofunctional antibody-conjugates (e.g. attachment of multiple types of payloads). In this article, we report a single pyridazinedione-based trifunctional dual bridging linker that enables, in a two-step procedure (re-bridging/click), the generation of either mAb-, Fab'-, or Fc-conjugates from native mAb, (Fab')2 or Fc formats, respectively. Fc and (Fab')2 formats were generated via enzymatic digestion of native mAbs. Whilst the same reduction and re-bridging protocols were applied to all three of the protein formats, the subsequent click reaction(s) employed to graft payload(s) drove the generation of a range of PARs, including heterofunctional PARs. As such, exploiting click reactivity and/or orthogonality afforded mAb-conjugates with PARs of 6, 4, 2 or 4 + 2, and Fab'- and Fc-conjugates with a PAR of 3, 2, 1 or 2 + 1 on-demand. We believe that the homogeneity, novelty and variety in accessible PARs, as well as the applicability to various antibody-conjugate formats enabled by our non-recombinant method could be a suitable tool for antibody-drug conjugates optimisation (optimal PAR value, optimal payloads combination) and boost the development of new antibody therapeutics (Fab'- and Fc-conjugates).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Thoreau
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Léa N C Rochet
- 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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7
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Chrzastek A, Thanasi IA, Irving JA, Chudasama V, Baker JR. Dual reactivity disulfide bridging reagents; enabling new approaches to antibody fragment bioconjugation. Chem Sci 2022; 13:11533-11539. [PMID: 36320392 PMCID: PMC9555722 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04531a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Disulfide bridging, also known as disulfide stapling, is a powerful strategy for the construction of site-selective protein bioconjugates. Here we describe the first examples of a new class of such reagents, containing a 'stable-labile' design. These dual-reactive reagents are designed to form a stable bond to one cysteine and a labile bond to the second; resulting in a robust attachment to the protein with one end of the bridge, whilst the other end serves as a reactive handle for subsequent bioconjugation. By incorporating thioesters into these bridges, we demonstrate that they are primed for native chemical ligation (NCL) with N-terminal cysteines; offering an alternative to the requirement for C-terminal thioesters for use in such ligations. Alternatively, the use of hydrazine as the ligating nucleophile enables a separate cargo to be attached to each cysteine residue, which are exploited to insert variably cleavable linkers. These methodologies are demonstrated on an antibody fragment, and serve to expand the scope of disulfide bridging strategies whilst offering a convenient route to the construction of multifunctional antibody fragment conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Chrzastek
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street WC1H OAJ London UK
| | - Ioanna A Thanasi
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street WC1H OAJ London UK
| | - James A Irving
- UCL Respiratory, Rayne Institute, University College London WC1E 6JF London UK
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street WC1H OAJ London UK
| | - James R Baker
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street WC1H OAJ London UK
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8
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Grossenbacher P, Essers MC, Moser J, Singer SA, Häusler S, Stieger B, Rougier JS, Lochner M. Bioorthogonal site-selective conjugation of fluorescent dyes to antibodies: method and potential applications. RSC Adv 2022; 12:28306-28317. [PMID: 36320493 PMCID: PMC9533196 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra05580e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are immensely useful tools for biochemical research and have found application in numerous protein detection and purification methods. Moreover, monoclonal antibodies are increasingly utilised as therapeutics or, conjugated to active pharmaceutical ingredients, in targeted chemotherapy. Several reagents and protocols are reported to synthesise fluorescent antibodies for protein target detection and immunofluorescence applications. However, most of these protocols lead to non-selective conjugation, over-labelling or in the worst case antigen binding site modification. Here, we have used the antibody disulphide cleavage and re-bridging strategy to introduce bright fluorescent dyes without loss of the antibody function. The resulting fluorescent IgG1 type antibodies were shown to be effective imaging tools in western blot and direct immunofluorescence experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Grossenbacher
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of BernBühlstrasse 283012 BernSwitzerland
| | - Maria C. Essers
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of BernBühlstrasse 283012 BernSwitzerland
| | - Joël Moser
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of BernFreiestrasse 33012 BernSwitzerland
| | - Simon A. Singer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of BernBühlstrasse 283012 BernSwitzerland
| | - Stephanie Häusler
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zürich, University of ZürichRämistrasse 1008091 ZürichSwitzerland
| | - Bruno Stieger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zürich, University of ZürichRämistrasse 1008091 ZürichSwitzerland
| | - Jean-Sébastien Rougier
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of BernBühlstrasse 283012 BernSwitzerland
| | - Martin Lochner
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of BernBühlstrasse 283012 BernSwitzerland
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9
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Dannheim FM, Walsh SJ, Orozco CT, Hansen AH, Bargh JD, Jackson SE, Bond NJ, Parker JS, Carroll JS, Spring DR. All-in-one disulfide bridging enables the generation of antibody conjugates with modular cargo loading. Chem Sci 2022; 13:8781-8790. [PMID: 35975158 PMCID: PMC9350601 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc02198f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are valuable therapeutic entities which leverage the specificity of antibodies to selectively deliver cytotoxins to antigen-expressing targets such as cancer cells. However, current methods for their construction still suffer from a number of shortcomings. For instance, using a single modification technology to modulate the drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) in integer increments while maintaining homogeneity and stability remains exceptionally challenging. Herein, we report a novel method for the generation of antibody conjugates with modular cargo loading from native antibodies. Our approach relies on a new class of disulfide rebridging linkers, which can react with eight cysteine residues, thereby effecting all-in-one bridging of all four interchain disulfides in an IgG1 antibody with a single linker molecule. Modification of the antibody with the linker in a 1 : 1 ratio enabled the modulation of cargo loading in a quick and selective manner through derivatization of the linker with varying numbers of payload attachment handles to allow for attachment of either 1, 2, 3 or 4 payloads (fluorescent dyes or cytotoxins). Assessment of the biological activity of these conjugates demonstrated their exceptional stability in human plasma and utility for cell-selective cytotoxin delivery or imaging/diagnostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephen J Walsh
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 0RE UK
| | - Carolina T Orozco
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Anders Højgaard Hansen
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark (DTU) 2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Jonathan D Bargh
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Sophie E Jackson
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Nicholas J Bond
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca Granta Park Cambridge CB21 6GH UK
| | - Jeremy S Parker
- Early Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca Macclesfield SK10 2NA UK
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 0RE UK
| | - David R Spring
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
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10
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Bahou C, Chudasama V. The use of bromopyridazinedione derivatives in chemical biology. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:5879-5890. [PMID: 35373804 DOI: 10.1039/d2ob00310d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Tools that facilitate the chemical modification of peptides and proteins are gaining an increasing amount of interest across many avenues of chemical biology as they enable a plethora of therapeutic, imaging and diagnostic applications. Cysteine residues and disulfide bonds have been highlighted as appealing targets for modification due to the highly homogenous nature of the products that can be formed through their site-selective modification. Amongst the reagents available for the site-selective modification of cysteine(s)/disulfide(s), pyridazinediones (PDs) have played a particularly important and enabling role. In this review, we outline the unique chemical features that make PDs especially well-suited to cysteine/disulfide modification on a wide variety of proteins and peptides, as well as provide context as to the problems solved (and applications enabled) by this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calise Bahou
- UCL Department of Chemistry, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- UCL Department of Chemistry, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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11
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Walsh SJ, Omarjee S, Dannheim FM, Couturier DL, Bexheti D, Mendil L, Cronshaw G, Fewster T, Gregg C, Brodie C, Miller JL, Houghton R, Carroll JS, Spring DR. Divinylpyrimidine reagents generate antibody-drug conjugates with excellent in vivo efficacy and tolerability. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:1962-1965. [PMID: 35044383 PMCID: PMC9073851 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc06766d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The development of divinylpyrimidine (DVP) reagents for the synthesis of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with in vivo efficacy and tolerability is reported. Detailed structural characterisation of the synthesised ADCs was first conducted followed by in vitro and in vivo evaluation of the ADCs' ability to safely and selectively eradicate target-positive tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Walsh
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Soleilmane Omarjee
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Friederike M Dannheim
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Dominique-Laurent Couturier
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Dorentina Bexheti
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Lee Mendil
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Gemma Cronshaw
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Toby Fewster
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Charlotte Gregg
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Cara Brodie
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Jodi L Miller
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Richard Houghton
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - David R Spring
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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12
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Juen L, Baltus CB, Gély C, Kervarrec T, Feuillâtre O, Desgranges A, Viaud-Massuard MC, Martin C. Therapeutic Potential of MF-TTZ-MMAE, a Site-Specifically Conjugated Antibody-Drug Conjugate, for the Treatment of HER2-Overexpressing Breast Cancer. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:418-426. [PMID: 35104102 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
With three clinically approved antibody-drug conjugates targeting HER2, this target is clearly identified to be of interest in oncology. Moreover, the advent of new bioconjugation technologies producing site-specific homogenous conjugates led to the opportunity of developing new medicines linking antibodies and payloads. Here, a new relevant HER2-targeting ADC was obtained by the conjugation of monomethyl auristatin E onto trastuzumab using McSAF Inside bioconjugation technology. The antibody-drug conjugate formed presented an average drug-to-antibody ratio of 4 with a high homogeneity and an excellent stability especially when incubated with human serum albumin or in human plasma. Moreover, it demonstrated a strong efficacy in an HER2 xenograft tumor model in mice, superior to the clinically approved antibody-drug conjugate ado-trastuzumab emtansine, with a complete tumor regression observed both macroscopically and microscopically demonstrating its therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Thibault Kervarrec
- Department of Pathology, University of Tours, BIP INRA UMR1282 ISP, CHU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-lès-tours, France
| | | | | | - Marie-Claude Viaud-Massuard
- McSAF, 1 rue Claude Thion, 37000 Tours, France.,IMT, GICC EA7501 University of Tours, 31 avenue Monge, 37200 Tours, France
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13
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Sornay C, Vaur V, Wagner A, Chaubet G. An overview of chemo- and site-selectivity aspects in the chemical conjugation of proteins. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211563. [PMID: 35116160 PMCID: PMC8790347 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The bioconjugation of proteins-that is, the creation of a covalent link between a protein and any other molecule-has been studied for decades, partly because of the numerous applications of protein conjugates, but also due to the technical challenge it represents. Indeed, proteins possess inner physico-chemical properties-they are sensitive and polynucleophilic macromolecules-that make them complex substrates in conjugation reactions. This complexity arises from the mild conditions imposed by their sensitivity but also from selectivity issues, viz the precise control of the conjugation site on the protein. After decades of research, strategies and reagents have been developed to address two aspects of this selectivity: chemoselectivity-harnessing the reacting chemical functionality-and site-selectivity-controlling the reacting amino acid residue-most notably thanks to the participation of synthetic chemistry in this effort. This review offers an overview of these chemical bioconjugation strategies, insisting on those employing native proteins as substrates, and shows that the field is active and exciting, especially for synthetic chemists seeking new challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Sornay
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, Illkirch-Graffenstaden 67400, France
| | - Valentine Vaur
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, Illkirch-Graffenstaden 67400, France
| | - Alain Wagner
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, Illkirch-Graffenstaden 67400, France
| | - Guilhem Chaubet
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, Illkirch-Graffenstaden 67400, France
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14
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Kang MS, Kong TWS, Khoo JYX, Loh TP. Recent developments in chemical conjugation strategies targeting native amino acids in proteins and their applications in antibody-drug conjugates. Chem Sci 2021; 12:13613-13647. [PMID: 34760149 PMCID: PMC8549674 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02973h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Many fields in chemical biology and synthetic biology require effective bioconjugation methods to achieve their desired functions and activities. Among such biomolecule conjugates, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) need a linker that provides a stable linkage between cytotoxic drugs and antibodies, whilst conjugating in a biologically benign, fast and selective fashion. This review focuses on how the development of novel organic synthesis can solve the problems of traditional linker technology. The review shall introduce and analyse the current developments in the modification of native amino acids on peptides or proteins and their applicability to ADC linker. Thereafter, the review shall discuss in detail each endogenous amino acid's intrinsic reactivity and selectivity aspects, and address the research effort to construct an ADC using each conjugation method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Sun Kang
- Division of Chemistry & Biological Chemistry, School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University 21 Nanyang Link 637371 Singapore
| | - Theresa Wai See Kong
- Division of Chemistry & Biological Chemistry, School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University 21 Nanyang Link 637371 Singapore
| | - Joycelyn Yi Xin Khoo
- Division of Chemistry & Biological Chemistry, School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University 21 Nanyang Link 637371 Singapore
| | - Teck-Peng Loh
- Division of Chemistry & Biological Chemistry, School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University 21 Nanyang Link 637371 Singapore
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15
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Taheri-Ledari R, Zhang W, Radmanesh M, Cathcart N, Maleki A, Kitaev V. Plasmonic photothermal release of docetaxel by gold nanoparticles incorporated onto halloysite nanotubes with conjugated 2D8-E3 antibodies for selective cancer therapy. J Nanobiotechnology 2021; 19:239. [PMID: 34380469 PMCID: PMC8359560 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-00982-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Applied nanomaterials in targeted drug delivery have received increased attention due to tangible advantages, including enhanced cell adhesion and internalization, controlled targeted release, convenient detection in the body, enhanced biodegradation, etc. Furthermore, conjugation of the biologically active ingredients with the drug-containing nanocarriers (nanobioconjugates) has realized impressive opportunities in targeted therapy. Among diverse nanostructures, halloysite nanotubes (NHTs) with a rolled multilayer structure offer great possibilities for drug encapsulation and controlled release. The presence of a strong hydrogen bond network between the rolled HNT layers enables the controlled release of the encapsulated drug molecules through the modulation of hydrogen bonding either in acidic conditions or at higher temperatures. The latter can be conveniently achieved through the photothermal effect via the incorporation of plasmonic nanoparticles. RESULTS The developed nanotherapeutic integrated natural halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) as a carrier; gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for selective release; docetaxel (DTX) as a cytotoxic anticancer agent; human IgG1 sortilin 2D8-E3 monoclonal antibody (SORT) for selective targeting; and 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane as a linker for antibody attachment that also enhances the hydrophobicity of DTX@HNT/Au-SORT and minimizes DTX leaching in body's internal environment. HNTs efficiently store DTX at room temperature and release it at higher temperatures via disruption of interlayer hydrogen bonding. The role of the physical expansion and disruption of the interlayer hydrogen bonding in HNTs for the controlled DTX release has been studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS), electron microscopy (EM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at different pH conditions. HNT interlayer bond disruption has been confirmed to take place at a much lower temperature (44 °C) at low pH vs. 88 °C, at neutral pH thus enabling the effective drug release by DTX@HNT/Au-SORT through plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT) by light interaction with localized plasmon resonance (LSPR) of AuNPs incorporated into the HNT pores. CONCLUSIONS Selective ovarian tumor targeting was accomplished, demonstrating practical efficiency of the designed nanocomposite therapeutic, DTX@HNT/Au-SORT. The antitumor activity of DTX@HNT/Au-SORT (apoptosis of 90 ± 0.3%) was confirmed by in vitro experiments using a caov-4 (ATCC HTB76) cell line (sortilin expression > 70%) that was successfully targeted by the sortilin 2D8-E3 mAb, tagged on the DTX@HNT/Au.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Taheri-Ledari
- Catalysts and Organic Synthesis Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, 16846-13114, Iran
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Maral Radmanesh
- Catalysts and Organic Synthesis Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, 16846-13114, Iran
| | - Nicole Cathcart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Ali Maleki
- Catalysts and Organic Synthesis Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, 16846-13114, Iran.
| | - Vladimir Kitaev
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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16
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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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17
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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: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.0] [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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18
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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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19
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Walsh SJ, Iegre J, Seki H, Bargh JD, Sore HF, Parker JS, Carroll JS, Spring DR. General dual functionalisation of biomacromolecules via a cysteine bridging strategy. Org Biomol Chem 2020; 18:4224-4230. [PMID: 32432632 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob00907e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Site-selective modification of peptides and proteins has resulted in the development of a host of novel tools for the study of cellular systems or the synthesis of enhanced biotherapeutics. There is a need for useful methodologies that enable site-selective modification of native peptides or proteins, which is even more prevalent when modification of the biomolecule with multiple payloads is desired. Herein, we report the development of a novel dual functional divinylpyrimidine (dfDVP) platform that enables robust and modular modification of peptides, antibody fragments and antibodies. These biomacromolecules could be easily functionalised with a range of functional payloads (e.g. fluorescent dyes, cytotoxic warheads or cell-penetrating tags). Importantly, the dual functionalised peptides and antibodies demonstrated exquisite bioactivity in a range of in vitro cellular assays, showcasing the enhanced utility of these bioactive conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Walsh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK. and Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Jessica Iegre
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Hikaru Seki
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Jonathan D Bargh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Hannah F Sore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Jeremy S Parker
- Early Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - David R Spring
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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20
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Dovgan I, Ehkirch A, Lehot V, Kuhn I, Koniev O, Kolodych S, Hentz A, Ripoll M, Ursuegui S, Nothisen M, Cianférani S, Wagner A. On the use of DNA as a linker in antibody-drug conjugates: synthesis, stability and in vitro potency. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7691. [PMID: 32376903 PMCID: PMC7203131 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64518-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we present the synthesis and evaluation of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), for which antibody and drug are non-covalently connected using complementary DNA linkers. These ADCs are composed of trastuzumab, an antibody targeting HER2 receptors overexpressed on breast cancer cells, and monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) as a drug payload. In this new ADC format, trastuzumab conjugated to a 37-mer oligonucleotide (ON) was prepared and hybridized with its complementary ON modified at 5-end with MMAE (cON-MMAE) in order to obtain trastuzumab-DNA-MMAE. As an advantage, the cON-MMAE was completely soluble in water, which decreases overall hydrophobicity of toxic payload, an important characteristic of ADCs. The stability in the human plasma of these non-engineered ON-based linkers was investigated and showed a satisfactory half-life of 5.8 days for the trastuzumab-DNA format. Finally, we investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity profile of both the DNA-linked ADC and the ON-drug conjugates and compared them with classical covalently linked ADC. Interestingly, we found increased cytotoxicity for MMAE compared to cON-MMAE and an EC50 in the nanomolar range for trastuzumab-DNA-MMAE on HER2-positive cells. Although this proved to be less potent than classically linked ADC with picomolar range EC50, the difference in cytotoxicity between naked payload and conjugated payload was significant when an ON linker was used. We also observed an interesting increase in cytotoxicity of trastuzumab-DNA-MMAE on HER2-negative cells. This was attributed to enhanced non-specific interaction triggered by the DNA strand as it could be confirmed using ligand tracer assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Dovgan
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Anthony Ehkirch
- BioOrganic Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (LSMBO), IPHC, University of Strasbourg, 25 rue Becquerel, 67087, Strasbourg, France
| | - Victor Lehot
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Isabelle Kuhn
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Oleksandr Koniev
- Syndivia SAS, 650 Boulevard Gonthier d'Andernach, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Sergii Kolodych
- Syndivia SAS, 650 Boulevard Gonthier d'Andernach, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Alexandre Hentz
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Manon Ripoll
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Sylvain Ursuegui
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Marc Nothisen
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Sarah Cianférani
- BioOrganic Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (LSMBO), IPHC, University of Strasbourg, 25 rue Becquerel, 67087, Strasbourg, France.,IPHC, CNRS, UMR7178, University of Strasbourg, 67087, Strasbourg, France
| | - Alain Wagner
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis, University of Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France.
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21
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Huang R, Sheng Y, Wei D, Yu J, Chen H, Jiang B. Bis(vinylsulfonyl)piperazines as efficient linkers for highly homogeneous antibody-drug conjugates. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 190:112080. [PMID: 32018094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112080] [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] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Disulfide re-bridging strategy has demonstrated significant advantages in the construction of homogeneous antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). However, a major issue that disulfide scrambling at the hinge region of antibody leads to the formation of "half-antibody" has appeared for many re-bridging linkers. We present bis(vinylsulfonyl)piperazines (BVP) as efficient linkers to selectively re-bridge disulfides at the antigen-binding fragment (Fab) regions and produce highly homogeneous conjugates with a loading of two drugs without disulfide scrambling. We also found that optically active (S)-configuration linkers led to more sufficient conjugation compared with (R)-configuration. The BVP-linked ADCs demonstrated superior efficacy and antigen-selectivity in vitro cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Huang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yao Sheng
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Ding Wei
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jianghui Yu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hongli Chen
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Biao Jiang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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22
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Dovgan I, Koniev O, Kolodych S, Wagner A. Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugates as Therapeutic, Imaging, and Detection Agents. Bioconjug Chem 2019; 30:2483-2501. [PMID: 31339691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) are a novel class of synthetic chimeric biomolecules that has been continually gaining traction in different fields of modern biotechnology. This is mainly due to the unique combination of the properties of their two constituents, exceptional targeting abilities and antibody biodistribution profiles, in addition to an extensive scope of oligonucleotide functional and structural roles. Combining these two classes of biomolecules in one chimeric construct has therefore become an important milestone in the development of numerous biotechnological applications, including imaging (DNA-PAINT), detection (PLA, PEA), and therapeutics (targeted siRNA/antisense delivery). Numerous synthetic approaches have been developed to access AOCs ranging from stochastic chemical bioconjugation to site-specific conjugation with reactive handles, introduced into antibody sequences through protein engineering. This Review gives a general overview of the current status of AOC applications with a specific emphasis on the synthetic methods used for their preparation. The reported synthetic techniques are discussed in terms of their practical aspects and limitations. The importance of the development of novel methods for the facile generation of AOCs possessing a defined constitution is highlighted as a priority in AOC research to ensure the advance of their new applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Dovgan
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis , University of Strasbourg , 74 Route du Rhin , 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden , France
| | - Oleksandr Koniev
- Syndivia SAS , 650 Boulevard Gonthier d'Andernach , 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden , France
| | - Sergii Kolodych
- Syndivia SAS , 650 Boulevard Gonthier d'Andernach , 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden , France
| | - Alain Wagner
- Bio-Functional Chemistry (UMR 7199), LabEx Medalis , University of Strasbourg , 74 Route du Rhin , 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden , France
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23
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Beck A, D’Atri V, Ehkirch A, Fekete S, Hernandez-Alba O, Gahoual R, Leize-Wagner E, François Y, Guillarme D, Cianférani S. Cutting-edge multi-level analytical and structural characterization of antibody-drug conjugates: present and future. Expert Rev Proteomics 2019; 16:337-362. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2019.1578215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Beck
- Biologics CMC and Developability, IRPF - Centre d’Immunologie Pierre-Fabre (CIPF), Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France
| | - Valentina D’Atri
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, CMU, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anthony Ehkirch
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse BioOrganique, IPHC UMR 7178, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Szabolcs Fekete
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, CMU, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Oscar Hernandez-Alba
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse BioOrganique, IPHC UMR 7178, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Rabah Gahoual
- Unité de Technologies Biologiques et Chimiques pour la Santé (UTCBS), Paris 5-CNRS UMR8258 Inserm U1022, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Leize-Wagner
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse des Interactions et des Systèmes (LSMIS), UMR 7140, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Yannis François
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse des Interactions et des Systèmes (LSMIS), UMR 7140, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Davy Guillarme
- Biologics CMC and Developability, IRPF - Centre d’Immunologie Pierre-Fabre (CIPF), Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France
| | - Sarah Cianférani
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse BioOrganique, IPHC UMR 7178, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
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24
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Walsh SJ, Omarjee S, Galloway WRJD, Kwan TTL, Sore HF, Parker JS, Hyvönen M, Carroll JS, Spring DR. A general approach for the site-selective modification of native proteins, enabling the generation of stable and functional antibody-drug conjugates. Chem Sci 2019; 10:694-700. [PMID: 30774870 PMCID: PMC6349026 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc04645j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a class of targeted therapeutics that utilize the specificity of antibodies to selectively deliver highly potent cytotoxins to target cells. Although recent years have witnessed significant interest in ADCs, problems remain with the standard linkage chemistries used for cytotoxin-antibody bioconjugation. These typically (1) generate unstable constructs, which may lead to premature cytotoxin release, (2) often give a wide variance in drug-antibody ratios (DAR) and (3) have poor control of attachment location on the antibody, resulting in a variable pharmacokinetic profile. Herein, we report a novel divinylpyrimidine (DVP) linker platform for selective bioconjugation via covalent re-bridging of reduced disulfide bonds on native antibodies. Model studies using the non-engineered trastuzumab antibody validate the utility of this linker platform for the generic generation of highly plasma-stable and functional antibody constructs that incorporate variable biologically relevant payloads (including cytotoxins) in an efficient and site-selective manner with precise control over DAR. DVP linkers were also used to efficiently re-bridge both monomeric and dimeric protein systems, demonstrating their potential utility for general protein modification, protein stabilisation or the development of other protein-conjugate therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Walsh
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , CB2 1EW , UK .
| | - Soleilmane Omarjee
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , CB2 0RE , UK .
| | | | - Terence T-L Kwan
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , CB2 1EW , UK .
| | - Hannah F Sore
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , CB2 1EW , UK .
| | - Jeremy S Parker
- Early Chemical Development , Pharmaceutical Development , IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca , Macclesfield , UK
| | - Marko Hyvönen
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , CB2 1GA , UK
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , CB2 0RE , UK .
| | - David R Spring
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , CB2 1EW , UK .
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25
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Khera E, Thurber GM. Pharmacokinetic and Immunological Considerations for Expanding the Therapeutic Window of Next-Generation Antibody-Drug Conjugates. BioDrugs 2019; 32:465-480. [PMID: 30132210 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-018-0302-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development has evolved greatly over the last 3 decades, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of several new drugs. However, translating ADCs from the design stage and preclinical promise to clinical success has been a major hurdle for the field, particularly for solid tumors. The challenge in clinical development can be attributed to the difficulty in connecting the design of these multifaceted agents with the impact on clinical efficacy, especially with the accelerated development of 'next-generation' ADCs containing a variety of innovative biophysical developments. Given their complex nature, there is an urgent need to integrate holistic ADC characterization approaches. This includes comprehensive in vivo assessment of systemic, intratumoral and cellular pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicodynamics, and interactions with the immune system, with the aim of optimizing the ADC therapeutic window. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic factors influencing the ADC therapeutic window include (1) selecting optimal target and ADC components for prolonged and stable plasma circulation to increase tumoral uptake with minimal non-specific systemic toxicity, (2) balancing homogeneous intratumoral distribution with efficient cellular uptake, and (3) translating improved ADC potency to better clinical efficacy. Balancing beneficial immunological effects such as Fc-mediated and payload-mediated immune cell activation against harmful immunogenic/toxic effects is also an emerging concern for ADCs. Here, we review practical considerations for tracking ADC efficacy and toxicity, as aided by high-resolution biomolecular and immunological tools, quantitative pharmacology, and mathematical models, all of which can elucidate the relative contributions of the multitude of interactions governing the ADC therapeutic window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshita Khera
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Greg M Thurber
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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26
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Forte N, Chudasama V, Baker JR. Homogeneous antibody-drug conjugates via site-selective disulfide bridging. DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY. TECHNOLOGIES 2018; 30:11-20. [PMID: 30553515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ddtec.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) constructed using site-selective labelling methodologies are likely to dominate the next generation of these targeted therapeutics. To this end, disulfide bridging has emerged as a leading strategy as it allows the production of highly homogeneous ADCs without the need for antibody engineering. It consists of targeting reduced interchain disulfide bonds with reagents which reconnect the resultant pairs of cysteine residues, whilst simultaneously attaching drugs. The 3 main reagent classes which have been exemplified for the construction of ADCs by disulfide bridging will be discussed in this review; bissulfones, next generation maleimides and pyridazinediones, along with others in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafsika Forte
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, UK.
| | - James R Baker
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, UK.
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