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Abstract
The development of antidrug antibodies (ADAs) is a major problem in several recombinant protein therapies used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The etiology of ADAs is multifaceted. The predisposition for a breakdown of immune tolerance is probably genetically determined, and many factors may contribute to the immunogenicity, including structural properties, formation of aggregates, and presence of contaminants and impurities from the industrial manufacturing process. ADAs may have a neutralizing capacity and can reduce or abrogate the bioactivity and therapeutic efficacy of the drug and cause safety issues. Interferon (IFN)-β was the first drug approved for the treatment of MS, and-although it is generally recognized that neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) appear and potentially have a negative effect on therapeutic efficacy-the use of routine measurements of NAbs and the interpretation of the presence of NAbs has been debated at length. NAbs appear after 9-18 months of therapy in up to 40% of patients treated with IFNβ, and the frequency and titers of NAbs depend on the IFNβ preparation. Although all pivotal clinical trials of approved IFNβ products in MS exhibited a detrimental effect of NAbs after prolonged therapy, some subsequent studies did not observe clinical effects from NAbs, which led to the claim that NAbs did not matter. However, it is now largely agreed that persistently high titers of NAbs indicate an abrogation of the biological response and, hence, an absence of therapeutic efficacy, and this observation should lead to a change of therapy. Low and medium titers are ambiguous, and treatment decisions should be guided by determination of in vivo messenger RNA myxovirus resistance protein A induction after IFNβ administration and clinical disease activity. During treatment with glatiramer acetate, ADAs occur frequently but do not appear to adversely affect treatment efficacy or result in adverse events. ADAs occur in approximately 5% of patients treated with natalizumab within 6 months of therapy, and persistent NAbs are associated with a lack of efficacy and acute infusion-related reactions and should instigate a change of therapy. When using the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies ocrelizumab and ofatumumab in the treatment of MS, it is not necessary to test for NAbs as these occur very infrequently. Alemtuzumab is immunogenic, but routine measurements of ADAs are not recommended as the antibodies in the pivotal 2-year trials at the population level did not influence lymphocyte depletion or repopulation, efficacy, or safety. However, in some individuals, NAbs led to poor lymphocyte depletion.
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Shokrollahi Barough M, Ashtari F, Sadat Akhavi M, Asghari N, Mosayebi G, Mirmohammadkhani M, Kokhaei N, Bahraminia F, Ajami A, Kokhaei P. Neutralizing antibody production against Rebif® and ReciGen® in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) patients and its association with patient's disability. Int Immunopharmacol 2018; 62:109-113. [PMID: 29990690 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human recombinant interferon beta (IFN-β) is one of the first line treatments for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). However, the production of neutralizing antibodies (NAb) can impair its function. The aim of this study was to investigate the production of neutralizing antibodies against Rebif® and ReciGen® (two brands of IFN-β-1a) and to evaluate its correlation with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). MATERIALS AND METHODS Serum samples of 71 RRMS patients (34 in ReciGen®, 37 in Rebif® group) were collected. Neutralizing antibody was measured by Myxo-virus resistance protein A (MxA) assay using A549 cell line. The MxA concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. RESULTS The median period of treatment with IFN-β-1a was 18 months in ReciGen® and 24 months in Rebif® arms. The percentage of patients with positive titer of neutralizing antibody (NAb+) had no statistically significant difference between groups (P = 0.6). In both ReciGen® and Rebif® groups, the increase in EDSS score was significantly higher in NAb+ patients compared to NAb- patients (p ≤ 0.05). The duration of using ReciGen® or Rebif® for >24 months was influential in the NAb positivity (OR = 3.78). CONCLUSION Receiving interferon beta-1a for >24 months is correlated with higher possibility of NAb production. The type of IFN-β used in the study had no significant impact on NAb positivity. In addition, both groups had comparable EDSS score changes, and NAb status of patients was correlated with their EDSS score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdieh Shokrollahi Barough
- Cancer Immunotherapy and Regenerative Medicine Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Student's Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Fereshteh Ashtari
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Isfahan Neuroscience Research Centre, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Sadat Akhavi
- Student's Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Nabiollah Asghari
- Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ghasem Mosayebi
- Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | | | - Naser Kokhaei
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Isfahan Neuroscience Research Centre, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farhad Bahraminia
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Arman Ajami
- Department of Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parviz Kokhaei
- Cancer Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran; Immune Gene therapy Lab, CCK, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Tovey MG, Lallemand C. Immunogenicity and other problems associated with the use of biopharmaceuticals. Ther Adv Drug Saf 2014; 2:113-28. [PMID: 25083207 DOI: 10.1177/2042098611406318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopharmaceuticals are used widely for the treatment of cancer, chronic viral hepatitis, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. Biopharmaceuticals such as interferons are well tolerated for the most part with the most common adverse events observed being 'flu-like' symptoms that resolve rapidly after initial treatment. Prolonged treatment is associated, however, with more serious adverse events including leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and neuropsychiatric effects, which may necessitate dose reduction or even cessation of treatment in some patients. Recombinant growth factors, such as erythropoietin (EPO), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, are for the most part well tolerated, although severe complications have been reported in patients with cancer or chronic kidney disease treated with EPO. Similarly, treatment of patients with cancer with high doses of interleukin-2 is associated with significant toxicity. Treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn's disease, with antitumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibodies is associated with an increased risk of granulomatous infections and, in particular, tuberculosis. The monoclonal antibody, natalizumab, that targets alpha4 integrins is effective in the treatment of multiple sclerosis but is associated with the activation of JC virus and development of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Repeated administration of recombinant proteins can cause a break in immune tolerance in some patients resulting in the production of a polyclonal antibody response that can adversely affect pharmacokinetics and clinical response. In addition, neutralizing antibodies that cross react with nonredundant essential proteins such as EPO can cause severe autoimmune reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Tovey
- Laboratory of Viral Oncology, FRE3238 CNRS, Institut André Lwoff, 7 rue Guy Moquet, 94801 Villejuif, France
| | - Christophe Lallemand
- Laboratory of Viral Oncology, FRE3238 CNRS, Institut André Lwoff, 94801 Villejuif, France
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Improved analytical methods for the detection and quantification of neutralizing antibodies to biopharmaceuticals. Bioanalysis 2012; 4:2179-90. [DOI: 10.4155/bio.12.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopharmaceuticals are used extensively for the treatment of a number of chronic debilitating and fatal diseases such as cancer and inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. Although biopharmaceuticals are in general well tolerated, the development of anti-drug antibodies can impair their safety and efficacy. Assessment of immunogenicity is essential for a more effective and rational use of biopharmaceuticals, and is dependent upon the establishment of efficient standardized assays that allow direct comparison of immunogenicity data with clinical outcome. Although regulatory authorities recommend the use of cell-based assays that reflect the mechanism of action of the drug for the detection of neutralizing anti-drug antibodies, conventional cell-based assays are difficult to standardize and often give variable results. A number of strategies have been adopted to improve the performance of cell-based assays, including quantification of drug-induced proteins using either real-time RT-PCR or branched DNA to detect mRNA, or ELISAs to detect protein, bridging assays using immobilized cells and the use of reporter gene assays. The relative merits and limitations of each of these methods is reviewed herein.
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Bendtzen K. Critical review: assessment of interferon-β immunogenicity in multiple sclerosis. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2011; 30:759-66. [PMID: 20874253 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2010.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This review discusses type I interferon (IFN) immunogenicity with focus on methods of detection of anti-IFN antibodies in patients treated with human recombinant IFN-β. Pitfalls involved in the clinical use of various types of assays for binding antibodies and neutralizing antibodies against IFN-β are presented, and the widely held distinction between binding antibodies and neutralizing antibodies is questioned both in terms of detection and clinical importance. The article also addresses important bioavailability and pharmacokinetic issues occurring with prolonged use of protein drugs. The rationale for individualized or personalized medicine, ie, optimizing therapies according to individual needs rather than using standardized trial-and-error regimens to all patients, is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Bendtzen
- Institute for Inflammation Research (IIR), Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Grossberg SE, Oger J, Grossberg LD, Gehchan A, Klein JP. Frequency and magnitude of interferon β neutralizing antibodies in the evaluation of interferon β immunogenicity in patients with multiple sclerosis. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2011; 31:337-44. [PMID: 21226608 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2010.0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with interferon β (IFNβ) preparations develop varying levels of antibodies that neutralize the biological effects of IFNβ, reduce its in vivo bioavailability, and diminish its therapeutic efficacy. The aim was to determine as distinct measures of immunogenicity the occurrence (frequency) and the magnitude (level) of IFNβ neutralizing antibody (NAb) formation in a large Canadian population as a cross-sectional study of patients with MS treated in a clinical practice setting with different, equally available IFNβ products: Avonex(®) (intramuscular IFNβ-1a), Rebif(®) (subcutaneous (SC) IFNβ-1a) at 22 and 44 μg, and Betaseron(®) (SC IFNβ-1b). Over a 3-year period 3,124 serum samples from 2,711 patients with MS were submitted by neurologists in MS clinics distributed across Canada and tested for NAbs in a single independent laboratory, utilizing a quantitative, standardized NAb bioassay. NAb frequency was greatest (35%) with Rebif (SC IFNβ-1a) 44 μg and least (7.5%) with Avonex (intramuscular IFNβ-1a), whereas Betaseron (IFNβ-1b) and Rebif 22 μg were in between (22%). NAb serum levels at magnitudes considered high, ≥100 tenfold reduction units (TRU)/mL, were found in 65%-83% of patients with detectable NAbs. Nearly half (42%-47%) of NAb-positive patients given IFNβ-1a preparations had very high titers (≥ 1,000 TRU/mL), whereas only 22% of NAb-positive patients on Betaseron had titers >1,000 TRU/mL. Differences in patterns of NAb formation among the four IFNβ product-dose combinations became more evident in patients with MS when both NAb frequency and the full range of NAb titer magnitude were measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidney E Grossberg
- 1 Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Medical College of Wisconsin , Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Lallemand C, Meritet JF, Blanchard B, Lebon P, Tovey MG. One-step assay for quantification of neutralizing antibodies to biopharmaceuticals. J Immunol Methods 2010; 356:18-28. [PMID: 20298696 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2010.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2010] [Revised: 02/24/2010] [Accepted: 03/02/2010] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of immunogenicity is an important part of biopharmaceutical drug safety evaluation and a prerequisite for the development of less immunogenic and safer biopharmaceuticals since anti-drug antibodies can impair the activity and compromise the safety of biopharmaceuticals. Although regulatory authorities recommend cell-based assays for detection of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), such assays are difficult to standardize, and ill adapted to high-throughput analysis. These limitations have been overcome by the development of a unique one-step cell-based assay that allows both drug activity and drug NAbs to be quantified rapidly and with a high degree of precision simply be adding reporter cells to a sample. The reporter cells have been engineered to express firefly luciferase (FL) under the control of a drug-responsive promoter, and to express the drug of interest, the production of which is normalized relative to the expression of Renilla luciferase (RL) transcribed from a common doxycycline-inducible promoter. Residual drug levels present in a sample are first quantified by determination of FL expression, autocrine drug synthesis is then induced, and NAb activity is quantified from the difference in the ratio of FL/RL expression in the presence or absence of the sample. Since assay results are normalized relative to the expression of an internal standard, results are independent of cell number or differences in cell viability thus affording a high degree of assay precision and reducing serum matrix effects to a minimum. This unique assay platform is ideally suited for high-throughput analysis, is applicable to most biopharmaceuticals, and will facilitate standardization and comparison of immunogenicity data. The performance of the one-step assay is illustrated for interferon alpha2 (IFNalpha2) used widely to treated chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection and neoplastic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Lallemand
- Laboratory of Viral Oncology, CNRS FRE 2937, Institut André Lwoff, Villejuif, France
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Grossberg SE, Casey M, Grossberg LD. Quantification of the neutralization of cytokine biological activity by antibody: the ten-fold reduction bioassay of interleukin-6 as growth factor. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2009; 29:421-6. [PMID: 19642892 PMCID: PMC2956615 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2008.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2008] [Accepted: 01/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The measurement of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) to biological therapeutic agents is important clinically as well as for the preclinical evaluation of product immunogenicity. To determine whether the theoretical concepts and experimental data from studies of the nature of antibody neutralization of interferons (IFNs) can apply to unrelated protein effector molecules, neutralization experiments were undertaken with interleukin-6 (IL-6), a proinflammatory, highly pleiotropic cytokine. By following IL-6 induction of hybridoma cell growth, we demonstrated that anti-IL-6 monoclonal and polyclonal NAbs can be measured with a bioassay design structured to reduce 10 Laboratory Units (LU)/mL to 1 LU/mL. Results are reported in Ten-fold Reduction Units (TRU)/mL, as recommended for the standardization of IFN NAb unitage. The bioassay was shown to be sensitive, reproducible, and robust in measuring IL-6 potency and NAb titer, as well as for evaluating dose-response curve slope differences. This bioassay design should be applicable to any cytokine, growth factor, protein hormone, or similar effector molecules for which an adequately sensitive cellular response can be quantified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidney E Grossberg
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA.
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