1
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Al Qaraghuli MM, Kubiak-Ossowska K, Ferro VA, Mulheran PA. Exploiting the Fc base of IgG antibodies to create functional nanoparticle conjugates. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14832. [PMID: 38937649 PMCID: PMC11211340 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65822-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The structures of the Fc base of various IgG antibodies have been examined with a view to understanding how this region can be used to conjugate IgG to nanoparticles. The base structure is found to be largely consistent across a range of species and subtypes, comprising a hydrophobic region surrounded by hydrophilic residues, some of which are charged at physiological conditions. In addition, atomistic Molecular Dynamics simulations were performed to explore how model nanoparticles interact with the base using neutral and negatively charged gold nanoparticles. Both types of nanoparticle interacted readily with the base, leading to an adaptation of the antibody base surface to enhance the interactions. Furthermore, these interactions left the rest of the domain at the base of the Fc region structurally intact. This implies that coupling nanoparticles to the base of an IgG molecule is both feasible and desirable, since it leaves the antibody free to interact with its surroundings so that antigen-binding functionality can be retained. These results will therefore help guide future attempts to develop new nanotechnologies that exploit the unique properties of both antibodies and nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed M Al Qaraghuli
- EPSRC Future Manufacturing Research Hub for Continuous Manufacturing and Advanced Crystallisation, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
- SiMologics Ltd. The Enterprise Hub, Level 6 Graham Hills Building, 50 Richmond Street, Glasgow, G1 1XP, UK.
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK.
| | - Karina Kubiak-Ossowska
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK
- Archie-West, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, 107 Rottenrow East, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - Valerie A Ferro
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Paul A Mulheran
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK
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2
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Gu Y, Wang Z, Wang Y. Bispecific antibody drug conjugates: Making 1+1>2. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:1965-1986. [PMID: 38799638 PMCID: PMC11119582 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibody‒drug conjugates (BsADCs) represent an innovative therapeutic category amalgamating the merits of antibody‒drug conjugates (ADCs) and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs). Positioned as the next-generation ADC approach, BsADCs hold promise for ameliorating extant clinical challenges associated with ADCs, particularly pertaining to issues such as poor internalization, off-target toxicity, and drug resistance. Presently, ten BsADCs are undergoing clinical trials, and initial findings underscore the imperative for ongoing refinement. This review initially delves into specific design considerations for BsADCs, encompassing target selection, antibody formats, and the linker-payload complex. Subsequent sections delineate the extant progress and challenges encountered by BsADCs, illustrated through pertinent case studies. The amalgamation of BsAbs with ADCs offers a prospective solution to prevailing clinical limitations of ADCs. Nevertheless, the symbiotic interplay among BsAb, linker, and payload necessitates further optimizations and coordination beyond a simplistic "1 + 1" to effectively surmount the extant challenges facing the BsADC domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Gu
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhijia Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu 610212, China
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3
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Sandeep, Shinde SH, Ahmed S, Sharma SS, Pande AH. Engineered polyspecific antibodies: A new frontier in the field of immunotherapeutics. Immunology 2024; 171:464-496. [PMID: 38140855 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The 21st-century beginning remarked with the huge success of monospecific MAbs, however, in the last couple of years, polyspecific MAbs (PsAbs) have been an interesting topic and show promise of being biobetter than monospecific MAbs. Polyspecificity, in which a single antibody serves multiple specific target binding, has been hypothesized to contribute to the development of a highly effective antibody repertoire for immune defence. This polyspecific MAb trend represents an explosion that is gripping the whole pharmaceutical industry. This review is concerned with the current development and quality enforcement of PsAbs. All provided literature on monospecific MAbs and polyspecific MAbs (PsAbs) were searched using various electronic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Elsevier, Springer, ACS, Google Patent and books via the keywords Antibody engineering, Polyspecific antibody, Conventional antibody, non-conventional antibody, and Single domain antibody. In the literature, there are more than 100 different formats to construct PsAb by quadroma technology, chemical conjugation and genetic engineering. Till March 2023, nine PsAb have been approved around the world, and around 330 are in advanced developmental stages, showing the dominancy of PsAb in the growing health sector. Recent advancements in protein engineering techniques and the fusion of non-conventional antibodies have made it possible to create complex PsAbs that demonstrate higher stability and enhanced potency. This marks the most significant achievement for cancer immunotherapy, in which PsAbs have immense promise. It is worth mentioning that seven out of the nine PsAbs have been approved as anti-cancer therapy. As PsAbs continue to acquire prominence, they could pave the way for the development of novel immunotherapies for multiple diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Suraj H Shinde
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Sakeel Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Shyam Sunder Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Abhay H Pande
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
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4
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Zhang H, Wang Q, Yalavarthi S, Pekar L, Shamnoski S, Hu L, Helming L, Zielonka S, Xu C. Development of a c-MET x CD137 bispecific antibody for targeted immune agonism in cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2024; 39:100805. [PMID: 38492435 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2024.100805] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Targeting the costimulatory receptor CD137 has shown promise as a therapeutic approach for cancer immunotherapy, resulting in anti-tumor efficacy demonstrated in clinical trials. However, the initial CD137 agonistic antibodies, urelumab and utomilumab, faced challenges in clinical trials due to the liver toxicity or lack of efficacy, respectively. Concurrently, c-MET has been identified as a highly expressed tumor-associated antigen (TAA) in various solid and soft tumors. METHODS In this study, we aimed to develop a bispecific antibody (BsAb) that targets both c-MET and CD137, optimizing the BsAb format and CD137 binder for efficient delivery of the CD137 agonist to the tumor microenvironment (TME). We employed a monovalent c-MET motif and a trimeric CD137 Variable Heavy domain of Heavy chain (VHH) for the BsAb design. RESULTS Our results demonstrate that the c-MET x CD137 BsAb provides co-stimulation to T cells through cross-linking by c-MET-expressing tumor cells. Functional immune assays confirmed the enhanced efficacy and potency of the c-MET x CD137 BsAb, as indicated by activation of CD137 signaling, target cell killing, and cytokine release in various tumor cell lines. Furthermore, the combination of c-MET x CD137 BsAb with Pembrolizumab showed a dose-dependent enhancement of target-induced T cell cytokine release. CONCLUSION Overall, the c-MET x CD137 BsAb exhibits a promising developability profile as a tumor-targeted immune agonist by minimizing off-target effects while effectively delivering immune agonism. It has the potential to overcome resistance to anti-PD-(L)1 therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research Center, 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Qun Wang
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research Center, 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Sireesha Yalavarthi
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research Center, 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Steven Shamnoski
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research Center, 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Liufang Hu
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research Center, 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Laura Helming
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research Center, 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Chunxiao Xu
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research Center, 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA.
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5
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Rong Y, Chen IL, Larrabee L, Sawant MS, Fuh G, Koenig P. An Engineered Mouse Model That Generates a Diverse Repertoire of Endogenous, High-Affinity Common Light Chain Antibodies. Antibodies (Basel) 2024; 13:14. [PMID: 38390875 PMCID: PMC10885109 DOI: 10.3390/antib13010014] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies have gained increasing popularity as therapeutics as they enable novel activities that cannot be achieved with monospecific antibodies. Some of the most popular bispecific formats are molecules in which two Fab arms with different antigen specificities are combined into one IgG-like molecule. One way to produce these bispecific molecules requires the discovery of antibodies against the two antigens of interest that share a common light chain. Here, we present the generation and characterization of a common light chain mouse model, in which the endogenous IGKJ cluster is replaced with a prearranged, modified murine IGKV10-96/IGKJ1 segment. We demonstrate that genetic modification does not impact B-cell development. Upon immunization with ovalbumin, the animals generate an antibody repertoire with VH gene segment usage of a similar diversity to wildtype mice, while the light chain diversity is restricted to antibodies derived from the prearranged IGKV10-96/IGKJ1 germline. We further show that the clonotype diversity of the common light chain immune repertoire matches the diversity of immune repertoire isolated from wildtype mice. Finally, the common light chain anti-ovalbumin antibodies have only slightly lower affinities than antibodies isolated from wildtype mice, demonstrating the suitability of these animals for antibody discovery for bispecific antibody generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghui Rong
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - I-Ling Chen
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Lance Larrabee
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Manali S Sawant
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Germaine Fuh
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Patrick Koenig
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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6
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Madsen AV, Pedersen LE, Kristensen P, Goletz S. Design and engineering of bispecific antibodies: insights and practical considerations. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1352014. [PMID: 38333084 PMCID: PMC10850309 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1352014] [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] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) have attracted significant attention due to their dual binding activity, which permits simultaneous targeting of antigens and synergistic binding effects beyond what can be obtained even with combinations of conventional monospecific antibodies. Despite the tremendous therapeutic potential, the design and construction of bsAbs are often hampered by practical issues arising from the increased structural complexity as compared to conventional monospecific antibodies. The issues are diverse in nature, spanning from decreased biophysical stability from fusion of exogenous antigen-binding domains to antibody chain mispairing leading to formation of antibody-related impurities that are very difficult to remove. The added complexity requires judicious design considerations as well as extensive molecular engineering to ensure formation of high quality bsAbs with the intended mode of action and favorable drug-like qualities. In this review, we highlight and summarize some of the key considerations in design of bsAbs as well as state-of-the-art engineering principles that can be applied in efficient construction of bsAbs with diverse molecular formats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas V. Madsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lasse E. Pedersen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Peter Kristensen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Steffen Goletz
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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7
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Evers A, Krah S, Demir D, Gaa R, Elter D, Schroeter C, Zielonka S, Rasche N, Dotterweich J, Knuehl C, Doerner A. Engineering hydrophobicity and manufacturability for optimized biparatopic antibody-drug conjugates targeting c-MET. MAbs 2024; 16:2302386. [PMID: 38214660 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2024.2302386] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Optimal combinations of paratopes assembled into a biparatopic antibody have the capacity to mediate high-grade target cross-linking on cell membranes, leading to degradation of the target, as well as antibody and payload delivery in the case of an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). In the work presented here, molecular docking suggested a suitable paratope combination targeting c-MET, but hydrophobic patches in essential binding regions of one moiety necessitated engineering. In addition to rational design of HCDR2 and HCDR3 mutations, site-specific spiking libraries were generated and screened in yeast and mammalian surface display approaches. Comparative analyses revealed similar positions amendable for hydrophobicity reduction, with a broad combinatorial diversity obtained from library outputs. Optimized variants showed high stability, strongly reduced hydrophobicity, retained affinities supporting the desired functionality and enhanced producibility. The resulting biparatopic anti-c-MET ADCs were comparably active on c-MET expressing tumor cell lines as REGN5093 exatecan DAR6 ADC. Structural molecular modeling of paratope combinations for preferential inter-target binding combined with protein engineering for manufacturability yielded deep insights into the capabilities of rational and library approaches. The methodologies of in silico hydrophobicity identification and sequence optimization could serve as a blueprint for rapid development of optimal biparatopic ADCs targeting further tumor-associated antigens in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Evers
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Deniz Demir
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ramona Gaa
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Desislava Elter
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Zielonka
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rasche
- ADC and Targeted Therapeutics, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Christine Knuehl
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Achim Doerner
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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8
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Boje AS, Pekar L, Koep K, Lipinski B, Rabinovich B, Evers A, Gehlert CL, Krohn S, Xiao Y, Krah S, Zaynagetdinov R, Toleikis L, Poetzsch S, Peipp M, Zielonka S, Klausz K. Impact of antibody architecture and paratope valency on effector functions of bispecific NKp30 x EGFR natural killer cell engagers. MAbs 2024; 16:2315640. [PMID: 38372053 PMCID: PMC10877975 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2024.2315640] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells emerged as a promising effector population that can be harnessed for anti-tumor therapy. In this work, we constructed NK cell engagers (NKCEs) based on NKp30-targeting single domain antibodies (sdAbs) that redirect the cytotoxic potential of NK cells toward epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing tumor cells. We investigated the impact of crucial parameters such as sdAb location, binding valencies, the targeted epitope on NKp30, and the overall antibody architecture on the redirection capacity. Our study exploited two NKp30-specific sdAbs, one of which binds a similar epitope on NKp30 as its natural ligand B7-H6, while the other sdAb addresses a non-competing epitope. For EGFR-positive tumor targeting, humanized antigen-binding domains of therapeutic antibody cetuximab were used. We demonstrate that NKCEs bivalently targeting EGFR and bivalently engaging NKp30 are superior to monovalent NKCEs in promoting NK cell-mediated tumor cell lysis and that the architecture of the NKCE can substantially influence killing capacities depending on the NKp30-targeting sdAb utilized. While having a pronounced impact on NK cell killing efficacy, the capabilities of triggering antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis or complement-dependent cytotoxicity were not significantly affected comparing the bivalent IgG-like NKCEs with cetuximab. However, the fusion of sdAbs can have a slight impact on the NK cell release of immunomodulatory cytokines, as well as on the pharmacokinetic profile of the NKCE due to unfavorable spatial orientation within the molecule architecture. Ultimately, our findings reveal novel insights for the engineering of potent NKCEs triggering the NKp30 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammelie Svea Boje
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein and University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Katharina Koep
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Britta Lipinski
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Brian Rabinovich
- Department of Oncology and Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc, 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Andreas Evers
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Carina Lynn Gehlert
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein and University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Steffen Krohn
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein and University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Yanping Xiao
- Department of Oncology and Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc, 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Simon Krah
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Rinat Zaynagetdinov
- Department of Oncology and Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc, 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Early Protein Supply & Characterization, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sven Poetzsch
- Strategic Innovation, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Matthias Peipp
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein and University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Katja Klausz
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein and University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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9
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Guo X, Wu Y, Xue Y, Xie N, Shen G. Revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy: unleashing the potential of bispecific antibodies for targeted treatment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1291836. [PMID: 38106416 PMCID: PMC10722299 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1291836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent progressions in immunotherapy have transformed cancer treatment, providing a promising strategy that activates the immune system of the patient to find and eliminate cancerous cells. Bispecific antibodies, which engage two separate antigens or one antigen with two distinct epitopes, are of tremendous concern in immunotherapy. The bi-targeting idea enabled by bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) is especially attractive from a medical standpoint since most diseases are complex, involving several receptors, ligands, and signaling pathways. Several research look into the processes in which BsAbs identify different cancer targets such angiogenesis, reproduction, metastasis, and immune regulation. By rerouting cells or altering other pathways, the bispecific proteins perform effector activities in addition to those of natural antibodies. This opens up a wide range of clinical applications and helps patients with resistant tumors respond better to medication. Yet, further study is necessary to identify the best conditions where to use these medications for treating tumor, their appropriate combination partners, and methods to reduce toxicity. In this review, we provide insights into the BsAb format classification based on their composition and symmetry, as well as the delivery mode, focus on the action mechanism of the molecule, and discuss the challenges and future perspectives in BsAb development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Guo
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Xue
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Na Xie
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Guobo Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
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10
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Ettich J, Wittich C, Moll JM, Behnke K, Floss DM, Reiners J, Christmann A, Lang PA, Smits SHJ, Kolmar H, Scheller J. Respiratory syncytial virus-approved mAb Palivizumab as ligand for anti-idiotype nanobody-based synthetic cytokine receptors. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105270. [PMID: 37734558 PMCID: PMC10630626 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105270] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic cytokine receptors can modulate cellular functions based on an artificial ligand to avoid off-target and/or unspecific effects. However, ligands that can modulate receptor activity so far have not been used clinically because of unknown toxicity and immunity against the ligands. Here, we developed a fully synthetic cytokine/cytokine receptor pair based on the antigen-binding domain of the respiratory syncytial virus-approved mAb Palivizumab as a synthetic cytokine and a set of anti-idiotype nanobodies (AIPVHH) as synthetic receptors. Importantly, Palivizumab is neither cross-reactive with human proteins nor immunogenic. For the synthetic receptors, AIPVHH were fused to the activating interleukin-6 cytokine receptor gp130 and the apoptosis-inducing receptor Fas. We found that the synthetic cytokine receptor AIPVHHgp130 was efficiently activated by dimeric Palivizumab single-chain variable fragments. In summary, we created an in vitro nonimmunogenic full-synthetic cytokine/cytokine receptor pair as a proof of concept for future in vivo therapeutic strategies utilizing nonphysiological targets during immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ettich
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christoph Wittich
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jens M Moll
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany; PROvendis GmbH, Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Kristina Behnke
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Doreen M Floss
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jens Reiners
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andreas Christmann
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Philipp A Lang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany; Centre of Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jürgen Scheller
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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11
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Yanakieva D, Vollmer L, Evers A, Siegmund V, Arras P, Pekar L, Doerner A, Valldorf B, Kolmar H, Zielonka S, Krah S. Cattle-derived knob paratopes grafted onto peripheral loops of the IgG1 Fc region enable the generation of a novel symmetric bispecific antibody format. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1238313. [PMID: 37942319 PMCID: PMC10628450 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1238313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work we present a novel symmetric bispecific antibody format based on engraftments of cattle-derived knob paratopes onto peripheral loops of the IgG1 Fc region. For this, knob architectures obtained from bovine ultralong CDR-H3 antibodies were inserted into the AB loop or EF loop of the CH3 domain, enabling the introduction of an artificial binding specificity into an IgG molecule. We demonstrate that inserted knob domains largely retain their binding affinities, resulting into bispecific antibody derivatives versatile for effector cell redirection. Essentially, generated bispecifics demonstrated adequate biophysical properties and were not compromised in their Fc mediated functionalities such as FcRn or FcγRIIIa binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desislava Yanakieva
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lena Vollmer
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Evers
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Vanessa Siegmund
- Early Protein Supply and Characterization, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Paul Arras
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Achim Doerner
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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12
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Arras P, Yoo HB, Pekar L, Clarke T, Friedrich L, Schröter C, Schanz J, Tonillo J, Siegmund V, Doerner A, Krah S, Guarnera E, Zielonka S, Evers A. AI/ML combined with next-generation sequencing of VHH immune repertoires enables the rapid identification of de novo humanized and sequence-optimized single domain antibodies: a prospective case study. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1249247. [PMID: 37842638 PMCID: PMC10575757 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1249247] [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] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of yeast surface display (YSD) and nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) in combination with artificial intelligence and machine learning methods (AI/ML) for the identification of de novo humanized single domain antibodies (sdAbs) with favorable early developability profiles. Methods: The display library was derived from a novel approach, in which VHH-based CDR3 regions obtained from a llama (Lama glama), immunized against NKp46, were grafted onto a humanized VHH backbone library that was diversified in CDR1 and CDR2. Following NGS analysis of sequence pools from two rounds of fluorescence-activated cell sorting we focused on four sequence clusters based on NGS frequency and enrichment analysis as well as in silico developability assessment. For each cluster, long short-term memory (LSTM) based deep generative models were trained and used for the in silico sampling of new sequences. Sequences were subjected to sequence- and structure-based in silico developability assessment to select a set of less than 10 sequences per cluster for production. Results: As demonstrated by binding kinetics and early developability assessment, this procedure represents a general strategy for the rapid and efficient design of potent and automatically humanized sdAb hits from screening selections with favorable early developability profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Arras
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Han Byul Yoo
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Thomas Clarke
- Bioinformatics, EMD Serono, Billerica, MA, United States
| | - Lukas Friedrich
- Computational Chemistry and Biologics, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Jennifer Schanz
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jason Tonillo
- ADCs & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Vanessa Siegmund
- Early Protein Supply and Characterization, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Achim Doerner
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Enrico Guarnera
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Evers
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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13
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Abdeldaim DT, Schindowski K. Fc-Engineered Therapeutic Antibodies: Recent Advances and Future Directions. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2402. [PMID: 37896162 PMCID: PMC10610324 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal therapeutic antibodies have revolutionized the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Fc engineering aims to enhance the effector functions or half-life of therapeutic antibodies by modifying their Fc regions. Recent advances in the Fc engineering of modern therapeutic antibodies can be considered the next generation of antibody therapy. Various strategies are employed, including altering glycosylation patterns via glycoengineering and introducing mutations to the Fc region, thereby enhancing Fc receptor or complement interactions. Further, Fc engineering strategies enable the generation of bispecific IgG-based heterodimeric antibodies. As Fc engineering techniques continue to evolve, an expanding portfolio of Fc-engineered antibodies is advancing through clinical development, with several already approved for medical use. Despite the plethora of Fc-based mutations that have been analyzed in in vitro and in vivo models, we focus here in this review on the relevant Fc engineering strategies of approved therapeutic antibodies to finetune effector functions, to modify half-life and to stabilize asymmetric bispecific IgGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia T. Abdeldaim
- Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Applied Science Biberach, 88400 Biberach, Germany;
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Schindowski
- Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Applied Science Biberach, 88400 Biberach, Germany;
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14
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Tungekar AA, Ruddock LW. Design of an alternate antibody fragment format that can be produced in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14188. [PMID: 37648872 PMCID: PMC10469194 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41525-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
With increased accessibility and tissue penetration, smaller antibody formats such as antibody fragments (Fab) and single chain variable fragments (scFv) show potential as effective and low-cost choices to full-length antibodies. These formats derived from the modular architecture of antibodies could prove to be game changers for certain therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Microbial hosts have shown tremendous promise as production hosts for antibody fragment formats. However, low target protein yields coupled with the complexity of protein folding result in production limitations. Here, we report an alternative antibody fragment format 'FabH3' designed to overcome some key bottlenecks associated with the folding and production of Fabs. The FabH3 molecule is based on the Fab format with the constant domains replaced by engineered immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) CH3 domains capable of heterodimerization based on the electrostatic steering approach. We show that this alternative antibody fragment format can be efficiently produced in the cytoplasm of E. coli using the catalyzed disulfide-bond formation system (CyDisCo) in a natively folded state with higher soluble yields than its Fab counterpart and a comparable binding affinity against the target antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aatir A Tungekar
- Protein and Structural Biology Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220, Oulu, Finland
| | - Lloyd W Ruddock
- Protein and Structural Biology Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220, Oulu, Finland.
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15
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Zhang M, Lam KP, Xu S. Natural Killer Cell Engagers (NKCEs): a new frontier in cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1207276. [PMID: 37638058 PMCID: PMC10450036 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1207276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural Killer (NK) cells are a type of innate lymphoid cells that play a crucial role in immunity by killing virally infected or tumor cells and secreting cytokines and chemokines. NK cell-mediated immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment due to its safety and effectiveness. NK cell engagers (NKCEs), such as BiKE (bispecific killer cell engager) or TriKE (trispecific killer cell engager), are a novel class of antibody-based therapeutics that exhibit several advantages over other cancer immunotherapies harnessing NK cells. By bridging NK and tumor cells, NKCEs activate NK cells and lead to tumor cell lysis. A growing number of NKCEs are currently undergoing development, with some already in clinical trials. However, there is a need for more comprehensive studies to determine how the molecular design of NKCEs affects their functionality and manufacturability, which are crucial for their development as off-the-shelf drugs for cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on NKCE development and discuss critical factors required for the production of effective NKCEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minchuan Zhang
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kong-Peng Lam
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shengli Xu
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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16
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He Y, Ma H, Wang C, Ai Z, Wu Q, Chen H, Lu D. A novel brick for bispecific antibody construction. Proteins 2023. [PMID: 36964928 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26492] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the development of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) has become a major trend in the biopharmaceutical industry. By simultaneously engaging two molecular targets, bsAbs have exhibited unique mechanisms of action that could lead to clinical benefits unattainable by conventional monoclonal antibodies. The type of structure used to construct a bsAb directly influences the distance, angle, degree of freedom, and affinity between the two antibody binding sites and the interaction between the two antigens or the cells where the antigens are located, which have been bound by the antibody. Consequently, the structure of the bsAb is one of the most vital factors affecting its function. Herein, we reported for the first time a novel basic module bsAb format, VFV (Variable domain-Fab-Variable domain). And then, the feasibility of the VFV format was demonstrated by constructing a series of engager-like basic module bsAbs. Next, a series of VFV bsAbs containing Fc (VFV-Ig), Fab (VFV-Fab), or Hinge (VFV-Hinge) were developed based on Hxb module, and all of them had adequate purity and activity. Finally, a T cell engager bsAb with the potential to overcome on-target off-tumor activity was constructed according to the structural characteristics of VFV, which validated that the VFV module can be used as a new brick for the construction of various bsAbs. In a word, the successful construction of this bsAb format for the first time not only enriches the arsenal of the bsAb format, but also provides inspiration for the construction of new bsAbs. Nevertheless, we are fully aware that as a proof-of-concept study, this paper has many shortcomings, and there is still a lot of work to be done to determine whether VFV can serve as a platform for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haili Ma
- LongBio Pharma Co, Shanghai, China
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhilong Ai
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiao Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyan Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Daru Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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17
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Lipinski B, Arras P, Pekar L, Klewinghaus D, Boje AS, Krah S, Zimmermann J, Klausz K, Peipp M, Siegmund V, Evers A, Zielonka S. NKp46-specific single domain antibodies enable facile engineering of various potent NK cell engager formats. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4593. [PMID: 36775946 PMCID: PMC9951198 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4593] [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] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we describe the generation of potent NK cell engagers (NKCEs) based on single domain antibodies (sdAbs) specific for NKp46 harboring the humanized Fab version of Cetuximab for tumor targeting. After immunization of camelids, a plethora of different VHH domains were retrieved by yeast surface display. Upon reformatting into Fc effector-silenced NKCEs targeting NKp46 and EGFR in a strictly monovalent fashion, the resulting bispecific antibodies elicited potent NK cell-mediated killing of EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells with potencies (EC50 killing) in the picomolar range. This was further augmented via co-engagement of Fcγ receptor IIIa (FcγRIIIa). Importantly, NKp46-specific sdAbs enabled the construction of various NKCE formats with different geometries and valencies which displayed favorable biophysical and biochemical properties without further optimization. By this means, killing capacities were further improved significantly. Hence, NKp46-specific sdAbs are versatile building blocks for the construction of different NKCE formats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Lipinski
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Paul Arras
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniel Klewinghaus
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ammelie Svea Boje
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jasmin Zimmermann
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Katja Klausz
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Matthias Peipp
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Vanessa Siegmund
- Protein and Cell Sciences, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Evers
- Computational Chemistry and Biology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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18
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Iwasaki YW, Tharakaraman K, Subramanian V, Khongmanee A, Hatas A, Fleischer E, Rurak TT, Ngok-ngam P, Tit-oon P, Ruchirawat M, Satayavivad J, Fuangthong M, Sasisekharan R. Generation of bispecific antibodies by structure-guided redesign of IgG constant regions. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1063002. [PMID: 36703993 PMCID: PMC9871890 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1063002] [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] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) form an exciting class of bio-therapeutics owing to their multispecificity. Although numerous formats have been developed, generation of hetero-tetrameric IgG1-like BsAbs having acceptable safety and pharmacokinetics profiles from a single cell culture system remains challenging due to the heterogeneous pairing between the four chains. Herein, we employed a structure-guided approach to engineer mutations in the constant domain interfaces (CH1-CL and CH3-CH3) of heavy and κ light chains to prevent heavy-light mispairing in the antigen binding fragment (Fab) region and heavy-heavy homodimerization in the Fc region. Transient co-transfection of mammalian cells with heavy and light chains of pre-existing antibodies carrying the engineered constant domains generates BsAbs with percentage purity ranging from 78% to 85%. The engineered BsAbs demonstrate simultaneous binding of both antigens, while retaining the thermal stability, Fc-mediated effector properties and FcRn binding properties of the parental antibodies. Importantly, since the variable domains were not modified, the mutations may enable BsAb formation from antibodies belonging to different germline origins and isotypes. The rationally designed mutations reported in this work could serve as a starting point for generating optimized solutions required for large scale production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yordkhwan W. Iwasaki
- Program in Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kannan Tharakaraman
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Vidya Subramanian
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Amnart Khongmanee
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Andrew Hatas
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Eduardo Fleischer
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Troy T. Rurak
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Patchara Ngok-ngam
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Phanthakarn Tit-oon
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mathuros Ruchirawat
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Office of the Permanent Secretary (OPS), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jutamaad Satayavivad
- Program in Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Bangkok, Thailand,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Office of the Permanent Secretary (OPS), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), Bangkok, Thailand,Laboratory of Pharmacology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mayuree Fuangthong
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Office of the Permanent Secretary (OPS), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), Bangkok, Thailand,Program in Applied Biological Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Bangkok, Thailand,*Correspondence: Mayuree Fuangthong, ; Ram Sasisekharan,
| | - Ram Sasisekharan
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Mayuree Fuangthong, ; Ram Sasisekharan,
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19
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Koga H, Yamano T, Betancur J, Nagatomo S, Ikeda Y, Yamaguchi K, Nabuchi Y, Sato K, Teranishi-Ikawa Y, Sato M, Hirayama H, Hayasaka A, Torizawa T, Haraya K, Sampei Z, Shiraiwa H, Kitazawa T, Igawa T, Kuramochi T. Efficient production of bispecific antibody by FAST-Ig TM and its application to NXT007 for the treatment of hemophilia A. MAbs 2023; 15:2222441. [PMID: 37339067 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2222441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficient production of bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) in single mammalian cells is essential for basic research and industrial manufacturing. However, preventing unwanted pairing of heavy chains (HCs) and light chains (LCs) is a challenging task. To address this, we created an engineering technology for preferential cognate HC/LC and HC/HC paring called FAST-Ig (Four-chain Assembly by electrostatic Steering Technology - Immunoglobulin), and applied it to NXT007, a BsAb for the treatment of hemophilia A. We introduced charged amino-acid substitutions at the HC/LC interface to facilitate the proper assembly for manufacturing a standard IgG-type BsAb. We generated CH1/CL interface-engineered antibody variants that achieved > 95% correct HC/LC pairing efficiency with favorable pharmacological properties and developability. Among these, we selected a design (C3) that allowed us to separate the mis-paired species with an unintended pharmacological profile using ion-exchange chromatography. Crystal structure analysis demonstrated that the C3 design did not affect the overall structure of both Fabs. To determine the final design for HCs-heterodimerization, we compared the stability of charge-based and knobs into hole-based Fc formats in acidic conditions and selected the more stable charge-based format. FAST-Ig was also applicable to stable CHO cell lines for industrial production and demonstrated robust chain pairing with different subclasses of parent BsAbs. Thus, it can be applied to a wide variety of BsAbs both preclinically and clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikaru Koga
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamano
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Juan Betancur
- API Process Development Department, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Ukima, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoko Nagatomo
- Analytical Development Department, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ukima, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yousuke Ikeda
- Analytical Development Department, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ukima, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuki Yamaguchi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nabuchi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuki Sato
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Motohiko Sato
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Hirayama
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Akira Hayasaka
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takuya Torizawa
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kenta Haraya
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Zenjiro Sampei
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hirotake Shiraiwa
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takehisa Kitazawa
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Igawa
- Translational Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taichi Kuramochi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
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20
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Arras P, Yoo HB, Pekar L, Schröter C, Clarke T, Krah S, Klewinghaus D, Siegmund V, Evers A, Zielonka S. A library approach for the de novo high-throughput isolation of humanized VHH domains with favorable developability properties following camelid immunization. MAbs 2023; 15:2261149. [PMID: 37766540 PMCID: PMC10540653 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2261149] [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: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we generated a novel library approach for high throughput de novo identification of humanized single-domain antibodies following camelid immunization. To achieve this, VHH-derived complementarity-determining regions-3 (CDR3s) obtained from an immunized llama (Lama glama) were grafted onto humanized VHH backbones comprising moderately sequence-diversified CDR1 and CDR2 regions similar to natural immunized and naïve antibody repertoires. Importantly, these CDRs were tailored toward favorable in silico developability properties, by considering human-likeness as well as excluding potential sequence liabilities and predicted immunogenic motifs. Target-specific humanized single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) were readily obtained by yeast surface display. We demonstrate that, by exploiting this approach, high affinity sdAbs with an optimized in silico developability profile can be generated. These sdAbs display favorable biophysical, biochemical, and functional attributes and do not require any further sequence optimization. This approach is generally applicable to any antigen upon camelid immunization and has the potential to significantly accelerate candidate selection and reduce risks and attrition rates in sdAb development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Arras
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Han Byul Yoo
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Early Protein Supply & Characterization, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Simon Krah
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniel Klewinghaus
- Early Protein Supply & Characterization, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Vanessa Siegmund
- Early Protein Supply & Characterization, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Evers
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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21
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Lipinski B, Unmuth L, Arras P, Becker S, Bauer C, Toleikis L, Krah S, Doerner A, Yanakieva D, Boje AS, Klausz K, Peipp M, Siegmund V, Evers A, Kolmar H, Pekar L, Zielonka S. Generation and engineering of potent single domain antibody-based bispecific IL-18 mimetics resistant to IL-18BP decoy receptor inhibition. MAbs 2023; 15:2236265. [PMID: 37469014 PMCID: PMC10361135 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2236265] [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: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we generated bispecific antibody (bsAb) derivatives that mimic the function of interleukin (IL)-18 based on single domain antibodies (sdAbs) specific to IL-18 Rα and IL-18 Rβ. For this, camelids were immunized, followed by yeast surface display (YSD)-enabled discovery of VHHs targeting the individual receptor subunits. Upon reformatting into a strictly monovalent (1 + 1) bispecific sdAb architecture, several bsAbs triggered dose-dependent IL-18 R downstream signaling on IL-18 reporter cells, as well as IFN-γ release by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the presence of low-dose IL-12. However, compared with IL-18, potencies and efficacies were considerably attenuated. By engineering paratope valencies and the spatial orientation of individual paratopes within the overall design architecture, we were able to generate IL-18 mimetics displaying significantly augmented functionalities, resulting in bispecific cytokine mimetics that were more potent than IL-18 in triggering proinflammatory cytokine release. Furthermore, generated IL-18 mimetics were unaffected from inhibition by IL-18 binding protein decoy receptor. Essentially, we demonstrate that this strategy enables the generation of IL-18 mimetics with tailor-made cytokine functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Lipinski
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Laura Unmuth
- Early Protein Supply and Characterization (EPSC), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Paul Arras
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Becker
- Early Protein Supply and Characterization (EPSC), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christina Bauer
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Early Protein Supply and Characterization (EPSC), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Achim Doerner
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Desislava Yanakieva
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ammelie Svea Boje
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Katja Klausz
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Matthias Peipp
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Vanessa Siegmund
- Early Protein Supply and Characterization (EPSC), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Evers
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering (ADPE), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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22
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Rezvani K, WuDunn D, Hunter AK, Aspelund MT. Leveraging light chain binding avidity for control of mispaired byproducts during production of asymmetric bispecific antibodies. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1683:463533. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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23
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Klausz K, Pekar L, Boje AS, Gehlert CL, Krohn S, Gupta T, Xiao Y, Krah S, Zaynagetdinov R, Lipinski B, Toleikis L, Poetzsch S, Rabinovich B, Peipp M, Zielonka S. Multifunctional NK Cell–Engaging Antibodies Targeting EGFR and NKp30 Elicit Efficient Tumor Cell Killing and Proinflammatory Cytokine Release. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 209:1724-1735. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
In this work, we have generated novel Fc-comprising NK cell engagers (NKCEs) that bridge human NKp30 on NK cells to human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on tumor cells. Camelid-derived VHH single-domain Abs specific for human NKp30 and a humanized Fab derived from the EGFR-specific therapeutic Ab cetuximab were used as binding arms. By combining camelid immunization with yeast surface display, we were able to isolate a diverse panel of NKp30-specific VHHs against different epitopes on NKp30. Intriguingly, NKCEs built with VHHs that compete for binding to NKp30 with B7-H6, the natural ligand of NKp30, were significantly more potent in eliciting tumor cell lysis of EGFR-positive tumor cells than NKCEs harboring VHHs that target different epitopes on NKp30 from B7-H6. We demonstrate that the NKCEs can be further improved with respect to killing capabilities by concomitant engagement of FcγRIIIa and that soluble B7-H6 does not impede cytolytic capacities of all scrutinized NKCEs at significantly higher B7-H6 concentrations than observed in cancer patients. Moreover, we show that physiological processes requiring interactions between membrane-bound B7-H6 and NKp30 on NK cells are unaffected by noncompeting NKCEs still eliciting tumor cell killing at low picomolar concentrations. Ultimately, the NKCEs generated in this study were significantly more potent in eliciting NK cell–mediated tumor cell lysis than cetuximab and elicited a robust release of proinflammatory cytokines, both features which might be beneficial for antitumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Klausz
- *Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- †Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ammelie Svea Boje
- *Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Carina Lynn Gehlert
- *Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Steffen Krohn
- *Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Tushar Gupta
- ‡Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA
| | - Yanping Xiao
- §Department of Oncology and Immuno-oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA
| | - Simon Krah
- †Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Rinat Zaynagetdinov
- §Department of Oncology and Immuno-oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA
| | - Britta Lipinski
- †Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- ¶Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany; and
| | - Lars Toleikis
- †Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sven Poetzsch
- ‖Strategic Innovation, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Brian Rabinovich
- §Department of Oncology and Immuno-oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA
| | - Matthias Peipp
- *Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- †Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- ¶Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany; and
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24
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Wang B, Lin J, Hoag MR, Wright M, Ma M, Cai W, Kankanamalage SG, Liu Y. A novel IgG fc by computer-aided design enhances heavy-chain heterodimerization in bi- or tri-specific antibodies. Antib Ther 2022; 5:216-225. [PMID: 36042698 PMCID: PMC9413979 DOI: 10.1093/abt/tbac019] [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: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The classical “Knob-into-holes” (KIH) strategy (knob(T366Y)/hole (Y407T)) has successfully enhanced the heterodimerization of a bispecific antibody (BsAb) resulting in heterodimer formation up to 92% of protein A (ProA)-purified protein pool. However, it does not show high efficiency for every BsAb.
Methods
KIH was initially applied to a CD20/CD3 BsAb. After in-silico modeling, two additional new mutations, S354Y in knob-heavy chain (HC) and Q347E in hole-HC, together with KIH named “ETYY”, were introduced in the Fc. Functional and physicochemical assays were performed to assess the BsAb.
Results
The CD20/CD3 BsAb hybrid only represented ~ 50% of the ProA-purified protein pool when KIH was applied. With ETYY, the percentage of CD20/CD3 hybrid increased to 93.8% in the ProA-purified protein pool and facilitated the second purification via ion-exchange chromatography. S354Y in the knob-HC introduced a hydrophobic interaction with Y349 on the hole-HC, and Q347E on the hole-HC introduced an ionic interaction with K360 on the knob-HC. CD20/CD3-v4b (containing ETYY) retains the original activity of the BsAb at both Fab and Fc regions. Its melting temperature is > 65 °C and aggregation temperatures (Tagg)266 and Tagg473 are both > 70 °C, indicating high thermostability. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) assay shows only one peak with the size of an IgG molecule with PDI of 0.121, indicating low aggregation potential of the BsAb.
Conclusions
This computer-aided novel ETYY design of BsAb Fc facilitates enhanced heterodimerization while retaining functional and physicochemical properties. This has the potential to improve the development of next-generation BsAbs with higher yields and simpler purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- Ab Studio , Inc., Hayward, CA 94545 , USA
| | - Jun Lin
- Genor Biopharma Co. Ltd. , Shanghai 201203 , P.R.C
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics , Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai 201203 , P.R.C
| | | | | | - Mingjun Ma
- Genor Biopharma Co. Ltd. , Shanghai 201203 , P.R.C
| | - Wenyan Cai
- Ab Studio , Inc., Hayward, CA 94545 , USA
| | | | - Yue Liu
- Ab Studio , Inc., Hayward, CA 94545 , USA
- Ab Therapeutics , Inc., Hayward, CA 94545 , USA
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25
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Segués A, Huang S, Sijts A, Berraondo P, Zaiss DM. Opportunities and challenges of bi-specific antibodies. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 369:45-70. [PMID: 35777864 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The recent clinical approval of different Bi-specific antibodies (BsAbs) has revealed the great therapeutic potential of this novel class of biologicals. For example, the bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE), Blinatumomab, demonstrated the unique capacity of BsAbs to link T-cells with tumor cells, inducing targeted tumor cell removal. Additionally, Amivantamab, recognizing the EGFR and cMet in cis, revealed a substantial improvement of therapeutic efficacy by concomitantly targeting two tumor antigens. Cis-targeting BsAbs furthermore allow discerning cell populations which concurrently express two antigens, for which each antigen expression pattern in itself might not be selective. In this way, BsAbs harbor the great prospect of being more specific and showing fewer side effects than monoclonal antibodies. Nevertheless, BsAbs have also faced major obstacles, for instance, in ensuring reliable assembly and clinical-grade purification. In this review, we summarize the different available antibody platforms currently used for the generation of IgG-like and non-IgG-like BsAbs and explain which approaches have been used to assemble those BsAbs which are currently approved for clinical application. By focusing on the example of regulatory T-cells (Tregs) and the different, ongoing approaches to develop BsAbs specifically targeting Tregs within the tumor microenvironment, our review highlights the huge potential as well as the pitfalls BsAb face in order to emerge as one of the most effective therapeutic biologicals targeting desired cell populations in a highly selective way. Such BsAb may improve treatment efficacy and reduce side effects, thereby opening novel treatment opportunities for a range of different diseases, such as cancer or autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aina Segués
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Shuyu Huang
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alice Sijts
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Pedro Berraondo
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain; Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Dietmar M Zaiss
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Department of Immune Medicine, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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26
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Underwood DJ, Bettencourt J, Jawad Z. The manufacturing considerations of bispecific antibodies. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2022; 22:1043-1065. [PMID: 35771976 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2022.2095900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Antibody therapies have made huge strides in providing safe and efficacious drugs for autoimmune, cancer and infectious disease. These bispecific antibodies can be assembled from the basic building blocks of IgGs, resulting in dozens of formats. AREAS COVERED It is important to consider the manufacturability of these formats early in the antibody discovery phases. Broadly categorizing bispecific antibodies into IgG-like, fragment-based, appended and hybrid formats can help in looking at early manufacturability considerations. EXPERT OPINION Ideally, bispecific antibody manufacturing should contain a minimal number of steps, with processes that give high yields of protein with no contaminants. Many of these have been determined for the fragment-based bispecific blinatumomab and the IgG-like bispecifics from hybridomas. However, for new formats, these need to be considered early in the research and development pipeline. The hybrid formats offer an unusual alternative in generating high pure yields of bispecific molecules if the engineering challenges can be deciphered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zahra Jawad
- Agenus inc., 3 Forbes Road, Lexington, MA, 02421-7305, United States.,Creasallis ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Babraham, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
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27
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Klewinghaus D, Pekar L, Arras P, Krah S, Valldorf B, Kolmar H, Zielonka S. Grabbing the Bull by Both Horns: Bovine Ultralong CDR-H3 Paratopes Enable Engineering of 'Almost Natural' Common Light Chain Bispecific Antibodies Suitable For Effector Cell Redirection. Front Immunol 2022; 12:801368. [PMID: 35087526 PMCID: PMC8787767 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.801368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A subset of antibodies found in cattle comprises ultralong CDR-H3 regions of up to 70 amino acids. Interestingly, this type of immunoglobulin usually pairs with the single germline VL gene, V30 that is typically very conserved in sequence. In this work, we have engineered ultralong CDR-H3 common light chain bispecific antibodies targeting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) on tumor cells as well as Natural Cytotoxicity Receptor NKp30 on Natural Killer (NK) cells. Antigen-specific common light chain antibodies were isolated by yeast surface display by means of pairing CDR-H3 diversities following immunization with a single V30 light chain. After selection, EGFR-targeting paratopes as well as NKp30-specific binders were combined into common light chain bispecific antibodies by exploiting the strand-exchange engineered domain (SEED) technology for heavy chain heterodimerization. Biochemical characterization of resulting bispecifics revealed highly specific binding to the respective antigens as well as simultaneous binding to both targets. Most importantly, engineered cattle-derived bispecific common light chain molecules elicited potent NK cell redirection and consequently tumor cell lysis of EGFR-overexpressing cells as well as robust release of proinflammatory cytokine interferon-γ. Taken together, this data is giving clear evidence that bovine bispecific ultralong CDR-H3 common light chain antibodies are versatile for biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Klewinghaus
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Paul Arras
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Valldorf
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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28
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Zhao J, Jiang L, Yang H, Deng L, Meng X, Ding J, Yang S, Zhao L, Xu W, Wang X, Zhu Z, Huang H. A strategy for the efficient construction of anti-PD1-based bispecific antibodies with desired IgG-like properties. MAbs 2022; 14:2044435. [PMID: 35239451 PMCID: PMC8896178 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2022.2044435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting PD1/PDL1 with blocking antibodies for cancer therapy has shown promising benefits in the clinic, but only approximately 20-30% of patients develop durable clinical responses to the treatment. Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) that combine PD1/PDL1 blockade with the modulation of another immune checkpoint target may have greater potential to enhance immune checkpoint blockade therapy. In this study, we identified an anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody, 609A, whose heavy chain can pair with a variety of light chains from different antibodies while maintaining its PD1 binding/blocking activity. Taking advantage of this property and using a linear F(ab')2 format, we successfully produced a series of tetravalent IgG-like BsAbs that simultaneously target PD1 and other immune checkpoint targets, including PDL1 and CTLA4. The BsAbs exhibited superior bioactivities in vitro and in vivo compared to their respective parental mAbs. Importantly, the BsAbs demonstrated the desired IgG-like physicochemical properties in terms of high-level expression, ease of purification to homogeneity, good stability and in vivo pharmacokinetics. In summary, we describe a novel and flexible plug-and-play platform to engineer IgG-like BsAbs with excellent development potential for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhao
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Liangfeng Jiang
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Haodong Yang
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Deng
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoqing Meng
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Ding
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Sixing Yang
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Le Zhao
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenping Zhu
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Haomin Huang
- Research and development, Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. A 3SBio Inc. Company, Shanghai, China
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29
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Yanakieva D, Pekar L, Evers A, Fleischer M, Keller S, Mueller-Pompalla D, Toleikis L, Kolmar H, Zielonka S, Krah S. Beyond bispecificity: Controlled Fab arm exchange for the generation of antibodies with multiple specificities. MAbs 2022; 14:2018960. [PMID: 35014603 PMCID: PMC8757479 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2021.2018960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Controlled Fab arm exchange (cFAE) has proven to be a generic and versatile technology for the efficient generation of IgG-like bispecific antibodies (DuoBodies or DBs), with several in clinical development and one product, amivantamab, approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In this study, we expand the cFAE-toolbox by incorporating VHH-modules at the C-termini of DB-IgGs, termed DB-VHHs. This approach enables the combinatorial generation of tri- and tetraspecific molecules with flexible valencies in a straightforward fashion. Using cFAE, a variety of multispecific molecules was produced and assessed for manufacturability and physicochemical characteristics. In addition, we were able to generate DB-VHHs that efficiently triggered natural killer cell mediated lysis of tumor cells, demonstrating the utility of this format for potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desislava Yanakieva
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pekar
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Evers
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Markus Fleischer
- Protein and Cell Sciences, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephan Keller
- Protein and Cell Sciences, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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30
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Heinkel F, Verstraete MM, Cao S, Li J, Farber P, Stangle E, Silva-Moreno B, Peng F, Dixit S, Boulanger MJ, Spreter Von Kreudenstein T, Escobar-Cabrera E. Engineering a pure and stable heterodimeric IgA for the development of multispecific therapeutics. MAbs 2022; 14:2141637. [PMID: 36343329 PMCID: PMC9645255 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2022.2141637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
ABBREVIATIONS CE-SDS: capillary electrophoresis sodium dodecyl sulfate; DSC: differential scanning calorimetry; FACS: fluorescence-activated cell sorting; FSA: full-sized antibody; Her2: human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; MFI: mean fluorescent intensity; OAA: one-armed antibody; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; PDB: Protein Data Bank; SEC: size-exclusion chromatography; prepSEC (preparative SEC); RMSD: root-mean-square deviation; RU: resonance units; SPR: surface plasmon resonance; TAA: tumor-associated antigen; WT: wild-type.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meghan M. Verstraete
- Zymeworks Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada,CONTACT Meghan M. Verstraete Zymeworks Inc, 114 East 4th Avenue, Suite 800, Vancouver, BCV5T 1G4, Canada
| | - Siran Cao
- Zymeworks Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Fangni Peng
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology; University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Martin J. Boulanger
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology; University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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31
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Estes B, Sudom A, Gong D, Whittington DA, Li V, Mohr C, Li D, Riley TP, Shi SDH, Zhang J, Garces F, Wang Z. Next generation Fc scaffold for multispecific antibodies. iScience 2021; 24:103447. [PMID: 34877503 PMCID: PMC8633962 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (Bispecifics) demonstrate exceptional clinical potential to address some of the most complex diseases. However, Bispecific production in a single cell often requires the correct pairing of multiple polypeptide chains for desired assembly. This is a considerable hurdle that hinders the development of many immunoglobulin G (IgG)-like bispecific formats. Our approach focuses on the rational engineering of charged residues to facilitate the chain pairing of distinct heavy chains (HC). Here, we deploy structure-guided protein design to engineer charge pair mutations (CPMs) placed in the CH3-CH3' interface of the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of an antibody (Ab) to correctly steer heavy chain pairing. When used in combination with our stable effector functionless 2 (SEFL2.2) technology, we observed high pairing efficiency without significant losses in expression yields. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between CPMs and the sequence diversity in the parental antibodies, proposing a rational strategy to deploy these engineering technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Estes
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Athena Sudom
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Danyang Gong
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Douglas A. Whittington
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Vivian Li
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Christopher Mohr
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Danqing Li
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Timothy P. Riley
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Stone D.-H. Shi
- Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Fernando Garces
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Zhulun Wang
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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Pekar L, Klewinghaus D, Arras P, Carrara SC, Harwardt J, Krah S, Yanakieva D, Toleikis L, Smider VV, Kolmar H, Zielonka S. Milking the Cow: Cattle-Derived Chimeric Ultralong CDR-H3 Antibodies and Their Engineered CDR-H3-Only Knobbody Counterparts Targeting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Elicit Potent NK Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity. Front Immunol 2021; 12:742418. [PMID: 34759924 PMCID: PMC8573386 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.742418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, we have generated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-specific cattle-derived ultralong CDR-H3 antibodies by combining cattle immunization with yeast surface display. After immunization, ultralong CDR-H3 regions were specifically amplified and grafted onto an IGHV1-7 scaffold by homologous recombination to facilitate Fab display. Antigen-specific clones were readily obtained by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and reformatted as chimeric antibodies. Binning experiments revealed epitope targeting of domains I, II, and IV of EGFR with none of the generated binders competing with Cetuximab, Matuzumab, or EGF for binding to EGFR. Cattle-derived chimeric antibodies were potent in inducing antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells with potencies (EC50 killing) in the picomolar range. Moreover, most of the antibodies were able to significantly inhibit EGFR-mediated downstream signaling. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a minor fraction of CDR-H3 knobs derived from generated antibodies was capable of independently functioning as a paratope facilitating EGFR binding when grafted onto the Fc part of human IgG1. Besides slightly to moderately diminished capacities, these engineered Knobbodies largely retained main properties of their parental antibodies such as cellular binding and triggering of ADCC. Hence, Knobbodies might emerge as promising tools for biotechnological applications upon further optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Pekar
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniel Klewinghaus
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Paul Arras
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefania C. Carrara
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julia Harwardt
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Desislava Yanakieva
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Vaughn V. Smider
- The Applied Biomedical Science Institute, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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Production of IgG1-based bispecific antibody without extra cysteine residue via intein-mediated protein trans-splicing. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19411. [PMID: 34593913 PMCID: PMC8484483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98855-3] [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: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A major class of bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) utilizes heterodimeric Fc to produce the native immunoglobulin G (IgG) structure. Because appropriate pairing of heavy and light chains is required, the design of BsAbs produced through recombination or reassembly of two separately-expressed antigen-binding fragments is advantageous. One such method uses intein-mediated protein trans-splicing (IMPTS) to produce an IgG1-based structure. An extra Cys residue is incorporated as a consensus sequence for IMPTS in successful examples, but this may lead to potential destabilization or disturbance of the assay system. In this study, we designed a BsAb linked by IMPTS, without the extra Cys residue. A BsAb binding to both TNFR2 and CD30 was successfully produced. Cleaved side product formation was inevitable, but it was minimized under the optimized conditions. The fine-tuned design is suitable for the production of IgG-like BsAb with high symmetry between the two antigen-binding fragments that is advantageous for screening BsAbs.
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34
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Zhao C, Zhang W, Gong G, Xie L, Wang MW, Hu Y. A new approach to produce IgG 4-like bispecific antibodies. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18630. [PMID: 34545109 PMCID: PMC8452627 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97393-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While achieving rapid developments in recent years, bispecific antibodies are still difficult to design and manufacture, due to mispair of both heavy and light chains. Here we report a novel technology to make bispecific molecules. The knob-into-hole method was used to pair two distinct heavy chains as a heterodimer. IgG4 S228P CH1-CL interface was then partially replaced by T-cell receptor α/β constant domain to increase the efficiency of cognate heavy and light chain pairing. Following expression and purification, the bispecific antibody interface exchange was confirmed by Western blotting and LC–MS/MS. To ensure its validity, we combined a monovalent bispecific antibody against PD-1 (sequence from Pembrolizumab) and LAG3 (sequence from Relatlimab). The results showed that the molecule could be assembled correctly at a ratio of 95% in cells. In vitro functional assay demonstrated that the purified bispecific antibody exhibits an enhanced agonist activity compared to that of the parental antibodies. Low immunogenicity was predicted by an open-access software and ADA test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caizhi Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China.,China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Guihua Gong
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Liping Xie
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ming-Wei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,The National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Youjia Hu
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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35
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Li Y. IgG-like bispecific antibody platforms with built-in purification-facilitating elements. Protein Expr Purif 2021; 188:105955. [PMID: 34416361 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2021.105955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Assembly of IgG-like asymmetric bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) requires heavy chain heterodimerization and cognate heavy-light chain pairings. Multiple strategies have been developed to solve these chain association issues. While these strategies greatly promote correct chain pairing, they normally cannot prevent low amount of chain mispaired byproducts from being generated. Besides, byproducts can also be generated as a result of discordant chain expression. The existence of various byproducts poses considerable challenges to downstream processing during the production of recombinant IgG-like bsAbs. In many cases, yield is greatly compromised for purity improvement. This mini review introduces eight IgG-like bsAb platforms, which share a common feature: they all contain built-in purification-facilitating elements in addition to chain pairing control designs. These platforms, by simultaneously providing solutions to the two issues associated with bsAb production (i.e., correct chain pairing and efficient purification), improve both efficiency and robustness of bsAb production.
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MESH Headings
- Antibodies, Bispecific/chemistry
- Antibodies, Bispecific/genetics
- Antibodies, Bispecific/immunology
- Antibodies, Bispecific/isolation & purification
- Chromatography, Gel/methods
- Chromatography, Ion Exchange/methods
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin G/chemistry
- Immunoglobulin G/genetics
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Immunoglobulin G/isolation & purification
- Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains/chemistry
- Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains/genetics
- Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains/immunology
- Immunoglobulin Light Chains/chemistry
- Immunoglobulin Light Chains/genetics
- Immunoglobulin Light Chains/immunology
- Isoelectric Point
- Protein Binding
- Protein Engineering/methods
- Protein Multimerization
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/chemistry
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Staphylococcal Protein A/chemistry
- Staphylococcal Protein A/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Li
- Technology and Process Development (TPD), WuXi Biologics, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai, 200131, China.
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36
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Pekar L, Busch M, Valldorf B, Hinz SC, Toleikis L, Krah S, Zielonka S. Biophysical and biochemical characterization of a VHH-based IgG-like bi- and trispecific antibody platform. MAbs 2021; 12:1812210. [PMID: 32887531 PMCID: PMC7531565 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1812210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we report the characterization of a VHH-derived IgG-like bi- and trispecific antibody platform that essentially relies on the replacement of the VH and VL regions of a conventional antibody by two independently functioning VHH domains. Consequently, a VHH is engrafted onto constant region CH1 while the other VHH-based paratope is engrafted on the constant region of the light chain, Cκ or Cλ, resulting in a tetravalent bispecific IgG-like molecule. Combined with a heavy chain heterodimerization technique, this platform allows facile engineering of bi- and trispecific antibodies with flexible valencies. We demonstrate the general applicability of this generic platform approach and elaborate on the limitations of specific formats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Pekar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry , Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Michael Busch
- Discovery Pharmacology, Merck KGaA , Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Valldorf
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development, Merck KGaA , Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Steffen C Hinz
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry , Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA , Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA , Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA , Darmstadt, Germany
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37
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Elshiaty M, Schindler H, Christopoulos P. Principles and Current Clinical Landscape of Multispecific Antibodies against Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5632. [PMID: 34073188 PMCID: PMC8198225 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Building upon the resounding therapeutic success of monoclonal antibodies, and supported by accelerating progress in engineering methods, the field of multispecific therapeutic antibodies is growing rapidly. Over 140 different molecules are currently in clinical testing, with excellent results in recent phase 1-3 clinical trials for several of them. Multivalent bispecific IgG-modified formats predominate today, with a clear tendency for more target antigens and further increased valency in newer constructs. The strategies to augment anticancer efficacy are currently equally divided between disruption of multiple surface antigens, and additional redirection of cytotoxic T or NK lymphocytes against the tumor. Both effects complement other modern modalities, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, with which multispecifics are increasingly applied in combination or merged, for example, in the form of antibody producing CAR-T cells and oncolytics. While mainly focused on B-cell malignancies early on, the contemporary multispecific antibody sector accommodates twice as many trials against solid compared to hematologic cancers. An exciting emerging prospect is the targeting of intracellular neoantigens using T-cell receptor (TCR) fusion proteins or TCR-mimic antibody fragments. Considering the fact that introduction of PD-(L)1 inhibitors only a few years ago has already facilitated 5-year survival rates of 30-50% for per se highly lethal neoplasms, such as metastatic melanoma and non-small-cell lung carcinoma, the upcoming enforcement of current treatments with "next-generation" immunotherapeutics, offers a justified hope for the cure of some advanced cancers in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Elshiaty
- Thoraxklinik and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) at Heidelberg University Hospital, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.E.); (H.S.)
- Translational Lung Cancer Center Heidelberg, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hannah Schindler
- Thoraxklinik and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) at Heidelberg University Hospital, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.E.); (H.S.)
- Translational Lung Cancer Center Heidelberg, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Petros Christopoulos
- Thoraxklinik and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) at Heidelberg University Hospital, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.E.); (H.S.)
- Translational Lung Cancer Center Heidelberg, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
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38
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Ma J, Mo Y, Tang M, Shen J, Qi Y, Zhao W, Huang Y, Xu Y, Qian C. Bispecific Antibodies: From Research to Clinical Application. Front Immunol 2021; 12:626616. [PMID: 34025638 PMCID: PMC8131538 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.626616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are antibodies with two binding sites directed at two different antigens or two different epitopes on the same antigen. The clinical therapeutic effects of BsAbs are superior to those of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs), with broad applications for tumor immunotherapy as well as for the treatment of other diseases. Recently, with progress in antibody or protein engineering and recombinant DNA technology, various platforms for generating different types of BsAbs based on novel strategies, for various uses, have been established. More than 30 mature commercial technology platforms have been used to create and develop BsAbs based on the heterologous recombination of heavy chains and matching of light chains. The detailed mechanisms of clinical/therapeutic action have been demonstrated with these different types of BsAbs. Three kinds of BsAbs have received market approval, and more than 110 types of BsAbs are at various stages of clinical trials. In this paper, we elaborate on the classic platforms, mechanisms, and applications of BsAbs. We hope that this review can stimulate new ideas for the development of BsAbs and improve current clinical strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabing Ma
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yicheng Mo
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Menglin Tang
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Junjie Shen
- IND Center, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yanan Qi
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Wenxu Zhao
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Huang
- IND Center, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yanmin Xu
- IND Center, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng Qian
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
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Cao M, Parthemore C, Jiao Y, Korman S, Aspelund M, Hunter A, Kilby G, Chen X. Characterization and Monitoring of a Novel Light-heavy-light Chain Mispair in a Therapeutic Bispecific Antibody. J Pharm Sci 2021; 110:2904-2915. [PMID: 33894207 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Site-specific cysteine engineering, along with other genetic mutations, is broadly implemented in bispecific antibodies (bsAb). Thus far, homodimer, half hole antibody, one-light chain mispaired and light chain swapped variants have been reported as chain-pairing variants for the asymmetric IgG-like bispecific antibodies. Here we report a novel mispair in which the CH3 engineered cysteine on the hole heavy chain (HC) of a knob-into-hole (KiH) bsAb is linked to the engineered cysteine in CL through a disulfide bond, forming a LHL species in a bsAb construct. Due to its impact on bioactivity, it is critical to implement an analytical strategy to monitor this CQA and mitigate risk for the future products. A set of orthogonal physicochemical assays that include hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC), capillary electrophoresis sodium dodecyl sulfate (CE-SDS), reverse phase liquid chromatography ultra-performance chromatography mass spectrometry (RP-UPLC MS) and disulfide bond mapping have been utilized to monitor and characterize this chain-pairing impurity for manufacturing process control and product release. Our data shows the LHL mispair in condition medium (CM) is approximately 1.3 - 1.9%. LambdaFabSelect affinity chromatography removes two major chain-pairing variants in CM - i.e. the hole-hole homodimer and hole half-antibody, while retaining the LHL species. Process improvement in Capto Q (anion exchange) and HS50 (cation exchange) chromatography steps removes LHL to as low as 0.2% in the final product. We have demonstrated an orthogonal analytical methodology that is capable of characterizing and monitoring bsAb mispairing, suitable for use in manufacturing process control and product release, and can be potentially implemented for similar bsAb constructs with engineered disulfide bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyan Cao
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States.
| | - Conner Parthemore
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States
| | - Yang Jiao
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States
| | - Samuel Korman
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States
| | - Matthew Aspelund
- Purification Process Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States
| | - Alan Hunter
- Purification Process Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States
| | - Greg Kilby
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, United States.
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40
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Zhong X, D’Antona AM. Recent Advances in the Molecular Design and Applications of Multispecific Biotherapeutics. Antibodies (Basel) 2021; 10:13. [PMID: 33808165 PMCID: PMC8103270 DOI: 10.3390/antib10020013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Recombinant protein-based biotherapeutics drugs have transformed clinical pipelines of the biopharmaceutical industry since the launch of recombinant insulin nearly four decades ago. These biologic drugs are structurally more complex than small molecules, and yet share a similar principle for rational drug discovery and development: That is to start with a pre-defined target and follow with the functional modulation with a therapeutic agent. Despite these tremendous successes, this "one target one drug" paradigm has been challenged by complex disease mechanisms that involve multiple pathways and demand new therapeutic routes. A rapidly evolving wave of multispecific biotherapeutics is coming into focus. These new therapeutic drugs are able to engage two or more protein targets via distinct binding interfaces with or without the chemical conjugation to large or small molecules. They possess the potential to not only address disease intricacy but also exploit new therapeutic mechanisms and assess undruggable targets for conventional monospecific biologics. This review focuses on the recent advances in molecular design and applications of major classes of multispecific biotherapeutics drugs, which include immune cells engagers, antibody-drug conjugates, multispecific tetherbodies, biologic matchmakers, and small-scaffold multispecific modalities. Challenges posed by the multispecific biotherapeutics drugs and their future outlooks are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Zhong
- Department of BioMedicine Design, Medicinal Sciences, Pfizer Worldwide R&D, 610 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA;
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41
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Hofmann T, Schmidt J, Ciesielski E, Becker S, Rysiok T, Schütte M, Toleikis L, Kolmar H, Doerner A. Intein mediated high throughput screening for bispecific antibodies. MAbs 2021; 12:1731938. [PMID: 32151188 PMCID: PMC7153837 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1731938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies comprise extremely diverse architectures enabling complex modes of action, such as effector cell recruitment or conditional target modulation via dual targeting, not conveyed by monospecific antibodies. In recent years, research on bispecific therapeutics has substantially grown. However, evaluation of binding moiety combinations often leads to undesired prolonged development times. While high throughput screening for small molecules and classical antibodies has evolved into a mature discipline in the pharmaceutical industry, dual-targeting antibody screening methodologies lack the ability to fully evaluate the tremendous number of possible combinations and cover only a limited portion of the combinatorial screening space. Here, we propose a novel combinatorial screening approach for bispecific IgG-like antibodies to extenuate screening limitations in industrial scale, expanding the limiting screening space. Harnessing the ability of a protein trans-splicing reaction by the split intein Npu DnaE, antibody fragments were reconstituted within the hinge region in vitro. This method allows for fully automated, rapid one-pot antibody reconstitution, providing biological activity in several biochemical and functional assays. The technology presented here is suitable for automated functional and combinatorial high throughput screening of bispecific antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Hofmann
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Johannes Schmidt
- Compound Logistic & Bioassay Automation, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Elke Ciesielski
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Becker
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Thomas Rysiok
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Mark Schütte
- Global Innovation and Alliance Management, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Achim Doerner
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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42
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Wang F, Tsai JC, Davis JH, Chau B, Dong J, West SM, Hogan JM, Wheeler ML, Bee C, Morishige W, Cayton T, David-Brown D, Zhang C, Kozhich A, Sproul T, Dollinger G, Rajpal A, Strop P. Design and characterization of mouse IgG1 and IgG2a bispecific antibodies for use in syngeneic models. MAbs 2021; 12:1685350. [PMID: 31856660 PMCID: PMC6927765 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2019.1685350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of antibody therapeutics relies on animal models that accurately recapitulate disease biology. Syngeneic mouse models are increasingly used with new molecules to capture the biology of complex cancers and disease states, and to provide insight into the role of the immune system. The establishment of syngeneic mouse models requires the ability to generate surrogate mouse counterparts to antibodies designed for humans. In the field of bispecific antibodies, there remains a dearth of technologies available to generate native IgG-like mouse bispecific antibodies. Thus, we engineered a simple co-expression system for one-step purification of intact mouse IgG1 and IgG2a bispecific antibodies from any antibody pair. We demonstrated proof of concept with CD3/CD20 bispecific antibodies, which highlighted both the quality and efficacy of materials generated by this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Jordan C Tsai
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | | | - Bryant Chau
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Jia Dong
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Sean M West
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Jason M Hogan
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Matthew L Wheeler
- Immuno-Oncology Research, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Christine Bee
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Winse Morishige
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Cayton
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | | | - Chengyue Zhang
- Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | | | - Tim Sproul
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Gavin Dollinger
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Arvind Rajpal
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Pavel Strop
- Protein Therapeutics and Biologics Lead Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, USA
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Gong D, Riley TP, Bzymek KP, Correia AR, Li D, Spahr C, Robinson JH, Case RB, Wang Z, Garces F. Rational selection of building blocks for the assembly of bispecific antibodies. MAbs 2021; 13:1870058. [PMID: 33397191 PMCID: PMC7808324 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1870058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies, engineered to recognize two targets simultaneously, demonstrate exceptional clinical potential for the therapeutic intervention of complex diseases. However, these molecules are often composed of multiple polypeptide chains of differing sequences. To meet industrial scale productivity, enforcing the correct quaternary assembly of these chains is critical. Here, we describe Chain Selectivity Assessment (CSA), a high-throughput method to rationally select parental monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to make bispecific antibodies requiring correct heavy/light chain pairing. By deploying CSA, we have successfully identified mAbs that exhibit a native preference toward cognate chain pairing that enables the production of hetero-IgGs without additional engineering. Furthermore, CSA also identified rare light chains (LCs) that permit positive binding of the non-cognate arm in the common LC hetero-IgGs, also without engineering. This rational selection of parental mAbs with favorable developability characteristics is critical to the successful development of bispecific molecules with optimal manufacturability properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Gong
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
| | - Timothy P Riley
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
| | - Krzysztof P Bzymek
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
| | - Ana R Correia
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
| | - Danqing Li
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
| | - Christopher Spahr
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
| | - John H Robinson
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
| | - Ryan B Case
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Zhulun Wang
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Fernando Garces
- Department of Therapeutics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks, CA USA
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45
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Bogen JP, Carrara SC, Fiebig D, Grzeschik J, Hock B, Kolmar H. Expeditious Generation of Biparatopic Common Light Chain Antibodies via Chicken Immunization and Yeast Display Screening. Front Immunol 2020; 11:606878. [PMID: 33424853 PMCID: PMC7786285 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.606878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bispecific (BsAb) and biparatopic (BpAb) antibodies emerged as promising formats for therapeutic biologics exhibiting tailor-made functional properties. Over recent years, chicken-derived antibodies have gained traction for diagnostic and therapeutic applications due to their broad epitope coverage and convenience of library generation. Here we report the first generation of a biparatopic common light chain (cLC) chicken-derived antibody by an epitope binning-based screening approach using yeast surface display. The resulting monospecific antibodies target conformational epitopes on domain II or III of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with lower double- or single-digit nanomolar affinities, respectively. Furthermore, the domain III targeting variant was shown to interfere with epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding. Utilizing the Knob-into-Hole technology (KiH), a biparatopic antibody with subnanomolar affinity was generated that facilitates clustering of soluble and cell-bound EGFR and displayed enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) compared to the parental antibodies. This strategy for generating cLC-based biparatopic antibodies from immunized chickens may pave the way for their further development in therapeutic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan P Bogen
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Ferring Darmstadt Laboratory, Biologics Technology and Development, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefania C Carrara
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Ferring Darmstadt Laboratory, Biologics Technology and Development, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - David Fiebig
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Ferring Darmstadt Laboratory, Biologics Technology and Development, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julius Grzeschik
- Ferring Darmstadt Laboratory, Biologics Technology and Development, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Björn Hock
- Ferring International Center S.A., Saint-Prex, Switzerland
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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46
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Fc Engineering Strategies to Advance IgA Antibodies as Therapeutic Agents. Antibodies (Basel) 2020; 9:antib9040070. [PMID: 33333967 PMCID: PMC7768499 DOI: 10.3390/antib9040070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past three decades, a great interest has arisen in the use of immunoglobulins as therapeutic agents. In particular, since the approval of the first monoclonal antibody Rituximab for B cell malignancies, the progress in the antibody-related therapeutic agents has been incremental. Therapeutic antibodies can be applied in a variety of diseases, ranging from cancer to autoimmunity and allergy. All current therapeutic monoclonal antibodies used in the clinic are of the IgG isotype. IgG antibodies can induce the killing of cancer cells by growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, complement activation (CDC) or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by NK cells, antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) by monocytes/macrophages, or trogoptosis by granulocytes. To enhance these effector mechanisms of IgG, protein and glyco-engineering has been successfully applied. As an alternative to IgG, antibodies of the IgA isotype have been shown to be very effective in tumor eradication. Using the IgA-specific receptor FcαRI expressed on myeloid cells, IgA antibodies show superior tumor-killing compared to IgG when granulocytes are employed. However, reasons why IgA has not been introduced in the clinic yet can be found in the intrinsic properties of IgA posing several technical limitations: (1) IgA is challenging to produce and purify, (2) IgA shows a very heterogeneous glycosylation profile, and (3) IgA has a relatively short serum half-life. Next to the technical challenges, pre-clinical evaluation of IgA efficacy in vivo is not straightforward as mice do not naturally express the FcαR. Here, we provide a concise overview of the latest insights in these engineering strategies overcoming technical limitations of IgA as a therapeutic antibody: developability, heterogeneity, and short half-life. In addition, alternative approaches using IgA/IgG hybrid and FcαR-engagers and the impact of engineering on the clinical application of IgA will be discussed.
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Pekar L, Klausz K, Busch M, Valldorf B, Kolmar H, Wesch D, Oberg HH, Krohn S, Boje AS, Gehlert CL, Toleikis L, Krah S, Gupta T, Rabinovich B, Zielonka S, Peipp M. Affinity Maturation of B7-H6 Translates into Enhanced NK Cell-Mediated Tumor Cell Lysis and Improved Proinflammatory Cytokine Release of Bispecific Immunoligands via NKp30 Engagement. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 206:225-236. [PMID: 33268483 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Activating NK cell receptors represent promising target structures to elicit potent antitumor immune responses. In this study, novel immunoligands were generated that bridge the activating NK cell receptor NKp30 on NK cells with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on tumor cells in a bispecific IgG-like format based on affinity-optimized versions of B7-H6 and the Fab arm derived from cetuximab. To enhance NKp30 binding, the solitary N-terminal IgV domain of B7-H6 (ΔB7-H6) was affinity matured by an evolutionary library approach combined with yeast surface display. Biochemical and functional characterization of 36 of these novel ΔB7-H6-derived NK cell engagers revealed an up to 45-fold-enhanced affinity for NKp30 and significantly improved NK cell-mediated, EGFR-dependent killing of tumor cells compared with the NK cell engager based on the wild-type ΔB7-H6 domain. In this regard, potencies (EC50 killing) of the best immunoligands were substantially improved by up to 87-fold. Moreover, release of IFN-γ and TNF-α was significantly increased. Importantly, equipment of the ΔB7-H6-based NK cell engagers with a human IgG1 Fc part competent in Fc receptor binding resulted in an almost 10-fold superior killing of EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells compared with molecules either triggering FcγRIIIa or NKp30. Additionally, INF-γ and TNF-α release was increased compared with molecules solely triggering FcγRIIIa, including the clinically approved Ab cetuximab. Thus, incorporating affinity-matured ligands for NK cell-activating receptors might represent an effective strategy for the generation of potent novel therapeutic agents with unique effector functions in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Pekar
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.,Discovery Pharmacology, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Katja Klausz
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael Busch
- Discovery Pharmacology, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Valldorf
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniela Wesch
- Institute of Immunology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; and
| | - Hans-Heinrich Oberg
- Institute of Immunology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; and
| | - Steffen Krohn
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ammelie Svea Boje
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Carina Lynn Gehlert
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tushar Gupta
- Department of Immuno-oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., Billerica, MA 01821
| | - Brian Rabinovich
- Department of Immuno-oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., Billerica, MA 01821
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Matthias Peipp
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany;
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48
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Bringing the Heavy Chain to Light: Creating a Symmetric, Bivalent IgG-Like Bispecific. Antibodies (Basel) 2020; 9:antib9040062. [PMID: 33172091 PMCID: PMC7709125 DOI: 10.3390/antib9040062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Bispecific molecules are biologically significant, yet their complex structures pose important manufacturing and pharmacokinetic challenges. Nevertheless, owing to similarities with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), IgG-like bispecifics conceptually align well with conventional expression and manufacturing platforms and often exhibit potentially favorable drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) properties. However, IgG-like bispecifics do not possess target bivalency and current designs often require tedious engineering and purification to ensure appropriate chain pairing. Here, we present a near-native IgG antibody format, the 2xVH, which can create bivalency for each target or epitope and requires no engineering for cognate chain pairing. In this modality, two different variable heavy (VH) domains with distinct binding specificities are grafted onto the first constant heavy (CH1) and constant light (CL) domains, conferring the molecule with dual specificity. To determine the versatility of this format, we characterized the expression, binding, and stability of several previously identified soluble human VH domains. By grafting these domains onto an IgG scaffold, we generated several prototype 2xVH IgG and Fab molecules that display similar properties to mAbs. These molecules avoided the post-expression purification necessary for engineered bispecifics while maintaining a capacity for simultaneous dual binding. Hence, the 2xVH format represents a bivalent, bispecific design that addresses limitations of manufacturing IgG-like bispecifics while promoting biologically-relevant dual target engagement.
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49
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Yu P, Knippel A, Onidi M, Paoletti A, Vigna E, Hellmann J, Esdar C. A novel monovalent FGFR1 antagonist: Preclinical safety profiles in rodents and non-human primates. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2020; 406:115215. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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50
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Hinz SC, Elter A, Rammo O, Schwämmle A, Ali A, Zielonka S, Herget T, Kolmar H. A Generic Procedure for the Isolation of pH- and Magnesium-Responsive Chicken scFvs for Downstream Purification of Human Antibodies. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:688. [PMID: 32656201 PMCID: PMC7324474 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Affinity chromatography provides an excellent platform for protein purification, which is a key step in the large scale downstream processing of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (Mabs). Protein A chromatography constitutes the gold standard for Mab purification. However, the required acidic conditions (2.8–3.5) for elution from the affinity matrix limit their applicability, particularly for next generation antibodies and antibody fusion proteins, since denaturation and irreversible aggregation can occur due to the acidic buffer conditions. Here we describe a generic procedure for the generation of antigen-specific chromatography ligands with tailor-made elution conditions. To this end, we generated a scFv-library based on mRNA from a chicken immunized with human Fc. The antibody repertoire was displayed on yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae screened via FACS toward pH- and magnesium-responsive scFvs which specifically recognize human IgG antibodies. Isolated scFvs were reformatted, produced in Escherichia coli and immobilized on NHS-agarose columns. Several scFvs were identified that mediated antibody binding at neutral pH and antibody recovery at pH values of 4.5 and higher or even at neutral pH upon MgCl2 exposure. The iterative screening methodology established here is generally amenable to the straightforward isolation of stimulus-responsive antibodies that may become valuable tools for a variety of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen C Hinz
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Merck Lab @ Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Adrian Elter
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Merck Lab @ Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Oliver Rammo
- Life Science Division, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Ataurehman Ali
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Thomas Herget
- Strategy und Transformation, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Merck Lab @ Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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