1
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González-Sales M, Lennox AL, Huang F, Pamulapati C, Wan Y, Sun L, Berry T, Kelly Behrs M, Feller F, Morcos PN. Population pharmacokinetics of imetelstat, a first-in-class oligonucleotide telomerase inhibitor. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38771074 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Imetelstat is a novel, first-in-class, oligonucleotide telomerase inhibitor in development for the treatment of hematologic malignancies including lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and myelofibrosis. A nonlinear mixed-effects model was developed to characterize the population pharmacokinetics of imetelstat and identify and quantify covariates that contribute to its pharmacokinetic variability. The model was developed using plasma concentrations from 7 clinical studies including 424 patients with solid tumors or hematologic malignancies who received single-agent imetelstat via intravenous infusion at various dose levels (0.4-11.7 mg/kg) and schedules (every week to every 4 weeks). Covariate analysis included factors related to demographics, disease, laboratory results, renal and hepatic function, and antidrug antibodies. Imetelstat was described by a two-compartment, nonlinear disposition model with saturable binding/distribution and dose- and time-dependent elimination from the central compartment. Theory-based allometric scaling for body weight was included in disposition parameters. The final covariates included sex, time, malignancy, and dose on clearance; malignancy and sex on volume of the central compartment; and malignancy and spleen volume on concentration of target. Clearance in females was modestly lower, resulting in nonclinically relevant increases in predicted exposure relative to males. No effects on imetelstat pharmacokinetics were identified for mild-to-moderate hepatic or renal impairment, age, race, and antidrug antibody status. All model parameters were estimated with adequate precision (relative standard error < 29%). Visual predictive checks confirmed the capacity of the model to describe the data. The analysis supports the imetelstat body-weight-based dosing approach and lack of need for dose individualizations for imetelstat-treated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario González-Sales
- Modeling Great Solutions Pharmaceutical Research & Studies, FZE, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ashley L Lennox
- Geron Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey, USA
- Allucent, Cary, North Carolina, USA
| | - Fei Huang
- Geron Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Ying Wan
- Geron Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey, USA
| | - Libo Sun
- Geron Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey, USA
| | | | | | - Faye Feller
- Geron Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey, USA
| | - Peter N Morcos
- Morcos Pharmaceutical Consulting, LLC, Marlboro, New Jersey, USA
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2
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Bäckström E, Bonetti A, Johnsson P, Öhlin S, Dahlén A, Andersson P, Andersson S, Gennemark P. Tissue pharmacokinetics of antisense oligonucleotides. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102133. [PMID: 38419941 PMCID: PMC10899043 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Pharmacokinetics (PK) of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) is characterized by rapid distribution from plasma to tissue and slow terminal plasma elimination driven by re-distribution from tissue. Quantitative understanding of tissue PK and RNA knockdown for various ASO chemistries, conjugations, and administration routes is critical for successful drug discovery. Here, we report concentration-time and RNA knockdown profiles for a gapmer ASO with locked nucleic acid ribose chemistry in mouse liver, kidney, heart, and lung after subcutaneous and intratracheal administration. Additionally, the same ASO with liver targeting conjugation (galactosamine-N-acetyl) is evaluated for subcutaneous administration. Data indicate that exposure and knockdown differ between tissues and strongly depend on administration route and conjugation. In a second study, we show that tissue PK is similar between the three different ribose chemistries locked nucleic acid, constrained ethyl and 2'-O-methoxyethyl, both after subcutaneous and intratracheal administration. Further, we show that the half-life in mouse liver may vary with ASO sequence. Finally, we report less than dose-proportional increase in liver concentration in the dose range of 3-30 μmol/kg. Overall, our studies contribute pivotal data to support design and interpretation of ASO in vivo studies, thereby increasing the probability of delivering novel ASO therapies to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Bäckström
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development, Respiratory & Immunology (R&I), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Bonetti
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Per Johnsson
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Stefan Öhlin
- Business, Planning Operations, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anders Dahlén
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Patrik Andersson
- Safety Innovation, Safety Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Shalini Andersson
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Gennemark
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, 581 85 Linköping, Sweden
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3
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Chen S, Heendeniya SN, Le BT, Rahimizadeh K, Rabiee N, Zahra QUA, Veedu RN. Splice-Modulating Antisense Oligonucleotides as Therapeutics for Inherited Metabolic Diseases. BioDrugs 2024; 38:177-203. [PMID: 38252341 PMCID: PMC10912209 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-024-00644-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The last decade (2013-2023) has seen unprecedented successes in the clinical translation of therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). Eight such molecules have been granted marketing approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) during the decade, after the first ASO drug, fomivirsen, was approved much earlier, in 1998. Splice-modulating ASOs have also been developed for the therapy of inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs), due to their ability to redirect aberrant splicing caused by mutations, thus recovering the expression of normal transcripts, and correcting the deficiency of functional proteins. The feasibility of treating IEM patients with splice-switching ASOs has been supported by FDA permission (2018) of the first "N-of-1" study of milasen, an investigational ASO drug for Batten disease. Although for IEM, owing to the rarity of individual disease and/or pathogenic mutation, only a low number of patients may be treated by ASOs that specifically suppress the aberrant splicing pattern of mutant precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA), splice-switching ASOs represent superior individualized molecular therapeutics for IEM. In this work, we first summarize the ASO technology with respect to its mechanisms of action, chemical modifications of nucleotides, and rational design of modified oligonucleotides; following that, we precisely provide a review of the current understanding of developing splice-modulating ASO-based therapeutics for IEM. In the concluding section, we suggest potential ways to improve and/or optimize the development of ASOs targeting IEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suxiang Chen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Saumya Nishanga Heendeniya
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Bao T Le
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- ProGenis Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Kamal Rahimizadeh
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Navid Rabiee
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Qurat Ul Ain Zahra
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Rakesh N Veedu
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia.
- ProGenis Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
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4
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Elkhashab M, Dilek Y, Foss M, Creemers LB, Howard KA. A Modular Albumin-Oligonucleotide Biomolecular Assembly for Delivery of Antisense Therapeutics. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:491-500. [PMID: 38214218 PMCID: PMC10848253 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00561] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Antisense nucleic acid drugs are susceptible to nuclease degradation, rapid renal clearance, and short circulatory half-life. In this work, we introduce a modular-based recombinant human albumin-oligonucleotide (rHA-cODN) biomolecular assembly that allows incorporation of a chemically stabilized therapeutic gapmer antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and FcRn-driven endothelial cellular recycling. A phosphodiester ODN linker (cODN) was conjugated to recombinant human albumin (rHA) using maleimide chemistry, after which a complementary gapmer ASO, targeting ADAMTS5 involved in osteoarthritis pathogenesis, was annealed. The rHA-cODN/ASO biomolecular assembly production, fluorescence labeling, and purity were confirmed using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. ASO release was triggered by DNase-mediated degradation of the linker strand, reaching 40% in serum after 72 h, with complete release observed following 30 min of incubation with DNase. Cellular internalization and trafficking of the biomolecular assembly using confocal microscopy in C28/I2 cells showed higher uptake and endosomal localization by increasing incubation time from 4 to 24 h. FcRn-mediated cellular recycling of the assembly was demonstrated in FcRn-expressing human microvascular endothelial cells. ADAMTS5 in vitro silencing efficiency reached 40%, which was comparable to free gapmer after 72 h incubation with human osteoarthritis patients' chondrocytes. This work introduces a versatile biomolecular modular-based "Plug-and-Play" platform potentially applicable for albumin-mediated half-life extension for a range of different types of ODN therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Elkhashab
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Yeter Dilek
- Department
of Orthopedics, University Medical Center
Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Morten Foss
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus
C, Denmark
| | - Laura B. Creemers
- Department
of Orthopedics, University Medical Center
Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kenneth A. Howard
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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5
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Kamel A, Owen T, Cole I, Valencia T, Lee EC. Pharmacokinetics and Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion of RGLS4326 in Mouse and Monkey, an Anti-miR-17 Oligonucleotide for the Treatment of Polycystic Kidney Disease. Drug Metab Dispos 2023; 51:1536-1546. [PMID: 37643880 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.123.001446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
RGLS4326 is a short oligonucleotide inhibitor of microRNA-17 (miR-17) that preferentially distributes to the kidney and displaces miR-17 from translationally active polysomes. Here, we present pharmacokinetics and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion properties of RGLS4326 from mice and monkeys. RGLS4326 was absorbed rapidly after subcutaneous administration, distributed extensively to the kidney and liver, with preferential distribution to the kidney, and cleared rapidly from plasma by tissue uptake and renal excretion. Plasma exposure increased in a dose-proportional manner with no notable accumulation after repeat doses. Plasma protein binding of RGLS4326 across all species tested was between 79% and 96%. RGLS4326 predominantly distributed to the kidney with a long half-life (t1/2; t1/2 ranged from 8-11 days) and no marked (≤twofold) accumulation in kidney and liver after repeat doses. RGLS4326 was minimally metabolized by nucleases, not cytochrome P450 (P450) isozymes, across species and underwent sequential hydrolysis from both 3' and 5' ends to produce chain-shortened metabolites. There were no human unique metabolites observed. Renal excretion was the major route of elimination of RGLS4326, and a significant fraction (50%-79%) of the dose was recovered intact in the urine of mice and monkeys across all dose levels. RGLS4326 is not a substrate, inhibitor, or inducer of P450 isozymes, and it is not a substrate or inhibitor of uptake and most efflux transporters. Thus, RGLS4326 exhibits low potential of mediating drug-drug interactions involving P450 isozymes and drug transporters. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Pharmacokinetics (PK) and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties of RGLS4326 were characterized in vivo and in vitro. RGLS4326 shows similar PK and ADME properties across mice and monkeys in vivo and across human and animal matrices in vitro. Subcutaneous administration results in preferential exposure of RGLS4326 to the intended target organ (kidney) to drive maximum target engagement. These studies support the interpretation of toxicology and efficacy studies and help characterize the disposition of RGLS4326 in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Kamel
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Regulus Therapeutics., San Diego, California
| | - Tate Owen
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Regulus Therapeutics., San Diego, California
| | - Izaiah Cole
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Regulus Therapeutics., San Diego, California
| | - Tania Valencia
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Regulus Therapeutics., San Diego, California
| | - Edmund C Lee
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Regulus Therapeutics., San Diego, California
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6
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Berman CL, Antonsson M, Batkai S, Bosgra S, Chopda GR, Driessen W, Foy J, Hassan C, Hu XS, Jang HG, Meena , Sanseverino M, Thum T, Wang Y, Wild M, Wu JT. OSWG Recommended Approaches to the Nonclinical Pharmacokinetic (ADME) Characterization of Therapeutic Oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acid Ther 2023; 33:287-305. [PMID: 37590469 PMCID: PMC10561745 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2023.0011] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
This white paper summarizes the recommendations of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) Subcommittee of the Oligonucleotide Safety Working Group for the characterization of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of oligonucleotide (ON) therapeutics in nonclinical studies. In general, the recommended approach is similar to that for small molecule drugs. However, some differences in timing and/or scope may be warranted due to the greater consistency of results across ON classes as compared with the diversity among small molecule classes. For some types of studies, a platform-based approach may be appropriate; once sufficient data are available for the platform, presentation of these data should be sufficient to support development of additional ONs of the same platform. These recommendations can serve as a starting point for nonclinical study design and foundation for discussions with regulatory agencies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sieto Bosgra
- Independent Consultant, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Girish R. Chopda
- Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Novo Nordisk Company, Lexington, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Meena
- Stoke Therapeutics, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Thomas Thum
- Cardior Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yanfeng Wang
- Formerly of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Martin Wild
- Early Oncology, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jing-Tao Wu
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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7
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Imai S, Suda Y, Mori J, Sasaki Y, Yamada T, Kusano K. Prediction of Human Pharmacokinetics of Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligonucleotides in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Patients Using Viltolarsen. Drug Metab Dispos 2023; 51:1428-1435. [PMID: 37468285 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.123.001425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Several modified antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have recently been approved for clinical use. Some are phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs), which, unlike other nucleic acids, are not negatively charged. Thus, PMOs differ from other ASOs in their pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Drugs with a PMO backbone have been administered to Duchenne muscular dystrophy pediatric patients; however, appropriate methodologies are not currently available to predict their human PK from nonclinical data. In this study, we used viltolarsen as a representative PMO to investigate the applicability of the allometric scaling approach to human PK prediction. We first summarized the nonclinical and clinical PK data for viltolarsen as showing high total clearance, low serum protein binding, metabolic resistance, and urinary excretion as the unchanged drug in both animals and humans. We then investigate the PK of viltolarsen in mice, rats, cynomolgus monkeys, and dogs and used the results, with body weight, to extrapolate to humans by several methods. The estimate of human total clearance obtained from cynomolgus monkeys was the best, and body weight may be the key factor in accurately predicting human total clearance. In contrast, all of the well-known prediction methods for the volume of distribution at steady state gave underestimates. However, the human PK profiles predicted from the PK parameters in cynomolgus monkeys fit the observed human plasma concentrations well. These results are expected to contribute to the further development of PMOs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: We investigated how to predict the human PK of phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers from nonclinical data. The estimates of human PK parameters and profiles determined from cynomolgus monkeys by an allometric scaling approach were the most suitable, and the cynomolgus monkey body weight may be the key factor in accurately predicting human total clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunji Imai
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Department, Discovery Research Laboratories, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yusuke Suda
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Department, Discovery Research Laboratories, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan
| | - Jumpei Mori
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Department, Discovery Research Laboratories, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Sasaki
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Department, Discovery Research Laboratories, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tetsuhiro Yamada
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Department, Discovery Research Laboratories, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazutomi Kusano
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Department, Discovery Research Laboratories, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan
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8
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Jones A, Al-Horani RA. Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Major Orthopedic Surgeries and Factor XIa Inhibitors. Med Sci (Basel) 2023; 11:49. [PMID: 37606428 PMCID: PMC10443384 DOI: 10.3390/medsci11030049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), comprising pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), poses a significant risk during and after hospitalization, particularly for surgical patients. Among various patient groups, those undergoing major orthopedic surgeries are considered to have a higher susceptibility to PE and DVT. Major lower-extremity orthopedic procedures carry a higher risk of symptomatic VTE compared to most other surgeries, with an estimated incidence of ~4%. The greatest risk period occurs within the first 7-14 days following surgery. Major bleeding is also more prevalent in these surgeries compared to others, with rates estimated between 2% and 4%. For patients undergoing major lower-extremity orthopedic surgery who have a low bleeding risk, it is recommended to use pharmacological thromboprophylaxis with or without mechanical devices. The choice of the initial agent depends on the specific surgery and patient comorbidities. First-line options include low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs), direct oral anticoagulants, and aspirin. Second-line options consist of unfractionated heparin (UFH), fondaparinux, and warfarin. For most patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty, the initial agents recommended for the early perioperative period are LMWHs (enoxaparin or dalteparin) or direct oral anticoagulants (rivaroxaban or apixaban). In the case of hip fracture surgery, LMWH is recommended as the preferred agent for the entire duration of prophylaxis. However, emerging factor XI(a) inhibitors, as revealed by a recent meta-analysis, have shown a substantial decrease in the occurrence of VTE and bleeding events among patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery. This discovery poses a challenge to the existing paradigm of anticoagulant therapy in this specific patient population and indicates that factor XI(a) inhibitors hold great promise as a potential strategy to be taken into serious consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rami A. Al-Horani
- Division of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA;
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9
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Dowerah D, V. N. Uppuladinne M, Sarma PJ, Biswakarma N, Sonavane UB, Joshi RR, Ray SK, Namsa ND, Deka RC. Design of LNA Analogues Using a Combined Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics Approach for RNA Therapeutics. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:22382-22405. [PMID: 37396274 PMCID: PMC10308574 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Antisense therapeutics treat a wide spectrum of diseases, many of which cannot be addressed with the current drug technologies. In the quest to design better antisense oligonucleotide drugs, we propose five novel LNA analogues (A1-A5) for modifying antisense oligonucleotides and establishing each with the five standard nucleic acids: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U). Monomer nucleotides of these modifications were considered for a detailed Density Functional Theory (DFT)-based quantum chemical analysis to determine their molecular-level structural and electronic properties. A detailed MD simulation study was done on a 14-mer ASO (5'-CTTAGCACTGGCCT-3') containing these modifications targeting PTEN mRNA. Results from both molecular- and oligomer-level analysis clearly depicted LNA-level stability of the modifications, the ASO/RNA duplexes maintaining stable Watson-Crick base pairing preferring RNA-mimicking A-form duplexes. Notably, monomer MO isosurfaces for both purines and pyrimidines were majorly distributed on the nucleobase region in modifications A1 and A2 and in the bridging unit in modifications A3, A4, and A5, suggesting that A3/RNA, A4/RNA, and A5/RNA duplexes interact more with the RNase H and solvent environment. Accordingly, solvation of A3/RNA, A4/RNA, and A5/RNA duplexes was higher compared to that of LNA/RNA, A1/RNA, and A2/RNA duplexes. This study has resulted in a successful archetype for creating advantageous nucleic acid modifications tailored for particular needs, fulfilling a useful purpose of designing novel antisense modifications, which may overcome the drawbacks and improve the pharmacokinetics of existing LNA antisense modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dikshita Dowerah
- CMML—Catalysis
and Molecular Modelling Lab, Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784 028, India
| | - Mallikarjunachari V. N. Uppuladinne
- HPC—Medical
& Bioinformatics Applications Group, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Panchavati, Pashan, Pune 411008, India
| | - Plaban J. Sarma
- CMML—Catalysis
and Molecular Modelling Lab, Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784 028, India
- Department
of Chemistry, Gargaon College, Sivasagar, Assam 785685, India
| | - Nishant Biswakarma
- CMML—Catalysis
and Molecular Modelling Lab, Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784 028, India
| | - Uddhavesh B. Sonavane
- HPC—Medical
& Bioinformatics Applications Group, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Panchavati, Pashan, Pune 411008, India
| | - Rajendra R. Joshi
- HPC—Medical
& Bioinformatics Applications Group, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Panchavati, Pashan, Pune 411008, India
| | - Suvendra K. Ray
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784028, India
- Center
for Multidisciplinary Research, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784028, India
| | - Nima D. Namsa
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784028, India
- Center
for Multidisciplinary Research, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784028, India
| | - Ramesh Ch. Deka
- CMML—Catalysis
and Molecular Modelling Lab, Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784 028, India
- Center
for Multidisciplinary Research, Tezpur University, Napaam, Sonitpur, Assam 784028, India
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10
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Greco A, Laudani C, Spagnolo M, Agnello F, Faro DC, Finocchiaro S, Legnazzi M, Mauro MS, Mazzone PM, Occhipinti G, Rochira C, Scalia L, Capodanno D. Pharmacology and Clinical Development of Factor XI Inhibitors. Circulation 2023; 147:897-913. [PMID: 36913497 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.122.062353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic anticoagulation is indicated for a variety of circumstances and conditions in several fields of medicine to prevent or treat venous and arterial thromboembolism. According to the different mechanisms of action, the available parenteral and oral anticoagulant drugs share the common principle of hampering or blocking key steps of the coagulation cascade, which unavoidably comes at the price of an increased propensity to bleed. Hemorrhagic complications affect patient prognosis both directly and indirectly (ie, by preventing the adoption of an effective antithrombotic strategy). Inhibition of factor XI (FXI) has emerged as a strategy with the potential to uncouple the pharmacological effect and the adverse events of anticoagulant therapy. This observation is based on the differential contribution of FXI to thrombus amplification, in which it plays a major role, and hemostasis, in which it plays an ancillary role in final clot consolidation. Several agents were developed to inhibit FXI at different stages (ie, suppressing biosynthesis, preventing zymogen activation, or impeding the biological action of the active form), including antisense oligonucleotides, monoclonal antibodies, small synthetic molecules, natural peptides, and aptamers. Phase 2 studies of different classes of FXI inhibitors in orthopedic surgery suggested that dose-dependent reductions in thrombotic complications are not paralleled by dose-dependent increases in bleeding compared with low-molecular-weight heparin. Likewise, the FXI inhibitor asundexian was associated with lower rates of bleeding compared with the activated factor X inhibitor apixaban in patients with atrial fibrillation, although no evidence of a therapeutic effect on stroke prevention is available so far. FXI inhibition could also be appealing for patients with other conditions, including end-stage renal disease, noncardioembolic stroke, or acute myocardial infarction, for which other phase 2 studies have been conducted. The balance between thromboprophylaxis and bleeding achieved by FXI inhibitors needs confirmation in large-scale phase 3 clinical trials powered for clinical end points. Several of such trials are ongoing or planned to define the role of FXI inhibitors in clinical practice and to clarify which FXI inhibitor may be most suited for each clinical indication. This article reviews the rationale, pharmacology, results of medium or small phase 2 studies, and future perspectives of drugs inhibiting FXI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Greco
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Claudio Laudani
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Spagnolo
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Federica Agnello
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | | | - Simone Finocchiaro
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Legnazzi
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Sara Mauro
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | | | | | - Carla Rochira
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Scalia
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - Davide Capodanno
- A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
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11
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Takakusa H, Iwazaki N, Nishikawa M, Yoshida T, Obika S, Inoue T. Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics of Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapeutics: Typical Profiles, Evaluation Approaches, and Points to Consider Compared with Small Molecule Drugs. Nucleic Acid Ther 2023; 33:83-94. [PMID: 36735616 PMCID: PMC10066781 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2022.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide therapeutics are attracting attention as a new treatment modality for a range of diseases that have been difficult to target using conventional approaches. Technical advances in chemical modification and drug delivery systems have led to the generation of compounds with excellent profiles as pharmaceuticals, and 16 oligonucleotide therapeutics have been marketed to date. There is a growing need to develop optimal and efficient approaches to evaluate drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) and drug-drug interactions (DDIs) of oligonucleotide therapeutics. The DMPK/DDI profiles of small molecule drugs are highly diverse depending on their structural and physicochemical characteristics, whereas oligonucleotide therapeutics share similar DMPK profiles within each chemistry type. Most importantly, the mechanisms and molecules involved in the distribution and metabolism of oligonucleotides differ from those of small molecules. In addition, there are considerations regarding experimental approaches in the evaluation of oligonucleotides, such as bioanalytical challenges, the use of radiolabeled tracers, materials for in vitro metabolism/DDI studies, and methods to study biodistribution. In this review, we attempt to summarize the DMPK characteristics of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutics and discuss some of the issues regarding how to optimize the evaluation and prediction of the DMPK and DDI of ASOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Takakusa
- Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratories, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norihiko Iwazaki
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Makiya Nishikawa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | - Tokuyuki Yoshida
- Division of Molecular Target and Gene Therapy Products, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Satoshi Obika
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Takao Inoue
- Division of Molecular Target and Gene Therapy Products, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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12
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Goyenvalle A, Jimenez-Mallebrera C, van Roon W, Sewing S, Krieg AM, Arechavala-Gomeza V, Andersson P. Considerations in the Preclinical Assessment of the Safety of Antisense Oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acid Ther 2023; 33:1-16. [PMID: 36579950 PMCID: PMC9940817 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2022.0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleic acid therapeutics field has made tremendous progress in the past decades. Continuous advances in chemistry and design have led to many successful clinical applications, eliciting even more interest from researchers including both academic groups and drug development companies. Many preclinical studies in the field focus on improving the delivery of antisense oligonucleotide drugs (ONDs) and/or assessing their efficacy in target tissues, often neglecting the evaluation of toxicity, at least in early phases of development. A series of consensus recommendations regarding regulatory considerations and expectations have been generated by the Oligonucleotide Safety Working Group and the Japanese Research Working Group for the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use S6 and Related Issues (WGS6) in several white papers. However, safety aspects should also be kept in sight in earlier phases while screening and designing OND to avoid subsequent failure in the development phase. Experts and members of the network "DARTER," a COST Action funded by the Cooperation in Science and Technology of the EU, have utilized their collective experience working with OND, as well as their insights into OND-mediated toxicities, to generate a series of consensus recommendations to assess OND toxicity in early stages of preclinical research. In the past few years, several publications have described predictive assays, which can be used to assess OND-mediated toxicity in vitro or ex vivo to filter out potential toxic candidates before moving to in vivo phases of preclinical development, that is, animal toxicity studies. These assays also have the potential to provide translational insight since they allow a safety evaluation in human in vitro systems. Yet, small preliminary in vivo studies should also be considered to complement this early assessment. In this study, we summarize the state of the art and provide guidelines and recommendations on the different tests available for these early stage preclinical assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Goyenvalle
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, END-ICAP, Versailles, France.,Address correspondence to: Aurélie Goyenvalle, PhD, Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, END-ICAP, Versailles 78000, France
| | - Cecilia Jimenez-Mallebrera
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.,Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Genética, Microbiología y Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Willeke van Roon
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sabine Sewing
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arthur M. Krieg
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Virginia Arechavala-Gomeza
- Neuromuscular Disorders, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Patrik Andersson
- Safety Innovation, Safety Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Address correspondence to: Patrik Andersson, PhD, Safety Innovation, Safety Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, Gothenburg 431 83, Sweden
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13
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Jo SJ, Chae SU, Lee CB, Bae SK. Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Approved RNA Therapeutics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24010746. [PMID: 36614189 PMCID: PMC9821128 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010746] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA-mediated drugs are a rapidly growing class of therapeutics. Over the last five years, the list of FDA-approved RNA therapeutics has expanded owing to their unique targets and prolonged pharmacological effects. Their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) have important clinical im-plications, but their pharmacokinetic properties have not been fully understood. Most RNA therapeutics have structural modifications to prevent rapid elimination from the plasma and are administered intravenously or subcutaneously, with some exceptions, for effective distribution to target organs. Distribution of drugs into tissues depends on the addition of a moiety that can be transported to the target and RNA therapeutics show a low volume of distribution because of their molecular size and negatively-charged backbone. Nucleases metabolize RNA therapeutics to a shortened chain, but their metabolic ratio is relatively low. Therefore, most RNA therapeutics are excreted in their intact form. This review covers not only ADME features but also clinical pharmacology data of the RNA therapeutics such as drug-drug interaction or population pharmacokinetic analyses. As the market of RNA therapeutics is expected to rapidly expand, comprehensive knowledge will contribute to interpreting and evaluating the pharmacological properties.
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14
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Bioanalysis of Oligonucleotide by LC-MS: Effects of Ion Pairing Regents and Recent Advances in Ion-Pairing-Free Analytical Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415474. [PMID: 36555119 PMCID: PMC9779676 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415474] [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: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotides (OGNs) are relatively new modalities that offer unique opportunities to expand the therapeutic targets. Reliable and high-throughput bioanalytical methods are pivotal for preclinical and clinical investigations of therapeutic OGNs. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is now evolving into being the method of choice for the bioanalysis of OGNs. Ion paring reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC) has been widely used in sample preparation and LC-MS analysis of OGNs; however, there are technical issues associated with these methods. IP-free methods, such as hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and anion-exchange techniques, have emerged as promising approaches for the bioanalysis of OGNs. In this review, the state-of-the-art IP-RPLC-MS bioanalytical methods of OGNs and their metabolites published in the past 10 years (2012-2022) are critically reviewed. Recent advances in IP-reagent-free LC-MS bioanalysis methods are discussed. Finally, we describe future opportunities for developing new methods that can be used for the comprehensive bioanalysis of OGNs.
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15
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Han K, Theodore D, McMullen G, Swayze E, McCaleb M, Billioud G, Wieland S, Hood S, Paff M, Bennett CF, Kwoh TJ. Preclinical and Phase 1 Assessment of Antisense Oligonucleotide Bepirovirsen in Hepatitis B Virus-Transgenic Mice and Healthy Human Volunteers: Support for Clinical Dose Selection and Evaluation of Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Single and Multiple Doses. Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev 2022; 11:1191-1202. [PMID: 35971951 DOI: 10.1002/cpdd.1154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Dose-dependent reductions in hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA, DNA, and viral proteins following bepirovirsen administration were observed in HepG2.2.15 cells. In HBV-transgenic mice treated at 50 mg/kg/wk, hepatic HBV RNA and DNA were reduced by 90% and 99%, respectively. Subsequently, a phase 1 first-in-human study assessed pharmacokinetics and tolerability of single (75-450 mg) and multiple (150-450 mg on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, and 22) subcutaneous bepirovirsen doses in 96 healthy volunteers. Bepirovirsen at all dose levels was rapidly absorbed (maximum plasma concentration 3-8 hours after dosing), rapidly distributed to peripheral tissues, and slowly eliminated (median plasma terminal half-life: 22.5-24.6 days across cohorts). Plasma exposure (dose-proportional at 150-450 mg) and concentration-time profiles were similar following the first and sixth doses, suggesting little to no plasma accumulation (steady state achieved by day 22). Renal elimination of full-length bepirovirsen accounted for <2% of the total dose. Across the single and multiple dose cohorts, 197 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported, with 99% and 65% classified as mild in severity and local injection site reactions, respectively. In conclusion, bepirovirsen showed an acceptable safety profile in humans with observed pharmacokinetics consistent with the chemical class, warranting further evaluation of bepirovirsen in chronic HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gina McMullen
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Eric Swayze
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | | | | | - Stefan Wieland
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - T Jesse Kwoh
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
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16
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Vaillant A. Oligonucleotide-Based Therapies for Chronic HBV Infection: A Primer on Biochemistry, Mechanisms and Antiviral Effects. Viruses 2022; 14:v14092052. [PMID: 36146858 PMCID: PMC9502277 DOI: 10.3390/v14092052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Three types of oligonucleotide-based medicines are under clinical development for the treatment of chronic HBV infection. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and synthetic interfering RNA (siRNA) are designed to degrade HBV mRNA, and nucleic acid polymers (NAPs) stop the assembly and secretion of HBV subviral particles. Extensive clinical development of ASOs and siRNA for a variety of liver diseases has established a solid understanding of their pharmacodynamics, accumulation in different tissue types in the liver, pharmacological effects, off-target effects and how chemical modifications and delivery approaches affect these parameters. These effects are highly conserved for all ASO and siRNA used in human studies to date. The clinical assessment of several ASO and siRNA compounds in chronic HBV infection in recent years is complicated by the different delivery approaches used. Moreover, these assessments have not considered the large clinical database of ASO/siRNA function in other liver diseases and known off target effects in other viral infections. The goal of this review is to summarize the current understanding of ASO/siRNA/NAP pharmacology and integrate these concepts into current clinical results for these compounds in the treatment of chronic HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Vaillant
- Replicor Inc., 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC H4P 2R2, Canada
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17
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Studzińska S, Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska M, Buszewski B. Development of the Method for Nusinersen and Its Metabolites Identification in the Serum Samples of Children Treated with Spinraza for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710166. [PMID: 36077568 PMCID: PMC9456300 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of oligonucleotides as drugs for different genetic diseases is increasing rapidly. Since 2016 they are used during spinal muscular atrophy treatment with the use of nusinersen oligonucleotide. The purpose of this study was to improve methods for the analysis of serum samples of patients treated with nusinersen. The results showed that liquid-liquid extraction (with phenol/chloroform) is insufficient and an additional purification step using solid-phase extraction is necessary. The best results were obtained for microextraction by packed sorbents. Important parameters in the optimization of the method were mainly the type of amine in the mobile phase and the stationary phase. Both influenced the selectivity of metabolite separation and thus their correct identification; while amine type impacted also the intensity of signals. Finally, the highest resolution of separation and the highest peak areas were obtained for N,N-dimethylbutylamine or N,N-diisopropylthylamine with an octadecyl column with a terminal aryl group. Over a dozen of metabolites were successfully identified with the use of methods developed during the study. The 3′ exonucleases and 5′ exonucleases were mainly responsible for nusinersen metabolism, consequently, 3′end shortmers, and 5′end shortmers were observed, as well as metabolites with simultaneous loss of bases at both ends of the sequence. However, some depurination and depyrimidination products were also identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on nusinersen and its metabolite identification in serum samples by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Studzińska
- Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 7 Gagarin Str., PL-87-100 Toruń, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-56-6114753
| | | | - Bogusław Buszewski
- Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 7 Gagarin Str., PL-87-100 Toruń, Poland
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18
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Chen R, Lin S, Chen X. The promising novel therapies for familial hypercholesterolemia. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24552. [PMID: 35712827 PMCID: PMC9279988 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is high. In recent years, novel therapeutic modalities have shown significant lipid‐lowering ability. In this paper, we summarize the recent developments in novel therapies for FH via the treatment of different targets and discuss the characteristics of each targeted therapy. Based on the process of protein synthesis, we attempt to summarize the direct‐effect targets including protein, RNA, and DNA. Methods For this systematic review, relevant studies are assessed by searching in several databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The publications of original researches are considered for screening. Results Most drugs are protein‐targeted such as molecule‐based and monoclonal antibodies, including statins, ezetimibe, alirocumab, evolocumab, and evinacumab. Both antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) approaches, such as mipomersen, vupanorsen, inclisiran, and ARO‐ANG3, are designed to reduce the number of mRNA transcripts and then degrade proteins. DNA‐targeted therapies such as adeno‐associated virus or CRISPR–Cas9 modification could be used to deliver or edit genes to address a genetic deficiency and improve the related phenotype. Conclusion While the therapies based on different targets including protein, RNA, and DNA are on different stages of development, the mechanisms of these novel therapies may provide new ideas for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Chen
- School of Medicine of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shaoyi Lin
- The Affiliated Ningbo First Hospital, School of Medicine of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xiaomin Chen
- The Affiliated Ningbo First Hospital, School of Medicine of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.,Ningbo First Hospital Affiliated to School of Medicine of Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China
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19
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Kaburagi H, Nagata T, Enomoto M, Hirai T, Ohyagi M, Ihara K, Yoshida-Tanaka K, Ebihara S, Asada K, Yokoyama H, Okawa A, Yokota T. Systemic DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide administration for regulating the gene expression of dorsal root ganglion and sciatic nerve. MOLECULAR THERAPY - NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 28:910-919. [PMID: 35694210 PMCID: PMC9167871 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain, a heterogeneous condition, affects 7%–10% of the general population. To date, efficacious and safe therapeutic approaches remain limited. Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy has opened the door to treat spinal muscular atrophy, with many ongoing clinical studies determining its therapeutic utility. ASO therapy for neuropathic pain and peripheral nerve disease requires efficient gene delivery and knockdown in both the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and sciatic nerve, key tissues for pain signaling. We previously developed a new DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide (HDO) technology that achieves highly efficient gene knockdown in the liver. Here, we demonstrated that intravenous injection of HDO, comprising an ASO and its complementary RNA conjugated to α-tocopherol, silences endogenous gene expression more than 2-fold in the DRG, and sciatic nerve with higher potency, efficacy, and broader distribution than ASO alone. Of note, we observed drastic target suppression in all sizes of neuronal DRG populations by in situ hybridization. Our findings establish HDO delivery as an investigative and potentially therapeutic platform for neuropathic pain and peripheral nerve disease.
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20
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Lai Y, Chu X, Di L, Gao W, Guo Y, Liu X, Lu C, Mao J, Shen H, Tang H, Xia CQ, Zhang L, Ding X. Recent advances in the translation of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics science for drug discovery and development. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:2751-2777. [PMID: 35755285 PMCID: PMC9214059 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) is an important branch of pharmaceutical sciences. The nature of ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) and PK (pharmacokinetics) inquiries during drug discovery and development has evolved in recent years from being largely descriptive to seeking a more quantitative and mechanistic understanding of the fate of drug candidates in biological systems. Tremendous progress has been made in the past decade, not only in the characterization of physiochemical properties of drugs that influence their ADME, target organ exposure, and toxicity, but also in the identification of design principles that can minimize drug-drug interaction (DDI) potentials and reduce the attritions. The importance of membrane transporters in drug disposition, efficacy, and safety, as well as the interplay with metabolic processes, has been increasingly recognized. Dramatic increases in investments on new modalities beyond traditional small and large molecule drugs, such as peptides, oligonucleotides, and antibody-drug conjugates, necessitated further innovations in bioanalytical and experimental tools for the characterization of their ADME properties. In this review, we highlight some of the most notable advances in the last decade, and provide future perspectives on potential major breakthroughs and innovations in the translation of DMPK science in various stages of drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurong Lai
- Drug Metabolism, Gilead Sciences Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Chu
- Department of Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - Li Di
- Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - Yingying Guo
- Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46221, USA
| | - Xingrong Liu
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Biogen, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Chuang Lu
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Accent Therapeutics, Inc. Lexington, MA 02421, USA
| | - Jialin Mao
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Hong Shen
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Department, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Huaping Tang
- Bioanalysis and Biomarkers, Glaxo Smith Kline, King of the Prussia, PA 19406, USA
| | - Cindy Q. Xia
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Office of Research and Standards, Office of Generic Drugs, CDER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Xinxin Ding
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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21
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Andersson P. Preclinical Safety Assessment of Therapeutic Oligonucleotides. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2434:355-370. [PMID: 35213031 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2010-6_25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
During the last decade, therapeutic oligonucleotide drugs (OND) have witnessed a tremendous development in chemistry and mechanistic understanding that have translated into successful clinical applications. Depending on the specific OND mechanism, chemistry, and design, the DMPK and toxicity properties can vary significantly between different OND classes and delivery approaches, the latter including lipid formulations or conjugation approaches to enhance productive OND uptake. At the same time, with the only difference between compounds being the nucleobase sequence, ONDs with same mechanism of action, chemistry, and design show relatively consistent behavior, allowing certain extrapolations between compounds within an OND class. This chapter provides a summary of the most common toxicities, the improved mechanistic understanding and the safety assessment activities performed for therapeutic oligonucleotides during the drug discovery and development process. Several of the considerations described for therapeutic applications should also be of value for the scientists mainly using oligonucleotides as research tools to explore various biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Andersson
- Safety Innovation, Safety Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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22
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Chen Z, Ling L, Shi X, Li W, Zhai H, Kang Z, Zheng B, Zhu J, Ye S, Wang H, Tong L, Ni J, Huang C, Li Y, Zheng K. Microinjection of antisense oligonucleotides into living mouse testis enables lncRNA function study. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:213. [PMID: 34920761 PMCID: PMC8684201 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00717-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been the focus of ongoing research in a diversity of cellular processes. LncRNAs are abundant in mammalian testis, but their biological function remains poorly known. Results Here, we established an antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs)-based targeting approach that can efficiently knock down lncRNA in living mouse testis. We cloned the full-length transcript of lncRNA Tsx (testis-specific X-linked) and defined its testicular localization pattern. Microinjection of ASOs through seminiferous tubules in vivo significantly lowered the Tsx levels in both nucleus and cytoplasm. This effect lasted no less than 10 days, conducive to the generation and maintenance of phenotype. Importantly, ASOs performed better in depleting the nuclear Tsx and sustained longer effect than small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). In addition to the observation of an elevated number of apoptotic germ cells upon ASOs injection, which recapitulates the documented description of Tsx knockout, we also found a specific loss of meiotic spermatocytes despite overall no impact on meiosis and male fertility. Conclusions Our study detailed the characterization of Tsx and illustrates ASOs as an advantageous tool to functionally interrogate lncRNAs in spermatogenesis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13578-021-00717-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaohui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaolian Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Wu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Huicong Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhenlong Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Bangjin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Suni Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Lingxiu Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Ni
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, 310015, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chaoyang Huang
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310014, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China.
| | - Ke Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China.
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Nagata T, Dwyer CA, Yoshida-Tanaka K, Ihara K, Ohyagi M, Kaburagi H, Miyata H, Ebihara S, Yoshioka K, Ishii T, Miyata K, Miyata K, Powers B, Igari T, Yamamoto S, Arimura N, Hirabayashi H, Uchihara T, Hara RI, Wada T, Bennett CF, Seth PP, Rigo F, Yokota T. Cholesterol-functionalized DNA/RNA heteroduplexes cross the blood-brain barrier and knock down genes in the rodent CNS. Nat Biotechnol 2021; 39:1529-1536. [PMID: 34385691 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-021-00972-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Achieving regulation of endogenous gene expression in the central nervous system (CNS) with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) administered systemically would facilitate the development of ASO-based therapies for neurological diseases. We demonstrate that DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotides (HDOs) conjugated to cholesterol or α-tocopherol at the 5' end of the RNA strand reach the CNS after subcutaneous or intravenous administration in mice and rats. The HDOs distribute throughout the brain, spinal cord and peripheral tissues and suppress the expression of four target genes by up to 90% in the CNS, whereas single-stranded ASOs conjugated to cholesterol have limited activity. Gene knockdown was observed in major CNS cell types and was greatest in neurons and microglial cells. Side effects, such as thrombocytopenia and focal brain necrosis, were limited by using subcutaneous delivery or by dividing intravenous injections. By crossing the blood-brain barrier more effectively, cholesterol-conjugated HDOs may overcome the limited efficacy of ASOs targeting the CNS without requiring intrathecal administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Nagata
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Kie Yoshida-Tanaka
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensuke Ihara
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Ohyagi
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Kaburagi
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruka Miyata
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoe Ebihara
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Yoshioka
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Ishii
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kanjiro Miyata
- Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Miyata
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | | | - Tomoko Igari
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | | | - Naoto Arimura
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | | | - Toshiki Uchihara
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rintaro Iwata Hara
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | - Takeshi Wada
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | | | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Takanori Yokota
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. .,Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
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24
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Barroso‐Gil M, Olinger E, Ramsbottom SA, Molinari E, Miles CG, Sayer JA. Update of genetic variants in CEP120 and CC2D2A-With an emphasis on genotype-phenotype correlations, tissue specific transcripts and exploring mutation specific exon skipping therapies. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021; 9:e1603. [PMID: 33486889 PMCID: PMC8683696 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1603] [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: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in ciliary genes cause a spectrum of both overlapping and distinct clinical syndromes (ciliopathies). CEP120 and CC2D2A are paradigmatic examples for this genetic heterogeneity and pleiotropy as mutations in both cause Joubert syndrome but are also associated with skeletal ciliopathies and Meckel syndrome, respectively. The molecular basis for this phenotypical variability is not understood but basal exon skipping likely contributes to tolerance for deleterious mutations via tissue-specific preservation of the amount of expressed functional protein. METHODS We systematically reviewed and annotated genetic variants and clinical presentations reported in CEP120- and CC2D2A-associated disease and we combined in silico and ex vivo approaches to study tissue-specific transcripts and identify molecular targets for exon skipping. RESULTS We confirmed more severe clinical presentations associated with truncating CC2D2A mutations. We identified and confirmed basal exon skipping in the kidney, with possible relevance for organ-specific disease manifestations. Finally, we proposed a multimodal approach to classify exons amenable to exon skipping. By mapping reported variants, 14 truncating mutations in 7 CC2D2A exons were identified as potentially rescuable by targeted exon skipping, an approach that is already in clinical use for other inherited human diseases. CONCLUSION Genotype-phenotype correlations for CC2D2A support the deleteriousness of null alleles and CC2D2A, but not CEP120, offers potential for therapeutic exon skipping approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Barroso‐Gil
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
| | - Eric Olinger
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
| | - Simon A. Ramsbottom
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
| | - Elisa Molinari
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
| | - Colin G. Miles
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
| | - John A. Sayer
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
- Renal ServicesThe Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNewcastle Upon TyneUK
- NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research CentreNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
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25
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Edelmann MR, Husser C, Duschmalé MB, Fischer G, Senn C, Koller E, Brink A. Tritium labeling of antisense oligonucleotides via different conjugation agents. AAPS OPEN 2021. [DOI: 10.1186/s41120-021-00040-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractA novel approach to tritium-labeled antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) was established by conjugating N-succinimidyl propionate, as well as maleimide-derivatives, to the 3′-end of ASOs targeting metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (Malat1) containing amino- or sulfhydryl-linkers. In vitro stability and Malat1 RNA reduction studies demonstrated that N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) could be used as a stable tag while maintaining the desired target interaction. The corresponding radioactive label conjugation using [3H]-NEM resulted in tritium-labeled ASOs with a high molar specific activity of up to 17 Ci/mmol. Single-dose in vivo studies in mice were carried out to compare [3H]-ASOs with their unlabeled counterpart ASOs, with and without conjugation to N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), for tissue and plasma concentrations time profiles. Despite the structural modification of the labeled ASOs, in vitro target interaction and in vivo pharmacokinetic behaviors were similar to that of the unlabeled ASOs. In conclusion, this new method provides a powerful technique for fast and safe access to tritium-labeled oligonucleotides, e.g., for pharmacokinetic, mass balance, or autoradiography studies.
Graphical abstract
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26
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Kapustin AN, Davey P, Longmire D, Matthews C, Linnane E, Rustogi N, Stavrou M, Devine PWA, Bond NJ, Hanson L, Sonzini S, Revenko A, MacLeod AR, Ross S, Chiarparin E, Puri S. Antisense oligonucleotide activity in tumour cells is influenced by intracellular LBPA distribution and extracellular vesicle recycling. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1241. [PMID: 34725463 PMCID: PMC8560811 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02772-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Next generation modified antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are commercially approved new therapeutic modalities, yet poor productive uptake and endosomal entrapment in tumour cells limit their broad application. Here we compare intracellular traffic of anti KRAS antisense oligonucleotide (AZD4785) in tumour cell lines PC9 and LK2, with good and poor productive uptake, respectively. We find that the majority of AZD4785 is rapidly delivered to CD63+late endosomes (LE) in both cell lines. Importantly, lysobisphosphatidic acid (LBPA) that triggers ASO LE escape is presented in CD63+LE in PC9 but not in LK2 cells. Moreover, both cell lines recycle AZD4785 in extracellular vesicles (EVs); however, AZD4785 quantification by advanced mass spectrometry and proteomic analysis reveals that LK2 recycles more AZD4785 and RNA-binding proteins. Finally, stimulating LBPA intracellular production or blocking EV recycling enhances AZD4785 activity in LK2 but not in PC9 cells thus offering a possible strategy to enhance ASO potency in tumour cells with poor productive uptake of ASOs. Kapustin et al. investigate the intracellular trafficking of anti-KRAS antisense oligonucleotides. They show that the oligonucleotide AZD4785 is recycled via late endosomes in extracellular vesicles in both cells with poor and good oligo productive uptake, and that inducing lysobisphosphatidic acid in late endosomes or blocking EV recycling enhance AZD4785 activity in cells with poor productive uptake, potentially offering improved treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander N Kapustin
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Paul Davey
- Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Longmire
- Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carl Matthews
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emily Linnane
- Bioscience, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nitin Rustogi
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Maria Stavrou
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul W A Devine
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicholas J Bond
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lyndsey Hanson
- Bioscience, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, UK
| | - Silvia Sonzini
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Sarah Ross
- Bioscience, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Sanyogitta Puri
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
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27
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Shadid M, Badawi M, Abulrob A. Antisense oligonucleotides: absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2021; 17:1281-1292. [PMID: 34643122 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2021.1992382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have emerged as a promising novel drug modality that aims to address unmet medical needs. A record of six ASO drugs have been approved since 2016, and more candidates are in clinical development. ASOs are the most advanced class within the RNA-based therapeutics field. AREAS COVERED This review highlights the two major backbones that are currently used to build the most advanced ASO platforms - the phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) and the phosphorothioates (PSs). The absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties of the PMO and PS platforms are discussed in detail. EXPERT OPINION Understanding the ADME properties of existing ASOs can foster further improvement of this cutting-edge therapy, thereby enabling researchers to safely develop ASO drugs and enhancing their ability to innovate. ABBREVIATIONS 2'-MOE, 2'-O-methoxyethyl; 2'PS, 2 modified PS; ADME, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion; ASO, antisense oligonucleotide; AUC, area under the curve; BNA, bridged nucleic acid; CPP, cell-penetrating peptide; CMV, cytomegalovirus; CNS, central nervous system; CYP, cytochrome P; DDI, drug-drug interaction; DMD, Duchenne muscular dystrophy; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; GalNAc3, triantennary N-acetyl galactosamine; IT, intrathecal; IV, intravenous; LNA, locked nucleic acid; mRNA, messenger RNA; NA, not applicable; PBPK, physiologically based pharmacokinetics; PD, pharmacodynamic; PK, pharmacokinetic; PMO, phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer; PMOplus, PMOs with positionally specific positive molecular charges; PPMO, peptide-conjugated PMO; PS, phosphorothioate; SC, subcutaneous; siRNA, small-interfering RNA; SMA, spinal muscular atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Shadid
- Nonclinical Development, Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mohamed Badawi
- Clinical Pharmacology Fellow, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Abedelnasser Abulrob
- Senior Research Officer, Human Health Therapeutics Centre, Translational Bioscience, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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28
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Anderson BA, Freestone GC, Low A, De-Hoyos CL, Iii WJD, Østergaard ME, Migawa MT, Fazio M, Wan WB, Berdeja A, Scandalis E, Burel SA, Vickers TA, Crooke ST, Swayze EE, Liang X, Seth PP. Towards next generation antisense oligonucleotides: mesylphosphoramidate modification improves therapeutic index and duration of effect of gapmer antisense oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9026-9041. [PMID: 34417625 PMCID: PMC8450106 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The PS modification enhances the nuclease stability and protein binding properties of gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and is one of very few modifications that support RNaseH1 activity. We evaluated the effect of introducing stereorandom and chiral mesyl-phosphoramidate (MsPA) linkages in the DNA gap and flanks of gapmer PS ASOs and characterized the effect of these linkages on RNA-binding, nuclease stability, protein binding, pro-inflammatory profile, antisense activity and toxicity in cells and in mice. We show that all PS linkages in a gapmer ASO can be replaced with MsPA without compromising chemical stability and RNA binding affinity but these designs reduced activity. However, replacing up to 5 PS in the gap with MsPA was well tolerated and replacing specific PS linkages at appropriate locations was able to greatly reduce both immune stimulation and cytotoxicity. The improved nuclease stability of MsPA over PS translated to significant improvement in the duration of ASO action in mice which was comparable to that of enhanced stabilized siRNA designs. Our work highlights the combination of PS and MsPA linkages as a next generation chemical platform for identifying ASO drugs with improved potency and therapeutic index, reduced pro-inflammatory effects and extended duration of effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Audrey Low
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael T Migawa
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Michael Fazio
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - W Brad Wan
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Andres Berdeja
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Eli Scandalis
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | | | - Stanley T Crooke
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Eric E Swayze
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Xuehai Liang
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Punit P Seth
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
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29
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Valenzuela A, Tardiveau C, Ayuso M, Buyssens L, Bars C, Van Ginneken C, Fant P, Leconte I, Braendli-Baiocco A, Parrott N, Schmitt G, Tessier Y, Barrow P, Van Cruchten S. Safety Testing of an Antisense Oligonucleotide Intended for Pediatric Indications in the Juvenile Göttingen Minipig, including an Evaluation of the Ontogeny of Key Nucleases. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1442. [PMID: 34575518 PMCID: PMC8470776 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The adult Göttingen Minipig is an acknowledged model for safety assessment of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drugs developed for adult indications. To assess whether the juvenile Göttingen Minipig is also a suitable nonclinical model for pediatric safety assessment of ASOs, we performed an 8-week repeat-dose toxicity study in different age groups of minipigs ranging from 1 to 50 days of age. The animals received a weekly dose of a phosphorothioated locked-nucleic-acid-based ASO that was assessed previously for toxicity in adult minipigs. The endpoints included toxicokinetic parameters, in-life monitoring, clinical pathology, and histopathology. Additionally, the ontogeny of key nucleases involved in ASO metabolism and pharmacologic activity was investigated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and nuclease activity assays. Similar clinical chemistry and toxicity findings were observed; however, differences in plasma and tissue exposures as well as pharmacologic activity were seen in the juvenile minipigs when compared with the adult data. The ontogeny study revealed a differential nuclease expression and activity, which could affect the metabolic pathway and pharmacologic effect of ASOs in different tissues and age groups. These data indicate that the juvenile Göttingen Minipig is a promising nonclinical model for safety assessment of ASOs intended to treat disease in the human pediatric population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Valenzuela
- Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.V.); (M.A.); (L.B.); (C.B.); (C.V.G.)
| | - Claire Tardiveau
- Charles River Laboratories France Safety Assessment SAS, 69210 Saint-Germain-Nuelles, France; (C.T.); (P.F.); (I.L.)
| | - Miriam Ayuso
- Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.V.); (M.A.); (L.B.); (C.B.); (C.V.G.)
| | - Laura Buyssens
- Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.V.); (M.A.); (L.B.); (C.B.); (C.V.G.)
| | - Chloe Bars
- Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.V.); (M.A.); (L.B.); (C.B.); (C.V.G.)
| | - Chris Van Ginneken
- Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.V.); (M.A.); (L.B.); (C.B.); (C.V.G.)
| | - Pierluigi Fant
- Charles River Laboratories France Safety Assessment SAS, 69210 Saint-Germain-Nuelles, France; (C.T.); (P.F.); (I.L.)
| | - Isabelle Leconte
- Charles River Laboratories France Safety Assessment SAS, 69210 Saint-Germain-Nuelles, France; (C.T.); (P.F.); (I.L.)
| | - Annamaria Braendli-Baiocco
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La-Roche, Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland; (A.B.-B.); (N.P.); (G.S.); (Y.T.); (P.B.)
| | - Neil Parrott
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La-Roche, Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland; (A.B.-B.); (N.P.); (G.S.); (Y.T.); (P.B.)
| | - Georg Schmitt
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La-Roche, Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland; (A.B.-B.); (N.P.); (G.S.); (Y.T.); (P.B.)
| | - Yann Tessier
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La-Roche, Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland; (A.B.-B.); (N.P.); (G.S.); (Y.T.); (P.B.)
| | - Paul Barrow
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La-Roche, Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland; (A.B.-B.); (N.P.); (G.S.); (Y.T.); (P.B.)
| | - Steven Van Cruchten
- Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.V.); (M.A.); (L.B.); (C.B.); (C.V.G.)
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30
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Sutton JM, Kim J, El Zahar NM, Bartlett MG. BIOANALYSIS AND BIOTRANSFORMATION OF OLIGONUCLEOTIDE THERAPEUTICS BY LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2021; 40:334-358. [PMID: 32588492 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Since 2016, eight new oligonucleotide therapies have been approved which has led to increased interest in oligonucleotide analysis. There is a particular need for powerful bioanalytical tools to study the metabolism and biotransformation of these molecules. This review provides the background on the biological basis of these molecules as currently used in therapies. The article also reviews the current state of analytical methodology including state of the art sample preparation techniques, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods, and the current limits of detection/quantitation. Finally, the article summarizes the challenges in oligonucleotide bioanalysis and provides future perspectives for this emerging field. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Michael Sutton
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
| | - Jaeah Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
| | - Noha M El Zahar
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
- Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Organization of African Unity Street, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Michael G Bartlett
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
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Khojasteh SC, Argikar UA, Driscoll JP, Heck CJS, King L, Jackson KD, Jian W, Kalgutkar AS, Miller GP, Kramlinger V, Rietjens IMCM, Teitelbaum AM, Wang K, Wei C. Novel advances in biotransformation and bioactivation research - 2020 year in review. Drug Metab Rev 2021; 53:384-433. [PMID: 33910427 PMCID: PMC8826528 DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2021.1916028] [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] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This annual review is the sixth of its kind since 2016 (see references). Our objective is to explore and share articles which we deem influential and significant in the field of biotransformation and bioactivation. These fields are constantly evolving with new molecular structures and discoveries of corresponding pathways for metabolism that impact relevant drug development with respect to efficacy and safety. Based on the selected articles, we created three sections: (1) drug design, (2) metabolites and drug metabolizing enzymes, and (3) bioactivation and safety (Table 1). Unlike in years past, more biotransformation experts have joined and contributed to this effort while striving to maintain a balance of authors from academic and industry settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cyrus Khojasteh
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Upendra A Argikar
- Translational Medicine, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James P Driscoll
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, MyoKardia, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carley J S Heck
- Medicine Design, Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development and Medical, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Lloyd King
- Department of DMPK, UCB Biopharma, Slough, UK
| | - Klarissa D Jackson
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Wenying Jian
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Janssen Research & Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Amit S Kalgutkar
- Medicine Design, Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development and Medical, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Grover P Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Valerie Kramlinger
- Translational Medicine, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Aaron M Teitelbaum
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Janssen Research & Development, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Cong Wei
- Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, Biogen Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
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A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model to describe antisense oligonucleotide distribution after intrathecal administration. J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn 2021; 48:639-654. [PMID: 33991294 DOI: 10.1007/s10928-021-09761-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are promising therapeutic agents for a variety of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders, e.g., Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), caused by genetic abnormalities or increased protein accumulation. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents a challenge to the delivery of systemically administered ASOs to the relevant sites of action within the central nervous system (CNS). Intrathecal (IT) delivery, in which drugs are administered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space, enables to bypass the BBB. Several IT-administered ASO therapeutics have already demonstrated clinical effect, e.g., nusinersen (SMA) and tofersen (ALS). Due to novelty of IT dosing for ASOs, very limited pharmacokinetic (PK) data is available and only a few modeling reports have been generated. The objective of this work is to advance fundamental understanding of whole-body distribution of IT-administered ASOs. We propose a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling approach to describe the distribution along the neuroaxis based on PK data from non-human primate (NHP) studies. We aim to understand the key processes that drive and limit ASO access to the CNS target tissues. To elucidate the trade-off between parameter identifiability and physiological plausibility of the model, several alternative model structures were chosen and fitted to the NHP data. The model analysis of the NHP data led to important qualitative conclusions that can inform projection to human. In particular, the model predicts that the maximum total exposure in the CNS tissues, including the spinal cord and brain, is achieved within two days after the IT injection, and the maximum amount absorbed by the CNS tissues is about 4% of the administered IT dose. This amount greatly exceeds the CNS exposures delivered by systemic administration of ASOs. Clearance from the CNS is controlled by the rate of transfer from the CNS tissues back to CSF, whereas ASO degradation in tissues is very slow and can be neglected. The model also describes local differences in ASO concentration emerging along the spinal CSF canal. These local concentrations need to be taken into account when scaling the NHP model to human: due to the lengthier human spinal column, inhomogeneity along the spinal CSF may cause even higher gradients and delays potentially limiting ASO access to target CNS tissues.
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Nanavati C, McMullen G, Yu R, Geary RS, Henry SP, Wang Y. Interspecies Scaling of Human Clearance and Plasma Trough Exposure for Antisense Oligonucleotides: A Retrospective Analysis of GalNAc3-Conjugated and Unconjugated-Antisense Oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acid Ther 2021; 31:298-308. [PMID: 33891483 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2020.0911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well documented and generally accepted that human clearance (CL) of unconjugated single-strand antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) can be directly predicted from monkeys by body weight (BW) on a mg/kg dose basis. However, the scaling for triantennary N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc3)-conjugated ASOs has not been fully established. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed pharmacokinetic data from 9 GalNAc3-conjugated and 12 unconjugated single-stranded ASOs (ten 2'-methoxyethyl and two 2', 4'-constrained ethyl ASOs) to identify an appropriate allometric scaling factor between the two species. In addition, we compared the trough plasma concentrations (Ctrough, a surrogate for tissue exposure) between monkeys and humans at comparable dose levels, aiming at predicting tissue distribution in humans from monkeys. Overall, the median plasma CL ratios (monkey CL/human CL) were 1.05 and 0.94 when CL was normalized by BW, as compared with 0.33 and 0.29 when CL was normalized by body surface area (BSA) for the 12 unconjugated and 9 GalNAc3-conjugated ASOs, respectively. Similarly, the median Ctrough ratios (Ctrough in monkeys/Ctrough in humans) were 0.96 and 1.71, respectively, when Ctrough was normalized by mg/kg dose as compared with 3.10 and 5.50 when Ctrough was normalized by mg/m2 dose for the same unconjugated and conjugated ASOs, respectively. Equivalent CL and dose-normalized plasma Ctrough between monkeys and humans suggest similar pharmacokinetic profiles and tissue distribution between the two species on a per kilogram BW basis. In conclusion, human CL and plasma Ctrough (a surrogate of tissue distribution) can be directly predicted (1:1 or within twofold) from monkeys by BW on a mg/kg dose basis but these parameters can be under- or over-predicted by BSA on a mg/m2 dose basis. These results provide evidence for single species scaling from monkeys to humans directly and, thus, they can facilitate early human dose prediction in ASO drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gina McMullen
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Rosie Yu
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | | | - Scott P Henry
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Yanfeng Wang
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
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Distribution and biotransformation of therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides and conjugates. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:2244-2258. [PMID: 33862193 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug properties of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) differ significantly from those of traditional small-molecule therapeutics. In this review, we focus on ASO disposition, mainly as characterized by distribution and biotransformation, of nonconjugated and conjugated ASOs. We introduce ASO chemistry to allow the following in-depth discussion on bioanalytical methods and determination of distribution and elimination kinetics at low concentrations over extended periods of time. The resulting quantitative data on the parent oligonucleotide, and the identification and quantification of formed metabolites define the disposition. Proper quantitative understanding of disposition is pivotal for nonclinical to clinical predictions, supports communication with health agencies, and increases the probability of delivering optimal ASO therapy to patients.
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Aslesh T, Yokota T. Development of Antisense Oligonucleotide Gapmers for the Treatment of Huntington's Disease. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2176:57-67. [PMID: 32865782 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0771-8_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The field of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases has been revolutionized by the advent of genetics and molecular biology to evaluate the pathogenicity, thereby providing considerable insight to develop suitable therapies. With the successful translation of antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) from in vitro into animal models and clinical practice, modifications are being continuously made to the AOs to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. In order to activate RNase H-mediated cleavage of the target mRNA, as well as to increase the binding affinity and specificity, gapmer AOs are designed to have a phosphorothioate (PS) backbone flanked with the modified AOs on both sides. Antisense-mediated knockdown of mutated huntingtin is a promising therapeutic approach for Huntington's disease (HD), a devastating disorder affecting the motor and cognitive abilities. This chapter focuses on the modified gapmer AOs for the treatment of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejal Aslesh
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Toshifumi Yokota
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,The Friends of Garrett Cumming Research and Muscular Dystrophy Canada HM Toupin Neurological Science Research Chair, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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Herkt M, Thum T. Pharmacokinetics and Proceedings in Clinical Application of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics. Mol Ther 2021; 29:521-539. [PMID: 33188937 PMCID: PMC7854291 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide therapeutics are a novel promising class of drugs designed to specifically target either coding or non-coding RNA molecules to revolutionize treatment of various diseases. During preclinical development, investigations of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of these oligonucleotide-based drug candidates are essential. Oligonucleotides possess a long history of chemical modifications to enhance their stability and binding affinity, as well as reducing toxicity. Phosphorothioate backbone modifications of oligonucleotides were a hallmark of this development process that greatly enhanced plasma stability and protein binding of these agents. Modifications such as 2'-O-methylation further improved stability, while other modifications of the ribose, such as locked nucleic acid (LNA) modification, significantly increased binding affinity, potency, and tissue half-life. These attributes render oligonucleotide therapeutics able to regulate protein expression in both directions depending on the target RNA. Thus, a growing interest has emerged using these oligonucleotides in the treatment of neurodegenerative and cardiac disorders as well as cancer, since the deregulation of certain coding and non-coding RNAs plays a key role in the development of these diseases. Cutting edge research is being performed in the field of non-coding RNAs, identifying potential therapeutic targets, and developing novel oligonucleotide-based agents that outperform classical drugs. Some of these agents are either in clinical trials showing promising results or are already US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, with more oligonucleotides being developed for therapeutic purposes. This is the advent of mechanism-based next-generation therapeutics for a wide range of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Herkt
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany.
| | - Thomas Thum
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
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37
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Fumoto S, Yamamoto T, Okami K, Maemura Y, Terada C, Yamayoshi A, Nishida K. Understanding In Vivo Fate of Nucleic Acid and Gene Medicines for the Rational Design of Drugs. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13020159. [PMID: 33530309 PMCID: PMC7911509 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13020159] [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: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid and genetic medicines are increasingly being developed, owing to their potential to treat a variety of intractable diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the in vivo fate of these agents is vital for the rational design, discovery, and fast and straightforward development of the drugs. In case of intravascular administration of nucleic acids and genetic medicines, interaction with blood components, especially plasma proteins, is unavoidable. However, on the flip side, such interaction can be utilized wisely to manipulate the pharmacokinetics of the agents. In other words, plasma protein binding can help in suppressing the elimination of nucleic acids from the blood stream and deliver naked oligonucleotides and gene carriers into target cells. To control the distribution of these agents in the body, the ligand conjugation method is widely applied. It is also important to understand intracellular localization. In this context, endocytosis pathway, endosomal escape, and nuclear transport should be considered and discussed. Encapsulated nucleic acids and genes must be dissociated from the carriers to exert their activity. In this review, we summarize the in vivo fate of nucleic acid and gene medicines and provide guidelines for the rational design of drugs.
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Jafar-nejad P, Powers B, Soriano A, Zhao H, Norris DA, Matson J, DeBrosse-Serra B, Watson J, Narayanan P, Chun S, Mazur C, Kordasiewicz H, Swayze EE, Rigo F. The atlas of RNase H antisense oligonucleotide distribution and activity in the CNS of rodents and non-human primates following central administration. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:657-673. [PMID: 33367834 PMCID: PMC7826274 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have emerged as a new class of drugs to treat a wide range of diseases, including neurological indications. Spinraza, an ASO that modulates splicing of SMN2 RNA, has shown profound disease modifying effects in Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients, energizing efforts to develop ASOs for other neurological diseases. While SMA specifically affects spinal motor neurons, other neurological diseases affect different central nervous system (CNS) regions, neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Therefore, it is important to characterize ASO distribution and activity in all major CNS structures and cell types to have a better understanding of which neurological diseases are amenable to ASO therapy. Here we present for the first time the atlas of ASO distribution and activity in the CNS of mice, rats, and non-human primates (NHP), species commonly used in preclinical therapeutic development. Following central administration of an ASO to rodents, we observe widespread distribution and target RNA reduction throughout the CNS in neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and microglia. This is also the case in NHP, despite a larger CNS volume and more complex neuroarchitecture. Our results demonstrate that ASO drugs are well suited for treating a wide range of neurological diseases for which no effective treatments are available.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Berit Powers
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | - Hien Zhao
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | - John Matson
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | - Jamie Watson
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | - Seung J Chun
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Curt Mazur
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
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Zanardi TA, Korbmacher B, Boone L, Engelhardt JA, Wang Y, Burel S, Prill B, Aghajan M, Guo S, Henry SP. Safety, Pharmacokinetic, and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of a 2'-(2-Methoxyethyl)-D-ribose Antisense Oligonucleotide-Triantenarry N-Acetyl-galactosamine Conjugate that Targets the Human Transmembrane Protease Serine 6. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2021; 377:51-63. [PMID: 33431610 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.120.000222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular uptake of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) is one of the main determinants of in vivo activity and potency. A significant advancement in improving uptake into cells has come through the conjugation of ASOs to triantenarry N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc3), a ligand for the asialoglycoprotein receptor on hepatocytes. The impact for antisense oligonucleotides, which are already taken up into hepatocytes, is a 10-fold improvement in potency in mice and up to a 30-fold potency improvement in humans, resulting in overall lower effective dose and exposure levels. 2'-Methoxyethyl-modified antisense oligonucleotide conjugated to GalNAc3 (ISIS 702843) is specific for human transmembrane protease serine 6 and is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of β-thalassemia. This report summarizes a chronic toxicity study of ISIS 702843 in nonhuman primates (NHPs), including pharmacokinetic and pharmacology assessments. Suprapharmacologic doses of ISIS 702843 were well tolerated in NHPs after chronic dosing, and the data indicate that the overall safety profile is very similar to that of the unconjugated 2'-(2-methoxyethyl)-D-ribose (2'-MOE) ASOs. Notably, the GalNAc3 moiety did not cause any new toxicities nor exacerbate the known nonspecific class effects of the 2'-MOE ASOs. This observation was confirmed with multiple GalNAc3-MOE conjugates by querying a data base of monkey studies containing both GalNAc3-conjugated and unconjugated 2'-MOE ASOs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This report documents the potency, pharmacology, and overall tolerability profile of a triantenarry N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc3)-conjugated 2'-(2-methoxyethyl)-D-ribose (2'-MOE) antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) specific to transmembrane protease serine 6 after chronic treatment in the cynomolgus monkey. Collective analysis of 15 independent GalNAc3-conjugated and unconjugated 2'-MOE ASOs shows the consistency in the dose response and character of hepatic and platelet tolerability across sequences that will result in much larger safety margins for the GalNAc3-conjugated 2'-MOE ASOs when compared with the unconjugated 2'-MOE ASOs given the increased potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Zanardi
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Birgit Korbmacher
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Laura Boone
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Jeffrey A Engelhardt
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Yanfeng Wang
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Sebastien Burel
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Bobby Prill
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Mariam Aghajan
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Shuling Guo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
| | - Scott P Henry
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California (T.A.Z., J.A.E., Y.W., S.B., B.P., M.A., S.G., S.P.H.), and Covance Preclinical Services GmbH, Munster, Germany (B.K., L.B.)
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Kilanowska A, Studzińska S. In vivo and in vitro studies of antisense oligonucleotides - a review. RSC Adv 2020; 10:34501-34516. [PMID: 35514414 PMCID: PMC9056844 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra04978f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential of antisense oligonucleotides in gene silencing was discovered over 40 years ago, which resulted in the growing interest in their chemistry, mechanism of action, and metabolic pathways. This review summarizes the selected mechanisms of antisense drug action, as well as therapeutics which are to date approved by the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. Moreover, bioanalytical methods used for ASO pharmacokinetics and metabolism studies are briefly summarized. Special attention is paid to the primary pharmacokinetic properties of the different chemistry classes of antisense oligonucleotides. Moreover, in vivo and in vitro metabolic pathways of these compounds are widely described with the emphasis on the different animal models as well as in vitro models, including tissues homogenates, enzyme solutions, and human liver microsomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kilanowska
- Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń 7 Gagarin Str. PL-87-100 Toruń Poland +48 56 6114837 +48 56 6114308
| | - Sylwia Studzińska
- Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń 7 Gagarin Str. PL-87-100 Toruń Poland +48 56 6114837 +48 56 6114308
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41
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Kilanowska A, Nuckowski Ł, Studzińska S. Studying in vitro metabolism of the first and second generation of antisense oligonucleotides with the use of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 2020; 412:7453-7467. [PMID: 32856108 PMCID: PMC7533254 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-02878-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present investigation was the analysis and identification of antisense oligonucleotide metabolism products after incubation with human liver microsomes regarding four different oligonucleotide modifications. Separation and detection methods based on the use of liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry were developed for this purpose. Firstly, the optimization of mass spectrometer parameters was done to select those which ensure the highest possible sensitivity of oligonucleotide analysis. This step was conducted for two chromatographic modes-ion pair chromatography and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-due to their common application in oligonucleotide analysis. Based on sensitivity results, ion pair chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was selected for the separation of model oligonucleotide mixtures in order to verify its selectivity for N-deleted metabolite separation. Next, the developed method was applied in the examination of oligonucleotides in vitro metabolism. First, wide optimization of incubation parameters was conducted including the concentration of the reaction buffer components. Obtained results indicated that both 3'-exonucleases and 5'-exonucleases contributed to the biotransformation of oligonucleotides. Moreover, it may be concluded that the number of metabolites depends on oligonucleotide modification and consequently its resistance to enzymatic attack. Thus, the number of the oligonucleotide metabolites decreased with the decrease of the resultant polarity of oligonucleotide caused by chemical modification. Graphical abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kilanowska
- Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarin Str., PL-87-100, Toruń, Poland
| | - Łukasz Nuckowski
- Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarin Str., PL-87-100, Toruń, Poland
| | - Sylwia Studzińska
- Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarin Str., PL-87-100, Toruń, Poland.
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Hu B, Zhong L, Weng Y, Peng L, Huang Y, Zhao Y, Liang XJ. Therapeutic siRNA: state of the art. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:101. [PMID: 32561705 PMCID: PMC7305320 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-0207-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 614] [Impact Index Per Article: 153.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is an ancient biological mechanism used to defend against external invasion. It theoretically can silence any disease-related genes in a sequence-specific manner, making small interfering RNA (siRNA) a promising therapeutic modality. After a two-decade journey from its discovery, two approvals of siRNA therapeutics, ONPATTRO® (patisiran) and GIVLAARI™ (givosiran), have been achieved by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. Reviewing the long-term pharmaceutical history of human beings, siRNA therapy currently has set up an extraordinary milestone, as it has already changed and will continue to change the treatment and management of human diseases. It can be administered quarterly, even twice-yearly, to achieve therapeutic effects, which is not the case for small molecules and antibodies. The drug development process was extremely hard, aiming to surmount complex obstacles, such as how to efficiently and safely deliver siRNAs to desired tissues and cells and how to enhance the performance of siRNAs with respect to their activity, stability, specificity and potential off-target effects. In this review, the evolution of siRNA chemical modifications and their biomedical performance are comprehensively reviewed. All clinically explored and commercialized siRNA delivery platforms, including the GalNAc (N-acetylgalactosamine)-siRNA conjugate, and their fundamental design principles are thoroughly discussed. The latest progress in siRNA therapeutic development is also summarized. This review provides a comprehensive view and roadmap for general readers working in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- School of Life Science, Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Institute of Engineering Medicine, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Zhong
- National Center for International Biotargeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biotargeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhua Weng
- School of Life Science, Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Institute of Engineering Medicine, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Peng
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (CINaM), Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Yuanyu Huang
- School of Life Science, Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Institute of Engineering Medicine, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- National Center for International Biotargeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biotargeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xing-Jie Liang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, 100190, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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43
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Tomlinson B, Chan P, Zhang Y, Liu Z, Lam CWK. Pharmacokinetics of current and emerging treatments for hypercholesterolemia. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2020; 16:371-385. [PMID: 32223657 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2020.1749261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Reduction of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and other apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins reduces cardiovascular (CV) events and greater reductions have greater benefits. Current lipid treatments cannot always achieve desirable LDL-C targets and additional or alternative treatments are often needed.Areas covered: In this article, we review the pharmacokinetics of the available and emerging treatments for hypercholesterolemia and focus on recently approved drugs and those at a late stage of development.Expert opinion: Statin pharmacokinetics are well known and appropriate drugs and doses can usually be chosen for individual patients to achieve LDL-C targets and avoid adverse effects and drug-drug interactions. Ezetimibe, icosapent ethyl and the monoclonal antibodies evolocumab and alirocumab have established efficacy and safety. Newer oral agents including pemafibrate and bempedoic acid have generally favorable pharmacokinetics supporting use in a wide range of patients. RNA-based therapies with antisense oligonucleotides are highly specific for their targets and those inhibiting apoB, apoCIII, angiopoietin-like protein 3 and lipoprotein(a) have shown promising results. The small-interfering RNA inclisiran has the notable advantage that a single subcutaneous administration may be effective for up to 6 months. The CV outcome trial results and long term safety data are eagerly awaited for these new agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Tomlinson
- Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Paul Chan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan.,Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuzhen Zhang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongmin Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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44
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ADME: Assessing Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Parameters of Oligonucleotides. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2036:317-339. [PMID: 31410806 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9670-4_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
We describe tactics to assess pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters of oligonucleotides. The chapter includes recommendations on the design of single-dose preclinical PK studies, preclinical PKPD studies, and toxicological studies, and on best practice for scaling PK and PD parameters from animal to human. We focus on single-stranded oligonucleotides, but relevant differences to double-stranded RNAs are also addressed.
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45
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Studying the Biotransformation of Phosphorothioate-Containing Oligonucleotide Drugs by LC-MS. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2036:307-315. [PMID: 31410805 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9670-4_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Across the pharmaceutical industry, there is increasing interest and need to investigate the biotransformation of oligonucleotide drugs. The method of choice is high-resolution mass spectrometry due to its unmet sensitivity and specificity.Here, we describe a method developed and applied in our laboratory studying the biotransformation of phosphorothioate-containing oligonucleotide drugs. This method is based on capillary flow liquid chromatography with column switching coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry.
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46
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Naeini MB, Bianconi V, Pirro M, Sahebkar A. The role of phosphatidylserine recognition receptors in multiple biological functions. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2020; 25:23. [PMID: 32226456 PMCID: PMC7098104 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-020-00214-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Apoptotic cells are rapidly engulfed and degraded by phagocytes through efferocytosis. Efferocytosis is a highly regulated process. It is triggered upon the activation of caspase-dependent apoptosis, which in turn promotes the expression of "eat me" signals on the surface of dying cells and the release of soluble "find me" signals for the recruitment of phagocytes. To date, many "eat me" signals have been recognized, including phosphatidylserine (PS), intercellular adhesion molecule-3, carbohydrates (e.g., amino sugars, mannose) and calreticulin. Among them, PS is the most studied one. PS recognition receptors are different functionally active receptors expressed by phagocytes. Various PS recognition receptors with different structure, cell type expression, and ability to bind to PS have been recognized. Although PS recognition receptors do not fall into a single classification or family of proteins due to their structural differences, they all share the common ability to activate downstream signaling pathways leading to the production of anti-inflammatory mediators. In this review, available evidence regarding molecular mechanisms underlying PS recognition receptor-regulated clearance of apoptotic cells is discussed. In addition, some efferocytosis-independent biological functions of PS recognition receptors are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehri Bemani Naeini
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Vanessa Bianconi
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Arteriosclerosis Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Matteo Pirro
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Arteriosclerosis Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Halal Research Center of IRI, FDA, Tehran, Iran
- Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 91779-48564, Mashhad, Iran
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47
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Østergaard ME, Jackson M, Low A, E Chappell A, G Lee R, Peralta RQ, Yu J, Kinberger GA, Dan A, Carty R, Tanowitz M, Anderson P, Kim TW, Fradkin L, Mullick AE, Murray S, Rigo F, Prakash TP, Bennett CF, Swayze EE, Gaus HJ, Seth PP. Conjugation of hydrophobic moieties enhances potency of antisense oligonucleotides in the muscle of rodents and non-human primates. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:6045-6058. [PMID: 31076766 PMCID: PMC6614849 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We determined the effect of attaching palmitate, tocopherol or cholesterol to PS ASOs and their effects on plasma protein binding and on enhancing ASO potency in the muscle of rodents and monkeys. We found that cholesterol ASO conjugates showed 5-fold potency enhancement in the muscle of rodents relative to unconjugated ASOs. However, they were toxic in mice and as a result were not evaluated in the monkey. In contrast, palmitate and tocopherol-conjugated ASOs showed enhanced potency in the skeletal muscle of rodents and modest enhancements in potency in the monkey. Analysis of the plasma-protein binding profiles of the ASO-conjugates by size-exclusion chromatography revealed distinct and species-specific differences in their association with plasma proteins which likely rationalizes their behavior in animals. Overall, our data suggest that modulating binding to plasma proteins can influence ASO activity and distribution to extra-hepatic tissues in a species-dependent manner and sets the stage to identify other strategies to enhance ASO potency in muscle tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michaela Jackson
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Audrey Low
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | - Richard G Lee
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Rachel Q Peralta
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Jinghua Yu
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | - Amy Dan
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Rick Carty
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Michael Tanowitz
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Patrick Anderson
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Tae-Won Kim
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Linda Fradkin
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Adam E Mullick
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Sue Murray
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Thazha P Prakash
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - C Frank Bennett
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Eric E Swayze
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Hans J Gaus
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Punit P Seth
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
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48
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Batista-Duharte A, Sendra L, Herrero MJ, Téllez-Martínez D, Carlos IZ, Aliño SF. Progress in the Use of Antisense Oligonucleotides for Vaccine Improvement. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E316. [PMID: 32079263 PMCID: PMC7072586 DOI: 10.3390/biom10020316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
: Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are synthetically prepared short single-stranded deoxynucleotide sequences that have been validated as therapeutic agents and as a valuable tool in molecular driving biology. ASOs can block the expression of specific target genes via complementary hybridization to mRNA. Due to their high specificity and well-known mechanism of action, there has been a growing interest in using them for improving vaccine efficacy. Several studies have shown that ASOs can improve the efficacy of vaccines either by inducing antigen modification such as enhanced expression of immunogenic molecules or by targeting certain components of the host immune system to achieve the desired immune response. However, despite their extended use, some problems such as insufficient stability and low cellular delivery have not been sufficiently resolved to achieve effective and safe ASO-based vaccines. In this review, we analyze the molecular bases and the research that has been conducted to demonstrate the potential use of ASOs in vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Batista-Duharte
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analysis, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jaú - Km 1, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil; (D.T.-M.); (I.Z.C.)
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
| | - Luis Sendra
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
| | - Maria José Herrero
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
| | - Damiana Téllez-Martínez
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analysis, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jaú - Km 1, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil; (D.T.-M.); (I.Z.C.)
| | - Iracilda Zeppone Carlos
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analysis, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jaú - Km 1, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil; (D.T.-M.); (I.Z.C.)
| | - Salvador Francisco Aliño
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
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49
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Abstract
Gapmers are antisense oligonucleotides composed of a central DNA segment flanked by nucleotides of modified chemistry. Hybridizing with transcripts by sequence complementarity, gapmers recruit ribonuclease H and induce target RNA degradation. Since its concept first emerged in the 1980s, much work has gone into developing gapmers for use in basic research and therapy. These include improvements in gapmer chemistry, delivery, and therapeutic safety. Gapmers have also successfully entered clinical trials for various genetic disorders, with two already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia and transthyretin amyloidosis-associated polyneuropathy. Here, we review the events surrounding the early development of gapmers, from conception to their maturity, and briefly conclude with perspectives on their use in therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Rowel Q Lim
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Toshifumi Yokota
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- The Friends of Garrett Cumming Research and Muscular Dystrophy Canada HM Toupin Neurological Science Research Chair, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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50
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Di Martino MT, Arbitrio M, Fonsi M, Erratico CA, Scionti F, Caracciolo D, Tagliaferri P, Tassone P. Allometric Scaling Approaches for Predicting Human Pharmacokinetic of a Locked Nucleic Acid Oligonucleotide Targeting Cancer-Associated miR-221. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 12:cancers12010027. [PMID: 31861748 PMCID: PMC7017297 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
: LNA-i-miR-221 is a novel phosphorothioate backbone 13-mer locked nucleic acid oligonucleotide-targeting microRNA-221 designed for the treatment of human malignancies. To understand the pharmacokinetic properties of this new agent, including unbound/total clearance, we investigated the LNA-i-miR-221 protein binding in three different species, including rat (Sprague-Dawley), monkey (Cynomolgus), and human. To this end, we generated a suitable ultrafiltration method to study the binding of LNA-i-miR-221 to plasma proteins. We identified that the fraction of LNA-i-miR-221 (at concentration of 1 and 10 µM) bound to rat, monkey, and human plasma proteins was high and ranged from 98.2 to 99.05%. This high protein binding of LNA-i-miR-221 to plasma proteins in all the species tested translates into a pharmacokinetic advantage by preventing rapid renal clearance. The integration of these results into multiple allometric interspecies scaling methods was then used to draw inferences about LNA-i-miR-221 pharmacokinetics in humans, thereby providing a framework for definition of safe starting and escalation doses and moving towards a first human clinical trial of LNA-i-miR-221.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Di Martino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.S.); (D.C.); (P.T.)
- Correspondence: (M.T.D.M.); (P.T.)
| | - Mariamena Arbitrio
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)–Istituto per la Ricerca e l’Innovazione Biomedica (IRIB)–Section of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Massimiliano Fonsi
- Citoxlab France, a Charles River Company, 27005 Evreux, CEDEX, France; (M.F.); (C.A.E.)
| | | | - Francesca Scionti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.S.); (D.C.); (P.T.)
| | - Daniele Caracciolo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.S.); (D.C.); (P.T.)
| | - Pierosandro Tagliaferri
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.S.); (D.C.); (P.T.)
| | - Pierfrancesco Tassone
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.S.); (D.C.); (P.T.)
- College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
- Correspondence: (M.T.D.M.); (P.T.)
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