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Gray ME, Zielinski KM, Xu F, Elder KK, McKay SJ, Ojo VT, Benjamin SR, Yaseen AA, Brooks TA, Tumey LN. A comparison of the activity, lysosomal stability, and efficacy of legumain-cleavable and cathepsin cleavable ADC linkers. Xenobiotica 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38738708 DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2024.2352051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
1. Over the past two decades antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a highly effective drug delivery technology. ADCs utilize a monoclonal antibody, a chemical linker, and a therapeutic payload to selectively deliver highly potent pharmaceutical agents to specific cell types.2. Challenges such as premature linker cleavage and clearance due to linker hydrophobicity have adversely impacted the stability and safety of ADCs. While there are various solutions to these challenges, our team has focused on replacement of hydrophobic ValCit linkers (cleaved by CatB) with Asn-containing linkers that are cleaved by lysosomal legumain.3. Legumain is abundantly present in lysosomes and is known to play a role in tumor microenvironment dynamics. Herein, we directly compare the lysosomal cleavage, cytotoxicity, plasma stability, and efficacy of a traditional cathepsin cleavable ADC to a matched Asn-containing legumain-cleavable ADC.4. We demonstrate that Asn-containing linker sequences are specifically cleaved by lysosomal legumain and that Asn-linked MMAE ADCs are broadly active against a variety of tumors, even those with low legumain expression. Finally, we show that AsnAsn-linked ADCs exhibit comparable or improved efficacy to traditional ValCit-linked ADCs. Our study paves the way for replacement of the traditional ValCit linker technology with more hydrophilic Asn-containing peptide linker sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E Gray
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Karina M Zielinski
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Fanny Xu
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Kayla K Elder
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Steven J McKay
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Victor T Ojo
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Samantha R Benjamin
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Aiman A Yaseen
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Tracy A Brooks
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - L Nathan Tumey
- Binghamton University, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
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2
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Nagaoka M, Sakai Y, Nakajima M, Fukami T. Role of carboxylesterase and arylacetamide deacetylase in drug metabolism, physiology, and pathology. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 223:116128. [PMID: 38492781 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Carboxylesterases (CES1 and CES2) and arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC), which are expressed primarily in the liver and/or gastrointestinal tract, hydrolyze drugs containing ester and amide bonds in their chemical structure. These enzymes often catalyze the conversion of prodrugs, including the COVID-19 drugs remdesivir and molnupiravir, to their pharmacologically active forms. Information on the substrate specificity and inhibitory properties of these enzymes, which would be useful for drug development and toxicity avoidance, has accumulated. Recently,in vitroandin vivostudies have shown that these enzymes are involved not only in drug hydrolysis but also in lipid metabolism. CES1 and CES2 are capable of hydrolyzing triacylglycerol, and the deletion of their orthologous genes in mice has been associated with impaired lipid metabolism and hepatic steatosis. Adeno-associated virus-mediated human CES overexpression decreases hepatic triacylglycerol levels and increases fatty acid oxidation in mice. It has also been shown that overexpression of CES enzymes or AADAC in cultured cells suppresses the intracellular accumulation of triacylglycerol. Recent reports indicate that AADAC can be up- or downregulated in tumors of various organs, and its varied expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with cancer. Thus, CES and AADAC not only determine drug efficacy and toxicity but are also involved in pathophysiology. This review summarizes recent findings on the roles of CES and AADAC in drug metabolism, physiology, and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Nagaoka
- Drug Metabolism and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Sakai
- Drug Metabolism and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Miki Nakajima
- Drug Metabolism and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan; WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Fukami
- Drug Metabolism and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan; WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
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3
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Zheng Y, Xu R, Cheng H, Tai W. Mono-amino acid linkers enable highly potent small molecule-drug conjugates by conditional release. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1048-1060. [PMID: 38369752 PMCID: PMC11163218 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The endosome cleavable linkers have been widely employed by antibody-drug conjugates and small molecule-drug conjugates (SMDCs) to control the accurate release of payloads. An effective linker should provide stability in systemic circulation but efficient payload release at its targeted tumor sites. This conflicting requirement always leads to linker design with increasing structural complexity. Balance of the effectiveness and structural complexity presents a linker design challenge. Here, we explored the possibility of mono-amino acid as so far the simplest cleavable linker (X-linker) for SMDC-based auristatin delivery. Within a diverse set of X-linkers, the SMDCs differed widely in bioactivity, with one (Asn-linker) having significantly improved potency (IC50 = 0.1 nM) and fast response to endosomal cathepsin B cleavage. Notably, this SMDC, once grafted with effector protein fragment crystallizable (Fc), demonstrated a profound in vivo therapeutic effect in aspects of targetability, circulation half-life (t1/2 = 73 h), stability, and anti-tumor efficacy. On the basis of these results, we believe that this mono-amino acid linker, together with the new SMDC-Fc scaffold, has significant potential in targeted delivery application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Ruolin Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Hong Cheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Wanyi Tai
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China.
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4
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Singh S, Srivastava P. Targeted Protein Degraders- The Druggability Perspective. J Pharm Sci 2024; 113:539-554. [PMID: 37926234 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.10.023] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Targeted Protein degraders (TPDs) show promise in harnessing cellular machinery to eliminate disease-causing proteins, even those previously considered undruggable. Especially if protein turnover is low, targeted protein removal bestows lasting therapeutic effect over typical inhibition. The demonstrated safety and efficacy profile of clinical candidates has fueled the surge in the number of potential candidates across different therapeutic areas. As TPDs often do not comply with Lipinski's rule of five, developing novel TPDs and unlocking their full potential requires overcoming solubility, permeability and oral bioavailability challenges. Tailored in-vitro assays are key to precise profiling and optimization, propelling breakthroughs in targeted protein degradation.
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5
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Zhang W, Oh JH, Zhang W, Aldrich CC, Sirianni RW, Elmquist WF. Pharmacokinetics of panobinostat: Inter-species difference in metabolic stability. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 389:JPET-AR-2023-002051. [PMID: 38409112 PMCID: PMC10949161 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.002051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Panobinostat is a potent pan-HDAC inhibitor that has been tested in multiple studies for the treatment of brain tumors. There have been contrasting views surrounding its efficacy for the treatment of tumors in the CNS following systemic administration when examined in different models or species. We conducted experiments using three different mouse strains or genotypes to have a more comprehensive understanding of the systemic as well as the CNS distributional kinetics of panobinostat. Our study found that panobinostat experienced rapid degradation in vitro in FVB mouse matrices and a faster degradation rate was observed at 37{degree sign}C compared with room temperature and 4{degree sign}C, suggesting that the in vitro instability of panobinostat was due to enzymatic metabolism. Panobinostat also showed inter-strain and inter-species differences in the in vitro plasma stability; and was stable in human plasma. The objective of this study was to examine the in vitro metabolic stability of panobinostat in different matrices and assess the influence of that metabolic stability on the in vivo pharmacokinetics and CNS delivery of panobinostat. Importantly, the plasma stability in various mouse strains was not reflected in the in vivo systemic pharmacokinetic behavior of panobinostat. Several hypotheses arise from this finding, including: the binding of panobinostat to red blood cells, the existence of competing endogenous compounds to enzyme(s), the distribution into tissues with a lower level of enzymatic activity or the metabolism occurring in the plasma is a small fraction of the total metabolism in vivo Significance Statement Panobinostat showed different in vitro degradation in plasma from different mouse strains and genotypes. However, despite the differences surrounding in vitro plasma stability, panobinostat showed similar in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior in different mouse models. This suggests that the inter-strain difference in enzymatic activity did not affect the in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior of panobinostat and its CNS distribution in mice. This lack of translation between in vitro metabolism assays and in vivo disposition can confound drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqiu Zhang
- Pharmaceutics, University of Minnesota, United States
| | - Ju-Hee Oh
- University of Minnesota, United States
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6
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Yelamali AR, Chendamarai E, Ritchey JK, Rettig MP, DiPersio JF, Persaud SP. Streptavidin-drug conjugates streamline optimization of antibody-based conditioning for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.579199. [PMID: 38405731 PMCID: PMC10888937 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.579199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) conditioning using antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) is a promising alternative to conventional chemotherapy- and irradiation-based conditioning regimens. The drug payload bound to an ADC is a key contributor to its efficacy and potential toxicities; however, a comparison of HSCT conditioning ADCs produced with different toxic payloads has not been performed. Indeed, ADC optimization studies in general are hampered by the inability to produce and screen multiple combinations of antibody and drug payload in a rapid, cost-effective manner. Herein, we used Click chemistry to covalently conjugate four different small molecule payloads to streptavidin; these streptavidin-drug conjugates can then be joined to any biotinylated antibody to produce stable, indirectly conjugated ADCs. Evaluating CD45-targeted ADCs produced with this system, we found the pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer SGD-1882 was the most effective payload for targeting mouse and human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and acute myeloid leukemia cells. In murine syngeneic HSCT studies, a single dose of CD45-PBD enabled near-complete conversion to donor hematopoiesis. Finally, human CD45-PBD provided significant antitumor benefit in a patient-derived xenograft model of acute myeloid leukemia. As our streptavidin-drug conjugates were generated in-house with readily accessible equipment, reagents, and routine molecular biology techniques, we anticipate this flexible platform will facilitate the evaluation and optimization of ADCs for myriad targeting applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya R Yelamali
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
| | - Ezhilarasi Chendamarai
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
| | - Julie K Ritchey
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
| | - Michael P Rettig
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
| | - John F DiPersio
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
| | - Stephen P Persaud
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
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7
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Damoiseaux D, Schinkel AH, Beijnen JH, Huitema ADR, Dorlo TPC. Predictability of human exposure by human-CYP3A4-transgenic mouse models: A meta-analysis. Clin Transl Sci 2024; 17:e13668. [PMID: 38037826 PMCID: PMC10766057 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13668] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
First-in-human dose predictions are primarily based on no-observed-adverse-effect levels in animal studies. Predictions from these animal models are only as effective as their ability to predict human results. To narrow the gap between human and animals, researchers have, among other things, focused on the replacement of animal cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes with their human counterparts (called humanization), especially in mice. Whereas research in humanized mice is extensive, the emphasis has been particularly on qualitative rather than quantitative predictions. Because the CYP3A4 enzyme is most involved in the metabolism of clinically used drugs, most benefit was expected from CYP3A4 models. There are several applications of these mouse models regarding in vivo CYP3A4 functionality, one of which might be their capacity to help improve first-in-human (FIH) dose predictions for CYP3A4-metabolized drugs. To evaluate whether human-CYP3A4-transgenic mouse models are better predictors of human exposure compared to the wild-type mouse model, we performed a meta-analysis comparing both mouse models in their ability to accurately predict human exposure of small-molecule drugs metabolized by CYP3A4. Results showed that, in general, the human-CYP3A4-transgenic mouse model had similar accuracy in the prediction of human exposure compared to the wild-type mouse model, suggesting that there is limited added value in humanization of the mouse Cyp3a enzymes if the primary aim is to acquire more accurate FIH dose predictions. Despite the results of this meta-analysis, corrections for interspecies differences through extension of human-CYP3A4-transgenic mouse models with pharmacokinetic modeling approaches seems a promising contribution to more accurate quantitative predictions of human pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Damoiseaux
- Department of Pharmacy & PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Alfred H. Schinkel
- Division of PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jos H. Beijnen
- Department of Pharmacy & PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Alwin D. R. Huitema
- Department of Pharmacy & PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of PharmacologyPrincess Máxima Center for Pediatric OncologyUtrechtThe Netherlands
- Department of Clinical PharmacyUniversity Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Thomas P. C. Dorlo
- Department of Pharmacy & PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of PharmacyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
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8
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Bonilla PA, Hoop CL, Stefanisko K, Tarasov SG, Sinha S, Nicklaus MC, Tarasova NI. Virtual screening of ultra-large chemical libraries identifies cell-permeable small-molecule inhibitors of a "non-druggable" target, STAT3 N-terminal domain. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1144153. [PMID: 37182134 PMCID: PMC10167007 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1144153] [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: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
STAT3 N-terminal domain is a promising molecular target for cancer treatment and modulation of immune responses. However, STAT3 is localized in the cytoplasm, mitochondria, and nuclei, and thus, is inaccessible to therapeutic antibodies. Its N-terminal domain lacks deep pockets on the surface and represents a typical "non-druggable" protein. In order to successfully identify potent and selective inhibitors of the domain, we have used virtual screening of billion structure-sized virtual libraries of make-on-demand screening samples. The results suggest that the expansion of accessible chemical space by cutting-edge ultra-large virtual compound databases can lead to successful development of small molecule drugs for hard-to-target intracellular proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Andrade Bonilla
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Cody L. Hoop
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Karen Stefanisko
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Sergey G. Tarasov
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States
| | | | - Marc C. Nicklaus
- Computer-Aided Drug Design Group, Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Nadya I. Tarasova
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States
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9
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Zana A, Galbiati A, Gilardoni E, Bocci M, Millul J, Sturm T, Stucchi R, Elsayed A, Nadal L, Cirillo M, Roll W, Stegger L, Asmus I, Backhaus P, Schäfers M, Neri D, Cazzamalli S. Fibroblast Activation Protein Triggers Release of Drug Payload from Non-internalizing Small Molecule Drug Conjugates in Solid Tumors. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:5440-5454. [PMID: 36215129 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-1788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Small molecule drug conjugates (SMDC) are modular anticancer prodrugs that include a tumor-targeting small organic ligand, a cleavable linker, and a potent cytotoxic agent. Most of the SMDC products that have been developed for clinical applications target internalizing tumor-associated antigens on the surface of tumor cells. We have recently described a novel non-internalizing small organic ligand (named OncoFAP) of fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a tumor-associated antigen highly expressed in the stroma of most solid human malignancies. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN In this article, we describe a new series of OncoFAP-Drug derivatives based on monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE; a potent cytotoxic tubulin poison) and dipeptide linkers that are selectively cleaved by FAP in the tumor microenvironment. RESULTS The tumor-targeting potential of OncoFAP was confirmed in patients with cancer using nuclear medicine procedures. We used mass spectrometry methodologies to quantify the amount of prodrug delivered to tumors and normal organs, as well as the efficiency of the drug release process. Linkers previously exploited for anticancer drug conjugates were used as benchmark. We identified OncoFAP-Gly-Pro-MMAE as the best performing SMDC, which has now been prioritized for further clinical development. OncoFAP-Gly-Pro-MMAE selectively delivered more than 10% injected dose per gram of MMAE to FAP-positive tumors, with a tumor-to-kidney ratio of 16:1 at 24 hours post-injection. CONCLUSIONS The FAP-specific drug conjugates described in this article promise to be efficacious for the targeting of human malignancies. The extracellular release of potent anticancer payloads mediates durable complete remission in difficult-to-treat animal models of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aureliano Zana
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Galbiati
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Matilde Bocci
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jacopo Millul
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Theo Sturm
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Abdullah Elsayed
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Nadal
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martina Cirillo
- Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician," University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Roll
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Lars Stegger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Inga Asmus
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Philipp Backhaus
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.,European Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Michael Schäfers
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.,European Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Dario Neri
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland.,Philogen S.p.A., Siena, Italy
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10
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Rigby M, Bennett G, Chen L, Mudd GE, Harrison H, Beswick PJ, Van Rietschoten K, Watcham SM, Scott HS, Brown AN, Park PU, Campbell C, Haines E, Lahdenranta J, Skynner MJ, Jeffrey P, Keen N, Lee K. BT8009; A Nectin-4 Targeting Bicycle Toxin Conjugate for Treatment of Solid Tumors. Mol Cancer Ther 2022; 21:1747-1756. [PMID: 36112771 PMCID: PMC9940631 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Multiple tumor types overexpress Nectin-4 and the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), enfortumab vedotin (EV) shows striking efficacy in clinical trials for metastatic urothelial cancer, which expresses high levels of Nectin-4, validating Nectin-4 as a clinical target for toxin delivery in this indication. Despite excellent data in urothelial cancer, little efficacy data are reported for EV in other Nectin-4 expressing tumors and EV therapy can produce significant toxicities in many patients, frequently leading to discontinuation of treatment. Thus, additional approaches to this target with the potential to extend utility and reduce toxicity are warranted. We describe the preclinical development of BT8009, a "Bicycle Toxin Conjugate" (BTC) consisting of a Nectin-4-binding bicyclic peptide, a cleavable linker system and the cell penetrant toxin mono-methylauristatin E (MMAE). BT8009 shows significant antitumor activity in preclinical tumor models, across a variety of cancer indications and is well tolerated in preclinical safety studies. In several models, it shows superior or equivalent antitumor activity to an EV analog. As a small hydrophilic peptide-based drug BT8009 rapidly diffuses from the systemic circulation, through tissues to penetrate the tumor and target tumor cells. It is renally eliminated from the circulation, with a half-life of 1-2 hours in rat and non-human primate. These physical and PK characteristics differentiate BT8009 from ADCs and may provide benefit in terms of tumor penetration and reduced systemic exposure. BT8009 is currently in a Phase 1/2 multicenter clinical trial across the US, Canada, and Europe, enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors associated with Nectin-4 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Rigby
- Bicycle TX Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Corresponding Author: Michael Rigby, Bicycle TX Ltd., Blocks A & B, Portway Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6GP, UK. Phone: 44-012-2326-1512; E-mail:
| | | | | | | | - Helen Harrison
- Amphista Therapeutics, The Cori Building, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Sophie M. Watcham
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicholas Keen
- Bicycle Therapeutics, Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts
| | - Kevin Lee
- Bicycle TX Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom
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11
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Jackson CP, Fang S, Benjamin SR, Alayi T, Hathout Y, Gillen SM, Handel JP, Brems BM, Howe JM, Tumey LN. Evaluation of an ester-linked immunosuppressive payload: A case study in understanding the stability and cleavability of ester-containing ADC linkers. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 75:128953. [PMID: 36058468 PMCID: PMC10166636 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In spite of their value in prodrug applications, the use of esters in antibody-drug-conjugate (ADC) payloads and linkers has generally been avoided due to the ubiquitous and promiscuous nature of human esterases. ADCs generally have a long circulating half life (3-7 days) that makes them susceptible to esterase-mediated metabolism. Moreover, it is largely unclear whether lysosomal and cytosolic esterases cleave ester-containing linkers upon ADC internalization. Due to our interest in the targeted delivery of immune-modulators, our team has recently prepared a series of ester-linked dexamethasone ADCs. Herein, we report our studies of the functional activity of these ADCs, with a particular focus on their catabolism in various biological milieu. We found that esters are selectively but inefficiently cleaved upon cellular uptake, likely by cytosolic esterases. Lysosomal catabolism studies indicate that, in spite of the strong proteolytic activity, very little cleavage of ester-containing linkers occurs in the lysosome. However, ADCs bearing the ester-linked payloads are active in various immune-suppressive assays, suggesting that cytosolic cleavage is taking place. This was confirmed through LCMS quantitation of the payload following cell lysis. Finally, the stability of the ester linkage was evaluated in mouse and human plasma. We found, similar to other reports, there is a significant site-dependence on the cleavage. Esters attached at highly exposed sites, such as 443C, were rapidly cleaved in plasma while esters at more hindered sites, such at 334C, were not. Together, these results help to unravel the complexities of ester-incorporation into ADC linkers and pave a path forward for their utility in ADC applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney P Jackson
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Siteng Fang
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Samantha R Benjamin
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Tchilabalo Alayi
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Yetrib Hathout
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Sarah M Gillen
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Jillian P Handel
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Brittany M Brems
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Justin M Howe
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - L Nathan Tumey
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States.
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12
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Teicher BA, Morris J. Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targets, Drugs and Linkers. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2022; 22:463-529. [PMID: 35209819 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220224110538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates offer the possibility of directing powerful cytotoxic agents to a malignant tumor while sparing normal tissue. The challenge is to select an antibody target expressed exclusively or at highly elevated levels on the surface of tumor cells and either not all or at low levels on normal cells. The current review explores 78 targets that have been explored as antibody-drug conjugate targets. Some of these targets have been abandoned, 9 or more are the targets of FDA-approved drugs, and most remain active clinical interest. Antibody-drug conjugates require potent cytotoxic drug payloads, several of these small molecules are discussed, as are the linkers between the protein component and small molecule components of the conjugates. Finally, conclusions regarding the elements for the successful antibody-drug conjugate are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly A Teicher
- Developmental Therapeutics Program, DCTD, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892,United States
| | - Joel Morris
- Developmental Therapeutics Program, DCTD, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892,United States
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13
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Porath KA, Regan MS, Griffith JI, Jain S, Stopka SA, Burgenske DM, Bakken KK, Carlson BL, Decker PA, Vaubel RA, Dragojevic S, Mladek AC, Connors MA, Hu Z, He L, Kitange GJ, Gupta SK, Feldsien TM, Lefebvre DR, Agar NYR, Eckel-Passow JE, Reilly EB, Elmquist WF, Sarkaria JN. Convection enhanced delivery of EGFR targeting antibody-drug conjugates Serclutamab talirine and Depatux-M in glioblastoma patient-derived xenografts. Neurooncol Adv 2022; 4:vdac130. [PMID: 36071925 PMCID: PMC9446689 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdac130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background EGFR targeting antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are highly effective against EGFR-amplified tumors, but poor distribution across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) limits their efficacy in glioblastoma (GBM) when administered systemically. We studied whether convection-enhanced delivery (CED) can be used to safely infuse ADCs into orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of EGFRvIII mutant GBM. Methods The efficacy of the EGFR-targeted ADCs depatuxizumab mafodotin (Depatux-M) and Serclutamab talirine (Ser-T) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. CED was performed in nontumor and tumor-bearing mice. Immunostaining was used to evaluate ADC distribution, pharmacodynamic effects, and normal cell toxicity. Results Dose-finding studies in orthotopic GBM6 identified single infusion of 2 μg Ser-T and 60 μg Depatux-M as safe and effective associated with extended survival prolongation (>300 days and 95 days, respectively). However, with serial infusions every 21 days, four Ser-T doses controlled tumor growth but was associated with lethal toxicity approximately 7 days after the final infusion. Limiting dosing to two infusions in GBM108 provided profound median survival extension of over 200 days. In contrast, four Depatux-M CED doses were well tolerated and significantly extended survival in both GBM6 (158 days) and GBM108 (310 days). In a toxicity analysis, Ser-T resulted in a profound loss in NeuN+ cells and markedly elevated GFAP staining, while Depatux-M was associated only with modest elevation in GFAP staining. Conclusion CED of Depatux-M is well tolerated and results in extended survival in orthotopic GBM PDXs. In contrast, CED of Ser-T was associated with a much narrower therapeutic window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra A Porath
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Michael S Regan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts , USA
| | - Jessica I Griffith
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, Minnesota , USA
| | - Sonia Jain
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Sylwia A Stopka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts , USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA , USA
| | | | - Katrina K Bakken
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Brett L Carlson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Paul A Decker
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Rachael A Vaubel
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Sonja Dragojevic
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Ann C Mladek
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Margaret A Connors
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Zeng Hu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Lihong He
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Gaspar J Kitange
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | - Shiv K Gupta
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
| | | | | | - Nathalie Y R Agar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts , USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA , USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , Boston, Massachusetts , USA
| | | | - Edward B Reilly
- Discovery Oncology, AbbVie Inc. , North Chicago, Illinois , USA
| | - William F Elmquist
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, Minnesota , USA
| | - Jann N Sarkaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota , USA
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14
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Kemp JA, Kwon YJ. Cancer nanotechnology: current status and perspectives. NANO CONVERGENCE 2021; 8:34. [PMID: 34727233 PMCID: PMC8560887 DOI: 10.1186/s40580-021-00282-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Modern medicine has been waging a war on cancer for nearly a century with no tangible end in sight. Cancer treatments have significantly progressed, but the need to increase specificity and decrease systemic toxicities remains. Early diagnosis holds a key to improving prognostic outlook and patient quality of life, and diagnostic tools are on the cusp of a technological revolution. Nanotechnology has steadily expanded into the reaches of cancer chemotherapy, radiotherapy, diagnostics, and imaging, demonstrating the capacity to augment each and advance patient care. Nanomaterials provide an abundance of versatility, functionality, and applications to engineer specifically targeted cancer medicine, accurate early-detection devices, robust imaging modalities, and enhanced radiotherapy adjuvants. This review provides insights into the current clinical and pre-clinical nanotechnological applications for cancer drug therapy, diagnostics, imaging, and radiation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Kemp
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Young Jik Kwon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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15
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Giese M, Davis PD, Woodman RH, Hermanson G, Pokora A, Vermillion M. Linker Architectures as Steric Auxiliaries for Altering Enzyme-Mediated Payload Release from Bioconjugates. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:2257-2267. [PMID: 34587447 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protease-activated prodrugs leverage the increased activity of proteases in the tumor microenvironment and the tight regulation in healthy tissues to provide selective activation of cytotoxins in the tumor while minimizing toxicity to normal tissues. One of the largest classes of protease-activated prodrugs are composed of therapeutic agents conjugated to macromolecular carriers via peptide motifs that are substrates for cathepsin B, and antibody-drug conjugates are one of the most successful designs within this class. However, many of these peptide motifs are also cleaved by extracellular enzymes such as elastase and carboxylesterase 1C. Additionally, some peptide sequences have little selectivity for other lysosomal cathepsins, which have also been found to have extracellular activity in normal physiological processes. A lack of selectivity or oversensitivity to other extracellular enzymes can lead to off-target release of the cytotoxic payload and subsequent toxicities. In this report, we describe an approach for modulating cathepsin-mediated release of the cytotoxic payload through steric shielding provided by the synergistic effects of appropriately designed hydrophilic linkers and the conjugated carrier. We prepared a fluorogenic model payload with a Val-Cit cleavable trigger and attached the trigger-payload to a variety of PEG-based linker architectures with different numbers of PEG arms (y), different numbers of ethylene oxide units in each arm (n), and different distances between the cleavable trigger and PEG branch point (D'). These linker-payloads were then used to prepare DAR2 conjugates with the cleavable triggers at three different distances (D) from the antibody, and cathepsin-mediated payload release was monitored with in vitro assays. The results show that structural variables of the linker architectures can be manipulated to effectively shield enzymatically labile trigger-payloads from enzymes with readily accessible binding sites, and may offer an additional strategy for balancing off-target and tumor-targeted payload release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Giese
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Paul D Davis
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Robert H Woodman
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Greg Hermanson
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Alex Pokora
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
| | - Melissa Vermillion
- Quanta BioDesign, 7470 Montgomery Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064, United States
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16
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Kaempffe A, Dickgiesser S, Rasche N, Paoletti A, Bertotti E, De Salve I, Sirtori FR, Kellner R, Könning D, Hecht S, Anderl J, Kolmar H, Schröter C. Effect of Conjugation Site and Technique on the Stability and Pharmacokinetics of Antibody-Drug Conjugates. J Pharm Sci 2021; 110:3776-3785. [PMID: 34363839 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Appropriate selection of conjugation sites and conjugation technologies is now widely accepted as crucial for the success of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Herein, we present ADCs conjugated by different conjugation methods to different conjugation positions being systematically characterized by multiple in vitro assays as well as in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) analyses in transgenic Tg276 mice. Conjugation to cysteines, genetically introduced at positions N325, L328, S239, D265, and S442, was compared to enzymatic conjugation via microbial transglutaminase (mTG) either to C-terminal light (LC) or heavy chain (HC) recognition motifs or to endogenous position Q295 of a native antibody. All conjugations yielded homogeneous DAR 2 ADCs with similar hydrophobicity, thermal stability, human neonatal Fc receptor (huFcRn) binding, and serum stability properties, but with pronounced differences in their PK profiles. mTG-conjugated ADC variants conjugated either to Q295 or to LC recognition motifs showed superior PK behavior. Within the panel of engineered cysteine variants L328 showed a similar PK profile compared to previously described S239 but superior PK compared to S442, D265, and N325. While all positions were first tested with trastuzumab, L328 and mTG LC were further evaluated with additional antibody scaffolds derived from clinically evaluated monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Based on PK analyses, this study confirms the newly described position L328 as favorable site for cysteine conjugation, comparable to the well-established engineered cysteine position S239, and emphasizes the favorable position Q295 of native antibodies and the tagged LC antibody variant for enzymatic conjugations via mTG. In addition, hemizygous Tg276 mice are evaluated as an adequate model for ADC pharmacokinetics, facilitating the selection of suitable ADC candidates early in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kaempffe
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany; Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephan Dickgiesser
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rasche
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andrea Paoletti
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Elisa Bertotti
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Ilse De Salve
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Federico Riccardi Sirtori
- NBE-DMPK Discovery and Preclinical Bioanalytics, Merck KGaA, RBM S.p.A., Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Roland Kellner
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Doreen Könning
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Hecht
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jan Anderl
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- Antibody Drug Conjugates & Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
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17
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Miller JT, Vitro CN, Fang S, Benjamin SR, Tumey LN. Enzyme-Agnostic Lysosomal Screen Identifies New Legumain-Cleavable ADC Linkers. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:842-858. [PMID: 33788548 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs) have widely employed valine-citruline and related cathepsin-cleavable linkers due to their stability in plasma and their rapid cleavage by lysosomal cathepsins. However, a number of recent studies have illustrated that these linkers are subject to cleavage by exogenous enzymes such as Ces1C and neutrophil elastase, thus resulting in off-target release of drug. As such, there is a need to diversify the portfolio of ADC linkers in order to overcome nonspecific drug release. Rather than targeting cathepsins, we began with an "enzyme agnostic" screen in which a panel of 75 peptide FRET pairs were screened for cleavage in lysosomal extracts and in plasma. Unexpectedly, a series of Asn-containing peptides emerged from this screen as being cleaved far more quickly than traditional ValCit-type linkers while retaining excellent stability in plasma. Catabolism studies demonstrated that these linkers were cleaved by legumain, an asparaginyl endopeptidase that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and is known to be present in the lysosome. MMAE-containing ADCs that incorporated these new linkers were shown to exhibit highly potent and selective cytotoxicity, comparable to analogous ValCit ADCs. Importantly, the Asn-containing linkers were shown to be completely stable to human neutrophil elastase, an enzyme thought to be responsible for the neutropenia and thrombocytopenia associated with ValCitPABC-MMAE ADCs. The legumain-cleavable ADCs were shown to have excellent stability in both mouse and human serum, retaining >85% of the drug after 1 week of incubation. Moreover, the corresponding small molecule FRET pairs exhibited <10% cleavage after 18 h in mouse and human serum. On the basis of these results, we believe that these new linkers (AsnAsn in particular) have significant potential in both ADC and SMDC drug delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared T Miller
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Caitlin N Vitro
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Siteng Fang
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Samantha R Benjamin
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - L Nathan Tumey
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
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18
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Chuprakov S, Ogunkoya AO, Barfield RM, Bauzon M, Hickle C, Kim YC, Yeo D, Zhang F, Rabuka D, Drake PM. Tandem-Cleavage Linkers Improve the In Vivo Stability and Tolerability of Antibody-Drug Conjugates. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:746-754. [PMID: 33689309 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although peptide motifs represent the majority of cleavable linkers used in clinical-stage antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the sequences are often sensitive to cleavage by extracellular enzymes, such as elastase, which leads to systemic release of the cytotoxic payload. This action reduces the therapeutic index by causing off-target toxicities that can be dose-limiting. For example, a common side-effect of ADCs made using peptide-cleavable linkers is myelosuppression, including neutropenia. Only a few reports describe methods for optimizing peptide linkers to maintain efficient and potent tumor payload delivery while enhancing circulating stability. Herein, we address these critical limitations through the development of a tandem-cleavage linker strategy, where two sequential enzymatic cleavage events mediate payload release. We prepared dipeptides that are protected from degradation in the circulation by a sterically encumbering glucuronide moiety. Upon ADC internalization and lysosomal degradation, the monosaccharide is removed and the exposed dipeptide is degraded, which liberates the attached payload inside the target cell. We used CD79b-targeted monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) conjugates as our model system and compared the stability, efficacy, and tolerability of ADCs made with tandem-cleavage linkers to ADCs made using standard technology with the vedotin linker. The results, where rat studies showed dramatically improved tolerability in the hematopoietic compartment, highlight the role that linker stability plays in efficacy and tolerability and also offer a means of improving an ADC's therapeutic index for improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stepan Chuprakov
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Ayodele O Ogunkoya
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Robyn M Barfield
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Maxine Bauzon
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Colin Hickle
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Yun Cheol Kim
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Dominick Yeo
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Fangjiu Zhang
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - David Rabuka
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Penelope M Drake
- Catalent Pharma Solutions, 5959 Horton Street, Suite 400, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
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19
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Adhikari A, Shen B, Rader C. Challenges and Opportunities to Develop Enediyne Natural Products as Payloads for Antibody-Drug Conjugates. Antib Ther 2021; 4:1-15. [PMID: 33554043 PMCID: PMC7850032 DOI: 10.1093/abt/tbab001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Calicheamicin, the payload of the antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs) gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg®) and inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa®), belongs to the class of enediyne natural products. Since the isolation and structural determination of the neocarzinostatin chromophore in 1985, the enediynes have attracted considerable attention for their value as DNA damaging agents in cancer chemotherapy. Due to their non-discriminatory cytotoxicity towards both cancer and healthy cells, the clinical utilization of enediyne natural products relies on conjugation to an appropriate delivery system, such as an antibody. Here we review the current landscape of enediynes as payloads of first-generation and next-generation ADCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajeeth Adhikari
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Ben Shen
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA.,Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA.,Natural Products Discovery Center at Scripps Research, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Christoph Rader
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
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20
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Arlauckas S, Oh N, Li R, Weissleder R, Miller MA. Macrophage imaging and subset analysis using single-cell RNA sequencing. Nanotheranostics 2021; 5:36-56. [PMID: 33391974 PMCID: PMC7738942 DOI: 10.7150/ntno.50185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophages have been associated with drug response and resistance in diverse settings, thus raising the possibility of using macrophage imaging as a companion diagnostic to inform personalized patient treatment strategies. Nanoparticle-based contrast agents are especially promising because they efficiently deliver fluorescent, magnetic, and/or radionuclide labels by leveraging the intrinsic capacity of macrophages to accumulate nanomaterials in their role as professional phagocytes. Unfortunately, current clinical imaging modalities are limited in their ability to quantify broad molecular programs that may explain (a) which particular cell subsets a given imaging agent is actually labeling, and (b) what mechanistic role those cells play in promoting drug response or resistance. Highly multiplexed single-cell approaches including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) have emerged as resources to help answer these questions. In this review, we query recently published scRNAseq datasets to support companion macrophage imaging, with particular focus on using dextran-based nanoparticles to predict the action of anti-cancer nanotherapies and monoclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Arlauckas
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Nuri Oh
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ran Li
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ralph Weissleder
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Miles A Miller
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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21
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Jukes Z, Morais GR, Loadman PM, Pors K. How can the potential of the duocarmycins be unlocked for cancer therapy? Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:577-584. [PMID: 33232841 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The duocarmycins belong to a class of agent that has fascinated scientists for over four decades. Their exquisite potency, unique mechanism of action, and efficacy in multidrug-resistant tumour models makes them attractive to medicinal chemists and drug hunters. However, despite great advances in fine-tuning biological activity through structure-activity relationship studies (SARS), no duocarmycin-based therapeutic has reached clinical approval. In this review, we provide an overview of the most promising strategies currently used and include both tumour-targeted prodrug approaches and antibody-directed technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë Jukes
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Goreti Ribeiro Morais
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Paul M Loadman
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Klaus Pors
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK.
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22
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Poudel YB, Chowdari NS, Cheng H, Iwuagwu CI, King HD, Kotapati S, Passmore D, Rampulla R, Mathur A, Vite G, Gangwar S. Chemical Modification of Linkers Provides Stable Linker-Payloads for the Generation of Antibody-Drug Conjugates. ACS Med Chem Lett 2020; 11:2190-2194. [PMID: 33214828 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Stability of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in mouse serum is one of the critical requirements for the evaluation of ADCs in mouse tumor models. Described herein is a strategy to address the mouse serum instability of uncialamycin linker-payloads through various chemical approaches that involve modification of different parts of the linker and payload. This effort ultimately led to the identification of a m-amide p-aminobenzyl carbamate (MA-PABC) group that resulted in linkers with dramatic improvement of mouse serum stability without affecting the desired proteolytic cleavage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yam B. Poudel
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Naidu S. Chowdari
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Heng Cheng
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Christiana I. Iwuagwu
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - H. Dalton King
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Srikanth Kotapati
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - David Passmore
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Richard Rampulla
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Arvind Mathur
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Gregory Vite
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Sanjeev Gangwar
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
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23
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Theocharopoulos C, Lialios PP, Gogas H, Ziogas DC. An overview of antibody-drug conjugates in oncological practice. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2020; 12:1758835920962997. [PMID: 33088347 PMCID: PMC7543133 DOI: 10.1177/1758835920962997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are designed to manipulate the toxic efficacy of
specific chemotherapeutic compounds, employing the high affinity of
antibody-mediated delivery so as to drive them selectively to target cancer
cells. These immunoconjugates encompass the general tendency towards precision
medicine and avert the systemic toxicities of conventional chemotherapy,
accomplishing an improved therapeutic index. Cumulative experience acquired from
first-generation ADCs offers new perspectives to these promising therapeutic
modalities for various hematological and solid cancers and propels their
clinical development in a faster-than-ever pace, as indicated by the approval of
four novel ADCs during the last year. This paper aims to provide an up-to-date
overview of the eight ADCs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and
their current indications in oncological practice. Starting from their
bio-pharmaceutical background, we track their clinical evolution, with an
emphasis on the pivotal trials that led to their commercial release. Late-stage
studies examining these eight ADCs in other-than-approved settings as well as
the investigation of potential new candidates are also reviewed. In the close
future, more data are expected to expand ADCs’ oncological utility and to
further reshape their role in cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalampos Theocharopoulos
- First Department of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis-Petros Lialios
- First Department of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Helen Gogas
- First Department of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios C Ziogas
- First Department of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Agiou Thoma 17, Athens, 115 27, Greece
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24
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Scribner JA, Brown JG, Son T, Chiechi M, Li P, Sharma S, Li H, De Costa A, Li Y, Chen Y, Easton A, Yee-Toy NC, Chen FZ, Gorlatov S, Barat B, Huang L, Wolff CR, Hooley J, Hotaling TE, Gaynutdinov T, Ciccarone V, Tamura J, Koenig S, Moore PA, Bonvini E, Loo D. Preclinical Development of MGC018, a Duocarmycin-based Antibody-drug Conjugate Targeting B7-H3 for Solid Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 19:2235-2244. [PMID: 32967924 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
B7-H3, also referred to as CD276, is a member of the B7 family of immune regulatory proteins. B7-H3 is overexpressed on many solid cancers, including prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, non-small cell lung cancer, and breast cancer. Overexpression of B7-H3 is associated with disease severity, risk of recurrence and reduced survival. In this article, we report the preclinical development of MGC018, an antibody-drug conjugate targeted against B7-H3. MGC018 is comprised of the cleavable linker-duocarmycin payload, valine-citrulline-seco duocarmycin hydroxybenzamide azaindole (vc-seco-DUBA), conjugated to an anti-B7-H3 humanized IgG1/kappa mAb through reduced interchain disulfides, with an average drug-to-antibody ratio of approximately 2.7. MGC018 exhibited cytotoxicity toward B7-H3-positive human tumor cell lines, and exhibited bystander killing of target-negative tumor cells when cocultured with B7-H3-positive tumor cells. MGC018 displayed potent antitumor activity in preclinical tumor models of breast, ovarian, and lung cancer, as well as melanoma. In addition, antitumor activity was observed toward patient-derived xenograft models of breast, prostate, and head and neck cancer displaying heterogeneous expression of B7-H3. Importantly, MGC018 exhibited a favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profile in cynomolgus monkeys following repeat-dose administration. The antitumor activity observed preclinically with MGC018, together with the positive safety profile, provides evidence of a potentially favorable therapeutic index and supports the continued development of MGC018 for the treatment of solid cancers. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/molcanther/19/11/2235/F1.large.jpg.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pam Li
- MacroGenics, Inc., Brisbane, California
| | | | - Hua Li
- MacroGenics, Inc., Rockville, Maryland
| | | | - Ying Li
- MacroGenics, Inc., Brisbane, California
| | - Yan Chen
- MacroGenics, Inc., Brisbane, California
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Deryk Loo
- MacroGenics, Inc., Brisbane, California.
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25
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Coumans RGE, Ariaans GJA, Spijker HJ, Renart Verkerk P, Beusker PH, Kokke BPA, Schouten J, Blomenröhr M, van der Lee MMC, Groothuis PG, Ubink R, Dokter WHA, Timmers CM. A Platform for the Generation of Site-Specific Antibody-Drug Conjugates That Allows for Selective Reduction of Engineered Cysteines. Bioconjug Chem 2020; 31:2136-2146. [PMID: 32697078 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Engineering cysteines at specific sites in antibodies to create well-defined ADCs for the treatment of cancer is a promising approach to increase the therapeutic index and helps to streamline the manufacturing process. Here, we report the development of an in silico screening procedure to select for optimal sites in an antibody to which a hydrophobic linker-drug can be conjugated. Sites were identified inside the cavity that is naturally present in the Fab part of the antibody. Conjugating a linker-drug to these sites demonstrated the ability of the antibody to shield the hydrophobic character of the linker-drug while resulting ADCs maintained their cytotoxic potency in vitro. Comparison of site-specific ADCs versus randomly conjugated ADCs in an in vivo xenograft model revealed improved efficacy and exposure. We also report a selective reducing agent that is able to reduce the engineered cysteines while leaving the interchain disulfides in the oxidized state. This enables us to manufacture site-specific ADCs without introducing impurities associated with the conventional reduction/oxidation procedure for site-specific conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Henri J Spijker
- Byondis B.V., Microweg 22, 6545 CM Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Bas P A Kokke
- Byondis B.V., Microweg 22, 6545 CM Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Schouten
- Byondis B.V., Microweg 22, 6545 CM Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Ruud Ubink
- Byondis B.V., Microweg 22, 6545 CM Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wim H A Dokter
- Byondis B.V., Microweg 22, 6545 CM Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - C Marco Timmers
- Byondis B.V., Microweg 22, 6545 CM Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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26
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Chung SW, Cho YS, Choi JU, Kim HR, Won TH, Kim SY, Byun Y. Highly potent monomethyl auristatin E prodrug activated by caspase-3 for the chemoradiotherapy of triple-negative breast cancer. Biomaterials 2018; 192:109-117. [PMID: 30447398 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite the emergence of advanced therapeutics such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy in the modern oncology, cytotoxic chemotherapy still remains as the first-line treatment option in a wide range of cancers attributing to its potency. Many endeavors have been made to overcome the toxicity issues of cytotoxic chemotherapy by improving the specific delivery to the tumor, with active tumor targeting being one of the most popular approaches. However, such an approach has been challenged by the intratumor heterogeneity and the lack of valid molecular target in many types of cancer. Here, we introduce a novel albumin-binding prodrug MPD02 that could specifically deliver highly potent cytotoxin monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) to the tumor as an important component of chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). MPD02 was synthesized by conjugating MMAE to the C-terminus of the KGDEVD peptide via self-eliminating linker and introducing a maleimide group to the Lys side chain of the peptide. MPD02 was able to bind albumin after administration via maleimide group for an extended circulation time and metabolized into MMAE in tumor-specific manner by reacting with the caspase-3 upregulated in tumor by radiotherapy, exerting a highly potent anticancer effect with good safety profile in two different TNBC xenograft models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Woo Chung
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, United States; Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, United States
| | - Young Seok Cho
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergent Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Uk Choi
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Ha Rin Kim
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Tae Hyung Won
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Sang Yoon Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
| | - Youngro Byun
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, United States.
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