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Kumbhar P, Kolekar K, Vishwas S, Shetti P, Kumbar V, Andreoli Pinto TDJ, Paiva-Santos AC, Veiga F, Gupta G, Singh SK, Dua K, Disouza J, Patravale V. Treatment avenues for age-related macular degeneration: Breakthroughs and bottlenecks. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 98:102322. [PMID: 38723753 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102322] [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: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a significant factor contributing to serious vision loss in adults above 50. The presence of posterior segment barriers serves as chief roadblocks in the delivery of drugs to treat AMD. The conventional treatment strategies use is limited due to its off-targeted distribution in the eye, shorter drug residence, poor penetration and bioavailability, fatal side effects, etc. The above-mentioned downside necessitates drug delivery using some cutting-edge technology including diverse nanoparticulate systems and microneedles (MNs) which provide the best therapeutic delivery alternative to treat AMD efficiently. Furthermore, cutting-edge treatment modalities including gene therapy and stem cell therapy can control AMD effectively by reducing the boundaries of conventional therapies with a single dose. This review discusses AMD overview, conventional therapies for AMD and their restrictions, repurposed therapeutics and their anti-AMD activity through different mechanisms, and diverse barriers in drug delivery for AMD. Various nanoparticulate-based approaches including polymeric NPs, lipidic NPs, exosomes, active targeted NPs, stimuli-sensitive NPs, cell membrane-coated NPs, inorganic NPs, and MNs are explained. Gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and therapies in clinical trials to treat AMD are also discussed. Further, bottlenecks of cutting-edge (nanoparticulate) technology-based drug delivery are briefed. In a nutshell, cutting-edge technology-based therapies can be an effective way to treat AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Popat Kumbhar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416 113, India
| | - Kaustubh Kolekar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416 113, India
| | - Sukriti Vishwas
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144 411, India
| | - Priya Shetti
- Dr. Prabhakar Kore Basic Science Research Centre, KLE Academy of Higher Education & Research, Belagavi, India
| | - Vijay Kumbar
- Dr. Prabhakar Kore Basic Science Research Centre, KLE Academy of Higher Education & Research, Belagavi, India.
| | - Terezinha de Jesus Andreoli Pinto
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Professor Lineu Prestes Street, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Cláudia Paiva-Santos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Veiga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Guarav Gupta
- Center for Global Health research (CGHR), Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, India; Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144 411, India; Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, 47500 Sunway City, Malaysia
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - John Disouza
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416 113, India.
| | - Vandana Patravale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400019, India.
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Lee Y, Kim D, Chung PED, Lee M, Kim N, Chang J, Lee BC. Pre-Clinical Studies of a Novel Bispecific Fusion Protein Targeting C3b and VEGF in Neovascular and Nonexudative AMD Models. Ophthalmol Ther 2024:10.1007/s40123-024-00982-3. [PMID: 38907092 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-024-00982-3] [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: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION KNP-301 is a bi-specific fragment crystallizable region (Fc) fusion protein, which inhibits both C3b and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) simultaneously for patients with late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The present study evaluated in vitro potency, in vivo efficacy, intravitreal pharmacokinetics (IVT PK), and injectability of KNP-301. METHODS C3b and VEGF binding of KNP-301 were assessed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and cellular bioassays. A laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model and a sodium iodate-induced nonexudative AMD model were used to test the in vivo efficacy of mouse surrogate of KNP-301. Utilizing fluorescein angiography (FA) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans, the reduction in disease lesions were analyzed in a CNV mouse model. In the nonexudative AMD mouse model, outer nuclear layer (ONL) was assessed by immunofluorescence staining. Lastly, intravitreal pharmacokinetic study was conducted with New Zealand white rabbits via IVT administration of KNP-301 and injectability of KNP-301 was examined by a viscosity test at high concentrations. RESULTS KNP-301 bound C3b selectively, which resulted in a blockade of the alternative pathway, not the classical pathway. KNP-301 also acted as a VEGF trap, impeding VEGF-mediate signaling. Our dual-blockade strategy was effective in both neovascular and nonexudative AMD models. Moreover, KNP-301 had an advantage of potentially less frequent dosing due to the long half-life in the intravitreal chamber. Our viscosity assessment confirmed that KNP-301 meets the criteria of the IVT injection. CONCLUSIONS Unlike current therapies, KNP-301 is expected to cover patients with late-stage AMD of both neovascular and nonexudative AMD, and its long-term PK profile at the intravitreal chamber would allow convenience in the dosing interval of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeri Lee
- KANAPH Therapeutics Inc., 3, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Donggeon Kim
- KANAPH Therapeutics Inc., 3, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Philip E D Chung
- KANAPH Therapeutics Inc., 3, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minkyeong Lee
- KANAPH Therapeutics Inc., 3, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nahmju Kim
- KANAPH Therapeutics Inc., 3, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihoon Chang
- KANAPH Therapeutics Inc., 3, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung Chul Lee
- KANAPH Therapeutics Inc., 3, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Patidar K, Pillai N, Dhakal S, Avery LB, Mavroudis PD. A minimal physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to study the combined effect of antibody size, charge, and binding affinity to FcRn/antigen on antibody pharmacokinetics. J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn 2024:10.1007/s10928-023-09899-z. [PMID: 38400996 DOI: 10.1007/s10928-023-09899-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Protein therapeutics have revolutionized the treatment of a wide range of diseases. While they have distinct physicochemical characteristics that influence their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties, the relationship between the physicochemical properties and PK is still largely unknown. In this work we present a minimal physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (mPBPK) model that incorporates a multivariate quantitative relation between a therapeutic's physicochemical parameters and its corresponding ADME properties. The model's compound-specific input includes molecular weight, molecular size (Stoke's radius), molecular charge, binding affinity to FcRn, and specific antigen affinity. Through derived and fitted empirical relationships, the model demonstrates the effect of these compound-specific properties on antibody disposition in both plasma and peripheral tissues using observed PK data in mice and humans. The mPBPK model applies the two-pore hypothesis to predict size-based clearance and exposure of full-length antibodies (150 kDa) and antibody fragments (50-100 kDa) within a onefold error. We quantitatively relate antibody charge and PK parameters like uptake rate, non-specific binding affinity, and volume of distribution to capture the relatively faster clearance of positively charged mAb as compared to negatively charged mAb. The model predicts the terminal plasma clearance of slightly positively and negatively charged antibody in humans within a onefold error. The mPBPK model presented in this work can be used to predict the target-mediated disposition of a drug when compound-specific and target-specific properties are known. To our knowledge, a combined effect of antibody weight, size, charge, FcRn, and antigen has not been incorporated and studied in a single mPBPK model previously. By conclusively incorporating and relating a multitude of protein's physicochemical properties to observed PK, our mPBPK model aims to contribute as a platform approach in the early stages of drug development where many of these properties can be optimized to improve a molecule's PK and ultimately its efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krutika Patidar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Nikhil Pillai
- Global DMPK Modeling & Simulation, Sanofi, 350 Water St, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
| | - Saroj Dhakal
- Global DMPK Modeling & Simulation, Sanofi, 350 Water St, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
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Ke X, Jiang H, Li Q, Luo S, Qin Y, Li J, Xie Q, Zheng Q. Preclinical evaluation of KH631, a novel rAAV8 gene therapy product for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Mol Ther 2023; 31:3308-3321. [PMID: 37752703 PMCID: PMC10638048 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is strongly associated with the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Currently, the standard treatment for nAMD involves frequent intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents, which inhibit the growth of new blood vessels and prevent leakage. However, this treatment regimen places a significant burden on patients, their families, and healthcare providers due to the need for repeated visits to the clinic for injections. Gene therapy, which enables the sustained expression of anti-VEGF proteins after a single injection, can dramatically reduce the treatment burden. KH631 is a recombinant adeno-associated virus 8 vector that encodes a human VEGF receptor fusion protein, and it is being developed as a long-term treatment for nAMD. In preclinical studies using non-human primates, subretinal administration of KH631 at a low dose of 3 × 108 vg/eye resulted in remarkable retention of the transgene product in the retina and prevented the formation and progression of grade IV CNV lesions. Furthermore, sustained transgene expression was observed for more than 96 weeks. These findings suggest that a single subretinal injection of KH631 has the potential to offer a one-time, low-dose treatment for nAMD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Ke
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China; Chengdu Kanghong Pharmaceuticals Group Co Ltd, Chengdu, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China; Therapeutic Proteins Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Qingwei Li
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China; Therapeutic Proteins Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuang Luo
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China; Therapeutic Proteins Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingfei Qin
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Li
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing Xie
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China; Therapeutic Proteins Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chengdu, China; Chengdu Kanghong Pharmaceuticals Group Co Ltd, Chengdu, China; Therapeutic Proteins Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
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Kågedal M, Alskär O, Petersson K, Hanze E, Maia M, Lu T, Vakhavkar S, Quartino A, Willis JR, Jin JY, Maass KF. Population Pharmacokinetics of Ranibizumab Delivered via the Port Delivery System Implanted in the Eye in Patients with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration. J Clin Pharmacol 2023; 63:1210-1220. [PMID: 37291950 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2290] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The port delivery system with ranibizumab (PDS) is designed to continuously deliver ranibizumab to maintain therapeutic drug concentrations in the vitreous of the eye for an extended duration. The PDS has been evaluated for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration in the Ladder (PDS 10, 40, and 100 mg/mL, with refill exchanges as needed, versus monthly intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg), Archway (PDS 100 mg/mL with 24-week refill exchanges, versus monthly intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg), and ongoing Portal (PDS 100 mg/mL with 24-week refill exchanges) clinical trials. Data from Ladder, Archway, and Portal were used to develop a population pharmacokinetics (PK) model to estimate the ranibizumab release rate from the PDS implant, describe ranibizumab PK in serum and aqueous humor, and predict the concentration in vitreous humor. A model was developed to adequately describe the serum and aqueous humor PK data, as suggested by goodness-of-fit plots as well as visual predictive checks. In the final model, the first-order implant release rate was estimated to be 0.00654 (1/day), corresponding to a half-life of 106 days, consistent with the implant release rate determined in vitro. The model-predicted vitreous concentrations achieved with PDS 100 mg/mL given every 24 weeks were below the intravitreal peak concentration and above the intravitreal trough concentration of ranibizumab over the entire 24-week refill interval. The results demonstrate a durable release of ranibizumab from the PDS with a half-life of 106 days, providing vitreous exposure to ranibizumab for at least 24 weeks that is within the range of exposure for monthly intravitreal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Tong Lu
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jin Y Jin
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
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6
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Wilson S, Siebourg-Polster J, Titz B, Jiang Z, Bartolo F, Lavergne V, Gayán J, Garweg JG, Fauser S, Dieckmann A. Correlation of Aqueous, Vitreous, and Serum Protein Levels in Patients With Retinal Diseases. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023; 12:9. [PMID: 37930665 PMCID: PMC10629536 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.12.11.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To further establish aqueous humor (AH) as a clinically suitable source of protein biomarkers in retinal diseases by evaluating the correlation of a large panel of proteins between AH, vitreous humor (VH), and serum (SE). Methods We enrolled 60 subjects (eyes) with various non-infectious retinal diseases. AH, VH, and SE proteins were analyzed using the Olink Target 96 platform (1196 protein assays in total). We compared these three matrices in terms of quantification overlap, principal component analysis, and correlation. Results In the AH, VH, and SE samples, 841, 917, and 1133 proteins, respectively, were consistently quantified above the limit of detection in more than 30% of patients. AH and VH shared 812 of these proteins. AH and VH samples overlapped along principal component 1, but SE samples were distinct. We identified 490 proteins with significant (false discovery rate [FDR]-adjusted P < 0.05) and relevant correlations (correlation coefficient > 0.5) between AH and VH, compared to only 33 and 40 proteins for VH and SE and for AH and SE, respectively. Conclusions Due to a close correlation between protein concentrations in the AH and VH and a clear difference from the SE, AH has the potential to serve as a substitute for VH and may hold significance in identifying protein biomarkers and novel targets related to retinal diseases. Translational Relevance This study further supports AH as a clinically suitable source of protein biomarkers in retinal diseases. In addition, the identified AH and VH correlations can inform the selection of protein biomarker candidates in future translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Wilson
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Bjoern Titz
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Zhiwen Jiang
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Francois Bartolo
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
- EFOR-CVO et Soladis, Champagne-au-Mont-d'Or, France
| | - Vincent Lavergne
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
- EFOR-CVO et Soladis, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Javier Gayán
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Justus G. Garweg
- Berner Augenklinik, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sascha Fauser
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Dieckmann
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
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Dong S, Chen L, Sauer A, Dittus L. LC/MS Assessment of Glycoform Clearance of A Biotherapeutic MAb in Rabbit Ocular Tissues. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:2285-2291. [PMID: 37062414 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.04.008] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Many biotherapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) consist of various glycoforms, which can have different PK properties upon administration to animals and human. As a result, it is necessary to monitor the abundance of glycoforms and limit lot-to-lot variability during the manufacturing process. However, limited information is known about the clearance of mAb glycoforms from ocular space upon intravitreal injection. We present here an assessment of glycoform clearance of a biotherapeutic mAb (IgG1) from rabbit vitreous humor, aqueous humor and retina tissue using LC/MS. The results show that G0, G0F and G1F have similar T1/2, while mannose-5 has a longer T1/2 and is cleared slower in rabbit ocular space, which contradicted with what has been reported in the literature in which Mann5 was cleared faster systematically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Dong
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Ridgefield, CT, USA
| | - Linzhi Chen
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Ridgefield, CT, USA.
| | - Achim Sauer
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG. Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Lars Dittus
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG. Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
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8
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Rafael D, Guerrero M, Marican A, Arango D, Sarmento B, Ferrer R, Durán-Lara EF, Clark SJ, Schwartz S. Delivery Systems in Ocular Retinopathies: The Promising Future of Intravitreal Hydrogels as Sustained-Release Scaffolds. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051484. [PMID: 37242726 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Slow-release delivery systems are needed to ensure long-term sustained treatments for retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, which are currently treated with anti-angiogenic agents that require frequent intraocular injections. These can cause serious co-morbidities for the patients and are far from providing the adequate drug/protein release rates and required pharmacokinetics to sustain prolonged efficacy. This review focuses on the use of hydrogels, particularly on temperature-responsive hydrogels as delivery vehicles for the intravitreal injection of retinal therapies, their advantages and disadvantages for intraocular administration, and the current advances in their use to treat retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Rafael
- Drug Delivery & Targeting, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Functional Validation & Preclinical Research (FVPR), 20 ICTS Nanbiosis, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcelo Guerrero
- Bio & Nano Materials Lab, Drug Delivery and Controlled Release, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
- Center for Nanomedicine, Diagnostic & Drug Development (ND3), Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
| | - Adolfo Marican
- Bio & Nano Materials Lab, Drug Delivery and Controlled Release, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
- Center for Nanomedicine, Diagnostic & Drug Development (ND3), Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
- Instituto de Química de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
| | - Diego Arango
- Group of Biomedical Research in Digestive Tract Tumors, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Group of Molecular Oncology, Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida (IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Bruno Sarmento
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação, Saúde Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Roser Ferrer
- Clinical Biochemistry Group, Vall d'Hebron Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esteban F Durán-Lara
- Bio & Nano Materials Lab, Drug Delivery and Controlled Release, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
- Center for Nanomedicine, Diagnostic & Drug Development (ND3), Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
| | - Simon J Clark
- Department for Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Simo Schwartz
- Drug Delivery & Targeting, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Clinical Biochemistry Group, Vall d'Hebron Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
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9
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Liu S, Shah DK. Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Characterize the Effect of Molecular Charge on Whole-Body Disposition of Monoclonal Antibodies. AAPS J 2023; 25:48. [PMID: 37118220 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-023-00812-7] [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: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Motivated by a series of work demonstrating the effect of molecular charge on antibody pharmacokinetics (PK), physiological-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models are emerging that relate in silico calculated charge or in vitro measures of polyspecificity to antibody PK parameters. However, only plasma data has been used for model development in these studies, leading to unvalidated assumptions. Here, we present an extended platform PBPK model for antibodies that incorporate charge-dependent endothelial cell pinocytosis rate and nonspecific off-target binding in the interstitial space and on circulating blood cells, to simultaneously characterize whole-body disposition of three antibody charge variants. Predictive potential of various charge metrics was also explored, and the difference between positive charge patches and negative charge patches (i.e., PPC-PNC) was used as the charge parameter to establish quantitative relationships with nonspecific binding affinities and endothelial cell uptake rate. Whole-body disposition of these charge variants was captured well by the model, with less than 2-fold predictive error in area under the curve of most plasma and tissue PK data. The model also predicted that with greater positive charge, nonspecific binding was more substantial, and pinocytosis rate increased especially in brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen, but remained unchanged in adipose, bone, muscle, and skin. The presented PBPK model contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms governing the disposition of charged antibodies and can be used as a platform to guide charge engineering based on desired plasma and tissue exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufang Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo, 455 Pharmacy Building, Buffalo, Ney York, 14214-8033, USA
| | - Dhaval K Shah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo, 455 Pharmacy Building, Buffalo, Ney York, 14214-8033, USA.
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Holz E, Darwish M, Tesar DB, Shatz-Binder W. A Review of Protein- and Peptide-Based Chemical Conjugates: Past, Present, and Future. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020600. [PMID: 36839922 PMCID: PMC9959917 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, the complexity of molecular entities being advanced for therapeutic purposes has continued to evolve. A main propellent fueling innovation is the perpetual mandate within the pharmaceutical industry to meet the needs of novel disease areas and/or delivery challenges. As new mechanisms of action are uncovered, and as our understanding of existing mechanisms grows, the properties that are required and/or leveraged to enable therapeutic development continue to expand. One rapidly evolving area of interest is that of chemically enhanced peptide and protein therapeutics. While a variety of conjugate molecules such as antibody-drug conjugates, peptide/protein-PEG conjugates, and protein conjugate vaccines are already well established, others, such as antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates and peptide/protein conjugates using non-PEG polymers, are newer to clinical development. This review will evaluate the current development landscape of protein-based chemical conjugates with special attention to considerations such as modulation of pharmacokinetics, safety/tolerability, and entry into difficult to access targets, as well as bioavailability. Furthermore, for the purpose of this review, the types of molecules discussed are divided into two categories: (1) therapeutics that are enhanced by protein or peptide bioconjugation, and (2) protein and peptide therapeutics that require chemical modifications. Overall, the breadth of novel peptide- or protein-based therapeutics moving through the pipeline each year supports a path forward for the pursuit of even more complex therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Holz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Martine Darwish
- Department of Protein Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Devin B. Tesar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Whitney Shatz-Binder
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
- Department of Protein Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
- Correspondence:
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11
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Wang L, Zhang H. Ocular barriers as a double-edged sword: preventing and facilitating drug delivery to the retina. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2023; 13:547-567. [PMID: 36129668 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-022-01231-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, the growing of the aging population in the world brings increasingly heavy burden of vision-threatening retinal diseases. One of the biggest challenges in the treatment of retinal diseases is the effective drug delivery to the diseased area. Due to the existence of multiple anatomical and physiological barriers of the eye, commonly used oral drugs or topical eye drops cannot effectively reach the retinal lesions. Innovations in new drug formulations and delivery routes have been continuously applied to improve current drug delivery to the back of the eye. Unique ocular anatomical structures or physiological activities on these ocular barriers, in turn, can facilitate drug delivery to the retina if compatible formulations or delivery routes are properly designed or selected. This paper focuses on key barrier structures of the eye and summarizes advances of corresponding drug delivery means to the retina, including various local drug delivery routes by invasive approaches, as well as systemic eye drug delivery by non-invasive approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixiang Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Triapex Laboratories Co., Ltd No. 9 Xinglong Road, Jiangbei New Area, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China.
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12
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Evers A, Malhotra S, Bolick WG, Najafian A, Borisovska M, Warszawski S, Fomekong Nanfack Y, Kuhn D, Rippmann F, Crespo A, Sood V. SUMO: In Silico Sequence Assessment Using Multiple Optimization Parameters. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2681:383-398. [PMID: 37405660 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3279-6_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
To select the most promising screening hits from antibody and VHH display campaigns for subsequent in-depth profiling and optimization, it is highly desirable to assess and select sequences on properties beyond only their binding signals from the sorting process. In addition, developability risk criteria, sequence diversity, and the anticipated complexity for sequence optimization are relevant attributes for hit selection and optimization. Here, we describe an approach for the in silico developability assessment of antibody and VHH sequences. This method not only allows for ranking and filtering multiple sequences with regard to their predicted developability properties and diversity, but also visualizes relevant sequence and structural features of potentially problematic regions and thereby provides rationales and starting points for multi-parameter sequence optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Evers
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Shipra Malhotra
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), EMD Serono, Billerica, MA, USA
| | | | - Ahmad Najafian
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), EMD Serono, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Maria Borisovska
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), EMD Serono, Billerica, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel Kuhn
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Friedrich Rippmann
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Alejandro Crespo
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), EMD Serono, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Vanita Sood
- Computational Chemistry & Biologics (CCB), EMD Serono, Billerica, MA, USA
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13
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Ausserwöger H, Schneider MM, Herling TW, Arosio P, Invernizzi G, Knowles TPJ, Lorenzen N. Non-specificity as the sticky problem in therapeutic antibody development. Nat Rev Chem 2022; 6:844-861. [PMID: 37117703 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-022-00438-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies are highly potent therapeutic scaffolds with more than a hundred different products approved on the market. Successful development of antibody-based drugs requires a trade-off between high target specificity and target binding affinity. In order to better understand this problem, we here review non-specific interactions and explore their fundamental physicochemical origins. We discuss the role of surface patches - clusters of surface-exposed amino acid residues with similar physicochemical properties - as inducers of non-specific interactions. These patches collectively drive interactions including dipole-dipole, π-stacking and hydrophobic interactions to complementary moieties. We elucidate links between these supramolecular assembly processes and macroscopic development issues, such as decreased physical stability and poor in vivo half-life. Finally, we highlight challenges and opportunities for optimizing protein binding specificity and minimizing non-specificity for future generations of therapeutics.
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14
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Attia SA, MacKay JA. Protein and polypeptide mediated delivery to the eye. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 188:114441. [PMID: 35817213 PMCID: PMC10049092 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid or recombinant protein-polymers, peptide-based biomaterials, and antibody-targeted therapeutics are widely explored for various ocular conditions and vision correction. They have been noted for their potential biocompatibility, potency, adaptability, and opportunities for sustained drug delivery. Unique to peptide and protein therapeutics, their production by cellular translation allows their precise modification through genetic engineering. To a greater extent than drug delivery to other systems, delivery to the eye can benefit from the combination of locally-targeted administration and protein-based specificity. Consequently, a range of delivery platforms and administration methods have been exploited to address the ocular delivery of peptide and protein biomaterials. This review discusses a sample of preclinical and clinical opportunities for peptide-based drug delivery to the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Aly Attia
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - J Andrew MacKay
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
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15
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Novel Treatments for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Review of Clinical Advances in Sustained Drug Delivery Systems. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14071473. [PMID: 35890368 PMCID: PMC9319243 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14071473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the number of patients with ocular diseases is increasing as a consequence of population aging. Among them, one of the most common is the age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that leads to vision loss if it is not treated. AMD is a multifactorial disorder with two advanced forms, dry and neovascular AMD. Currently, although there is no approved therapy that significantly impacts dry AMD progression, several pharmacologic therapies exist for neovascular AMD. Notwithstanding, evidence suggests a suboptimal result in a high number of patients receiving these therapeutic options. Consequently, finding effective strategies is not only a still unmet medical need in dry AMD but also in neovascular AMD. This underlines the need for new drug delivery technologies that can improve the pharmacological action and drug concentration at the target sites. In this regard, sustained drug delivery systems are presented as the most promising therapeutic options in AMD patients. This review summarized the pathogenesis and the current treatment options for AMD, focusing on the emerging ocular sustained drug delivery approaches undergoing clinical trials.
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16
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Casey-Power S, Ryan R, Behl G, McLoughlin P, Byrne ME, Fitzhenry L. Hyaluronic Acid: Its Versatile Use in Ocular Drug Delivery with a Specific Focus on Hyaluronic Acid-Based Polyelectrolyte Complexes. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14071479. [PMID: 35890371 PMCID: PMC9323903 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14071479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive research is currently being conducted into novel ocular drug delivery systems (ODDS) that are capable of surpassing the limitations associated with conventional intraocular anterior and posterior segment treatments. Nanoformulations, including those synthesised from the natural, hydrophilic glycosaminoglycan, hyaluronic acid (HA), have gained significant traction due to their enhanced intraocular permeation, longer retention times, high physiological stability, inherent biocompatibility, and biodegradability. However, conventional nanoformulation preparation methods often require large volumes of organic solvent, chemical cross-linkers, and surfactants, which can pose significant toxicity risks. We present a comprehensive, critical review of the use of HA in the field of ophthalmology and ocular drug delivery, with a discussion of the physicochemical and biological properties of HA that render it a suitable excipient for drug delivery to both the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. The pivotal focus of this review is a discussion of the formation of HA-based nanoparticles via polyelectrolyte complexation, a mild method of preparation driven primarily by electrostatic interaction between opposing polyelectrolytes. To the best of our knowledge, despite the growing number of publications centred around the development of HA-based polyelectrolyte complexes (HA-PECs) for ocular drug delivery, no review articles have been published in this area. This review aims to bridge the identified gap in the literature by (1) reviewing recent advances in the area of HA-PECs for anterior and posterior ODD, (2) describing the mechanism and thermodynamics of polyelectrolyte complexation, and (3) critically evaluating the intrinsic and extrinsic formulation parameters that must be considered when designing HA-PECs for ocular application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saoirse Casey-Power
- Ocular Therapeutics Research Group, Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre, Waterford Campus, South East Technological University, X91 K0EK Waterford, Ireland; (R.R.); (G.B.); (P.M.); (L.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Richie Ryan
- Ocular Therapeutics Research Group, Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre, Waterford Campus, South East Technological University, X91 K0EK Waterford, Ireland; (R.R.); (G.B.); (P.M.); (L.F.)
| | - Gautam Behl
- Ocular Therapeutics Research Group, Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre, Waterford Campus, South East Technological University, X91 K0EK Waterford, Ireland; (R.R.); (G.B.); (P.M.); (L.F.)
| | - Peter McLoughlin
- Ocular Therapeutics Research Group, Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre, Waterford Campus, South East Technological University, X91 K0EK Waterford, Ireland; (R.R.); (G.B.); (P.M.); (L.F.)
| | - Mark E. Byrne
- Biomimetic & Biohybrid Materials, Biomedical Devices & Drug Delivery Laboratories, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA;
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Laurence Fitzhenry
- Ocular Therapeutics Research Group, Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre, Waterford Campus, South East Technological University, X91 K0EK Waterford, Ireland; (R.R.); (G.B.); (P.M.); (L.F.)
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17
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Yeast-produced fructosamine-3-kinase retains mobility after ex vivo intravitreal injection in human and bovine eyes as determined by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy. Int J Pharm 2022; 621:121772. [PMID: 35487399 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.121772] [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: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Globally, over 2 billion people suffer from vision impairment. Despite complex multifactorial etiology, advanced glycation end products are involved in the pathogenesis of many causative age- and diabetes-related eye diseases. Deglycating enzyme fructosamine-3-kinase (FN3K) was recently proposed as a potential therapeutic, but for further biopharmaceutical development, knowledge on its manufacturability and stability and mobility in the vitreous fluid of the eye is indispensable. We evaluated recombinant production of FN3K in two host systems, and its diffusion behavior in both bovine and human vitreous. Compared to Escherichia coli, intracellular production in Pichia pastoris yielded more and higher purity FN3K. The yeast-produced enzyme was used in a first attempt to use fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to study protein mobility in non-sonicated bovine vitreous, human vitreous, and intact bovine eyes. It was demonstrated that FN3K retained mobility upon intravitreal injection, although a certain delay in diffusion was observed. Alkylation of free cysteines was tolerated both in terms of enzymatic activity and vitreous diffusion. Ex vivo diffusion data gathered and the availability of yeast-produced high purity enzyme now clear the path for in vivo pharmacokinetics studies of FN3K.
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18
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Kelley RF, Tesar DB, Wang Y, Agard NJ, Holder PG, Chan J, Comps-Agrar L, Horvath J, Horvath JD, Crowell SR. Generation of a Porcine Antibody Fab Fragment Using Protein Engineering to Facilitate the Evaluation of Ocular Sustained Delivery Technology. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:1540-1547. [PMID: 35393854 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) biologic agents has been shown to restore and maintain visual acuity for many patients afflicted with wet AMD. These agents are usually administered via intravitreal injection at a dosing interval of 4-8 weeks. Employment of long-acting delivery (LAD) technologies could improve the therapeutic outcome, ensure timely treatment, and reduce burden on patients, caregivers, and the health care system. Development of LAD approaches requires thorough testing in pre-clinical species; however, therapeutic proteins of human origin may not be well tolerated during testing in non-human species due to immunogenicity. Here, we have engineered a surrogate porcine antibody Fab fragment (pigG6.31) from a human antibody for testing ocular LAD technologies in a porcine model. The engineered Fab retains the VEGF-A-binding and inhibition properties of the parental human Fab and has stability properties suitable for LAD evaluation. Upon intravitreal injection in minipigs, pigG6.31 showed first-order clearance from the ocular compartments with vitreal elimination rates consistent with other molecules of this size. Application of the surrogate molecule in an in vivo evaluation in minipigs of a prototype of the port delivery (PD) platform indicated continuous ocular delivery from the implant, with release kinetics consistent with both the results from in vitro release studies and the efficacy observed in human clinical studies of the PD system with ranibizumab (PDS). Anti-drug antibodies in the serum against pigG6.31 were not detected over exposure durations up to 16 weeks, suggesting that this molecule has low porcine immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert F Kelley
- Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Devin B Tesar
- Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Yue Wang
- Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Nicholas J Agard
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Patrick G Holder
- Protein Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Joyce Chan
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Laetitia Comps-Agrar
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Judit Horvath
- Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Joshua D Horvath
- Device Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Susan R Crowell
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Department, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
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19
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Gupta P, Makowski EK, Kumar S, Zhang Y, Scheer JM, Tessier PM. Antibodies with Weakly Basic Isoelectric Points Minimize Trade-offs between Formulation and Physiological Colloidal Properties. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:775-787. [PMID: 35108018 PMCID: PMC9350878 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.1c00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The widespread interest in antibody therapeutics has led to much focus on identifying antibody candidates with favorable developability properties. In particular, there is broad interest in identifying antibody candidates with highly repulsive self-interactions in standard formulations (e.g., low ionic strength buffers at pH 5-6) for high solubility and low viscosity. Likewise, there is also broad interest in identifying antibody candidates with low levels of non-specific interactions in physiological solution conditions (PBS, pH 7.4) to promote favorable pharmacokinetic properties. To what extent antibodies that possess both highly repulsive self-interactions in standard formulations and weak non-specific interactions in physiological solution conditions can be systematically identified remains unclear and is a potential impediment to successful therapeutic drug development. Here, we evaluate these two properties for 42 IgG1 variants based on the variable fragments (Fvs) from four clinical-stage antibodies and complementarity-determining regions from 10 clinical-stage antibodies. Interestingly, we find that antibodies with the strongest repulsive self-interactions in a standard formulation (pH 6 and 10 mM histidine) display the strongest non-specific interactions in physiological solution conditions. Conversely, antibodies with the weakest non-specific interactions under physiological conditions display the least repulsive self-interactions in standard formulations. This behavior can be largely explained by the antibody isoelectric point, as highly basic antibodies that are highly positively charged under standard formulation conditions (pH 5-6) promote repulsive self-interactions that mediate high colloidal stability but also mediate strong non-specific interactions with negatively charged biomolecules at physiological pH and vice versa for antibodies with negatively charged Fv regions. Therefore, IgG1s with weakly basic isoelectric points between 8 and 8.5 and Fv isoelectric points between 7.5 and 9 typically display the best combinations of strong repulsive self-interactions and weak non-specific interactions. We expect that these findings will improve the identification and engineering of antibody candidates with drug-like biophysical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Gupta
- Biochemistry and Biophysics Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, United States.,Biotherapeutics Molecule Discovery Department, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877, United States
| | - Emily K Makowski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Biotherapeutics Molecule Discovery Department, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877, United States
| | - Yulei Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Justin M Scheer
- Biotherapeutics Molecule Discovery Department, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877, United States.,Janssen R&D, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Peter M Tessier
- Biochemistry and Biophysics Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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20
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Chan D, Won GJ, Read AT, Ethier CR, Thackaberry E, Crowell SR, Booler H, Bantseev V, Sivak JM. Application of an organotypic ocular perfusion model to assess intravitreal drug distribution in human and animal eyes. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20210734. [PMID: 35078337 PMCID: PMC8790337 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Intravitreal (ITV) drug delivery is a new cornerstone for retinal therapeutics. Yet, predicting the disposition of formulations in the human eye remains a major translational hurdle. A prominent, but poorly understood, issue in pre-clinical ITV toxicity studies is unintended particle movements to the anterior chamber (AC). These particles can accumulate in the AC to dangerously raise intraocular pressure. Yet, anatomical differences, and the inability to obtain equivalent human data, make investigating this issue extremely challenging. We have developed an organotypic perfusion strategy to re-establish intraocular fluid flow, while maintaining homeostatic pressure and pH. Here, we used this approach with suitably sized microbeads to profile anterior and posterior ITV particle movements in live versus perfused porcine eyes, and in human donor eyes. Small-molecule suspensions were then tested with the system after exhibiting differing behaviours in vivo. Aggregate particle size is supported as an important determinant of particle movements in the human eye, and we note these data are consistent with a poroelastic model of bidirectional vitreous transport. Together, this approach uses ocular fluid dynamics to permit, to our knowledge, the first direct comparisons between particle behaviours from human ITV injections and animal models, with potential to speed pre-clinical development of retinal therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Chan
- Donald K Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - G. J. Won
- Donald K Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A. T. Read
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - C. R. Ethier
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - E. Thackaberry
- Safety Assessment, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - S. R. Crowell
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (PTPK) Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - H. Booler
- Safety Assessment, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - V. Bantseev
- Safety Assessment, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J. M. Sivak
- Donald K Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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21
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Al Ojaimi Y, Blin T, Lamamy J, Gracia M, Pitiot A, Denevault-Sabourin C, Joubert N, Pouget JP, Gouilleux-Gruart V, Heuzé-Vourc'h N, Lanznaster D, Poty S, Sécher T. Therapeutic antibodies - natural and pathological barriers and strategies to overcome them. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 233:108022. [PMID: 34687769 PMCID: PMC8527648 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.108022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antibody-based therapeutics have become a major class of therapeutics with over 120 recombinant antibodies approved or under review in the EU or US. This therapeutic class has experienced a remarkable expansion with an expected acceleration in 2021-2022 due to the extraordinary global response to SARS-CoV2 pandemic and the public disclosure of over a hundred anti-SARS-CoV2 antibodies. Mainly delivered intravenously, alternative delivery routes have emerged to improve antibody therapeutic index and patient comfort. A major hurdle for antibody delivery and efficacy as well as the development of alternative administration routes, is to understand the different natural and pathological barriers that antibodies face as soon as they enter the body up to the moment they bind to their target antigen. In this review, we discuss the well-known and more under-investigated extracellular and cellular barriers faced by antibodies. We also discuss some of the strategies developed in the recent years to overcome these barriers and increase antibody delivery to its site of action. A better understanding of the biological barriers that antibodies have to face will allow the optimization of antibody delivery near its target. This opens the way to the development of improved therapy with less systemic side effects and increased patients' adherence to the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yara Al Ojaimi
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; University of Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Timothée Blin
- University of Tours, 37000 Tours, France; UMR 1100, CEPR, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Juliette Lamamy
- University of Tours, 37000 Tours, France; GICC, EA7501, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Matthieu Gracia
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Université de Montpellier, Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Montpellier F-34298, France
| | - Aubin Pitiot
- University of Tours, 37000 Tours, France; UMR 1100, CEPR, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France
| | | | - Nicolas Joubert
- University of Tours, 37000 Tours, France; GICC, EA7501, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Pouget
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Université de Montpellier, Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Montpellier F-34298, France
| | | | | | - Débora Lanznaster
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; University of Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Sophie Poty
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Université de Montpellier, Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Montpellier F-34298, France
| | - Thomas Sécher
- University of Tours, 37000 Tours, France; UMR 1100, CEPR, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France
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22
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Jakubiak P, Alvarez-Sánchez R, Fueth M, Broders O, Kettenberger H, Stubenrauch K, Caruso A. Ocular Pharmacokinetics of Intravitreally Injected Protein Therapeutics: Comparison among Standard-of-Care Formats. Mol Pharm 2021; 18:2208-2217. [PMID: 34014104 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c01218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The current standard of care for antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment requires frequent intravitreal (IVT) injections of protein therapeutics, as a result of limited retention within the eye. A thorough understanding of the determinants of ocular pharmacokinetics (PK) and its translation across species is an essential prerequisite for developing more durable treatments. In this work, we studied the ocular PK in macaques of the protein formats that comprise today's anti-VEGF standard of care. Cynomolgus monkeys received a single IVT injection of a single-chain variable fragment (scFv, brolucizumab), antigen-binding fragment (Fab, ranibizumab), fragment crystallizable-fusion protein (Fc-fusion, aflibercept), or immunoglobulin G monoclonal antibody (IgG, VA2 CrossMAb). Drug concentrations were determined in aqueous humor samples collected up to 42 days postinjection using immunoassay methods. The ocular half-life (t1/2) was 2.28, 2.62, 3.13, and 3.26 days for scFv, Fab, Fc-fusion, and IgG, respectively. A correlation with human t1/2 values from the literature confirmed the translational significance of the cynomolgus monkey as an animal model for ocular research. The relation between ocular t1/2 and molecular size was also investigated. Size was inferred from the molecular weight (MW) or determined experimentally by dynamic light scattering. The MW and hydrodynamic radius were found to be good predictors for the ocular t1/2 of globular proteins. The analysis showed that molecular size is a determinant of ocular disposition and may be used in lieu of dedicated PK studies in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Jakubiak
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rubén Alvarez-Sánchez
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Fueth
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Olaf Broders
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Munich, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Nonnenwald 2, D-82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Hubert Kettenberger
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Nonnenwald 2, D-82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Kay Stubenrauch
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Munich, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Nonnenwald 2, D-82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Antonello Caruso
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Shivva V, Boswell CA, Rafidi H, Kelley RF, Kamath AV, Crowell SR. Antibody Format and Serum Disposition Govern Ocular Pharmacokinetics of Intravenously Administered Protein Therapeutics. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:601569. [PMID: 34025395 PMCID: PMC8138871 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.601569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein therapeutics have witnessed tremendous use and application in recent years in treatment of various diseases. Predicting efficacy and safety during drug discovery and translational development is a key factor for successful clinical development of these therapies. In general, drug related toxicities are predominantly driven by pharmacokinetic (PK) exposure at off-target sites. This work explores the ocular PK of intravenously administered protein therapeutics to understand impact of antibody format on off-site exposure. Species matched non-binding rabbit antibody proteins (rabFab and rabIgG) were intravenously administered to male New Zealand White rabbits at a single 1 mg bolus dose and exposure was measured up to 3 weeks. As anticipated based on absence of FcRn recycling, rabFab has relatively fast systemic PK (CL–943 mL/day and t1/2–1.93 days) compared to rabIgG (CL–18.5 mL/day and t1/2–8.93 days). Similarly, rabFab has lower absolute ocular exposure in ocular compartments (e.g., vitreous and aqueous humor) compared to rabIgG, despite higher relative exposures (measured as percent tissue partition in ocular tissues relative to serum, based on Cmax and AUC). In general, percent tissue partition based on AUC (in aqueous and vitreous humor) relative to serum exposure were 10.4 and 8.62 for rabFab respectively and 1.11 and 0.64 for rabIgG respectively. This work emphasizes size and format based ocular exposure of intravenously administered protein therapeutics. Findings from this work enable prediction of format based ocular exposure for systemically administered antibody based therapeutics and aid in selection of molecule format for clinical candidate to minimize ocular exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittal Shivva
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - C Andrew Boswell
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Hanine Rafidi
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Robert F Kelley
- Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Amrita V Kamath
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Susan R Crowell
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
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Ocular and systemic pharmacokinetics of BI-X, a nanobody targeting VEGF and Ang-2, after intravitreal dosing in cynomolgus monkeys - Evidence for half-life extension by albumin. Exp Eye Res 2021; 205:108486. [PMID: 33571529 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Half-life extension strategies to reduce the intravitreal dosing frequency of biomolecules for the treatment of retinal neovascular diseases are attracting increasing interest. This study investigated ocular and systemic pharmacokinetics of the trivalent nanobody BI-X (with affinity to VEGF, Ang-2 and human albumin) in cynomolgus monkeys after intravitreal injection. BI-X concentrations were measured in serial samples of plasma, vitreous humor, aqueous humor and retina. Ocular pharmacokinetics of BI-X exhibited two phases. Initially up to 2-4 weeks after dosing, BI-X concentrations in vitreal, aqueous humor and retina declined with half-lives of around 3 days, which is comparable to macromolecules with a similar molecular weight. Thereafter, only vitreal concentrations were measurable, with a terminal half-life of 13.2 days, which is considerably longer than expected based on the BI-X molecular weight or hydrodynamic radius. It is hypothesized that binding of BI-X to low levels of intraocular albumin resulted in this half-life extension. BI-X was detectable in plasma up to 10 weeks post-dosing. Plasma pharmacokinetics of BI-X exhibited a similar biphasic disposition profile to the vitreous body, with a terminal half-life of 11.8 days, thus reflecting input kinetics from the eye. In conclusion, an important half-life extension principle based on vitreal albumin binding could be confirmed in a primate model, and the data obtained can potentially be translated to humans taking into account the differing vitreal albumin concentrations.
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25
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Laing ST, Tassew N, Tesar D, Wang Y, Crowell SR, Gray J, Kwong M, Loyet KM, Andaya R, Kusi A, Kelley RF. Retinal and Lens Degeneration in New Zealand White Rabbits Administered Intravitreal TSG-6 Link Domain-Rabbit FAb Fusion Proteins. Toxicol Pathol 2020; 49:634-646. [PMID: 33349160 DOI: 10.1177/0192623320969124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fusion of biologic therapeutics to hyaluronic acid binding proteins, such as the link domain (LD) of Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-Stimulated Gene-6 (TSG-6), is expected to increase vitreous residence time following intravitreal injection and provide for long-acting delivery. The toxicity of a single intravitreal dose of free TSG-6-LD and fusion proteins of TSG-6-LD and a nonbinding rabbit antibody fragment (RabFab) were assessed in New Zealand White rabbits. Animals administered free TSG-6-LD exhibited extensive lens opacities and variable retinal vascular attenuation, correlated with microscopic findings of lens and retinal degeneration. Similar but less severe findings were present in animals dosed with the RabFab-TSG-6-LD fusion proteins. In-life ocular inflammation was noted in all animals from 7-days postdose and was associated with high anti-RabFab antibody titers in animals administered fusion proteins. Inflammation and retinal degeneration were multifocally associated with evidence of retinal detachment, and hypertrophy and migration of vimentin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and glutamine synthetase positive Müller cells to the outer nuclear layer. Further assessment of alternative hyaluronic acid binding protein fusions should consider the potential for retinal degeneration and enhanced immune responses early in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven T Laing
- Department of Safety Assessment, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nardos Tassew
- Department of Safety Assessment, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Devin Tesar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Susan R Crowell
- Department of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Julia Gray
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mandy Kwong
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kelly M Loyet
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roxanne Andaya
- Department of Safety Assessment, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Aija Kusi
- Department of Safety Assessment, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robert F Kelley
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, 7412Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
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26
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Collins M, Awwad S, Ibeanu N, Khaw PT, Guiliano D, Brocchini S, Khalili H. Dual-acting therapeutic proteins for intraocular use. Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:44-55. [PMID: 33137484 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Intravitreally injected antibody-based medicines have revolutionised the treatment of retinal disease. Bispecific and dual-functional antibodies and therapeutic proteins have the potential to further increase the efficacy of intraocular medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Collins
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, London, E15 4LZ, UK; School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Sahar Awwad
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, WC1N 1AX, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Nkiru Ibeanu
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, WC1N 1AX, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Peng T Khaw
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - David Guiliano
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, London, E15 4LZ, UK
| | - Steve Brocchini
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Hanieh Khalili
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, London, E15 4LZ, UK; School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, WC1N 1AX, UK.
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27
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Sawant MS, Streu CN, Wu L, Tessier PM. Toward Drug-Like Multispecific Antibodies by Design. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7496. [PMID: 33053650 PMCID: PMC7589779 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of antibody therapeutics is strongly influenced by their multifunctional nature that couples antigen recognition mediated by their variable regions with effector functions and half-life extension mediated by a subset of their constant regions. Nevertheless, the monospecific IgG format is not optimal for many therapeutic applications, and this has led to the design of a vast number of unique multispecific antibody formats that enable targeting of multiple antigens or multiple epitopes on the same antigen. Despite the diversity of these formats, a common challenge in generating multispecific antibodies is that they display suboptimal physical and chemical properties relative to conventional IgGs and are more difficult to develop into therapeutics. Here we review advances in the design and engineering of multispecific antibodies with drug-like properties, including favorable stability, solubility, viscosity, specificity and pharmacokinetic properties. We also highlight emerging experimental and computational methods for improving the next generation of multispecific antibodies, as well as their constituent antibody fragments, with natural IgG-like properties. Finally, we identify several outstanding challenges that need to be addressed to increase the success of multispecific antibodies in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manali S. Sawant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.S.S.); (C.N.S.)
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Craig N. Streu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.S.S.); (C.N.S.)
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
- Department of Chemistry, Albion College, Albion, MI 49224, USA
| | - Lina Wu
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Peter M. Tessier
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.S.S.); (C.N.S.)
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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28
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Hauri S, Jakubiak P, Fueth M, Dengl S, Belli S, Alvarez-Sánchez R, Caruso A. Understanding the Half-Life Extension of Intravitreally Administered Antibodies Binding to Ocular Albumin. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:E810. [PMID: 32858986 PMCID: PMC7559355 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12090810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The burden associated with frequent injections of current intravitreal (IVT) therapeutics may be reduced by long-acting delivery strategies. Binding to serum albumin has been shown to extend the ocular half-life in rabbits, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms and translational relevance remain unclear. The aim of this work was to characterize the in vitro and in vivo formation of complexes between human serum albumin (HSA) and an antigen-binding fragment of a rabbit antibody linked to an anti-HSA nanobody (FabA). The ocular and systemic pharmacokinetics of 3H-labeled FabA (0.05 mg/eye IVT) co-formulated with HSA (1 and 15 nmol/eye) were assessed in Dutch belted rabbits. Next, FabA was incubated in vitreous samples from cynomolgus monkeys and human donors (healthy and diseased) supplemented with species-specific serum albumin. Finally, the FabA-albumin complexes formed in vitro and in vivo were analyzed by radio-size exclusion chromatography. A 3-fold increase in FabA vitreal exposure and half-life was observed in rabbits co-administered with 15 nmol HSA compared to 1 nmol and a control arm. The different pharmacokinetic behavior was explained with the formation of higher molecular weight FabA-albumin complexes. The analysis of vitreous samples revealed the existence of predominantly 1:1 complexes at endogenous or low concentrations of supplemented albumin. A shift towards 1:2 complexes was observed with increasing albumin concentrations. Overall, these results suggest that endogenous vitreal albumin concentrations are insufficient for half-life extension and warrant supplementation in the dosing formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Hauri
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland; (P.J.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (R.A.-S.); (A.C.)
| | - Paulina Jakubiak
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland; (P.J.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (R.A.-S.); (A.C.)
| | - Matthias Fueth
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland; (P.J.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (R.A.-S.); (A.C.)
| | - Stefan Dengl
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Large Molecule Research, Roche Innovation Center Munich, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Nonnenwald 2, D-82377 Penzberg, Germany;
| | - Sara Belli
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland; (P.J.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (R.A.-S.); (A.C.)
| | - Rubén Alvarez-Sánchez
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland; (P.J.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (R.A.-S.); (A.C.)
| | - Antonello Caruso
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland; (P.J.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (R.A.-S.); (A.C.)
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29
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Preclinical challenges for developing long acting intravitreal medicines. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2020; 153:130-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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30
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Itkonen J, Annala A, Tavakoli S, Arango-Gonzalez B, Ueffing M, Toropainen E, Ruponen M, Casteleijn MG, Urtti A. Characterization, Stability, and in Vivo Efficacy Studies of Recombinant Human CNTF and Its Permeation into the Neural Retina in ex Vivo Organotypic Retinal Explant Culture Models. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12070611. [PMID: 32629980 PMCID: PMC7408322 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12070611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is one of the most studied neuroprotective agents with acknowledged potential in treating diseases of the posterior eye segment. Although its efficacy and mechanisms of action in the retina have been studied extensively, it is still not comprehensively understood which retinal cells mediate the therapeutic effects of CNTF. As with therapeutic proteins in general, it is poorly elucidated whether exogenous CNTF administered into the vitreous can enter and distribute into the retina and hence reach potentially responsive target cells. Here, we have characterized our purified recombinant human CNTF (rhCNTF), studied the protein’s in vitro bioactivity in a cell-based assay, and evaluated the thermodynamic and oligomeric status of the protein during storage. Biological activity of rhCNTF was further evaluated in vivo in an animal model of retinal degeneration. The retinal penetration and distribution of rhCNTF after 24 h was studied utilizing two ex vivo retina models. Based on our characterization findings, our rhCNTF is correctly folded and biologically active. Moreover, based on initial screening and subsequent follow-up, we identified two buffers in which rhCNTF retains its stability during storage. Whereas rhCNTF did not show photoreceptor preservative effect or improve the function of photoreceptors in vivo, this could possibly be due to the used disease model or the short duration of action with a single intravitreal injection of rhCNTF. On the other hand, the lack of in vivo efficacy was shown to not be due to distribution limitations; permeation into the retina was observed in both retinal explant models as in 24 h rhCNTF penetrated the inner limiting membrane, and being mostly observed in the ganglion cell layer, distributed to different layers of the neural retina. As rhCNTF can reach deeper retinal layers, in general, having direct effects on resident CNTF-responsive target cells is plausible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaakko Itkonen
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland; (S.T.); (M.G.C.)
- Correspondence: (J.I.); (A.U.)
| | - Ada Annala
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; (A.A.); (E.T.); (M.R.)
- Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Science, Utrecht University, David de Wiedgebouw, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Shirin Tavakoli
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland; (S.T.); (M.G.C.)
| | - Blanca Arango-Gonzalez
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 7, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany; (B.A.-G.); (M.U.)
| | - Marius Ueffing
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 7, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany; (B.A.-G.); (M.U.)
| | - Elisa Toropainen
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; (A.A.); (E.T.); (M.R.)
| | - Marika Ruponen
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; (A.A.); (E.T.); (M.R.)
| | - Marco G. Casteleijn
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland; (S.T.); (M.G.C.)
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Solutions for Natural Resources and Environment, Tietotie 2, Espoo, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Finland
| | - Arto Urtti
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland; (S.T.); (M.G.C.)
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; (A.A.); (E.T.); (M.R.)
- Laboratory of Biohybrid Technologies, Institute of Chemistry, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskii pr. 26, Peterhoff, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence: (J.I.); (A.U.)
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31
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Chen Y, Paluch M, Zorn JA, Rajan S, Leonard B, Estevez A, Brady J, Chiu H, Phung W, Famili A, Yan M, Ciferri C, Matsumoto ML, Lazar GA, Crowell S, Hass P, Agard NJ. Targeted IgMs agonize ocular targets with extended vitreal exposure. MAbs 2020; 12:1818436. [PMID: 32936727 PMCID: PMC7577241 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1818436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of ocular disease is hindered by the presence of the blood-retinal barrier, which restricts access of systemic drugs to the eye. Intravitreal injections bypass this barrier, delivering high concentrations of drug to the targeted tissue. However, the recommended dosing interval for approved biologics is typically 6-12 weeks, and frequent travel to the physician's office poses a substantial burden for elderly patients with poor vision. Real-world data suggest that many patients are under-treated. Here, we investigate IgMs as a novel platform for treating ocular disease. We show that IgMs are well-suited to ocular administration due to moderate viscosity, long ocular exposure, and rapid systemic clearance. The complement-dependent cytotoxicity of IgMs can be readily removed with a P436G mutation, reducing safety liabilities. Furthermore, dodecavalent binding of IgM hexamers can potently activate pathways implicated in the treatment of progressive blindness, including the Tie2 receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway for the treatment of diabetic macular edema, or the death receptor 4 tumor necrosis family receptor pathway for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. Collectively, these data demonstrate the promise of IgMs as therapeutic agonists for treating progressive blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Chen
- Departments of Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maciej Paluch
- Departments of Protein Chemistry, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Julie A. Zorn
- Departments of Structural Biology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sharmila Rajan
- Departments of Preclinical & Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brandon Leonard
- Departments of Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alberto Estevez
- Departments of Structural Biology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John Brady
- Departments of Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Henry Chiu
- Departments of Biochemical and Cellular Physiology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Wilson Phung
- Departments of Microchemistry Proteomics and Lipidomics, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amin Famili
- Departments of Drug Development, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Minhong Yan
- Departments of Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Claudio Ciferri
- Departments of Structural Biology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Greg A. Lazar
- Departments of Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Susan Crowell
- Departments of Preclinical & Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Phil Hass
- Departments of Protein Chemistry, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Agard
- Departments of Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
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