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Liu Y, Oroujeni M, Liao Y, Vorobyeva A, Bodenko V, Orlova A, Konijnenberg M, Carlqvist M, Wahlberg E, Loftenius A, Frejd FY, Tolmachev V. Evaluation of a novel 177Lu-labelled therapeutic Affibody molecule with a deimmunized ABD domain and improved biodistribution profile. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024:10.1007/s00259-024-06840-5. [PMID: 39008065 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06840-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Fusion of Affibody molecules with an albumin-binding domain (ABD) provides targeting agents, which are suitable for radionuclide therapy. To facilitate clinical translation, the low immunogenic potential of such constructs with targeting properties conserved is required. METHODS The HER2-targeting Affibody molecule ZHER2:2891 was fused with a deimmunized ABD variant and DOTA was conjugated to a unique C-terminal cysteine. The novel construct, PEP49989, was labelled with 177Lu. Affinity, specificity, and in vivo targeting properties of [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 were characterised. Experimental therapy in mice with human HER2-expressing xenografts was evaluated. RESULTS The maximum molar activity of 52 GBq/µmol [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 was obtained. [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 bound specifically to HER2-expressing cells in vitro and in vivo. The HER2 binding affinity of [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 was similar to the affinity of [177Lu]Lu-ABY-027 containing the parental ABD035 variant. The renal uptake of [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 was 1.4-fold higher, but hepatic and splenic uptake was 1.7-2-fold lower than the uptake of [177Lu]Lu-ABY-027. The median survival of xenograft-bearing mice treated with 21 MBq [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 (> 90 days) was significantly longer than the survival of mice treated with vehicle (38 days) or trastuzumab (45 days). Treatment using a combination of [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 and trastuzumab increased the number of complete tumour remissions. The renal and hepatic toxicity was minimal to mild. CONCLUSION In preclinical studies, [177Lu]Lu-PEP49989 demonstrated favourable biodistribution and a strong antitumour effect, which was further enhanced by co-treatment with trastuzumab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Liu
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Maryam Oroujeni
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- Affibody AB, Solna, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Yunqi Liao
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Anzhelika Vorobyeva
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Vitalina Bodenko
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Anna Orlova
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 23, Sweden
| | - Mark Konijnenberg
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- Affibody AB, Solna, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden.
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2
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Zhang J, Bodenko V, Larkina M, Bezverkhniaia E, Xu T, Liao Y, Abouzayed A, Plotnikov E, Tretyakova M, Yuldasheva F, Belousov MV, Orlova A, Tolmachev V, Gräslund T, Vorobyeva A. Half-life extension via ABD-fusion leads to higher tumor uptake of an affibody-drug conjugate compared to PAS- and XTENylation. J Control Release 2024; 370:468-478. [PMID: 38697314 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.04.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
A critical parameter during the development of protein therapeutics is to endow them with suitable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Small protein drugs are quickly eliminated by kidney filtration, and in vivo half-life extension is therefore often desired. Here, different half-life extension technologies were studied where PAS polypeptides (PAS300, PAS600), XTEN polypeptides (XTEN288, XTEN576), and an albumin binding domain (ABD) were compared for half-life extension of an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) affibody-drug conjugate. The results showed that extension with the PAS or XTEN polypeptides or the addition of the ABD lowered the affinity for HER2 to some extent but did not negatively affect the cytotoxic potential. The half-lives in mice ranged from 7.3 h for the construct including PAS300 to 11.6 h for the construct including PAS600. The highest absolute tumor uptake was found for the construct including the ABD, which was 60 to 160% higher than the PASylated or XTENylated constructs, even though it did not have the longest half-life (9.0 h). A comparison of the tumor-to-normal-organ ratios showed the best overall performance of the ABD-fused construct. In conclusion, PASylation, XTENylation, and the addition of an ABD are viable strategies for half-life extension of affibody-drug conjugates, with the best performance observed for the construct including the ABD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Department of Protein Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm 114 17, Sweden
| | - Vitalina Bodenko
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia; Scientific and Educational Laboratory of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, Siberian State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Maria Larkina
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia; Siberian State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Bezverkhniaia
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tianqi Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yunqi Liao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ayman Abouzayed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Evgenii Plotnikov
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Maria Tretyakova
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Feruza Yuldasheva
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Mikhail V Belousov
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia; Siberian State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Anna Orlova
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Torbjörn Gräslund
- Department of Protein Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm 114 17, Sweden.
| | - Anzhelika Vorobyeva
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
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3
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Eissler N, Altena R, Alhuseinalkhudhur A, Bragina O, Feldwisch J, Wuerth G, Loftenius A, Brun N, Axelsson R, Tolmachev V, Sörensen J, Frejd FY. Affibody PET Imaging of HER2-Expressing Cancers as a Key to Guide HER2-Targeted Therapy. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1088. [PMID: 38791050 PMCID: PMC11118066 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051088] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a major prognostic and predictive marker overexpressed in 15-20% of breast cancers. The diagnostic reference standard for selecting patients for HER2-targeted therapy is based on the analysis of tumor biopsies. Previously patients were defined as HER2-positive or -negative; however, with the approval of novel treatment options, specifically the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan, many breast cancer patients with tumors expressing low levels of HER2 have become eligible for HER2-targeted therapy. Such patients will need to be reliably identified by suitable diagnostic methods. Biopsy-based diagnostics are invasive, and repeat biopsies are not always feasible. They cannot visualize the heterogeneity of HER2 expression, leading to a substantial number of misdiagnosed patients. An alternative and highly accurate diagnostic method is molecular imaging with radiotracers. In the case of HER2, various studies demonstrate the clinical utility and feasibility of such approaches. Radiotracers based on Affibody® molecules, small, engineered affinity proteins with a size of ~6.5 kDa, are clinically validated molecules with favorable characteristics for imaging. In this article, we summarize the HER2-targeted therapeutic landscape, describe our experience with imaging diagnostics for HER2, and review the currently available clinical data on HER2-Affibody-based molecular imaging as a novel diagnostic tool in breast cancer and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Renske Altena
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, 17164 Solna, Sweden
- Medical Unit Breast, Endocrine Tumors and Sarcoma, Theme Cancer, Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center, Karolinska University Hospital, 17164 Solna, Sweden
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Functional Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 14157 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Ali Alhuseinalkhudhur
- Nuclear Medicine and PET, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, 75310 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 75310 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Olga Bragina
- Department of Nuclear Therapy and Diagnostic, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 634055 Tomsk, Russia
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | - Rimma Axelsson
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Functional Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 14157 Huddinge, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, 14152 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 75310 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jens Sörensen
- Nuclear Medicine and PET, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, 75310 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Y. Frejd
- Affibody AB, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 75310 Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Westerlund K, Oroujeni M, Gestin M, Clinton J, Hani Rosly A, Tano H, Vorobyeva A, Orlova A, Eriksson Karlström A, Tolmachev V. Shorter Peptide Nucleic Acid Probes Improve Affibody-Mediated Peptide Nucleic Acid-Based Pretargeting. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:1595-1611. [PMID: 38751640 PMCID: PMC11091976 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Affibody-mediated PNA-based pretargeting shows promise for HER2-expressing tumor radiotherapy. In our recent study, a 15-mer ZHER2:342-HP15 affibody-PNA conjugate, in combination with a shorter 9-mer [177Lu]Lu-HP16 effector probe, emerged as the most effective pretargeting strategy. It offered a superior tumor-to-kidney uptake ratio and more efficient tumor targeting compared to longer radiolabeled effector probes containing 12 or 15 complementary PNA bases. To enhance the production efficiency of our pretargeting system, we here introduce even shorter 6-, 7-, and 8-mer secondary probes, designated as HP19, HP21, and HP20, respectively. We also explore the replacement of the original 15-mer Z-HP15 primary probe with shorter 12-mer Z-HP12 and 9-mer Z-HP9 alternatives. This extended panel of shorter PNA-based probes was synthesized using automated microwave-assisted methods and biophysically screened in vitro to identify shorter probe combinations with the most effective binding properties. In a mouse xenograft model, we evaluated the biodistribution of these probes, comparing them to the Z-HP15:[177Lu]Lu-HP16 combination. Tumor-to-kidney ratios at 4 and 144 h postinjection of the secondary probe showed no significant differences among the Z-HP9:[177Lu]Lu-HP16, Z-HP9:[177Lu]Lu-HP20, and the Z-HP15:[177Lu]Lu-HP16 pairs. Importantly, tumor uptake significantly exceeded, by several hundred-fold, that of most normal tissues, with kidney uptake being the critical organ for radiation therapy. This suggests that using a shorter 9-mer primary probe, Z-HP9, in combination with 9-mer HP16 or 8-mer HP20 secondary probes effectively targets tumors while minimizing the dose-limiting kidney uptake of radionuclide. In conclusion, the Z-HP9:HP16 and Z-HP9:HP20 probe combinations offer good prospects for both cost-effective production and efficient in vivo pretargeting of HER2-expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Westerlund
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology
and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - Maryam Oroujeni
- Department
of Immunology, Genetics and
Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 23, Sweden
- Affibody
AB, Solna 171
65, Sweden
| | - Maxime Gestin
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology
and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - Jacob Clinton
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology
and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - Alia Hani Rosly
- Department
of Immunology, Genetics and
Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 23, Sweden
| | - Hanna Tano
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology
and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - Anzhelika Vorobyeva
- Department
of Immunology, Genetics and
Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 23, Sweden
| | - Anna Orlova
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 23, Sweden
| | - Amelie Eriksson Karlström
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology
and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department
of Immunology, Genetics and
Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 23, Sweden
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5
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Filippi L, Brechbiel MW. Molecular Breast Imaging of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer in the Era of PHERGain Trial: The past, the Present, and the Prospects. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2024. [PMID: 38699851 DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2024.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Filippi
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Oncohaematology, Fondazione PTV Policlinico Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, Italy
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6
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Altena R, Burén SA, Blomgren A, Karlsson E, Tzortzakakis A, Brun N, Moein MM, Jussing E, Frejd FY, Bergh J, Tran TA, Hartman J, Axelsson R. Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) PET Imaging of HER2-Low Breast Cancer with [ 68Ga]Ga-ABY-025: Results from a Pilot Study. J Nucl Med 2024; 65:700-707. [PMID: 38548353 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.266847] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with HER2-low metastatic breast cancer (mBC), defined as an immunohistochemistry (IHC) score of 1+ or 2+ without HER2 gene amplification, may benefit from HER2 antibody-drug conjugates. Identifying suitable candidates is a clinical challenge because of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in HER2 expression and discrepancies in pathologic reporting. We aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of HER2-specific PET imaging with [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025 for visualization of HER2-low mBC. Methods: A prospective pilot study was done with 10 patients who had HER2-low mBC, as part of a phase 2 basket imaging study with [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025 in HER2-expressing solid tumors. Patients were recruited at the Breast Clinic at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. PET/CT images were acquired 3 h after injection of 200 MBq of [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025. The SUVmax was used to quantify tracer uptake. Ultrasound-guided tumor biopsies were guided by results from the HER2 PET. The main outcome-the safety and feasibility of HER2 PET in patients with HER2-low mBC, measured the occurrence of possible procedure-related adverse events. Results: Ten patients with HER2-low mBC underwent [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025 PET/CT with paired tumor biopsies. No adverse events occurred. In all patients, [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025-avid lesions with substantial intra- and interindividual heterogeneity in tracer uptake were noted. In 8 of 10 patients with ABY-025-avid lesions, the HER2-low status of the corresponding lesions was confirmed by IHC or in situ hybridization. Two patients had an IHC score of 0 in the tumor biopsies:1 in a cutaneous lesion with a low SUVmax and 1 in a liver metastasis with a high SUVmax but a "cold" core. Conclusion: The visualization of HER2-low mBC with [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025 PET/CT was feasible and safe. Areas of tracer uptake showed varying levels of HER2 expression on IHC. The observed intra- and interindividual heterogeneity in [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025 uptake suggested that HER2 PET might be used as a tool for the noninvasive assessment of disease heterogeneity and has the potential to identify patients in whom HER2-targeted drugs can have a clinical benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renske Altena
- Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden;
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Siri Af Burén
- Division of Radiology, Department for Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Functional Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - August Blomgren
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Functional Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Emelie Karlsson
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antonios Tzortzakakis
- Division of Radiology, Department for Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Functional Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | | | - Mohammad M Moein
- Department of Radiopharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | - Emma Jussing
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Radiopharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- Affibody AB, Solna, Sweden
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonas Bergh
- Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thuy A Tran
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Radiopharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | - Johan Hartman
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden; and
| | - Rimma Axelsson
- Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Functional Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Oroujeni M, Carlqvist M, Ryer E, Orlova A, Tolmachev V, Frejd FY. Comparison of approaches for increasing affinity of affibody molecules for imaging of B7-H3: dimerization and affinity maturation. EJNMMI Radiopharm Chem 2024; 9:30. [PMID: 38625607 PMCID: PMC11021382 DOI: 10.1186/s41181-024-00261-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radionuclide molecular imaging can be used to visualize the expression levels of molecular targets. Affibody molecules, small and high affinity non-immunoglobulin scaffold-based proteins, have demonstrated promising properties as targeting vectors for radionuclide tumour imaging of different molecular targets. B7-H3 (CD276), an immune checkpoint protein belonging to the B7 family, is overexpressed in different types of human malignancies. Visualization of overexpression of B7-H3 in malignancies enables stratification of patients for personalized therapies. Affinity maturation of anti-B7-H3 Affibody molecules as an approach to improve the binding affinity and targeting properties was recently investigated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a dimeric format may be an alternative option to increase the apparent affinity of Affibody molecules to B7-H3 and accordingly improve imaging contrast. RESULTS Two dimeric variants of anti-B7-H3 Affibody molecules were produced (designated ZAC12*-ZAC12*-GGGC and ZAC12*-ZTaq_3-GGGC). Both variants were labelled with Tc-99m (99mTc) and demonstrated specific binding to B7-H3-expressing cells in vitro. [99mTc]Tc-ZAC12*-ZAC12*-GGGC showed subnanomolar affinity (KD1=0.28 ± 0.10 nM, weight = 68%), which was 7.6-fold higher than for [99mTc]Tc-ZAC12*-ZTaq_3-GGGC (KD=2.1 ± 0.9 nM). Head-to-head biodistribution of both dimeric variants of Affibody molecules compared with monomeric affinity matured SYNT-179 (all labelled with 99mTc) in mice bearing B7-H3-expressing SKOV-3 xenografts demonstrates that both dimers have lower tumour uptake and lower tumour-to-organ ratios compared to the SYNT-179 Affibody molecule. CONCLUSION The improved functional affinity by dimerization does not compensate the disadvantage of increased molecular size for imaging purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Oroujeni
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden.
- Affibody AB, Solna, 171 65, Sweden.
| | | | - Eva Ryer
- Affibody AB, Solna, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Anna Orlova
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 83, Sweden
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- Affibody AB, Solna, 171 65, Sweden
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8
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Deyev SM, Oroujeni M, Garousi J, Gräslund T, Li R, Rosly AHB, Orlova A, Konovalova E, Schulga A, Vorobyeva A, Tolmachev V. Preclinical Evaluation of HER2-Targeting DARPin G3: Impact of Albumin-Binding Domain (ABD) Fusion. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4246. [PMID: 38673831 PMCID: PMC11050402 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin) G3 is an engineered scaffold protein. This small (14.5 kDa) targeting protein binds with high affinity to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). HER2 is overexpressed in several cancers. The use of the DARPin G3 for radionuclide therapy is complicated by its high renal reabsorption after clearance via the glomeruli. We tested the hypothesis that a fusion of the DARPin G3 with an albumin-binding domain (ABD) would prevent rapid renal excretion and high renal reabsorption resulting in better tumour targeting. Two fusion proteins were produced, one with the ABD at the C-terminus (G3-ABD) and another at the N-terminus (ABD-G3). Both variants were labelled with 177Lu. The binding properties of the novel constructs were evaluated in vitro and their biodistribution was compared in mice with implanted human HER2-expressing tumours. Fusion with the ABD increased the retention time of both constructs in blood compared with the non-ABD-fused control. The effect of fusion with the ABD depended strongly on the order of the domains in the constructs, resulting in appreciably better targeting properties of [177Lu]Lu-G3-ABD. Our data suggest that the order of domains is critical for the design of targeting constructs based on scaffold proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey M. Deyev
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.M.D.); (E.K.); (A.S.)
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | - Maryam Oroujeni
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.O.); (J.G.); (A.H.B.R.); (A.V.)
- Affibody AB, 171 65 Solna, Sweden
| | - Javad Garousi
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.O.); (J.G.); (A.H.B.R.); (A.V.)
- Department of Protein Science, KTH—Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (T.G.); (R.L.)
| | - Torbjörn Gräslund
- Department of Protein Science, KTH—Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (T.G.); (R.L.)
| | - Ruonan Li
- Department of Protein Science, KTH—Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (T.G.); (R.L.)
| | - Alia Hani Binti Rosly
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.O.); (J.G.); (A.H.B.R.); (A.V.)
| | - Anna Orlova
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Elena Konovalova
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.M.D.); (E.K.); (A.S.)
| | - Alexey Schulga
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.M.D.); (E.K.); (A.S.)
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | - Anzhelika Vorobyeva
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.O.); (J.G.); (A.H.B.R.); (A.V.)
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.O.); (J.G.); (A.H.B.R.); (A.V.)
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9
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Gondry O, Caveliers V, Xavier C, Raes L, Vanhoeij M, Verfaillie G, Fontaine C, Glorieus K, De Grève J, Joris S, Luyten I, Zwaenepoel K, Vandenbroucke F, Waelput W, Thyparambil S, Vaneycken I, Cousaert J, Bourgeois S, Devoogdt N, Goethals L, Everaert H, De Geeter F, Lahoutte T, Keyaerts M. Phase II Trial Assessing the Repeatability and Tumor Uptake of [ 68Ga]Ga-HER2 Single-Domain Antibody PET/CT in Patients with Breast Carcinoma. J Nucl Med 2024; 65:178-184. [PMID: 38302159 PMCID: PMC10858381 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.266254] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status is used for decision-making in breast carcinoma treatment. The status is obtained through immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization. These two methods have the disadvantage of necessitating tissue sampling, which is prone to error due to tumor heterogeneity or interobserver variability. Whole-body imaging might be a solution to map HER2 expression throughout the body. Methods: Twenty patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast carcinoma (5 HER2-positive and 15 HER2-negative patients) were included in this phase II trial to assess the repeatability of uptake quantification and the extended safety of the [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2 single-domain antibody (sdAb). The tracer was injected, followed by a PET/CT scan at 90 min. Within 8 d, the procedure was repeated. Blood samples were taken for antidrug antibody (ADA) assessment and liquid biopsies. On available tissues, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and mass spectrometry were performed to determine the correlation of HER2 status with uptake values measured on PET. If relevant preexisting [18F]FDG PET/CT images were available (performed as standard of care), a comparison was made. Results: With a repeatability coefficient of 21.8%, this imaging technique was repeatable. No clear correlation between PET/CT uptake values and pathology could be established, as even patients with low levels of HER2 expression showed moderate to high uptake. Comparison with [18F]FDG PET/CT in 16 patients demonstrated that in 7 patients, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2 shows interlesional heterogeneity within the same patient, and [18F]FDG uptake did not show the same heterogeneous uptake in all patients. In some patients, the extent of disease was clearer with the [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb. Sixteen adverse events were reported but all without a clear relationship to the tracer. Three patients with preexisting ADAs did not show adverse reactions. No new ADAs developed. Conclusion: [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb PET/CT imaging shows similar repeatability to [18F]FDG. It is safe for clinical use. There is tracer uptake in cancer lesions, even in patients previously determined to be HER2-low or -negative. The tracer shows potential in the assessment of interlesional heterogeneity of HER2 expression. In a subset of patients, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb uptake was seen in lesions with no or low [18F]FDG uptake. These findings support further clinical development of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb as a PET/CT tracer in breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odrade Gondry
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium;
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vicky Caveliers
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Catarina Xavier
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laurens Raes
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marian Vanhoeij
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guy Verfaillie
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christel Fontaine
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Katrien Glorieus
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jacques De Grève
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofie Joris
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ine Luyten
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karen Zwaenepoel
- Centre for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | | - Wim Waelput
- Department of Pathology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Experimental Pathology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Ilse Vaneycken
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Julie Cousaert
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Bourgeois
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lode Goethals
- Department of Radiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Everaert
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank De Geeter
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Sint-Jan Brugge Oostende, Bruges, Belgium
| | - Tony Lahoutte
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marleen Keyaerts
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium;
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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10
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Wang L, Yan J, XinyuWang, Xu Y, Pan D, Chen C, Shao Y, Song X, Qi K, Yang M, Tu J. Evaluation of chicken chorioallantoic membrane model for tumor imaging and drug development: Promising findings. Animal Model Exp Med 2024. [PMID: 38230452 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model is a potential alternative to the mouse model based on the 3R principles. However, its value for determination of the in vivo behaviors of radiolabeled peptides through positron emission tomography (PET) imaging needed investigation. Herein, the chicken CAM tumor models were established, and their feasibility was evaluated for evaluating the imaging properties of radiolabeled peptides using a 68 Ga-labeled HER2 affibody. METHODS Two human breast cancer cell lines were inoculated into chicken CAM and mice, respectively. The tumor-targeting potential and pharmacokinetic profile of a 68 Ga-labeled affibody, 68 Ga-MZHER, in both tumor models were also determined. RESULTS The tumor-formation time in chicken CAM model was shorter than that of mouse model. The uptake values of human epithelial growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive Bcap37 tumors in chicken CAM and mouse models were 5.36 ± 0.26% ID/g and 5.26 ± 0.43% ID/g at 30 min postinjection of 68 Ga-MZHER, respectively. At the same time points, the uptake values of HER2-negative MDA-MB-231 tumors in the chicken CAM models and mouse models were 1.57 ± 0.15% ID/g and 1.67 ± 0.25% ID/g, respectively. Ex vivo biodistribution confirmed that more radioactivity accumulated in Bcap37 tumors than in MDA-MD-231 tumors in both CAM and mouse models. CONCLUSION In this study, the CAM tumor model was successfully prepared. The chicken CAM model is a novel tool for quickly determining the in vivo properties of radiolabeled peptides targeting biomarkers. It may be beneficial for early monitoring of the therapeutic effect of a new drug through PET imaging with specific peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Wang
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Animal Food Quality and Bio-safety, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Junjie Yan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - XinyuWang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Yuping Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Donghui Pan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Chongyang Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Ying Shao
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Animal Food Quality and Bio-safety, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiangjun Song
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Animal Food Quality and Bio-safety, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Kezong Qi
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Animal Food Quality and Bio-safety, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Min Yang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Jian Tu
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Animal Food Quality and Bio-safety, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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11
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Oroujeni M, Bezverkhniaia EA, Xu T, Liu Y, Plotnikov EV, Klint S, Ryer E, Karlberg I, Orlova A, Frejd FY, Tolmachev V. Evaluation of affinity matured Affibody molecules for imaging of the immune checkpoint protein B7-H3. Nucl Med Biol 2023; 124-125:108384. [PMID: 37699299 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2023.108384] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
B7-H3 (CD276), an immune checkpoint protein, is a promising molecular target for immune therapy of malignant tumours. Sufficient B7-H3 expression level is a precondition for successful therapy. Radionuclide molecular imaging is a powerful technique for visualization of expression levels of molecular targets in vivo. Use of small radiolabelled targeting proteins would enable high-contrast radionuclide imaging of molecular targets if adequate binding affinity and specificity of an imaging probe could be provided. Affibody molecules, small engineered affinity proteins based on a non-immunoglobulin scaffold, have demonstrated an appreciable potential in radionuclide imaging. Proof-of principle of radionuclide visualization of expression levels of B7-H3 in vivo was demonstrated using the [99mTc]Tc-AC12-GGGC Affibody molecule. We performed an affinity maturation of AC12, enabling selection of clones with higher affinity. Three most promising clones were expressed with a -GGGC (triglycine-cysteine) chelating sequence at the C-terminus and labelled with technetium-99m (99mTc). 99mTc-labelled conjugates bound to B7-H3-expressing cells specifically in vitro and in vivo. Biodistribution in mice bearing B7-H3-expressing SKOV-3 xenografts demonstrated improved imaging properties of the new conjugates compared with the parental variant [99mTc]Tc-AC12-GGGC. [99mTc]Tc-SYNT-179 provided the strongest improvement of tumour-to-organ ratios. Thus, affinity maturation of B7-H3 Affibody molecules could improve biodistribution and targeting properties for imaging of B7-H3-expressing tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Oroujeni
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Affibody AB, 171 65 Solna, Sweden.
| | - Ekaterina A Bezverkhniaia
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; Scientific and Research Laboratory of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk 634050, Russia; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Tianqi Xu
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Yongsheng Liu
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Evgenii V Plotnikov
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | | | - Eva Ryer
- Affibody AB, 171 65 Solna, Sweden.
| | | | - Anna Orlova
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Affibody AB, 171 65 Solna, Sweden.
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia.
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