1
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Svilenov HL, Arosio P, Menzen T, Tessier P, Sormanni P. Approaches to expand the conventional toolbox for discovery and selection of antibodies with drug-like physicochemical properties. MAbs 2023; 15:2164459. [PMID: 36629855 PMCID: PMC9839375 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2022.2164459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody drugs should exhibit not only high-binding affinity for their target antigens but also favorable physicochemical drug-like properties. Such drug-like biophysical properties are essential for the successful development of antibody drug products. The traditional approaches used in antibody drug development require significant experimentation to produce, optimize, and characterize many candidates. Therefore, it is attractive to integrate new methods that can optimize the process of selecting antibodies with both desired target-binding and drug-like biophysical properties. Here, we summarize a selection of techniques that can complement the conventional toolbox used to de-risk antibody drug development. These techniques can be integrated at different stages of the antibody development process to reduce the frequency of physicochemical liabilities in antibody libraries during initial discovery and to co-optimize multiple antibody features during early-stage antibody engineering and affinity maturation. Moreover, we highlight biophysical and computational approaches that can be used to predict physical degradation pathways relevant for long-term storage and in-use stability to reduce the need for extensive experimentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hristo L. Svilenov
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tim Menzen
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Martinsried, 82152, Germany
| | - Peter Tessier
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Pietro Sormanni
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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2
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Root AR, Guntas G, Katragadda M, Apgar JR, Narula J, Chang CS, Hanscom S, McKenna M, Wade J, Meade C, Ma W, Guo Y, Liu Y, Duan W, Hendershot C, King AC, Zhang Y, Sousa E, Tam A, Benard S, Yang H, Kelleher K, Jin F, Piche-Nicholas N, Keating SE, Narciandi F, Lawrence-Henderson R, Arai M, Stochaj WR, Svenson K, Mosyak L, Lam K, Francis C, Marquette K, Wroblewska L, Zhu HL, Sheehan AD, LaVallie ER, D’Antona AM, Betts A, King L, Rosfjord E, Cunningham O, Lin L, Sapra P, Tchistiakova L, Mathur D, Bloom L. Discovery and optimization of a novel anti-GUCY2c x CD3 bispecific antibody for the treatment of solid tumors. MAbs 2021; 13:1850395. [PMID: 33459147 PMCID: PMC7833764 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1850395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We report here the discovery and optimization of a novel T cell retargeting anti-GUCY2C x anti-CD3ε bispecific antibody for the treatment of solid tumors. Using a combination of hybridoma, phage display and rational design protein engineering, we have developed a fully humanized and manufacturable CD3 bispecific antibody that demonstrates favorable pharmacokinetic properties and potent in vivo efficacy. Anti-GUCY2C and anti-CD3ε antibodies derived from mouse hybridomas were first humanized into well-behaved human variable region frameworks with full retention of binding and T-cell mediated cytotoxic activity. To address potential manufacturability concerns, multiple approaches were taken in parallel to optimize and de-risk the two antibody variable regions. These approaches included structure-guided rational mutagenesis and phage display-based optimization, focusing on improving stability, reducing polyreactivity and self-association potential, removing chemical liabilities and proteolytic cleavage sites, and de-risking immunogenicity. Employing rapid library construction methods as well as automated phage display and high-throughput protein production workflows enabled efficient generation of an optimized bispecific antibody with desirable manufacturability properties, high stability, and low nonspecific binding. Proteolytic cleavage and deamidation in complementarity-determining regions were also successfully addressed. Collectively, these improvements translated to a molecule with potent single-agent in vivo efficacy in a tumor cell line adoptive transfer model and a cynomolgus monkey pharmacokinetic profile (half-life>4.5 days) suitable for clinical development. Clinical evaluation of PF-07062119 is ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R. Root
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jatin Narula
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Sara Hanscom
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Jason Wade
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Caryl Meade
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Weijun Ma
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yongjing Guo
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Weili Duan
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Amy C. King
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yan Zhang
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eric Sousa
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amy Tam
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Susan Benard
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Han Yang
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Fang Jin
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Maya Arai
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Lidia Mosyak
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - H. Lily Zhu
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Andover, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Alison Betts
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lindsay King
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Andover, MA, USA
| | - Edward Rosfjord
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, NY, USA
| | | | - Laura Lin
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Puja Sapra
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, NY, USA
| | | | - Divya Mathur
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Laird Bloom
- BioMedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
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3
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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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4
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Rau A, Lieb WS, Seifert O, Honer J, Birnstock D, Richter F, Aschmoneit N, Olayioye MA, Kontermann RE. Inhibition of Tumor Cell Growth and Cancer Stem Cell Expansion by a Bispecific Antibody Targeting EGFR and HER3. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 19:1474-1485. [DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-1095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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5
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Tam EM, Fulton RB, Sampson JF, Muda M, Camblin A, Richards J, Koshkaryev A, Tang J, Kurella V, Jiao Y, Xu L, Zhang K, Kohli N, Luus L, Hutto E, Kumar S, Lulo J, Paragas V, Wong C, Suchy J, Grabow S, Dugast AS, Zhang H, Depis F, Feau S, Jakubowski A, Qiao W, Craig G, Razlog M, Qiu J, Zhou Y, Marks JD, Croft M, Drummond DC, Raue A. Antibody-mediated targeting of TNFR2 activates CD8+ T cells in mice and promotes antitumor immunity. Sci Transl Med 2019; 11:11/512/eaax0720. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aax0720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) is the alternate receptor for TNF and can mediate both pro- and anti-inflammatory activities of T cells. Although TNFR2 has been linked to enhanced suppressive activity of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in autoimmune diseases, the viability of TNFR2 as a target for cancer immunotherapy has been underappreciated. Here, we show that new murine monoclonal anti-TNFR2 antibodies yield robust antitumor activity and durable protective memory in multiple mouse cancer cell line models. The antibodies mediate potent Fc-dependent T cell costimulation and do not result in significant depletion of Tregs. Corresponding human agonistic monoclonal anti-TNFR2 antibodies were identified and also had antitumor effects in humanized mouse models. Anti-TNFR2 antibodies could be developed as a novel treatment option for patients with cancer.
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6
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Suurs FV, Lub-de Hooge MN, de Vries EGE, de Groot DJA. A review of bispecific antibodies and antibody constructs in oncology and clinical challenges. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 201:103-119. [PMID: 31028837 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are antibodies that bind two distinct epitopes to cancer.. For use in oncology, one bsAb has been approved and 57 bsAbs are in clinical trials, none of which has reached phase 3. These bsAbs show great variability in design and mechanism of action. The various designs are often linked to the mechanisms of actions. The majority of bsAbs engage immune cells to destroy tumor cells. However, some bsAbs are also used to deliver payloads to tumors or to block tumor signaling pathways. This review provides insight into the choice of construct for bsAbs, summarizes the clinical development of bsAbs in oncology and identifies subsequent challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frans V Suurs
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marjolijn N Lub-de Hooge
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth G E de Vries
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Derk Jan A de Groot
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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7
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Casaletto JB, Geddie ML, Abu-Yousif AO, Masson K, Fulgham A, Boudot A, Maiwald T, Kearns JD, Kohli N, Su S, Razlog M, Raue A, Kalra A, Håkansson M, Logan DT, Welin M, Chattopadhyay S, Harms BD, Nielsen UB, Schoeberl B, Lugovskoy AA, MacBeath G. MM-131, a bispecific anti-Met/EpCAM mAb, inhibits HGF-dependent and HGF-independent Met signaling through concurrent binding to EpCAM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:7533-7542. [PMID: 30898885 PMCID: PMC6462049 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1819085116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the Met receptor tyrosine kinase, either by its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), or via ligand-independent mechanisms, such as MET amplification or receptor overexpression, has been implicated in driving tumor proliferation, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Clinical development of Met-targeted antibodies has been challenging, however, as bivalent antibodies exhibit agonistic properties, whereas monovalent antibodies lack potency and the capacity to down-regulate Met. Through computational modeling, we found that the potency of a monovalent antibody targeting Met could be dramatically improved by introducing a second binding site that recognizes an unrelated, highly expressed antigen on the tumor cell surface. Guided by this prediction, we engineered MM-131, a bispecific antibody that is monovalent for both Met and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). MM-131 is a purely antagonistic antibody that blocks ligand-dependent and ligand-independent Met signaling by inhibiting HGF binding to Met and inducing receptor down-regulation. Together, these mechanisms lead to inhibition of proliferation in Met-driven cancer cells, inhibition of HGF-mediated cancer cell migration, and inhibition of tumor growth in HGF-dependent and -independent mouse xenograft models. Consistent with its design, MM-131 is more potent in EpCAM-high cells than in EpCAM-low cells, and its potency decreases when EpCAM levels are reduced by RNAi. Evaluation of Met, EpCAM, and HGF levels in human tumor samples reveals that EpCAM is expressed at high levels in a wide range of Met-positive tumor types, suggesting a broad opportunity for clinical development of MM-131.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa L Geddie
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Adnan O Abu-Yousif
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Kristina Masson
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Aaron Fulgham
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Antoine Boudot
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Tim Maiwald
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Jeffrey D Kearns
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Neeraj Kohli
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Stephen Su
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Maja Razlog
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Andreas Raue
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139;
| | - Ashish Kalra
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Maria Håkansson
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Medicon Village, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden
| | - Derek T Logan
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Medicon Village, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin Welin
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Medicon Village, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Brian D Harms
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Ulrik B Nielsen
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Birgit Schoeberl
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Alexey A Lugovskoy
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Gavin MacBeath
- Discovery Division, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139;
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8
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Camblin AJ, Pace EA, Adams S, Curley MD, Rimkunas V, Nie L, Tan G, Bloom T, Iadevaia S, Baum J, Minx C, Czibere A, Louis CU, Drummond DC, Nielsen UB, Schoeberl B, Pipas JM, Straubinger RM, Askoxylakis V, Lugovskoy AA. Dual Inhibition of IGF-1R and ErbB3 Enhances the Activity of Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel in Preclinical Models of Pancreatic Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 24:2873-2885. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-2262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Roskopf CC, Braciak TA, Fenn NC, Kobold S, Fey GH, Hopfner KP, Oduncu FS. Dual-targeting triplebody 33-3-19 mediates selective lysis of biphenotypic CD19+ CD33+ leukemia cells. Oncotarget 2017; 7:22579-89. [PMID: 26981773 PMCID: PMC5008383 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simultaneous targeting of multiple tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) in cancer immunotherapy is presumed to enhance tumor cell selectivity and to reduce immune escape. The combination of B lymphoid marker CD19 and myeloid marker CD33 is exclusively present on biphenotypic B/myeloid leukemia cells. Triplebody 33-3-19 binds specifically to both of these TAAs and activates T cells as immune effectors. Thereby it induces specific lysis of established myeloid (MOLM13, THP-1) and B-lymphoid cell lines (BV173, SEM, Raji, ARH77) as well as of primary patient cells. EC50 values range from 3 pM to 2.4 nM. In accordance with our hypothesis, 33-3-19 is able to induce preferential lysis of double- rather than single-positive leukemia cells in a target cell mixture: CD19/CD33 double-positive BV173 cells were eliminated to a significantly greater extent than CD19 single-positive SEM cells (36.6% vs. 20.9% in 3 hours, p = 0.0048) in the presence of both cell lines. In contrast, equivalent elimination efficiencies were observed for both cell lines, when control triplebody 19-3-19 or a mixture of the bispecific single chain variable fragments 19-3 and 33-3 were used. This result highlights the potential of dual-targeting agents for efficient and selective immune-intervention in leukemia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia C Roskopf
- Klinikum der Universität München, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Hematology/Oncology, Munich, Germany
| | - Todd A Braciak
- Klinikum der Universität München, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Hematology/Oncology, Munich, Germany
| | - Nadja C Fenn
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Biochemistry and Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM) and Klinikum der Universität München, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Munich, Germany
| | - Georg H Fey
- Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Department of Biology, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Karl-Peter Hopfner
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Biochemistry and Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Fuat S Oduncu
- Klinikum der Universität München, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Hematology/Oncology, Munich, Germany
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10
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Kohli N, Geddie ML. Novel HPLC-Based Screening Method to Assess Developability of Antibody-Like Molecules. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1575:189-196. [PMID: 28255881 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6857-2_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of antibodies that bind to targets with high affinity is now a routine exercise. However, it is still challenging to screen for candidates that, in addition to having excellent biological properties, also have optimal biophysical characteristics. Here, we describe a simple HPLC-based screening method to assess for developability factors earlier in the discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj Kohli
- Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Suite B7201, 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Melissa L Geddie
- Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Suite B7201, 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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11
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Geddie ML, Kohli N, Kirpotin DB, Razlog M, Jiao Y, Kornaga T, Rennard R, Xu L, Schoerberl B, Marks JD, Drummond DC, Lugovskoy AA. Improving the developability of an anti-EphA2 single-chain variable fragment for nanoparticle targeting. MAbs 2016; 9:58-67. [PMID: 27854147 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2016.1259047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody-targeted nanoparticles have great promise as anti-cancer drugs; however, substantial developmental challenges of antibody modules prevent many candidates from reaching the clinic. Here, we describe a robust strategy for developing an EphA2-targeting antibody fragment for immunoliposomal drug delivery. A highly bioactive single-chain variable fragment (scFv) was engineered to overcome developmental liabilities, including low thermostability and weak binding to affinity purification resins. Improved thermostability was achieved by modifying the framework of the scFv, and complementarity-determining region (CDR)-H2 was modified to increase binding to protein A resins. The results of our engineering campaigns demonstrate that it is possible, using focused design strategies, to rapidly improve the stability and manufacturing characteristics of an antibody fragment for use as a component of a novel therapeutic construct.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yang Jiao
- a Merrimack, Inc. , Cambridge , MA , USA
| | | | | | - Lihui Xu
- a Merrimack, Inc. , Cambridge , MA , USA
| | | | - James D Marks
- a Merrimack, Inc. , Cambridge , MA , USA.,b Department of Anesthesia and Pharmaceutical Chemistry , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA
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12
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Malm M, Frejd FY, Ståhl S, Löfblom J. Targeting HER3 using mono- and bispecific antibodies or alternative scaffolds. MAbs 2016; 8:1195-1209. [PMID: 27532938 PMCID: PMC5058629 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2016.1212147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) has in recent years been recognized as a key node in the complex signaling network of many different cancers. It is implicated in de novo and acquired resistance against therapies targeting other growth factor receptors, e.g., EGFR, HER2, and it is a major activator of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Consequently, HER3 has attracted substantial attention, and is today a key target for drugs in clinical development. Sophisticated protein engineering approaches have enabled the generation of a range of different affinity proteins targeting this receptor, including antibodies and alternative scaffolds that are either mono- or bispecific. Here, we describe HER3 and its role as a key tumor target, and give a comprehensive review of HER3-targeted proteins currently in development, including discussions on the opportunities and challenges of targeting this receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Malm
- a Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, SE , Stockholm
| | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- b Affibody AB, SE, Stockholm , Sweden.,c Department of Immunology , Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Stefan Ståhl
- a Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, SE , Stockholm
| | - John Löfblom
- a Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, SE , Stockholm
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13
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Kohli N, Jain N, Geddie ML, Razlog M, Xu L, Lugovskoy AA. A novel screening method to assess developability of antibody-like molecules. MAbs 2016; 7:752-8. [PMID: 25961854 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2015.1048410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies and antibody-like molecules represent a fast-growing class of bio-therapeutics that has rapidly transformed patient care in a variety of disease indications. The discovery of antibodies that bind to particular targets with high affinity is now a routine exercise and a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques are available for this purpose. However, it is still challenging to identify antibodies that, in addition to having the desired biological effect, also express well, remain soluble at different pH levels, remain stable at high concentrations, can withstand high shear stress, and have minimal non-specific interactions. Many promising antibody programs have ultimately failed in development due to the problems associated with one of these factors. Here, we present a simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based screening method to assess these developability factors earlier in discovery process. This method is robust and requires only microgram quantities of proteins. Briefly, we show that for antibodies injected on a commercially available pre-packed Zenix HPLC column, the retention times are inversely related to their colloidal stability with antibodies prone to precipitation or aggregation retained longer on the column with broader peaks. By simply varying the salt content of running buffer, we were also able to estimate the nature of interactions between the antibodies and the column. We believe this approach should generally be applicable to assessment of the developability of other classes of bio-therapeutic molecules, and that the addition of this simple tool early in the discovery process will lead to selection of molecules with improved developability characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj Kohli
- a Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ; Cambridge , MA , USA
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14
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Zhang N, Chang Y, Rios A, An Z. HER3/ErbB3, an emerging cancer therapeutic target. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2016; 48:39-48. [PMID: 26496898 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmv103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
HER3 is a member of the HER (EGFR/ErbB) receptor family consisting of four closely related type 1 transmembrane receptors (EGFR, HER2, HER3, and HER4). HER receptors are part of a complex signaling network intertwined with the Ras/Raf/MAPK, PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT, and PKC signaling pathways. Aberrant activation of the HER receptors and downstream signaling molecules tips the balance on cellular events, leading to various types of cancers. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and small molecule inhibitors targeting EGFR and HER2 tyrosine kinase activities exhibit clinical benefits in the treatment of several types of cancers, but their clinical efficacy is limited by the occurrence of drug resistance. HER3 is the preferred dimerization partner of HER2 and it is well established that HER3 plays an important role in drug resistance to EGFR- and HER2-targeting therapies. Since HER3 has limited kinase activity, mAbs are being explored to target HER3 for cancer therapy. Currently, approximately a dozen of anti-HER3 mAbs are at different stages of clinical development. However, the lack of established biomarkers has made it more challenging to stratify cancer patients to whom HER3-targeting therapies can be more effective. In this review, we focus on the validation of HER3 as a cancer drug target, the recent development in biomarker discovery for anti-HER3 therapies, and the progress made in the clinical development of HER3-targeting mAbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningyan Zhang
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Adan Rios
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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15
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Zhang K, Geddie ML, Kohli N, Kornaga T, Kirpotin DB, Jiao Y, Rennard R, Drummond DC, Nielsen UB, Xu L, Lugovskoy AA. Comprehensive optimization of a single-chain variable domain antibody fragment as a targeting ligand for a cytotoxic nanoparticle. MAbs 2015; 7:42-52. [PMID: 25484041 DOI: 10.4161/19420862.2014.985933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-targeted nanoparticles have the potential to significantly increase the therapeutic index of cytotoxic anti-cancer therapies by directing them to tumor cells. Using antibodies or their fragments requires careful engineering because multiple parameters, including affinity, internalization rate and stability, all need to be optimized. Here, we present a case study of the iterative engineering of a single chain variable fragment (scFv) for use as a targeting arm of a liposomal cytotoxic nanoparticle. We describe the effect of the orientation of variable domains, the length and composition of the interdomain protein linker that connects VH and VL, and stabilizing mutations in both the framework and complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) on the molecular properties of the scFv. We show that variable domain orientation can alter cross-reactivity to murine antigen while maintaining affinity to the human antigen. We demonstrate that tyrosine residues in the CDRs make diverse contributions to the binding affinity and biophysical properties, and that replacement of non-essential tyrosines can improve the stability and bioactivity of the scFv. Our studies demonstrate that a comprehensive engineering strategy may be required to identify a scFv with optimal characteristics for nanoparticle targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Zhang
- a Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ; Cambridge , MA USA
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16
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Julian MC, Lee CC, Tiller KE, Rabia LA, Day EK, Schick AJ, Tessier PM. Co-evolution of affinity and stability of grafted amyloid-motif domain antibodies. Protein Eng Des Sel 2015; 28:339-50. [PMID: 26386257 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzv050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An attractive approach for designing lead antibody candidates is to mimic natural protein interactions by grafting peptide recognition motifs into the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs). We are using this approach to generate single-domain (VH) antibodies specific for amyloid-forming proteins such as the Alzheimer's Aβ peptide. Here, we use random mutagenesis and yeast surface display to improve the binding affinity of a lead VH domain grafted with Aβ residues 33-42 in CDR3. Interestingly, co-selection for improved Aβ binding and VH display on the surface of yeast yields antibody domains with improved affinity and reduced stability. The highest affinity VH domains were strongly destabilized on the surface of yeast as well as unfolded when isolated as autonomous domains. In contrast, stable VH domains with improved affinity were reliably identified using yeast surface display by replacing the display antibody that recognizes a linear epitope tag at the terminus of both folded and unfolded VH domains with a conformational ligand (Protein A) that recognizes a discontinuous epitope on the framework of folded VH domains. Importantly, we find that selection for improved stability using Protein A without simultaneous co-selection for improved Aβ binding leads to strong enrichment for stabilizing mutations that reduce antigen binding. Our findings highlight the importance of simultaneously optimizing affinity and stability to improve the rapid isolation of well-folded and specific antibody fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Julian
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Christine C Lee
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Kathryn E Tiller
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Lilia A Rabia
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Evan K Day
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Arthur J Schick
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Peter M Tessier
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
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17
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Abstract
The use of monoclonal antibodies as therapeutics requires optimizing several of their key attributes. These include binding affinity and specificity, folding stability, solubility, pharmacokinetics, effector functions, and compatibility with the attachment of additional antibody domains (bispecific antibodies) and cytotoxic drugs (antibody-drug conjugates). Addressing these and other challenges requires the use of systematic design methods that complement powerful immunization and in vitro screening methods. We review advances in designing the binding loops, scaffolds, domain interfaces, constant regions, post-translational and chemical modifications, and bispecific architectures of antibodies and fragments thereof to improve their bioactivity. We also highlight unmet challenges in antibody design that must be overcome to generate potent antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Tiller
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180;
| | - Peter M Tessier
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180;
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18
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Dey N, Williams C, Leyland-Jones B, De P. A critical role for HER3 in HER2-amplified and non-amplified breast cancers: function of a kinase-dead RTK. Am J Transl Res 2015; 7:733-750. [PMID: 26064441 PMCID: PMC4455348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
ERBB3/HER3 is the most intriguing RTK by virtue of its ability to transduce multiple cytosolic signals for the proliferation and growth of tumor cells in spite of being a "kinase dead" receptor that binds to its true ligand, heregulin. Although other members of the HER3 family like EGFR and HER2 have long been recognized to be associated with breast tumorigenesis and studied because of their predictive and prognostic value, the significance of HER3 as an irrefutable component of HER family signalosome is a relatively new development. The recent understanding of signals originating from the oncogenic partnership of HER3 with HER2 in the context of HER2 amplification/overexpression showed the critical clinical value for the treatment of HER2+BC. The downstream signaling cascade (included but not limited to the PI3K signaling) associated with signals originating from HER2:HER3 dimers play a vital role in the tumorigenesis, drug-resistance and tumor progression of HER2+BC. The upregulation of HER3 activity provides an alternate "escape route" via which tumor cells bypass either the inhibition of the HER family RTKs or the inhibition of the downstream PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. By understanding the signaling that provides this "escape route" for these tumor cells treated with a targeted therapy (HER2 inhibitors or inhibitors of downstream PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway), we are just beginning to appreciate the prognostic value of HER3 in breast cancer. In this review, we will discuss the relevance of HER3 signaling in the context of, (1) downstream oncogenic signals and (2) therapeutic options in HER2 amplified BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Dey
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Avera Cancer InstituteSioux Falls, SD
- Department of Internal Medicine, SSOM, University of South DakotaSD
| | - Casey Williams
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Avera Cancer InstituteSioux Falls, SD
- Department of Internal Medicine, SSOM, University of South DakotaSD
| | - Brain Leyland-Jones
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Avera Cancer InstituteSioux Falls, SD
- Department of Internal Medicine, SSOM, University of South DakotaSD
| | - Pradip De
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Avera Cancer InstituteSioux Falls, SD
- Department of Internal Medicine, SSOM, University of South DakotaSD
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19
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Schubert I, Saul D, Nowecki S, Mackensen A, Fey GH, Oduncu FS. A dual-targeting triplebody mediates preferential redirected lysis of antigen double-positive over single-positive leukemic cells. MAbs 2014; 6:286-96. [PMID: 24135631 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.26768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The single-chain triplebody HLA-ds16-hu19 consists of three single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragments connected in a single polypeptide chain. This protein with dual-targeting capacity mediated preferential lysis of antigen double positive(dp) over single-positive (sp) leukemic cells by recruitment of natural killer (NK) cells as effectors. The two distal scFv modules were specific for the histocompatibility protein HLA-DR and the lymphoid antigen CD19, the central one for the Fc gamma receptor CD16. In antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) experiments with a mixture of leukemic target cells comprising both HLA-DR sp HuT-78 or Kasumi-1 cells and (HLA-DR plus CD19) dp SEM cells, the triplebody mediated preferential lysis of the dp cells even when the sp cells were present in ≤ 20-fold numerical excess.The triplebody promoted equal lysis of SEM cells at 2.5-fold and 19.5-fold lower concentrations than the parental antibodies specific for HLA-DR and CD19, respectively. Finally, the triplebody also eliminated primary leukemic cells at lower concentrations than an equimolar mixture of bispecific single-chain Fv fragments (bsscFvs) separately addressing each target antigen (hu19-ds16 and HLA-ds16). The increased selectivity of targeting and the preferential lysis of dp over sp cells achieved by dual-targeting open attractive new perspectives for the use of dual-targeting agents in cancer therapy.
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20
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Farajnia S, Ahmadzadeh V, Tanomand A, Veisi K, Khosroshahi SA, Rahbarnia L. Development trends for generation of single-chain antibody fragments. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2014; 36:297-308. [DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2014.945126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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21
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Understanding the role of cross-arm binding efficiency in the activity of monoclonal and multispecific therapeutic antibodies. Methods 2014; 65:95-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2013.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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22
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Kang JC, Poovassery JS, Bansal P, You S, Manjarres IM, Ober RJ, Ward ES. Engineering multivalent antibodies to target heregulin-induced HER3 signaling in breast cancer cells. MAbs 2013; 6:340-53. [PMID: 24492289 PMCID: PMC3984324 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.27658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of antibodies in therapy and diagnosis has undergone an unprecedented expansion during the past two decades. This is due in part to innovations in antibody engineering that now offer opportunities for the production of “second generation” antibodies with multiple specificities or altered valencies. The targeting of individual components of the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)3-PI3K signaling axis, including the preferred heterodimerization partner HER2, is known to have limited anti-tumor effects. The efficacy of antibodies or small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in targeting this axis is further reduced by the presence of the HER3 ligand, heregulin. To address these shortcomings, we performed a comparative analysis of two distinct approaches toward reducing the proliferation and signaling in HER2 overexpressing tumor cells in the presence of heregulin. These strategies both involve the use of engineered antibodies in combination with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/HER2 specific TKI, lapatinib. In the first approach, we generated a bispecific anti-HER2/HER3 antibody that, in the presence of lapatinib, is designed to sequester HER3 into inactive HER2-HER3 dimers that restrain HER3 interactions with other possible dimerization partners. The second approach involves the use of a tetravalent anti-HER3 antibody with the goal of inducing efficient HER3 internalization and degradation. In combination with lapatinib, we demonstrate that although the multivalent HER3 antibody is more effective than its bivalent counterpart in reducing heregulin-mediated signaling and growth, the bispecific HER2/HER3 antibody has increased inhibitory activity. Collectively, these observations provide support for the therapeutic use of bispecifics in combination with TKIs to recruit HER3 into complexes that are functionally inert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering; University of Texas at Dallas; Richardson, TX USA; Department of Immunology; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA
| | - Jayakumar S Poovassery
- Department of Immunology; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA; Department of Electrical Engineering; University of Texas at Dallas; Richardson, TX USA
| | - Pankaj Bansal
- Department of Immunology; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA
| | - Sungyong You
- Department of Immunology; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA; Department of Electrical Engineering; University of Texas at Dallas; Richardson, TX USA
| | - Isabel M Manjarres
- Department of Immunology; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA; Department of Electrical Engineering; University of Texas at Dallas; Richardson, TX USA
| | - Raimund J Ober
- Department of Immunology; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA; Department of Electrical Engineering; University of Texas at Dallas; Richardson, TX USA
| | - E Sally Ward
- Department of Immunology; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA
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23
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Fennell BJ, McDonnell B, Tam ASP, Chang L, Steven J, Broadbent ID, Gao H, Kieras E, Alley J, Luxenberg D, Edmonds J, Fitz LJ, Miao W, Whitters MJ, Medley QG, Guo YJ, Darmanin-Sheehan A, Autin B, Shúilleabháin DN, Cummins E, King A, Krebs MRH, Grace C, Hickling TP, Boisvert A, Zhong X, McKenna M, Francis C, Olland S, Bloom L, Paulsen J, Somers W, Jensen A, Lin L, Finlay WJJ, Cunningham O. CDR-restricted engineering of native human scFvs creates highly stable and soluble bifunctional antibodies for subcutaneous delivery. MAbs 2013; 5:882-95. [PMID: 23995618 PMCID: PMC3896602 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.26201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
While myriad molecular formats for bispecific antibodies have been examined to date, the simplest structures are often based on the scFv. Issues with stability and manufacturability in scFv-based bispecific molecules, however, have been a significant hindrance to their development, particularly for high-concentration, stable formulations that allow subcutaneous delivery. Our aim was to generate a tetravalent bispecific molecule targeting two inflammatory mediators for synergistic immune modulation. We focused on an scFv-Fc-scFv format, with a flexible (A4T)3 linker coupling an additional scFv to the C-terminus of an scFv-Fc. While one of the lead scFvs isolated directly from a naïve library was well-behaved and sufficiently potent, the parental anti-CXCL13 scFv 3B4 required optimization for affinity, stability, and cynomolgus ortholog cross-reactivity. To achieve this, we eschewed framework-based stabilizing mutations in favor of complementarity-determining region (CDR) mutagenesis and re-selection for simultaneous improvements in both affinity and thermal stability. Phage-displayed 3B4 CDR-mutant libraries were used in an aggressive "hammer-hug" selection strategy that incorporated thermal challenge, functional, and biophysical screening. This approach identified leads with improved stability and>18-fold, and 4,100-fold higher affinity for both human and cynomolgus CXCL13, respectively. Improvements were exclusively mediated through only 4 mutations in VL-CDR3. Lead scFvs were reformatted into scFv-Fc-scFvs and their biophysical properties ranked. Our final candidate could be formulated in a standard biopharmaceutical platform buffer at 100 mg/ml with<2% high molecular weight species present after 7 weeks at 4 °C and viscosity<15 cP. This workflow has facilitated the identification of a truly manufacturable scFv-based bispecific therapeutic suitable for subcutaneous administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Fennell
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Dublin, Ireland
| | - Barry McDonnell
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Dublin, Ireland
| | - Amy Sze Pui Tam
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Lijun Chang
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Foresterhill; Aberdeen, UK
| | - John Steven
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Foresterhill; Aberdeen, UK
| | - Ian D Broadbent
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Foresterhill; Aberdeen, UK
| | - Huilan Gao
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yongjing J Guo
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | | | - Bénédicte Autin
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Emma Cummins
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Dublin, Ireland
| | - Amy King
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Mark R H Krebs
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | | | | | - Angela Boisvert
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Xiaotian Zhong
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Matthew McKenna
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | | | - Stephane Olland
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Laird Bloom
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Janet Paulsen
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Will Somers
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Allan Jensen
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Laura Lin
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Cambridge, MA USA
| | | | - Orla Cunningham
- Pfizer; Global Biotherapeutics Technologies; Dublin, Ireland
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24
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Correia I, Sung J, Burton R, Jakob CG, Carragher B, Ghayur T, Radziejewski C. The structure of dual-variable-domain immunoglobulin molecules alone and bound to antigen. MAbs 2013; 5:364-72. [PMID: 23572180 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.24258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A dual-specific, tetravalent immunoglobulin G-like molecule, termed dual variable domain immunoglobulin (DVD-Ig™), is engineered to block two targets. Flexibility modulates Fc receptor and complement binding, but could result in undesirable cross-linking of surface antigens and downstream signaling. Understanding the flexibility of parental mAbs is important for designing and retaining functionality of DVD-Ig™ molecules. The architecture and dynamics of a DVD-Ig™ molecule and its parental mAbs was examined using single particle electron microscopy. Hinge angles measured for the DVD-Ig™ molecule were similar to the inner antigen parental mAb. The outer binding domain of the DVD-Ig™ molecule was highly mobile and three-dimensional (3D) analysis showed binding of inner antigen caused the outer domain to fold out of the plane with a major morphological change. Docking high-resolution X-ray structures into the 3D electron microscopy map supports the extraordinary domain flexibility observed in the DVD-Ig™ molecule allowing antigen binding with minimal steric hindrance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Correia
- Protein Analytics; AbbVie Bioresearch Center; Worcester, MA USA
| | - Joyce Sung
- NanoImaging Services, Inc.; La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Randall Burton
- Protein Analytics; AbbVie Bioresearch Center; Worcester, MA USA
| | - Clarissa G Jakob
- Department of Structural Biology; AbbVie Laboratories; Abbott Park, IL USA
| | | | - Tariq Ghayur
- Biologics; AbbVie Bioresearch Center; Worcester, MA USA
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25
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Segrestaa JM, Petrescou L, Julien D, Bugard P. [Methodology for the study of a hypnotic by a double-blind technic]. Therapie 1978; 13:410-25. [PMID: 24282 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-13-0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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