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Crook ZR, Sevilla GP, Young P, Girard EJ, Phi TD, Howard M, Price J, Olson JM, Nairn NW. CYpHER: Catalytic extracellular targeted protein degradation with high potency and durable effect. bioRxiv 2024:2024.02.21.581471. [PMID: 38712232 PMCID: PMC11071310 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.21.581471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Many disease-causing proteins have multiple pathogenic mechanisms, and conventional inhibitors struggle to reliably disrupt more than one. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) can eliminate the protein, and thus all its functions, by directing a cell's protein turnover machinery towards it. Two established strategies either engage catalytic E3 ligases or drive uptake towards the endolysosomal pathway. Here we describe CYpHER (CatalYtic pH-dependent Endolysosomal delivery with Recycling) technology with potency and durability from a novel catalytic mechanism that shares the specificity and straightforward modular design of endolysosomal uptake. By bestowing pH-dependent release on the target engager and using the rapid-cycling transferrin receptor as the uptake receptor, CYpHER induces endolysosomal target delivery while re-using drug, potentially yielding increased potency and reduced off-target tissue exposure risks. The TfR-based approach allows targeting to tumors that overexpress this receptor and offers the potential for transport to the CNS. CYpHER function was demonstrated in vitro with EGFR and PD-L1, and in vivo with EGFR in a model of EGFR-driven non-small cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R. Crook
- Cyclera Therapeutics Inc, Seattle, WA 98115, USA. Present address of Z.R.C., G.P.S., and N.W.N
- Blaze Bioscience Inc., Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Gregory P. Sevilla
- Cyclera Therapeutics Inc, Seattle, WA 98115, USA. Present address of Z.R.C., G.P.S., and N.W.N
- Blaze Bioscience Inc., Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Emily J. Girard
- Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Present address of E.J.G. and J.M.O
| | | | | | - Jason Price
- Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Present address of E.J.G. and J.M.O
| | - James M. Olson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Present address of E.J.G. and J.M.O
| | - Natalie W. Nairn
- Cyclera Therapeutics Inc, Seattle, WA 98115, USA. Present address of Z.R.C., G.P.S., and N.W.N
- Blaze Bioscience Inc., Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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Crook ZR, Girard EJ, Sevilla GP, Brusniak MY, Rupert PB, Friend DJ, Gewe MM, Clarke M, Lin I, Ruff R, Phi D, Bandaranayake A, Correnti CE, Mhyre AJ, Nairn NW, Strong RK, Olson JM. Abstract 1043: Advances in cystine-dense peptide (CDP) screening and therapeutic applications. Cancer Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2022-1043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Cystine-dense peptides (CDPs) are a class of drug-like miniproteins that marry many of the advantages of biologics (high affinity and specificity) and small molecule therapeutics (high tissue permeability and low immunogenicity). The beneficial properties of CDPs, and miniproteins in general, have driven interest in therapeutic applications. However, CDP diversity is vast from every clade of life, and properly interrogating “CDP space” requires specialized screening and modeling tools.
With this in mind, we have created an optimized mammalian surface display platform to screen for CDPs of clinical interest using libraries of structurally-diverse native scaffolds optimized for stability. These native CDPs can be structurally modeled, which we did in determining the structures of over 4200 native CDPs. This modeling permits further selection in silico as well as targeted mutagenesis for favorable target-binding capabilities. Hits from these screens are routinely matured to sub-nM affinity. These CDPs can play numerous roles in a drug design pipeline, from an independent drug candidate to a delivery agent for tissue-targeting to a module in a polyspecific biologic. Recent novel CDP candidates have shown promise in immune-oncology space as part of a bispecific T-cell engager targeting PD-L1, where a single 2-week treatment was capable of eliminating subcutaneous PC3 prostate cancer xenograft tumors in 27/30 mice.
Besides bispecifics, future directions for the platform include exploring targeted protein degradation. Additionally, we are expanding upon our previous work on CDPs to explore CNS or tumor delivery of therapeutic cargo. The versatility of CDPs and novel screening tools to rapidly identify and mature candidates of interest can facilitate rapid advancement of CDP therapeutics to address difficult targets in oncology.
Citation Format: Zachary R. Crook, Emily J. Girard, Gregory P. Sevilla, Mi-Youn Brusniak, Peter B. Rupert, Della J. Friend, Mesfin M. Gewe, Midori Clarke, Ida Lin, Raymond Ruff, Doan Phi, Ashok Bandaranayake, Colin E. Correnti, Andrew J. Mhyre, Natalie W. Nairn, Roland K. Strong, James M. Olson. Advances in cystine-dense peptide (CDP) screening and therapeutic applications [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1043.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Midori Clarke
- 2Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Ida Lin
- 2Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Raymond Ruff
- 2Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
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Crook ZR, Girard EJ, Sevilla GP, Brusniak MY, Rupert PB, Friend DJ, Gewe MM, Clarke M, Lin I, Ruff R, Pakiam F, Phi TD, Bandaranayake A, Correnti CE, Mhyre AJ, Nairn NW, Strong RK, Olson JM. Ex silico engineering of cystine-dense peptides yielding a potent bispecific T cell engager. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabn0402. [PMID: 35584229 PMCID: PMC10118748 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abn0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cystine-dense peptides (CDPs) are a miniprotein class that can drug difficult targets with high affinity and low immunogenicity. Tools for their design, however, are not as developed as those for small-molecule and antibody drugs. CDPs have diverse taxonomic origins, but structural characterization is lacking. Here, we adapted Iterative Threading ASSEmbly Refinement (I-TASSER) and Rosetta protein modeling software for structural prediction of 4298 CDP scaffolds and performed in silico prescreening for CDP binders to targets of interest. Mammalian display screening of a library of docking-enriched, methionine and tyrosine scanned (DEMYS) CDPs against PD-L1 yielded binders from four distinct CDP scaffolds. One was affinity-matured, and cocrystallography yielded a high-affinity (KD = 202 pM) PD-L1-binding CDP that competes with PD-1 for PD-L1 binding. Its subsequent incorporation into a CD3-binding bispecific T cell engager produced a molecule with pM-range in vitro T cell killing potency and which substantially extends survival in two different xenograft tumor-bearing mouse models. Both in vitro and in vivo, the CDP-incorporating bispecific molecule outperformed a comparator antibody-based molecule. This CDP modeling and DEMYS technique can accelerate CDP therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R Crook
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Blaze Bioscience Inc., Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Emily J Girard
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Gregory P Sevilla
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Blaze Bioscience Inc., Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mi-Youn Brusniak
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Peter B Rupert
- Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Della J Friend
- Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mesfin M Gewe
- Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Midori Clarke
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Ida Lin
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Raymond Ruff
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Fiona Pakiam
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Ashok Bandaranayake
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Colin E Correnti
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Andrew J Mhyre
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Roland K Strong
- Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - James M Olson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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Cook Sangar ML, Girard EJ, Hopping G, Yin C, Pakiam F, Brusniak MY, Nguyen E, Ruff R, Gewe MM, Byrnes-Blake K, Nairn NW, Miller DM, Mehlin C, Strand AD, Mhyre AJ, Correnti CE, Strong RK, Simon JA, Olson JM. A potent peptide-steroid conjugate accumulates in cartilage and reverses arthritis without evidence of systemic corticosteroid exposure. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/533/eaay1041. [PMID: 32132215 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aay1041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
On-target, off-tissue toxicity limits the systemic use of drugs that would otherwise reduce symptoms or reverse the damage of arthritic diseases, leaving millions of patients in pain and with limited physical mobility. We identified cystine-dense peptides (CDPs) that rapidly accumulate in cartilage of the knees, ankles, hips, shoulders, and intervertebral discs after systemic administration. These CDPs could be used to concentrate arthritis drugs in joints. A cartilage-accumulating peptide, CDP-11R, reached peak concentration in cartilage within 30 min after administration and remained detectable for more than 4 days. Structural analysis of the peptides by crystallography revealed that the distribution of positive charge may be a distinguishing feature of joint-accumulating CDPs. In addition, quantitative whole-body autoradiography showed that the disulfide-bonded tertiary structure is critical for cartilage accumulation and retention. CDP-11R distributed to joints while carrying a fluorophore imaging agent or one of two different steroid payloads, dexamethasone (dex) and triamcinolone acetonide (TAA). Of the two payloads, the dex conjugate did not advance because the free drug released into circulation was sufficient to cause on-target toxicity. In contrast, the CDP-11R-TAA conjugate alleviated joint inflammation in the rat collagen-induced model of rheumatoid arthritis while avoiding toxicities that occurred with nontargeted steroid treatment at the same molar dose. This conjugate shows promise for clinical development and establishes proof of concept for multijoint targeting of disease-modifying therapeutic payloads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Cook Sangar
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Emily J Girard
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Gene Hopping
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Chunfeng Yin
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Fiona Pakiam
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mi-Youn Brusniak
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Elizabeth Nguyen
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Raymond Ruff
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mesfin M Gewe
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | | | | | - Christopher Mehlin
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Andrew D Strand
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Andrew J Mhyre
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Colin E Correnti
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Roland K Strong
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Julian A Simon
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - James M Olson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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Crook ZR, Nairn NW, Olson JM. Miniproteins as a Powerful Modality in Drug Development. Trends Biochem Sci 2020; 45:332-346. [PMID: 32014389 PMCID: PMC7197703 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2019.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Miniproteins are a diverse group of protein scaffolds characterized by small (1-10 kDa) size, stability, and versatility in drug-like roles. Coming largely from native sources, they have been widely adopted into drug development pipelines. While their structures and capabilities are diverse, the approaches to their utilization share more similarities with each other than with more widely used modalities (e.g., antibodies or small molecules). In this review, we highlight recent advances in miniprotein-based approaches to otherwise poorly addressed clinical needs, including structure-based and functional characterization. We also summarize their unique screening strategies and pharmacology considerations. Through a greater understanding of the unique properties that make them attractive for drug design, miniproteins can be effectively utilized against targets that are intractable by other approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R Crook
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N., Room D4-100, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Natalie W Nairn
- Blaze Bioscience, Inc, 530 Fairview Ave N., Suite 1400, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - James M Olson
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N., Room D4-100, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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Nairn NW, Bariola PA, Graddis TJ, VanBrunt MP, Wang A, Li G, Grabstein K. Cysteine as a Monothiol Reducing Agent to Prevent Copper-Mediated Oxidation of Interferon Beta During PEGylation by CuAAC. Bioconjug Chem 2015; 26:2070-5. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.5b00320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Aijun Wang
- Allozyne, Seattle, Washington 98102, United States
| | - Gary Li
- Allozyne, Seattle, Washington 98102, United States
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Stenderup K, Rosada C, Shanebeck K, Brady W, Van Brunt MP, King G, Marelli M, Slagle P, Xu H, Nairn NW, Johnson J, Wang AA, Li G, Thornton KC, Dam TN, Grabstein KH. AZ17: a new bispecific drug targeting IL-6 and IL-23 with potential clinical use—improves psoriasis in a human xenograft transplantation model. Protein Eng Des Sel 2015; 28:467-80. [DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzv034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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Nairn NW, Shanebeck KD, Wang A, Graddis TJ, VanBrunt MP, Thornton KC, Grabstein K. Development of copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition for increased in vivo efficacy of interferon β-1b by site-specific PEGylation. Bioconjug Chem 2012; 23:2087-97. [PMID: 22988919 DOI: 10.1021/bc300295x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The development of protein conjugate therapeutics requires control over the site of modification to allow for reproducible generation of a product with the desired potency, pharmacokinetic, and safety profile. Placement of a single nonnatural amino acid at the desired modification site of a recombinant protein, followed by a bioorthogonal reaction, can provide complete control. To this end, we describe the development of copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC, a click chemistry reaction) for site-specific PEGylation of interferon β-1b (IFNb) containing azidohomoalanine (Aha) at the N-terminus. Reaction conditions were optimized using various propargyl-activated PEGs, tris(benzyltriazolylmethyl)amine (TBTA), copper sulfate, and dithiothreitol (DTT) in the presence of SDS. The requirement for air in order to advance the redox potential of the reaction was investigated. The addition of unreactive PEG diol reduced the required molar ratio to 2:1 PEG-alkyne to IFNb. The resultant method produced high conversion of Aha-containing IFNb to the single desired product. PEG-IFNbs with 10, 20, 30, and 40 kDa linear or 40 kDa branched PEGs were produced with these methods and compared. Increasing PEG size yielded decreasing in vitro antiviral activities along with concomitant increases in elimination half-life, AUC, and bioavailability when administered in rats or monkeys. A Daudi tumor xenograft model provided comparative evaluation of these combined effects, wherein a 40 kDa branched PEG-IFNb was much more effective than conjugates with smaller PEGs or unPEGylated IFNb at preventing tumor growth in spite of dosing with fewer units and lesser frequency. The results demonstrate the capability of site-specific nonnatural amino acid incorporation to generate novel biomolecule conjugates with increased in vivo efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie W Nairn
- Allozyne, 1600 Fairview Avenue E, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98102, USA.
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