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Skendros P, Germanidis G, Mastellos DC, Antoniadou C, Gavriilidis E, Kalopitas G, Samakidou A, Liontos A, Chrysanthopoulou A, Ntinopoulou M, Kogias D, Karanika I, Smyrlis A, Cepaityte D, Fotiadou I, Zioga N, Mitroulis I, Gatselis NK, Papagoras C, Metallidis S, Milionis H, Dalekos GN, Willems L, Persson B, Manivel VA, Nilsson B, Connolly ES, Iacobelli S, Papadopoulos V, Calado RT, Huber-Lang M, Risitano AM, Yancopoulou D, Ritis K, Lambris JD. Complement C3 inhibition in severe COVID-19 using compstatin AMY-101. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo2341. [PMID: 35977025 PMCID: PMC9385148 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo2341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Complement C3 activation contributes to COVID-19 pathology, and C3 targeting has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. We provide interim data from ITHACA, the first randomized trial evaluating a C3 inhibitor, AMY-101, in severe COVID-19 (PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 mmHg). Patients received AMY-101 (n = 16) or placebo (n = 15) in addition to standard of care. AMY-101 was safe and well tolerated. Compared to placebo (8 of 15, 53.3%), a higher, albeit nonsignificant, proportion of AMY-101-treated patients (13 of 16, 81.3%) were free of supplemental oxygen at day 14. Three nonresponders and two placebo-treated patients succumbed to disease-related complications. AMY-101 significantly reduced CRP and ferritin and restrained thrombin and NET generation. Complete and sustained C3 inhibition was observed in all responders. Residual C3 activity in the three nonresponders suggested the presence of a convertase-independent C3 activation pathway overriding the drug's inhibitory activity. These findings support the design of larger trials exploring the potential of C3-based inhibition in COVID-19 or other complement-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Skendros
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Georgios Germanidis
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, and Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education (SUBRE), School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Christina Antoniadou
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Efstratios Gavriilidis
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Georgios Kalopitas
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, and Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education (SUBRE), School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anna Samakidou
- Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National and European Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases (ERN Rare-Liver), General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece
| | - Angelos Liontos
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Akrivi Chrysanthopoulou
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Maria Ntinopoulou
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Dionysios Kogias
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Ioanna Karanika
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, and Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education (SUBRE), School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Andreas Smyrlis
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Dainora Cepaityte
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, and Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education (SUBRE), School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Iliana Fotiadou
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Nikoleta Zioga
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Ioannis Mitroulis
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Nikolaos K. Gatselis
- Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National and European Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases (ERN Rare-Liver), General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece
| | - Charalampos Papagoras
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Simeon Metallidis
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, and Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education (SUBRE), School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Haralampos Milionis
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - George N. Dalekos
- Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National and European Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases (ERN Rare-Liver), General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece
| | - Loek Willems
- R&D Department, Hycult Biotechnology, Uden, Netherlands
| | - Barbro Persson
- Department of Immunology Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vivek Anand Manivel
- Department of Immunology Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Department of Immunology Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - E. Sander Connolly
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Simona Iacobelli
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Vasileios Papadopoulos
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Rodrigo T. Calado
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Oncology, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - Antonio M. Risitano
- AORN Moscati Avellino, Italy and Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Konstantinos Ritis
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - John D. Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
- Corresponding author.
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2
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Mastellos DC, Pires da Silva BGP, Fonseca BAL, Fonseca NP, Auxiliadora-Martins M, Mastaglio S, Ruggeri A, Sironi M, Radermacher P, Chrysanthopoulou A, Skendros P, Ritis K, Manfra I, Iacobelli S, Huber-Lang M, Nilsson B, Yancopoulou D, Connolly ES, Garlanda C, Ciceri F, Risitano AM, Calado RT, Lambris JD. Complement C3 vs C5 inhibition in severe COVID-19: Early clinical findings reveal differential biological efficacy. Clin Immunol 2020; 220:108598. [PMID: 32961333 PMCID: PMC7501834 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2020.108598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Growing clinical evidence has implicated complement as a pivotal driver of COVID-19 immunopathology. Deregulated complement activation may fuel cytokine-driven hyper-inflammation, thrombotic microangiopathy and NET-driven immunothrombosis, thereby leading to multi-organ failure. Complement therapeutics have gained traction as candidate drugs for countering the detrimental consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Whether blockade of terminal complement effectors (C5, C5a, or C5aR1) may elicit similar outcomes to upstream intervention at the level of C3 remains debated. Here we compare the efficacy of the C5-targeting monoclonal antibody eculizumab with that of the compstatin-based C3-targeted drug candidate AMY-101 in small independent cohorts of severe COVID-19 patients. Our exploratory study indicates that therapeutic complement inhibition abrogates COVID-19 hyper-inflammation. Both C3 and C5 inhibitors elicit a robust anti-inflammatory response, reflected by a steep decline in C-reactive protein and IL-6 levels, marked lung function improvement, and resolution of SARS-CoV-2-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). C3 inhibition afforded broader therapeutic control in COVID-19 patients by attenuating both C3a and sC5b-9 generation and preventing FB consumption. This broader inhibitory profile was associated with a more robust decline of neutrophil counts, attenuated neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) release, faster serum LDH decline, and more prominent lymphocyte recovery. These early clinical results offer important insights into the differential mechanistic basis and underlying biology of C3 and C5 inhibition in COVID-19 and point to a broader pathogenic involvement of C3-mediated pathways in thromboinflammation. They also support the evaluation of these complement-targeting agents as COVID-19 therapeutics in large prospective trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios C Mastellos
- National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Aghia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Bruno G P Pires da Silva
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Clinical Oncology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, School of Medicine, Brazil
| | - Benedito A L Fonseca
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, Brazil
| | - Natasha P Fonseca
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Clinical Oncology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, School of Medicine, Brazil
| | - Maria Auxiliadora-Martins
- Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, Brazil
| | - Sara Mastaglio
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Ruggeri
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Sironi
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Peter Radermacher
- Sektion Anästhesiologische Pathophysiologie und Verfahrensentwicklung, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Akrivi Chrysanthopoulou
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Skendros
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Ritis
- First Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Ilenia Manfra
- AORN San Giuseppe Moscati, Hematology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Avellino, Italy
| | - Simona Iacobelli
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - E Sander Connolly
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cecilia Garlanda
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Ciceri
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; University Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio M Risitano
- AORN San Giuseppe Moscati, Hematology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Avellino, Italy; Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Rodrigo T Calado
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Clinical Oncology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, School of Medicine, Brazil
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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3
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Hughes S, Gumas J, Lee R, Rumano M, Berger N, Gautam AK, Sfyroera G, Chan AL, Gnanaguru G, Connor KM, Kim BJ, Dunaief JL, Ricklin D, Hajishengallis G, Yancopoulou D, Reis ES, Mastellos DC, Lambris JD. Prolonged intraocular residence and retinal tissue distribution of a fourth-generation compstatin-based C3 inhibitor in non-human primates. Clin Immunol 2020; 214:108391. [PMID: 32229292 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2020.108391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss among the elderly population. Genetic studies in susceptible individuals have linked this ocular disease to deregulated complement activity that culminates in increased C3 turnover, retinal inflammation and photoreceptor loss. Therapeutic targeting of C3 has therefore emerged as a promising strategy for broadly intercepting the detrimental proinflammatory consequences of complement activation in the retinal tissue. In this regard, a PEGylated second-generation derivative of the compstatin family of C3-targeted inhibitors is currently in late-stage clinical development as a treatment option for geographic atrophy, an advanced form of AMD which lacks approved therapy. While efficacy has been strongly suggested in phase 2 clinical trials, crucial aspects still remain to be defined with regard to the ocular bioavailability, tissue distribution and residence, and dosing frequency of such inhibitors in AMD patients. Here we report the intraocular distribution and pharmacokinetic profile of the fourth-generation compstatin analog, Cp40-KKK in cynomolgus monkeys following a single intravitreal injection. Using a sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based competition assay and ELISA, we have quantified both the amount of inhibitor and the concentration of C3 retained in the vitreous of Cp40-KKK-injected animals. Cp40-KKK displays prolonged intraocular residence, being detected at C3-saturating levels for over 3 months after a single intravitreal injection. Moreover, we have probed the distribution of Cp40-KKK within the ocular tissue by means of immunohistochemistry and highly specific anti-Cp40-KKK antibodies. Both C3 and Cp40-KKK were detected in the retinal tissue of inhibitor-injected animals, with prominent co-localization in the choroid one-month post intravitreal injection. These results attest to the high retinal tissue penetrance and target-driven distribution of Cp40-KKK. Given its subnanomolar binding affinity and prolonged ocular residence, Cp40-KKK constitutes a promising drug candidate for ocular pathologies underpinned by deregulated C3 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hughes
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Justin Gumas
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Merita Rumano
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nadja Berger
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Avneesh Kumar Gautam
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Georgia Sfyroera
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Gopalan Gnanaguru
- Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kip M Connor
- Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Benjamin J Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua L Dunaief
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - George Hajishengallis
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, Penn Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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4
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Reis ES, Berger N, Wang X, Koutsogiannaki S, Doot RK, Gumas JT, Foukas PG, Resuello RRG, Tuplano JV, Kukis D, Tarantal AF, Young AJ, Kajikawa T, Soulika AM, Mastellos DC, Yancopoulou D, Biglarnia AR, Huber-Lang M, Hajishengallis G, Nilsson B, Lambris JD. Safety profile after prolonged C3 inhibition. Clin Immunol 2018; 197:96-106. [PMID: 30217791 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The central component of the complement cascade, C3, is involved in various biological functions, including opsonization of foreign bodies, clearance of waste material, activation of immune cells, and triggering of pathways controlling development. Given its broad role in immune responses, particularly in phagocytosis and the clearance of microbes, a deficiency in complement C3 in humans is often associated with multiple bacterial infections. Interestingly, an increased susceptibility to infections appears to occur mainly in the first two years of life and then wanes throughout adulthood. In view of the well-established connection between C3 deficiency and infections, therapeutic inhibition of complement at the level of C3 is often considered with caution or disregarded. We therefore set out to investigate the immune and biochemical profile of non-human primates under prolonged treatment with the C3 inhibitor compstatin (Cp40 analog). Cynomolgus monkeys were dosed subcutaneously with Cp40, resulting in systemic inhibition of C3, for 1 week, 2 weeks, or 3 months. Plasma concentrations of both C3 and Cp40 were measured periodically and complete saturation of plasma C3 was confirmed. No differences in hematological, biochemical, or immunological parameters were identified in the blood or tissues of animals treated with Cp40 when compared to those injected with vehicle alone. Further, skin wounds showed no signs of infection in those treated with Cp40. In fact, Cp40 treatment was associated with a trend toward accelerated wound healing when compared with the control group. In addition, a biodistribution study in a rhesus monkey indicated that the distribution of Cp40 in the body is associated with the presence of C3, concentrating in organs that accumulate blood and produce C3. Overall, our data suggest that systemic C3 inhibition in healthy adult non-human primates is not associated with a weakened immune system or susceptibility to infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nadja Berger
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sophia Koutsogiannaki
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert K Doot
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Justin T Gumas
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Periklis G Foukas
- 2nd Department of Pathology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Ranillo R G Resuello
- Simian Conservation Breeding and Research Center (SICONBREC), Makati City, Philippines
| | - Joel V Tuplano
- Simian Conservation Breeding and Research Center (SICONBREC), Makati City, Philippines
| | - David Kukis
- Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alice F Tarantal
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Anthony J Young
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tetsuhiro Kajikawa
- Department of Microbiology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Athena M Soulika
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | | | | - Ali-Reza Biglarnia
- Department of Transplantation, Skane University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - George Hajishengallis
- Department of Microbiology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Berger N, Alayi TD, Resuello RRG, Tuplano JV, Reis ES, Lambris JD. New Analogs of the Complement C3 Inhibitor Compstatin with Increased Solubility and Improved Pharmacokinetic Profile. J Med Chem 2018; 61:6153-6162. [PMID: 29920096 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Improper regulation of complement is associated with various pathologies, and the clinical demand for compounds that can regulate complement activation is therefore imperative. Cp40, an analog of the peptide compstatin, inhibits all complement pathways at the level of the central component C3. We have further developed Cp40, using either PEGylation at the N-terminus or insertion of charged amino acids at the C-terminus. The PEGylated analogs are highly soluble and retained their inhibitory activity, with C3b binding affinity dependent on the length of the PEG chain. The addition of two or three residues of lysine, in turn, not only improved the peptide's solubility but also increased the binding affinity for C3b while retaining its inhibitory potency. Three of the new derivatives showed improved pharmacokinetic profiles in vivo in non-human primates. Given their compelling solubility and pharmacokinetic profiles, these new Cp40 analogs should broaden the spectrum of administration routes, likely reducing dosing frequency during chronic treatment and potentially expanding their range of clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Berger
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Tchilabalo Dilezitoko Alayi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Ranillo R G Resuello
- Simian Conservation Breeding and Research Center (SICONBREC) , Makati City 1231 , Philippines
| | - Joel V Tuplano
- Simian Conservation Breeding and Research Center (SICONBREC) , Makati City 1231 , Philippines
| | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
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Abstract
The increasing number of clinical conditions that involve a pathological contribution from the complement system - many of which affect the kidneys - has spurred a regained interest in therapeutic options to modulate this host defence pathway. Molecular insight, technological advances, and the first decade of clinical experience with the complement-specific drug eculizumab, have contributed to a growing confidence in therapeutic complement inhibition. More than 20 candidate drugs that target various stages of the complement cascade are currently being evaluated in clinical trials, and additional agents are in preclinical development. Such diversity is clearly needed in view of the complex and distinct involvement of complement in a wide range of clinical conditions, including rare kidney disorders, transplant rejection and haemodialysis-induced inflammation. The existing drugs cannot be applied to all complement-driven diseases, and each indication has to be assessed individually. Alongside considerations concerning optimal points of intervention and economic factors, patient stratification will become essential to identify the best complement-specific therapy for each individual patient. This Review provides an overview of the therapeutic concepts, targets and candidate drugs, summarizes insights from clinical trials, and reflects on existing challenges for the development of complement therapeutics for kidney diseases and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dimitrios C Mastellos
- National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Patr. Gregoriou E & 27 Neapoleos Str, 15341 Agia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar Chance, 422 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar Chance, 422 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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