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Dela Cruz Chuh J, Go M, Chen Y, Guo J, Rafidi H, Mandikian D, Sun Y, Lin Z, Schneider K, Zhang P, Vij R, Sharpnack D, Chan P, de la Cruz C, Sadowsky J, Seshasayee D, Koerber JT, Pillow TH, Phillips GD, Rowntree RK, Boswell CA, Kozak KR, Polson AG, Polakis P, Yu SF, Dragovich PS, Agard NJ. Preclinical optimization of Ly6E-targeted ADCs for increased durability and efficacy of anti-tumor response. MAbs 2021; 13:1862452. [PMID: 33382956 PMCID: PMC7784788 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1862452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early success with brentuximab vedotin in treating classical Hodgkin lymphoma spurred an influx of at least 20 monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) into clinical trials. While three MMAE-ADCs have been approved, most of these conjugates are no longer being investigated in clinical trials. Some auristatin conjugates show limited or no efficacy at tolerated doses, but even for drugs driving initial remissions, tumor regrowth and metastasis often rapidly occur. Here we describe the development of second-generation therapeutic ADCs targeting Lymphocyte antigen 6E (Ly6E) where the tubulin polymerization inhibitor MMAE (Compound 1) is replaced with DNA-damaging agents intended to drive increased durability of response. Comparison of a seco-cyclopropyl benzoindol-4-one (CBI)-dimer (compound 2) to MMAE showed increased potency, activity across more cell lines, and resistance to efflux by P-glycoprotein, a drug transporter commonly upregulated in tumors. Both anti-Ly6E-CBI and -MMAE conjugates drove single-dose efficacy in xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models, but seco-CBI-dimer conjugates showed reduced tumor outgrowth following multiple weeks of treatment, suggesting that they are less susceptible to developing resistance. In parallel, we explored approaches to optimize the targeting antibody. In contrast to immunization with recombinant Ly6E or Ly6E DNA, immunization with virus-like particles generated a high-affinity anti-Ly6E antibody. Conjugates to this antibody improve efficacy versus a previous clinical candidate both in vitro and in vivo with multiple cytotoxics. Conjugation of compound 2 to the second-generation antibody results in a substantially improved ADC with promising preclinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefa Dela Cruz Chuh
- Departments of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - MaryAnn Go
- Research biology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yvonne Chen
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jun Guo
- Research biology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hanine Rafidi
- Preclinical & Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Danielle Mandikian
- Preclinical & Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yonglian Sun
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zhonghua Lin
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kellen Schneider
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pamela Zhang
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rajesh Vij
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Danielle Sharpnack
- Departments of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pamela Chan
- Departments of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Jack Sadowsky
- Protein Chemistry, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dhaya Seshasayee
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - James T. Koerber
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thomas H. Pillow
- Discovery Chemistry, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - C. Andrew Boswell
- Preclinical & Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine R. Kozak
- Departments of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Paul Polakis
- Research biology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shang-Fan Yu
- Research biology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
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