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Thi EP, Dhillon AP, Ardzinski A, Bidirici-Ertekin L, Cobarrubias KD, Cuconati A, Kondratowicz AS, Kwak K, Li AHL, Miller A, Pasetka C, Pei L, Phelps JR, Snead NM, Wang X, Ye X, Sofia MJ, Lee ACH. ARB-1740, a RNA Interference Therapeutic for Chronic Hepatitis B Infection. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:725-737. [PMID: 30403127 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Current approved nucleoside analogue treatments for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are effective at controlling viral titer but are not curative and have minimal impact on the production of viral proteins such as surface antigen (HBsAg), the HBV envelope protein believed to play a role in maintaining the immune tolerant state required for viral persistence. Novel agents are needed to effect HBV cure, and reduction of HBV antigenemia may potentiate activation of effective and long-lasting host immune control. ARB-1740 is a clinical stage RNA interference agent composed of three siRNAs delivered using lipid nanoparticle technology. In a number of cell and animal models of HBV, ARB-1740 caused HBV RNA reduction, leading to inhibition of multiple elements of the viral life cycle including HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBcAg viral proteins as well as replication marker HBV DNA. ARB-1740 demonstrated pan-genotypic activity in vitro and in vivo, targeting three distinct highly conserved regions of the HBV genome, and effectively inhibited replication of nucleoside analogue-resistant HBV variants. Combination of ARB-1740 with a capsid inhibitor and pegylated interferon-alpha led to greater liver HBsAg reduction which correlated with more robust induction of innate immune responses in a human chimeric mouse model of HBV. The preclinical profile of ARB-1740 demonstrates the promise of RNA interference and HBV antigen reduction in treatment strategies driving toward a cure for HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily P. Thi
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Ammen P. Dhillon
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Andrzej Ardzinski
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Lale Bidirici-Ertekin
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Kyle D. Cobarrubias
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Andrea Cuconati
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | | | - Kaylyn Kwak
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Alice H. L. Li
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Angela Miller
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Chris Pasetka
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Luying Pei
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Janet R. Phelps
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Nicholas M. Snead
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Xiaohe Wang
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Xin Ye
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Michael J. Sofia
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
| | - Amy C. H. Lee
- Arbutus Biopharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 United States
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Zhou T, Block T, Liu F, Kondratowicz AS, Sun L, Rawat S, Branson J, Guo F, Steuer HM, Liang H, Bailey L, Moore C, Wang X, Cuconatti A, Gao M, Lee ACH, Harasym T, Chiu T, Gotchev D, Dorsey B, Rijnbrand R, Sofia MJ. HBsAg mRNA degradation induced by a dihydroquinolizinone compound depends on the HBV posttranscriptional regulatory element. Antiviral Res 2017; 149:191-201. [PMID: 29133129 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2017.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In pursuit of novel therapeutics targeting the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, we evaluated a dihydroquinolizinone compound (DHQ-1) that in the nanomolar range reduced the production of virion and surface protein (HBsAg) in tissue culture. This compound also showed broad HBV genotype coverage, but was inactive against a panel of DNA and RNA viruses of other species. Oral administration of DHQ-1 in the AAV-HBV mouse model resulted in a significant reduction of serum HBsAg as soon as 4 days following the commencement of treatment. Reduction of HBV markers in both in vitro and in vivo experiments was related to the reduced amount of viral RNA including pre-genomic RNA (pgRNA) and 2.4/2.1 kb HBsAg mRNA. Nuclear run-on and subcellular fractionation experiments indicated that DHQ-1 mediated HBV RNA reduction was the result of accelerated viral RNA degradation in the nucleus, rather than the consequence of inhibition of transcription initiation. Through mutagenesis of HBsAg gene sequences, we found induction of HBsAg mRNA decay by DHQ-1 required the presence of the HBV posttranscriptional regulatory element (HPRE), with a 109 nucleotides sequence within the central region of the HPRE alpha sub-element being the most critical. Taken together, the current study shows that a small molecule can reduce the overall levels of HBV RNA, especially the HBsAg mRNA, and viral surface proteins. This may shed light on the development of a new class of HBV therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlun Zhou
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Department of Translational Medicine, Doylestown, PA 18902, United States.
| | - Timothy Block
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Department of Translational Medicine, Doylestown, PA 18902, United States
| | - Fei Liu
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Andrew S Kondratowicz
- Arbutus BioPharma, 100 - 8900 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Liren Sun
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Department of Translational Medicine, Doylestown, PA 18902, United States
| | - Siddhartha Rawat
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Department of Translational Medicine, Doylestown, PA 18902, United States
| | - Jeffrey Branson
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Department of Translational Medicine, Doylestown, PA 18902, United States
| | - Fang Guo
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | | | - Hongyan Liang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Department of Translational Medicine, Doylestown, PA 18902, United States
| | - Lauren Bailey
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Chris Moore
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Xiaohe Wang
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Andy Cuconatti
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Min Gao
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Amy C H Lee
- Arbutus BioPharma, 100 - 8900 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Troy Harasym
- Arbutus BioPharma, 100 - 8900 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Tim Chiu
- Arbutus BioPharma, 100 - 8900 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Dimitar Gotchev
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Bruce Dorsey
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Rene Rijnbrand
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States
| | - Michael J Sofia
- Arbutus BioPharma, 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA 18974, United States.
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Thi EP, Mire CE, Lee AC, Geisbert JB, Ursic-Bedoya R, Agans KN, Robbins M, Deer DJ, Cross RW, Kondratowicz AS, Fenton KA, MacLachlan I, Geisbert TW. siRNA rescues nonhuman primates from advanced Marburg and Ravn virus disease. J Clin Invest 2017; 127:4437-4448. [PMID: 29106386 DOI: 10.1172/jci96185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebolaviruses and marburgviruses belong to the family Filoviridae and cause high lethality in infected patients. There are currently no licensed filovirus vaccines or antiviral therapies. The development of broad-spectrum therapies against members of the Marburgvirus genus, including Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVV), is difficult because of substantial sequence variability. RNAi therapeutics offer a potential solution, as identification of conserved target nucleotide sequences may confer activity across marburgvirus variants. Here, we assessed the therapeutic efficacy of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery of a single nucleoprotein-targeting (NP-targeting) siRNA in nonhuman primates at advanced stages of MARV or RAVV disease to mimic cases in which patients begin treatment for fulminant disease. Sixteen rhesus monkeys were lethally infected with MARV or RAVV and treated with NP siRNA-LNP, with MARV-infected animals beginning treatment four or five days after infection and RAVV-infected animals starting treatment three or six days after infection. While all untreated animals succumbed to disease, NP siRNA-LNP treatment conferred 100% survival of RAVV-infected macaques, even when treatment began just 1 day prior to the death of the control animals. In MARV-infected animals, day-4 treatment initiation resulted in 100% survival, and day-5 treatment resulted in 50% survival. These results identify a single siRNA therapeutic that provides broad-spectrum protection against both MARV and RAVV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily P Thi
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chad E Mire
- Galveston National Laboratory and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Amy Ch Lee
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joan B Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Krystle N Agans
- Galveston National Laboratory and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Marjorie Robbins
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel J Deer
- Galveston National Laboratory and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Robert W Cross
- Galveston National Laboratory and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Karla A Fenton
- Galveston National Laboratory and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Ian MacLachlan
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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Thi EP, Lee ACH, Geisbert JB, Ursic-Bedoya R, Agans KN, Robbins M, Deer DJ, Fenton KA, Kondratowicz AS, MacLachlan I, Geisbert TW, Mire CE. Rescue of non-human primates from advanced Sudan ebolavirus infection with lipid encapsulated siRNA. Nat Microbiol 2016; 1:16142. [PMID: 27670117 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Although significant progress has been made in developing therapeutics against Zaire ebolavirus, these therapies do not protect against other Ebola species such as Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV). Here, we describe an RNA interference therapeutic comprising siRNA targeting the SUDV VP35 gene encapsulated in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology with increased potency beyond formulations used in TKM-Ebola clinical trials. Twenty-five rhesus monkeys were challenged with a lethal dose of SUDV. Twenty animals received siRNA-LNP beginning at 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days post-challenge. VP35-targeting siRNA-LNP treatment resulted in up to 100% survival, even when initiated when fever, viraemia and disease signs were evident. Treatment effectively controlled viral replication, mediating up to 4 log10 reductions after dosing. Mirroring clinical findings, a correlation between high viral loads and fatal outcome was observed, emphasizing the importance of stratifying efficacy according to viral load. In summary, strong survival benefit and rapid control of SUDV replication by VP35-targeting LNP confirm its therapeutic potential in combatting this lethal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily P Thi
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Amy C H Lee
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Joan B Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | - Raul Ursic-Bedoya
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Krystle N Agans
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | - Marjorie Robbins
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Daniel J Deer
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | - Karla A Fenton
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | | | - Ian MacLachlan
- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 5J8, Canada
| | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
| | - Chad E Mire
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA
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5
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Camus G, Schweiger M, Herker E, Harris C, Kondratowicz AS, Tsou CL, Farese RV, Herath K, Previs SF, Roddy TP, Pinto S, Zechner R, Ott M. The hepatitis C virus core protein inhibits adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL)-mediated lipid mobilization and enhances the ATGL interaction with comparative gene identification 58 (CGI-58) and lipid droplets. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:35770-80. [PMID: 25381252 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.587816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver steatosis is a common health problem associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and an important risk factor for the development of liver fibrosis and cancer. Steatosis is caused by triglycerides (TG) accumulating in lipid droplets (LDs), cellular organelles composed of neutral lipids surrounded by a monolayer of phospholipids. The HCV nucleocapsid core localizes to the surface of LDs and induces steatosis in cultured cells and mouse livers by decreasing intracellular TG degradation (lipolysis). Here we report that core at the surface of LDs interferes with the activity of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), the key lipolytic enzyme in the first step of TG breakdown. Expressing core in livers or mouse embryonic fibroblasts of ATGL(-/-) mice no longer decreases TG degradation as observed in LDs from wild-type mice, supporting the model that core reduces lipolysis by engaging ATGL. Core must localize at LDs to inhibit lipolysis, as ex vivo TG hydrolysis is impaired in purified LDs coated with core but not when free core is added to LDs. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that core does not directly interact with the ATGL complex but, unexpectedly, increased the interaction between ATGL and its activator CGI-58 as well as the recruitment of both proteins to LDs. These data link the anti-lipolytic activity of the HCV core protein with altered ATGL binding to CGI-58 and the enhanced association of both proteins with LDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Camus
- From the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Martina Schweiger
- From the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Herker
- From the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158, UCSF Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Charles Harris
- UCSF Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, California 94158, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, Division of Endocrinology Metabolism and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Andrew S Kondratowicz
- From the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Chia-Lin Tsou
- From the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Robert V Farese
- UCSF Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, California 94158, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, and
| | - Kithsiri Herath
- Merck Research Laboratories, Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07065
| | - Stephen F Previs
- Merck Research Laboratories, Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07065
| | - Thomas P Roddy
- Merck Research Laboratories, Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07065
| | - Shirly Pinto
- Merck Research Laboratories, Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07065
| | - Rudolf Zechner
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Melanie Ott
- From the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158, UCSF Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158,
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7
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Brindley MA, Hunt CL, Kondratowicz AS, Bowman J, Sinn PL, McCray PB, Quinn K, Weller ML, Chiorini JA, Maury W. Tyrosine kinase receptor Axl enhances entry of Zaire ebolavirus without direct interactions with the viral glycoprotein. Virology 2011; 415:83-94. [PMID: 21529875 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2011.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2010] [Revised: 01/28/2011] [Accepted: 04/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In a bioinformatics-based screen for cellular genes that enhance Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) transduction, AXL mRNA expression strongly correlated with ZEBOV infection. A series of cell lines and primary cells were identified that require Axl for optimal ZEBOV entry. Using one of these cell lines, we identified ZEBOV entry events that are Axl-dependent. Interactions between ZEBOV-GP and the Axl ectodomain were not detected in immunoprecipitations and reduction of surface-expressed Axl by RNAi did not alter ZEBOV-GP binding, providing evidence that Axl does not serve as a receptor for the virus. However, RNAi knock down of Axl reduced ZEBOV pseudovirion internalization and α-Axl antisera inhibited pseudovirion fusion with cellular membranes. Consistent with the importance of Axl for ZEBOV transduction, Axl transiently co-localized on the surface of cells with ZEBOV virus particles and was internalized during virion transduction. In total, these findings indicate that endosomal uptake of filoviruses is facilitated by Axl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda A Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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