Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are bifunctional
molecules
combining the targeting potential of monoclonal antibodies with the
cancer-killing ability of cytotoxic drugs. This simple yet intelligently
designed system directly addresses the lack of specificity encountered
with conventional anti-cancer treatment regimes. However, despite
their initial success, the generation of clinically sustainable and
effective ADCs has been plagued by poor tumor penetration, undefined
chemical linkages, unpredictable pharmacokinetic profiles, and heterogeneous
mixtures of products. To this end, we generated a SNAP-tag-based fusion
protein targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)a
biomarker of aggressive and drug-resistant cancers. Here, we demonstrate
the use of a novel click coupling strategy to engineer a benzylguanine
(BG)–linker–auristatin F (AuriF) piece that can be covalently
tethered to the EGFR-targeting SNAP-tag-based fusion protein in an
irreversible 1:1 stoichiometric reaction to form a homogeneous product.
Furthermore, using these recombinant ADCs to target EGFR-overexpressing
tumor cells, we provide a proof-of-principle for generating biologically
active antimitotic therapeutic proteins capable of inducing cell death
in a dose-dependent manner, thus alleviating some of the challenges
of early ADC development.
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