Antibody-drug conjugates enhance the antitumor effects of antibodies and reduce adverse systemic effects of potent cytotoxic drugs. However, conventional drug conjugation strategies yield heterogenous conjugates with relatively narrow therapeutic index (maximum tolerated dose/curative dose). Using leads from our previously described phage display-based method to predict suitable conjugation sites, we engineered cysteine substitutions at positions on light and heavy chains that provide reactive thiol groups and do not perturb immunoglobulin folding and assembly, or alter antigen binding. When conjugated to monomethyl auristatin E, an antibody against the ovarian cancer antigen MUC16 is as efficacious as a conventional conjugate in mouse xenograft models. Moreover, it is tolerated at higher doses in rats and cynomolgus monkeys than the same conjugate prepared by conventional approaches. The favorable in vivo properties of the near-homogenous composition of this conjugate suggest that our strategy offers a general approach to retaining the antitumor efficacy of antibody-drug conjugates, while minimizing their systemic toxicity.

Antibody charge variants have gained considerable attention in the biotechnology industry due to their potential influence on stability and biological activity. Subtle differences in the relative proportions of charge variants are often observed during routine biomanufacture or process changes and pose a challenge to demonstrating product comparability. To gain further insights into the impact on biological activity and pharmacokinetics (PK) of monoclonal antibody (mAb) charge heterogeneity, we isolated the major charge forms of a recombinant humanized IgG1 and compared their in vitro properties and in vivo PK. The mAb starting material had a pI range of 8.7-9.1 and was composed of about 20% acidic variants, 12% basic variants, and 68% main peak. Cation exchange displacement chromatography was used to isolate the acidic, basic, and main peak fractions for animal studies. Detailed analyses were performed on the isolated fractions to identify specific chemical modification contributing to the charge differences, and were also characterized for purity and in vitro potency prior to being administered either subcutaneously (SC) or intravenously (IV) in rats. All isolated materials had similar potency and rat FcRn binding relative to the starting material. Following IV or SC administration (10 mg/kg) in rats, no difference in serum PK was observed, indicating that physiochemical modifications and pI differences among charge variants were not sufficient to result in PK changes. Thus, these results provided meaningful information for the comparative evaluation of charge-related heterogeneity of mAbs, and suggested that charge variants of IgGs do not affect the in vitro potency, FcRn binding affinity, or the PK properties in rats.

Abstract. The predominant driver of bioanalysis in supporting drug development is the intended use of the data. Ligand-binding assays (LBA) are widely used for the analysis of protein biotherapeutics and target ligands (L) to support pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) and safety assessments. For monoclonal antibody drugs (mAb), in particular, which non-covalently bind to L, multiple forms of mAb and L can exist in vivo, including free mAb, free L, and mono-and/or bivalent complexes of mAb and L. Given the complexity of the dynamic binding equilibrium occurring in the body after dosing and multiple sources of perturbation of the equilibrium during bioanalysis, it is clear that ex vivo quantification of the forms of interest (free, bound, or total mAb and L) may differ from the actual ones in vivo. LBA reagents and assay formats can be designed in principle to measure the total or free forms of mAb and L. However, confirmation of the forms being measured under the specified conditions can be technically challenging. The assay forms and issues must be clearly communicated and understood appropriately by all stakeholders as the program proceeds through the development process. This paper focuses on monoclonal antibody biotherapeutics and their circulatory L that are either secreted as soluble forms or shed from membrane receptors. It presents an investigation into the theoretical and practical considerations for total/free analyte assessment to increase awareness in the scientific community and offer bioanalytical approaches to provide appropriate PK/PD information required at specific phases of drug development.

Adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) DNA packaging is initiated in a polar fashion from the left end of the genome. The packaging process is dependent on the cis-acting packaging domain located between nucleotides 230 and 380. Seven AT-rich repeats that direct packaging have been identified within this domain. A1, A2, A5, and A6 are the most important repeats functionally and share a bipartite sequence motif. Several lines of evidence suggest that there is a limiting trans-acting factor(s) that plays a role in packaging. Both cellular and viral proteins that interact with adenovirus packaging elements in vitro have been identified. In this study, we characterized a group of recombinant viruses that carry site-specific point mutations within a minimal packaging domain. The mutants were analyzed for growth properties in vivo and for the ability to bind cellular and viral proteins in vitro. Our results are consistent with a requirement of the viral IVa2 protein for DNA packaging via a direct interaction with packaging sequences. Our results also indicate that higher-order IVa2-containing complexes that form on adjacent packaging repeats in vitro are the complexes required for the packaging activity of these sites in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to study proteins that bind directly to the packaging sequences. These results demonstrate site-specific interaction of the viral IVa2 and L1 52/55K proteins with the Ad5 packaging domain in vivo. These results confirm and extend those previously reported and provide a framework on which to model the adenovirus assembly process.Adenovirus (Ad) assembly has been studied by using pulsechase kinetic analyses, through the characterization of temperature-sensitive virus mutants blocked at different stages of assembly at the restrictive temperature, by studies of virus mutants defective in the expression of proteins involved in the packaging process, and by studies of mutants defective in the packaging sequences (2-4, 6-8, 12, 25, 31, 32). The results suggest that adenovirus assembly follows an ordered series of assembly and processing events analogous to those found in the assembly of bacteriophages. Whether the viral genome is involved in nucleating the initiating steps of capsid morphogenesis or whether viral DNA is inserted into an empty, preformed capsid has not been resolved. It is clear, however, that the viral genome contains cis-acting sequences that mediate the packaging process (reviewed in reference 20). Adenovirus DNA packaging occurs in a polar manner from the left end of the genome (1, 28). The genomes of adenovirus type 3 (Ad3), Ad5, and Ad16, representatives of adenovirus subgroups B and C, harbor conserved packaging signals (6,10,19,22). These conserved cis-acting packaging domains suggest similar mechanisms of selective and polar DNA packaging for all adenovirus subgroups.Ad5 DNA encapsidation is dependent on cis-acting sequences located between nucleotides (nt) 230 and 380 (Fig. 1A) (6,7,13,25). Seven repeated sequences (termed A-repeats due to their AT-ric...