An “Fc-Silenced” IgG1 Format With Extended Half-Life Designed for Improved Stability

Abstract

Multiple mutation combinations in the IgG Fc have been characterized to tailor immune effector function or IgG serum persistence to fit desired biological outcomes for monoclonal antibody therapeutics. An unintended consequence of introducing mutations in the Fc (particularly the CH2 domain) can be a reduction in biophysical stability which can correlate with increased aggregation propensity, poor manufacturability, and lower solubility. Herein, we characterize the changes in IgG conformational and colloidal stability when 2 sets of CH2 mutations “TM” (L234F/L235E/P331S) and “YTE” (M252Y/S254T/T256E) are combined to generate an antibody format lacking immune receptor binding and exhibiting extended half-life. In addition to significantly lowered thermostability, we observe greater conformational flexibility for TM-YTE in CH2, increased self-association, and poorer solubility and aggregation profiles. To improve these properties, we dissected the contributions of individual mutations within TM-YTE on thermostability and substituted destabilizing mutations with new mutations that raise thermostability. One novel combination, FQQ-YTE (L234F/L235Q/K322Q/M252Y/S254T/T256E), had significantly improved conformational and colloidal stability, and was found to retain the same biological activities as TM-YTE (extended half-life and lack of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity activity). Our engineering approach offers a way to improve the developability of antibodies containing Fc mutations while retaining tailored biological activity.