Bioanalytical Approaches to Support the Development of Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugate (AOC) Therapeutic Proteins

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) is a biological process that evolved to protect eukaryotic organisms from foreign genes delivered by viruses. This process has been adapted as a powerful tool to treat numerous diseases through the delivery of small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to target cells to alter aberrant gene expression. Antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) are monoclonal antibodies with complexed siRNA or antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that have emerged to address some of the challenges faced by naked or chemically conjugated siRNA, which include rapid clearance from systemic circulation and lack of selective delivery of siRNA to target cells. It is essential to characterize the ADME properties of an AOC during development to optimize distribution to target tissues, to minimize the impact of biotransformation on exposure, and to characterize the PK/PD relationship to guide translation. However, owing to the complexity of AOC structure, this presents significant bioanalytical challenges, and multiple bioanalytical measurements are required to investigate the pharmacokinetics and biotransformation of the antibody, linker, and siRNA payload. In this paper, we describe an analytical workflow that details in vivo characterization of AOCs through measurement of their distinct molecular components to provide the basis for greater understanding of their ADME properties. Although the approaches herein can be applied to in vitro characterization of AOCs, this paper will focus on in vivo applications. This workflow relies on high-resolution mass spectrometry as the principal means of detection and leverages chromatographic, affinity-based, and enzymatic sample preparation steps.