Minimal Binding Research Articles

Identification of a DNA Aptamer That Binds to Human Monocytes and Macrophages.

As cancer strategies shift toward immunotherapy, the need for new binding ligands to target and isolate specific immune cell populations has soared. Based on prior work identifying a peptide specific for murine M2-like macrophages, we sought to identify an aptamer that could bind human M2-like macrophages. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) adopt an M2-like phenotype and support tumor progression and dissemination. Here, we employed cell-SELEX to identify an aptamer ligand that targets this cell population over tissue resident (M0-like) or tumoricidal (M1-like) macrophages. Instead, we identified an aptamer that binds both human M0- and M2-like macrophages and monocytes, with highest binding affinity to M2-like macrophage (Kd ∼ 20 nM) and monocytes (Kd ∼ 45 nM) and minimal binding to other leukocytes. The aptamer binds to CD14+ but not CD16+ monocytes, and is rapidly internalized by these cells. We also demonstrate that this aptamer is able to bind human monocytes when both are administered in vivo to mice. Thus, binding to these cell populations (monocytes, M0-like and M2-like macrophages), this aptamer lends itself toward monocyte-specific applications, such as monocyte-targeted drug delivery or column selection.

The final obstacle to successful pre‐clinical xenotransplantation?

Genetically engineered pigs are now available for xenotransplantation in which all three known carbohydrate xenoantigens, against which humans have natural antibodies, have been deleted (triple-knockout [TKO] pigs). Furthermore, multiple human transgenes have been expressed in the TKO pigs, all of which are aimed at protecting the cells from the human immune response. Many human sera demonstrate no or minimal antibody binding to, and little or no cytotoxicity of, cells from these pigs, and this is associated with a relatively low T-cell proliferative response. Unfortunately, baboons and other Old World NHPs have antibodies against TKO pig cells, apparently directed to a fourth xenoantigen that appears to be exposed after TKO. In our experience, most, if not all, humans do not have natural antibodies against this fourth xenoantigen. This discrepancy between NHPs and humans is providing a hurdle to successful translation of pig organ transplantation into the clinic, and making it difficult to provide pre-clinical data that support initiation of a clinical trial. The potential methods by which this obstacle might be overcome are discussed. We conclude that, whatever currently available genetically engineered pig is selected for the final pre-clinical studies, this may not be the optimal pig for clinical trials.

1090-P: MSDC-0602k, a New Oral Insulin Sensitizer in Insulin Resistant NASH Patients with and without Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)

Use of the first-generation insulin sensitizer pioglitazone is limited by PPARγ-driven side effects. MSDC-0602K was designed to maintain pioglitazone’s effects on the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC), but with minimal direct PPARγ binding. A 12-month Phase 2b dose-ranging study in NASH (Harrison et al, 2019) demonstrated insulin sensitizing pharmacology without dose-limiting issues. Here we describe ongoing analysis of these data. Steady state exposures of drug and active metabolite at the highest doses averaged 4 to 7 micromolar, 1/10thof the affinity to PPARγ, but within the range for modulation of the MPC in intact cells. The effects on fasting plasma insulin (FPI), fasting plasma glucose, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) plateaued at the mid-dose (125 mg), while adiponectin continued to increase 1.7, 2.5, and 4.1x vs. placebo across the 62.5, 125, and 250 mg doses. Glycemic reductions and the reduction of FPI levels were similar in subjects with or without T2D. The treatment-induced decrease in HbA1c was proportional to the baseline HBA1c and was more than 1% in subjects with a baseline above 7%, including those not well-controlled on GLP-1 agonists. In patients with or without diabetes, baseline mean FPI levels exceeded 20 μU/ml (139 pmol/L), levels in the upper quartile of historical T2D studies, and continued to increase in placebo-treated subjects but decreased on treatment with MSDC-0602K. Treatment with MSDC-0602K decreased FPI more than C-peptide. The ratio of C-peptide/FPI increased vs. placebo at end of study (8.54 ± 0.49, 9.69 ± 0.44, 10.45 ± 0.43, and 10.9 ± 0.53 for placebo and the three dose groups, respectively) suggesting both decreased need for secreted insulin and increased clearance of insulin. These data suggest that the new generation insulin sensitizer MSDC-0602K, focused toward MPC and away from PPAR, may be useful to treat patients suffering from combined fatty liver disease and T2D and highlight the importance of FPI. Disclosure J.R. Colca: Stock/Shareholder; Self; Cirius Therapeutics, Metabolic Solutions Development Company. B. Lee: Employee; Self; Cirius Therapeutics. J.S. Iwashita: Employee; Self; Cirius Therapeutics. H.C. Dittrich: Employee; Self; Cirius Therapeutics. S.A. Harrison: Consultant; Self; Akero, Altimmune, Axcella, Cirius, Cirius Therapeutics, Genentech, Inc., Hightide Bio, HistoIndex, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Madrigal.

The Effect of Oligomerization on A Solid-Binding Peptide Binding to Silica-Based Materials.

The bifunctional linker-protein G (LPG) fusion protein comprises a peptide (linker) sequence and a truncated form of Streptococcus strain G148 protein G (protein G). The linker represents a multimeric solid-binding peptide (SBP) comprising 4 × 21-amino acid sequence repeats that display high binding affinity towards silica-based materials. In this study, several truncated derivatives were investigated to determine the effect of the SBP oligomerization on the silica binding function of LPG (for the sake of clarity, LPG will be referred from here on as 4 × LPG). Various biophysical characterization techniques were used to quantify and compare the truncated derivatives against 4 × LPG and protein G without linker (PG). The derivative containing two sequence repeats (2 × LPG) showed minimal binding to silica, while the truncated derivative with only a single sequence (1 × LPG) displayed no binding. The derivative containing three sequence repeats (3 × LPG) was able to bind to silica with a binding affinity of KD = 53.23 ± 4.5 nM, which is 1.5 times lower than that obtained for 4 × LPG under similar experimental conditions. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy studies indicated that the SBP degree of oligomerization has only a small effect on the secondary structure (the linker unravels the beginning of the protein G sequence) and chemical stability of the parent protein G. However, based on quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), oligomerization is an important parameter for a strong and stable binding to silica. The replacement of three sequence repeats by a (GGGGS)12 glycine-rich spacer indicated that the overall length rather than the SBP oligomerization mediated the effective binding to silica.

0072 Preclinical Characterization of SUVN-G3031, a Histamine H3 Receptor Inverse Agonist for the Treatment of Narcolepsy

Abstract Introduction Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness, sudden attacks of sleep and sometimes accompanied by cataplexy. Although the orexin deficiency is considered to be the primary cause of this disorder, lot of attention has been focused recently on targeting histaminergic neurotransmission by blockade of histamine H3 receptor (H3R). SUVN-G3031 is one of the potent and selective H3R inverse agonist currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study as monotherapy for the treatment of narcolepsy with and without cataplexy (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04072380). Methods Binding of SUVN-G3031 in human and rat histamine H3R was evaluated in in vitro radioligand binding assay and functionality was assessed in GTPγS assay. Pharmacokinetic properties were evaluated after oral administration in rat and dog. Neurotransmitters like histamine, dopamine and norepinephrine were estimated in rat cortex using microdialysis. Results SUVN-G3031 is an inverse agonist at histamine H3R with hKi of 8.7 nM and showed minimal binding against over 70 target sites. SUVN-G3031 exhibited desired pharmacokinetic properties in rat and dog with excellent brain penetration in rats. SUVN-G3031 produced significant increase in histamine, dopamine and norepinephrine levels in cortex. SUVN-G3031 produced no change in the striatal and accumbal dopamine levels in rats, suggesting no propensity to induce abuse liability. SUVN-G3031 blocked R-α-methylhistamine induced water intake and produced dose dependent increase in tele-methylhistamine levels in various brain regions and in cerebrospinal fluid of male Wistar rats. Conclusion SUVN-G3031 is an inverse agonist at histamine H3 receptor and results from the preclinical studies presented here provide a strong evidence for the potential utility of SUVN-G3031 in the treatment of narcolepsy with and without cataplexy. Support None

Molecular dynamics simulations to decipher the structural and functional consequences of pathogenic missense mutations in the galactosylceramidase (GALC) protein causing Krabbe’s disease

Krabbe disease (KD), also known as globoid cell leukodystrophy disease, is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage genetic disorder, which is caused by the deficiency of galactocerebrosidase (GALC) coding gene (GALC). This study aimed to use extensive computational pipelines in understanding the missense mutations in GALC. We retrieved 176 mutations from the public databases and subjected them to pathogenicity, stability, and conservation analyses. The PredictSNP, iStable, and ConSurf prediction tools predicted 45, 95, and 47 mutations to be deleterious, destabilizing, and highly conserved, respectively. The R396L and R396W were the most deleterious and destabilizing to GALC, and were therefore prioritized for further analysis. Systematic validation on the impact of the R396L and R396W mutations to the chaperone alpha lobeline was performed using the molecular docking approach. The docking analysis revealed that the mutant R396W interacted with minimal binding affinity compared with both the R396L mutant and native GALC. Furthermore, the repetitive molecular dynamics simulation analysis showed that the mutant R396W demonstrated less compactness and reduced number of intramolecular hydrogen bonds compared with the mutant R396L and the native GALC. Overall, we observed higher structural and functional modifications in R396W positioned in the substrate-binding site. This was highly supported by the MMPBSA and DSSP analysis of the GROMACS. DSSP showed the transformation of turns to bends, indicating a loss of stability due to the R396W mutation. This study is expected to serve as a platform for prioritizing mutant proteins that could be a platform for both drug and target therapeutics Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Синтез похідних бензенсульфонамідів і вивчення їхньої спорідненості до циклооксигенази-2 методом молекулярного докінгу

Відповідно до сучасних уявлень, інгібіцію циклооксигенази-2 (ЦОГ-2) розглядають як один з важливих механізмів протизапальної активності нестероїдних протизапальних препаратів (НПЗП). Тому пошук нових НПЗП, селективних до ЦОГ-2, є дуже актуальним завданням. Мета дослідження – синтезувати й оцінити потенційну спорідненість до ЦОГ-2 похідних 4-аміноN-(4,5,6,7-тетрагідро-3Н-азепін-2-їл)-бензенсульфонаміду порівняно з целекоксибом (ЦК) – відомим селективним інгібітором ЦОГ-2 на етапі первинного молекулярного докінгу. Кип’ятінням еквімолярних кількостей 2-метокси-3,4,5,6-тетрагідро-7H-азепіну та 4-амінобензенсульфонаміду в толуолі синтезовано 4-аміно-N-(4,5,6,7-тетрагідро-3Н-азепін-2-їл)-бензенсульфонамід. Подальшим модифікуванням кінцевої аміногрупи синтезовані відповідні ацил-(4 а­с) і ароїл- похідні (5 d­h). Визначено, що всі сполуки показують хороші значення вільної енергії зв’язування з сайтами ЦОГ-2. Проте базова молекула 3 і сполуки 4 a­c займають положення в ніші, що є характерною для ЦК. Їхня мінімальна вільна енергія зв’язування знаходиться в межах від -8,6 ккал/моль до -9,3 ккал/моль, що дає підставу досліджувати ці сполуки як потенційні інгібітори ЦОГ-2. Експериментальну верифікацію прогнозу протизапальної та аналгезуючої активності похідних бензолсульфонаміду було проведено на прикладі найактивнішої сполуки 4 а з використанням білих мишей і щурів. Протизапальну активність сполуки 4 а досліджували на моделі карагенанового набряку, а антиноцицептивну дію на моделі вісцерального болю та больової реакції, індукованої карагенаном. Порівняльні дослідження сполуки 4 а з ЦК дозволяють передбачити, що один з механізмів протизапальної дії похідних 4-аміно-N-(4,5,6,7-тетрагідро-3Н-азепін-2-їл)-бензен сульфонамідів може бути реалізований шляхом взаємодії з ЦОГ-2. Отримані дані є свідченням перспективності пошуку активних сполук з властивостями інгібіторів ЦОГ-2 у зазначеному хімічному ряду.

Biomimetic Macrocyclic Inhibitors of Human Cathepsin D: Structure-Activity Relationship and Binding Mode Analysis.

Human cathepsin D (CatD), a pepsin-family aspartic protease, plays an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. Here, we report the development of biomimetic inhibitors of CatD as novel tools for regulation of this therapeutic target. We designed a macrocyclic scaffold to mimic the spatial conformation of the minimal pseudo-dipeptide binding motif of pepstatin A, a microbial oligopeptide inhibitor, in the CatD active site. A library of more than 30 macrocyclic peptidomimetic inhibitors was employed for scaffold optimization, mapping of subsite interactions, and profiling of inhibitor selectivity. Furthermore, we solved high-resolution crystal structures of three macrocyclic inhibitors with low nanomolar or subnanomolar potency in complex with CatD and determined their binding mode using quantum chemical calculations. The study provides a new structural template and functional profile that can be exploited for design of potential chemotherapeutics that specifically inhibit CatD and related aspartic proteases.

Salicornolides A-C from Gracilaria salicornia attenuate pro-inflammatory 5-lipoxygense: Prospective natural anti-inflammatory leads

Three macrolides bearing the carbon framework of oxabicyclo[21.3.1]heptacosa-ene-diones (A and B) and oxabicyclo[19.3.1]pentacosa-ene-dione (C) were isolated and characterised from the organic extract of the intertidal red seaweed Gracilaria salicornia (family Gracilariaceae), which were named as salicornolides A-C. These natural macrolides were conformationally pre-organised ring structure providing diverse functionalities, and their potential bioactive properties led to the development of pharmacophores with anti-inflammatory properties. The 21-membered pyran-enclosed salicornolide B displayed greater cyclooxygenase-2 (IC50 COX-2 1.13 mM) inhibitory activity than those exhibited by the 21-membered aryl salicornolide A and 19-membered salicornolide C (IC50 COX-2–1.2 mM). The attenuating potential of the studied compounds against pro-inflammatory enzyme, 5-lipoxygenase (IC50 LOX < 1.5 mM) was significantly greater than that displayed by the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ibuprofen (IC50 4.5 mM), whereas the selectivity indices exhibited by salicornolides against cyclooxygenase-2 was significantly higher (1.18–1.41, P < 0.05) when compared to that of ibuprofen (SI 0.43) attributing the greater selectivity profile of the former towards inducible pro-inflammatory mediators than the latter. The minimal binding energy of salicornolide B (−9.64 kcal mol−1), a greater number of hydrogen-bonds and lesser inhibitory constant (Ki 85.15 nM) might be responsible for effective binding towards 5-lipoxygenase, and that could attribute its greater anti-inflammation potential than those displayed by other compounds. The putative biosynthetic cascade initiated by malonate-acyl carrier protein unambiguously confirmed the structural attributions of the titled macrocyclic lactones. The undescribed salicornolides A-C from seaweed Gracilaria salicornia attenuating pro-inflammatory 5-lipoxygense might be considered as prospective natural anti-inflammatory leads for pharmaceutical applications.

Integrated human organ-on-a-chip model for predictive studies of anti-tumor drug efficacy and cardiac safety.

Traditional drug screening models are often unable to faithfully recapitulate human physiology in health and disease, motivating the development of microfluidic organs-on-a-chip (OOC) platforms that can mimic many aspects of human physiology and in the process alleviate many of the discrepancies between preclinical studies and clinical trials outcomes. Linsitinib, a novel anti-cancer drug, showed promising results in pre-clinical models of Ewing Sarcoma (ES), where it suppressed tumor growth. However, a Phase II clinical trial in several European centers with patients showed relapsed and/or refractory ES. We report an integrated, open setting, imaging and sampling accessible, polysulfone-based platform, featuring minimal hydrophobic compound binding. Two bioengineered human tissues - bone ES tumor and heart muscle - were cultured either in isolation or in the integrated platform and subjected to a clinically used linsitinib dosage. The measured anti-tumor efficacy and cardiotoxicity were compared with the results observed in the clinical trial. Only the engineered tumor tissues, and not monolayers, recapitulated the bone microenvironment pathways targeted by linsitinib, and the clinically-relevant differences in drug responses between non-metastatic and metastatic ES tumors. The responses of non-metastatic ES tumor tissues and heart muscle to linsitinib were much closer to those observed in the clinical trial for tissues cultured in an integrated setting than for tissues cultured in isolation. Drug treatment of isolated tissues resulted in significant decreases in tumor viability and cardiac function. Meanwhile, drug treatment in an integrated setting showed poor tumor response and less cardiotoxicity, which matched the results of the clinical trial. Overall, the integration of engineered human tumor and cardiac tissues in the integrated platform improved the predictive accuracy for both the direct and off-target effects of linsitinib. The proposed approach could be readily extended to other drugs and tissue systems.

Biochemical Pulldown of mRNAs and Long Noncoding RNAs from Cellular Lysates Coupled with Mass Spectrometry to Identify Protein Binding Partners.

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) interact with cellular mRNAs, controlling various steps throughout the lifetime of these transcripts, including transcription, cellular transport, subcellular localization, translation and degradation. In addition to binding mRNA transcripts, a growing number of RBPs are shown to bind long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), controlling key cellular processes, including gene expression and translation of proteins. Current methodologies aimed at identifying and characterizing protein binding partners of specific RNAs of interest typically rely on tagging of the RNA with affinity aptamers, using in vitro transcribed RNA or immobilized oligonucleotides to capture RNA-protein complexes under native conditions. These assays are coupled with mass spectrometry or Western Blot analysis to identify or/and confirm interacting proteins. Here, we describe an alternative approach to identify protein binding partners of mRNAs and large long noncoding RNAs. This approach relies on biochemical pulldown of specific target RNAs and interacting protein partners from cellular lysates coupled with mass spectrometry to identify novel interacting proteins. By using 24-48 ~20 mer biotinylated DNA probes that hybridize to the target RNA, the method ensures high specificity and minimal off target binding. This approach is reproducible and fast and serves as a base for discovery studies to identify proteins that bind to RNAs of interest.

Multifunctional Roles of the N-Terminal Region of HIV-1SF2Nef Are Mediated by Three Independent Protein Interaction Sites.

HIV-1 Nef promotes virus spread and disease progression by altering host cell transport and signaling processes through interaction with multiple host cell proteins. The N-terminal region in HIV-1 Nef encompassing residues 12 to 39 has been implicated in many Nef activities, including disruption of CD4 T lymphocyte polarization and homing to lymph nodes, antagonism of SERINC5 restriction to virion infectivity, downregulation of cell surface CD4 and major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I), release of Nef-containing extracellular vesicles, and phosphorylation of Nef by recruitment of the Nef-associated kinase complex (NAKC). How this region mediates these pleiotropic functions is unclear. Characterization of a panel of alanine mutants spanning the N-terminal region to identify specific functional determinants revealed this region to be dispensable for effects of Nef from HIV-1 strain SF2 (HIV-1SF2Nef) on T cell actin organization and chemotaxis, retargeting of the host cell kinase Lck to the trans-Golgi network, and incorporation of Nef into extracellular vesicles. MHC-I downmodulation was specific to residue M20, and inhibition of T cell polarization by Nef required the integrity of the entire region. In contrast, downmodulation of cell surface CD4 and SERINC5 antagonism were mediated by a specific motif encompassing residues 32 to 39 that was also essential for efficient HIV replication in primary CD4 T lymphocytes. Finally, Nef phosphorylation via association with the NAKC was mediated by two EP repeats within residues 24 to 29 but was dispensable for other functions. These results identify the N-terminal region as a multifunctional interaction module for at least three different host cell ligands that mediate independent functions of HIV-1SF2Nef to facilitate immune evasion and virus spread.IMPORTANCE HIV-1 Nef critically determines virus spread and disease progression in infected individuals by acting as a protein interaction adaptor via incompletely defined mechanisms and ligands. Residues 12 to 39 near the N terminus of Nef have been described as an interaction platform for the Nef-associated kinase complex (NAKC) and were recently identified as essential determinants for a broad range of Nef activities. Here, we report a systematic mapping of this amino acid stretch that revealed the presence of three independent interaction motifs with specific ligands and activities. While downmodulation of cell surface MHC-I depends on M20, two EP repeats are the minimal binding site for the NAKC, and residues 32 to 39 mediate antagonism of the host cell restriction factor SERINC5 as well as downmodulation of cell surface CD4. These results reveal that the N-terminal region of HIV-1SF2Nef is a versatile and multifunctional protein interaction module that exerts essential functions of the pathogenicity factor via independent mechanisms.

Functional characterization of the selective pan-allele anti-SIRP\u03b1 antibody ADU-1805 that blocks the SIRP\u03b1\u2013CD47 innate immune checkpoint

BackgroundAccumulating preclinical data indicate that targeting the SIRPα/CD47 axis alone or in combination with existing targeted therapies or immune checkpoint inhibitors enhances tumor rejection. Although several CD47-targeting agents are currently in phase I clinical trials and demonstrate activity in combination therapy, high and frequent dosing was required and safety signals (acute anemia, thrombocytopenia) were recorded frequently as adverse events. Based on the restricted expression pattern of SIRPα we hypothesized that antibodies targeting SIRPα might avoid some of the concerns noted for CD47-targeting agents.MethodsSIRPα-targeting antibodies were generated and characterized for binding to human SIRPα alleles and blockade of the interaction with CD47. Functional activity was established in vitro using human macrophages or neutrophils co-cultured with human Burkitt’s lymphoma cell lines. The effect of SIRPα versus CD47 targeting on human T-cell activation was studied using an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction and a Staphylococcus enterotoxin B-induced T-cell proliferation assay. Potential safety concerns of the selected SIRPα-targeting antibody were addressed in vitro using a hemagglutination assay and a whole blood cytokine release assay, and in vivo in a single-dose toxicity study in cynomolgus monkeys.ResultsThe humanized monoclonal IgG2 antibody ADU-1805 binds to all known human SIRPα alleles, showing minimal binding to SIRPβ1, while cross-reacting with SIRPγ, and potently blocking the interaction of SIRPα with CD47. Reduced FcγR binding proved critical to retaining its function towards phagocyte activation. In vitro characterization demonstrated that ADU-1805 promotes macrophage phagocytosis, with similar potency to anti-CD47 antibodies, and enhances neutrophil trogocytosis. Unlike CD47-targeting agents, ADU-1805 does not interfere with T-cell activation and is not expected to require frequent and extensive dosing due to the restricted expression of SIRPα to cells of the myeloid lineage. ADU-1805 is cross-reactive to cynomolgus monkey SIRPα and upon single-dose intravenous administration in these non-human primates (NHPs) did not show any signs of anemia, thrombocytopenia or other toxicities.ConclusionsBlocking the SIRPα-CD47 interaction via SIRPα, while similarly efficacious in vitro, differentiates ADU-1805 from CD47-targeting agents with respect to safety and absence of inhibition of T-cell activation. The data presented herein support further advancement of ADU-1805 towards clinical development.

WASP Restricts Active Rac to Maintain Cells' Front-Rear Polarization.

SummaryEfficient motility requires polarized cells, with pseudopods at the front and a retracting rear. Polarization is maintained by restricting the pseudopod catalyst, active Rac, to the front. Here, we show that the actin nucleation-promoting factor Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) contributes to maintenance of front-rear polarity by controlling localization and cellular levels of active Rac. Dictyostelium cells lacking WASP inappropriately activate Rac at the rear, which affects their polarity and speed. WASP’s Cdc42 and Rac interacting binding (“CRIB”) motif has been thought to be essential for its activation. However, we show that the CRIB motif’s biological role is unexpectedly complex. WASP CRIB mutants are no longer able to restrict Rac activity to the front, and cannot generate new pseudopods when SCAR/WAVE is absent. Overall levels of Rac activity also increase when WASP is unable to bind to Rac. However, WASP without a functional CRIB domain localizes normally at clathrin pits during endocytosis, and activates Arp2/3 complex. Similarly, chemical inhibition of Rac does not affect WASP localization or activation at sites of endocytosis. Thus, the interaction between small GTPases and WASP is more complex than previously thought—Rac regulates a subset of WASP functions, but WASP reciprocally restricts active Rac through its CRIB motif.

Mim8 - a Next-Generation FVIII Mimetic Bi-Specific Antibody - Potently Restores the Hemostatic Capacity in Hemophilia a Settings in Vitro and In Vivo

The treatment of hemophilia A (HA) is primarily based on replacement of factor VIII (FVIII), and in people with HA with inhibitors (HAwI) on the use of by-passing agents. Recently, a FVIII mimetic bispecific antibody emicizumab (Hemlibra®) was approved for treatment of HA and HAwI, offering a subcutaneous, prophylactic treatment opportunity with potential for significantly reducing the treatment burden. We describe the development and pre-clinical characterization of Mim8, a novel, next-generation FVIII mimetic human bispecific antibody. Mim8 is a highly potent molecule bridging factor IXa (FIXa) and factor X (FX) in development for subcutaneous treatment of people with HA and HAwI. Development of Mim8 utilized the Duobody® platform to initially screen for compatible anti-FIXa and anti-FX antibodies followed by several iterations of systematic mutational optimization. In total, more than 30,000 bispecific antibodies were analyzed. The optimization process aimed for efficient Mim8-mediated activation of FX by FIXa in the presence of procoagulant membrane, low target binding in solution, low immunogenicity risk, and for desirable biophysical parameters such as low viscosity. In vitro characterization demonstrated that Mim8 efficiently localizes FIXa and FX to the phospholipid surface and enhances FXa activation. The monovalent anti-FIXa arm alone stimulates the proteolytic activity of FIXa in the range of 15,000-fold and is an important contributor to the activity of the bispecific antibody. The dissociation constants (Kd) of Mim8 for FIXa and FX is in the micromolar range, minimizing target binding in the blood. Using thrombin generation assay in congenital HA plasma and thrombelastography (TEG) in whole blood from healthy volunteers spiked with anti-FVIII antibodies, Mim8 was capable of normalizing thrombin generation and blood clot formation, respectively, with approximately 15 times greater potency than emicizumab (Figure 1). A similar potency improvement was demonstrated in a tail vein transection bleeding model in FVIII-deficient mice co-dosed with human FIX and FX to circumvent lack of Mim8 cross reactivity to murine FIX and FX. The terminal half-life of Mim8 was estimated to 14 days (range 10-17 days) in cynomolgus monkeys and the subcutaneous bioavailability to 97%. In conclusion, Mim8 is a novel, next-generation FVIII mimetic bispecific antibody with anti-FIXa and anti-FX arms that potently stimulates FX activation resulting in efficacious haemostasis in vitro and in vivo. Mim8 has a high potency allowing for administration of small volumes in a pen device, good PK parameters, minimal target binding in the blood, and good biophysical properties. Collectively, these properties support clinical development of Mim8 as a potentially improved next-generation FVIII-mimetic prophylactic treatment option for persons with hemophilia A regardless of inhibitor status. Figure 1: Left: FXI-triggered thrombin generation assay in congenital HA plasma (mean and SD of n = 5). Right: thromboelastography in whole blood from healthy donors spiked with polyclonal anti-FVIII antibody (mean and SD of n = 3). Coagulation was triggered with low concentration (∼30 fM) of tissue factor (Innovin® 1:200,000). Shaded areas: standard deviation of controls. Blue circles: Mim8. Grey squares: a sequence identical analogue (SIA) to emicizumab (comparable data were obtained with a commercially available batch of Hemlibra®). Disclosures Kjellev: Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership. Østergaard:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Greisen:Novo Nordisk A/S: Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Hermit:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Thorn:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Hansen:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Zhou:Novo Nordisk A/S: Equity Ownership, Other: Previous employment, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Bjelke:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Kjalke:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Honoraria. Lund:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Holm:Novo Nordisk A/S: Equity Ownership, Other: Previous employment. Ley:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership. Elenius:Novo Nordisk A/S: Equity Ownership, Other: Previous employment; Leo Pharma A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership. Thygesen:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Loftager:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership. Rasch:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Lorenzen:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Gandhi:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Lamberth:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Egebjerg:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Lund:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership. Henriksen:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Rahbek-Nielsen:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Yang:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties: Patents. Hilden:Novo Nordisk A/S: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents &amp; Royalties.

Trifluoromethyl Dihydrothiazine-Based β-Secretase (BACE1) Inhibitors with Robust Central β-Amyloid Reduction and Minimal Covalent Binding Burden.

The β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1, also known as β-secretase) is a promising target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. A pKa lowering approach over the initial leads was adopted to mitigate hERG inhibition and P-gp efflux, leading to the design of 6-CF3 dihydrothiazine 8 (N-(3-((4S,6S)-2-amino-4-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-thiazin-4-yl)-4-fluorophenyl)-5-cyanopicolinamide). Optimization of 8 led to the discovery of 15 (N-(3-((4S,6S)-2-amino-4-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-thiazin-4-yl)-4-fluorophenyl)-5-(fluoromethoxy)pyrazine-2-carboxamide) with an excellent balance of potency, hERG inhibition, P-gp efflux, and metabolic stability. Oral administration of 8 elicited robust Aβ reduction in dog even at 0.16 mg/kg. Reflecting the reduced hERG inhibitory activity, no QTc prolongation was observed at high doses. The potential for reactive metabolite formation of 15 was realized in a nucleophile trapping assay using [14 C]-KCN in human liver microsomes. Utilizing covalent binding (CVB) in human hepatocytes and the maximum projected human dosage, the daily CVB burden of 15 was calculated to be at an acceptable value of below 1 mg/day. However, hepatotoxicity was observed when 15 was subjected to a two-week tolerance study in dog, which prevented further evaluation of this compound.

Designing Catalytic Sites on Surfaces with Optimal H-Atom Binding via Atom Doping Using the Inverse Molecular Design Approach.

It remains a general challenge to computationally design optimal catalytic structures based on earth-abundant metals for hydrogenation. Here, we demonstrate an effective computational approach based on inverse molecular design to deterministically design optimal catalytic sites on the Cu(100) surface through the doping of Fe and/or Zn, and a stable Zn-doped Cu(100) surface was found with minimal binding energy to H atoms. By the calculations at the level of density functional theory, the optimized catalyst sites are verified to be valid on the Cu(100) surface in an infinite periodic system. We analyze the electronic structure cause of the optimal binding sites using the analysis of the density of states. In addition, we use a Cu29Zn3 atomic cluster, where such an optimum catalytic site is valid on the Cu(100) surface, to understand the role of doped Zn atoms on lowering the H atom binding energy. We found that in the atomic cluster, the atomic orbitals of surface Zn-atoms show less participation in the binding of H atoms, compared to the atomic orbitals of surface Cu atoms. Our study provides valuable chemistry insights on designing catalytic structures using earth-abundant metals, and it may lead to the development of novel Cu-based earth-abundant alloys in bulk, nanoparticles, atomic clusters, or single-atom catalysts for important catalytic applications such as lignin degradation or CO2 conversion.

The first two Chinese Myhre syndrome patients with the recurrent SMAD4 pathogenic variants: Functional consequences and clinical diversity

Myhre syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant multi-organ disorder characterized by growth retardation, skeletal anomalies, muscular hypertrophy, joint stiffness, facial dysmorphism, deafness, cardiovascular disease, and abnormal sexual development. Here we described the first two Chinese Myhre syndrome patients diagnosed by whole-exome sequencing. They both had de novo c.1498A > G (p.Ile500Val) variant in SMAD4 and presented with key characteristics of Myhre syndrome but also revealed uncommon features (polydactyly in the girl and precocious puberty in the boy). We performed functional analysis on four previously reported SMAD4 pathogenic variants in Myhre syndrome patients using dual-luciferase assay. Our results revealed that the pathogenic variants resulted in a variable degree of increased transcription activity of target genes that contain the minimal SMAD binding elements in their promoter regions. The boy responded to the recombinant human growth hormone treatment with improved height but also led to hyperinsulinemia and advanced bone age. Because of his precocious puberty, we subsequently combined the recombinant human growth hormone and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist treatments, which resulted in overall improved height. We reviewed the sexual features of reported Myhre syndrome cases and discussed the possible mechanism of SMAD4 variants in Myhre syndrome that lead to the abnormal hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Viable pigs after simultaneous inactivation of porcine MHC class I and three xenoreactive antigen genes GGTA1, CMAH and B4GALNT2.

Cell surface carbohydrate antigens play a major role in the rejection of porcine xenografts. The most important for human recipients are α-1,3 Gal (Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose) causing hyperacute rejection, also Neu5Gc (N-glycolylneuraminic acid) and Sd(a) blood group antigens both of which are likely to elicit acute vascular rejection given the known human immune status. Porcine cells with knockouts of the three genes responsible, GGTA1, CMAH and B4GALNT2, revealed minimal xenoreactive antibody binding after incubation with human serum. However, human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies cross-reacted with swine leucocyte antigen class I (SLA-I). We previously demonstrated efficient generation of pigs with multiple xeno-transgenes placed at a single genomic locus. Here we wished to assess whether key xenoreactive antigen genes can be simultaneously inactivated and if combination with the multi-transgenic background further reduces antibody deposition and complement activation. Multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and somatic cell nuclear transfer were used to generate pigs carrying functional knockouts of GGTA1, CMAH, B4GALNT2 and SLA class I. Fibroblasts derived from one- to four-fold knockout animals, and from multi-transgenic cells (human CD46, CD55, CD59, HO1 and A20) with the four-fold knockout were used to examine the effects on human IgG and IgM binding or complement activation in vitro. Pigs were generated carrying four-fold knockouts of important xenoreactive genes. In vitro assays revealed that combination of all four gene knockouts reduced human IgG and IgM binding to porcine kidney cells more effectively than single or double knockouts. The multi-transgenic background combined with GGTA1 knockout alone reduced C3b/c and C4b/c complement activation to such an extent that further knockouts had no significant additional effect. We showed that pigs carrying several xenoprotective transgenes and knockouts of xenoreactive antigens can be readily generated and these modifications will have significant effects on xenograft survival.

Francisella novicida Cas9 interrogates genomic DNA with very high specificity and can be used for mammalian genome editing

Genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been used to make precise heritable changes in the DNA of organisms. Although the widely used Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) and its engineered variants have been efficiently harnessed for numerous gene-editing applications across different platforms, concerns remain regarding their putative off-targeting at multiple loci across the genome. Here we report that Francisella novicida Cas9 (FnCas9) shows a very high specificity of binding to its intended targets and negligible binding to off-target loci. The specificity is determined by its minimal binding affinity with DNA when mismatches to the target single-guide RNA (sgRNA) are present in the sgRNA:DNA heteroduplex. FnCas9 produces staggered cleavage, higher homology-directed repair rates, and very low nonspecific genome editing compared to SpCas9. We demonstrate FnCas9-mediated correction of the sickle cell mutation in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells and propose that it can be used for precise therapeutic genome editing for a wide variety of genetic disorders.