NZ788539A - Anti-gitr antibodies and uses thereof - Google Patents
Anti-gitr antibodies and uses thereofInfo
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- NZ788539A NZ788539A NZ788539A NZ78853917A NZ788539A NZ 788539 A NZ788539 A NZ 788539A NZ 788539 A NZ788539 A NZ 788539A NZ 78853917 A NZ78853917 A NZ 78853917A NZ 788539 A NZ788539 A NZ 788539A
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- acid sequence
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Abstract
Provided herein are antibodies, and antigen-binding fragments thereof that specifically bind glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) and methods of using the same, including, e.g., methods of treatment using the same.
Description
ANTI-GITR ANTIBODIES AND USES THEREOF
This application is a divisional of New Zealand patent application 748619, which is
the national phase entry in New d of PCT ational ation
(published as WO2017/214548) filed 9 June 2017, all of which are
incorporated herein in their entireties.
FIELD
The present invention s to antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) and
methods of use thereof.
BACKGROUND
Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) is a member of the
tumor is factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF). GITR expression is constitutively
high on regulatory T cells, low/intermediate on naïve T cells, NK cells and ocytes, and
inducible upon activation. GITR interacts with its ligand GITRL, which is mainly expressed
on antigen-presenting cells. GITR receptor activation can both augment effector T-cell
eration and function as well as attenuate the suppression induced by regulatory T cells.
Consequently, the modulation of GITR activity can serve as a basis for cancer
immunotherapy and immune disorders. Thus, there is a need for agents, e.g., antibodies
that modulate the ty of GITR.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention provides antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof
that bind glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR). The antibodies of
the invention are useful, inter alia, for targeting immune cells, e.g., effector T-cells, regulatory
T-cells, and NK cells that s GITR.
The antibodies of the ion can be full-length (for example, an IgG1 or IgG4
antibody) or may comprise only an antigen-binding portion (for example, a Fab, F(ab’)2 or
scFv fragment), and may be modified to affect functionality, e.g., to eliminate residual
effector functions (Reddy et al., 2000, J. Immunol. 164:1925-1933).
Exemplary ITR antibodies of the present invention are listed in Tables 1 and
2 herein. Table 1 sets forth the amino acid sequence identifiers of the heavy chain variable
regions (HCVRs), light chain variable regions (LCVRs), heavy chain mentarity
determining regions (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3), and light chain complementarity
determining regions , LCDR2 and LCDR3) of the exemplary anti-GITR antibodies.
Table 2 sets forth the nucleic acid sequence identifiers of the HCVRs, LCVRs, HCDR1,
HCDR2 HCDR3, LCDR1, LCDR2 and LCDR3 of the exemplary anti-GITR antibodies.
The t invention provides antibodies or antigen-binding fragments f that
specifically bind GITR, comprising an HCVR comprising an amino acid sequence selected
from any of the HCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1, or a ntially similar
sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence
identity thereto.
The present invention also provides antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising an LCVR sing an amino acid sequence
selected from any of the LCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1, or a substantially
similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99%
sequence identity thereto.
The present invention also provides antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising an HCVR and an LCVR amino acid sequence pair
(HCVR/LCVR) sing any of the HCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1 paired
with any of the LCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1. According to certain
embodiments, the t invention es antibodies, or antigen-binding fragments
thereof, comprising an HCVR/LCVR amino acid sequence pair contained within any of the
exemplary ITR antibodies listed in Table 1. In certain embodiments, the CVR
amino acid sequence pair is selected from the group consisting of: 98/106; 162/170;
194/202; 242/250; 290/298; 338/402; and 346/402.
The present invention also provides antibodies or antigen-binding nts f
that specifically bind GITR, comprising a heavy chain CDR1 (HCDR1) comprising an amino
acid sequence selected from any of the HCDR1 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1 or a
substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at
least 99% sequence identity.
The present ion also provides antibodies or n-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising a heavy chain CDR2 (HCDR2) comprising an amino
acid sequence selected from any of the HCDR2 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1 or a
substantially r sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at
least 99% sequence identity.
The present invention also provides antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising a heavy chain CDR3 (HCDR3) comprising an amino
acid sequence selected from any of the HCDR3 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1 or a
substantially similar sequence f having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at
least 99% sequence identity.
The present invention also provides antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising a light chain CDR1 (LCDR1) comprising an amino
acid sequence selected from any of the LCDR1 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1 or a
substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at
least 99% ce identity.
The present invention also provides antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising a light chain CDR2 ) comprising an amino
acid sequence selected from any of the LCDR2 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1 or a
substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at
least 99% sequence identity.
The present invention also es antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising a light chain CDR3 (LCDR3) comprising an amino
acid sequence selected from any of the LCDR3 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1 or a
substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at
least 99% sequence identity.
The present invention also es antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that specifically bind GITR, comprising an HCDR3 and an LCDR3 amino acid sequence pair
/LCDR3) comprising any of the HCDR3 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1
paired with any of the LCDR3 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1. According to n
embodiments, the present invention provides antibodies, or antigen-binding nts
thereof, comprising an HCDR3/LCDR3 amino acid sequence pair contained within any of the
exemplary anti-GITR antibodies listed in Table 1. In certain embodiments, the
LCDR3 amino acid sequence pair is selected from the group consisting of: 104/112;
6; 200/208; 248/256; 296/304; 344/408; and 352/408.
The present invention also provides antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof
that ically bind GITR, comprising a set of six CDRs (i.e., HCDR1-HCDR2-HCDR3-
LCDR1-LCDR2-LCDR3) contained within any of the exemplary anti-GITR antibodies listed in
Table 1. In certain embodiments, the HCDR1-HCDR2-HCDR3-LCDR1-LCDR2-LCDR3
amino acid sequences set is selected from the group ting of: 100104110-
112; 164168174-176; 8204208; 244248254-256; 292-
294300304; 340344406-408; and 0404408.
In a related embodiment, the present invention provides antibodies, or antigen-
binding fragments thereof that specifically bind GITR, comprising a set of six CDRs (i.e.,
HCDR1-HCDR2-HCDR3-LCDR1-LCDR2-LCDR3) contained within an HCVR/LCVR amino
acid sequence pair as defined by any of the exemplary anti-GITR antibodies listed in Table
1. For example, the present ion includes antibodies or antigen-binding fragments
thereof that specifically bind GITR, comprising the HCDR1-HCDR2-HCDR3-LCDR1-LCDR2-
LCDR3 amino acid sequences set contained within an HCVR/LCVR amino acid sequence
pair selected from the group ting of: ; 162/170; 194/202; 242/250; 290/298;
338/402; and 346/102. Methods and techniques for identifying CDRs within HCVR and
LCVR amino acid sequences are well known in the art and can be used to identify CDRs
within the ied HCVR and/or LCVR amino acid sequences disclosed herein. Exemplary
conventions that can be used to identify the boundaries of CDRs include, e.g., the Kabat
definition, the a tion, and the AbM definition. In general terms, the Kabat
definition is based on sequence variability, the a definition is based on the location of
the structural loop regions, and the AbM tion is a compromise between the Kabat and
Chothia approaches. See, e.g., Kabat, "Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest,"
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. (1991); ikani et al., J. Mol. Biol. 273:927-
948 (1997); and Martin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:9268-9272 (1989). Public
databases are also available for identifying CDR sequences within an antibody.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding anti-GITR
antibodies or portions thereof. For example, the present invention provides nucleic acid
molecules encoding any of the HCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain
embodiments the nucleic acid molecule comprises a polynucleotide sequence selected from
any of the HCVR nucleic acid sequences listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar
sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence
identity thereto.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding any of the
LCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain embodiments the nucleic acid
molecule comprises a polynucleotide sequence selected from any of the LCVR nucleic acid
sequences listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%,
at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity thereto.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules ng any of the
HCDR1 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain embodiments the c acid
molecule ses a polynucleotide sequence selected from any of the HCDR1 nucleic
acid sequences listed in Table 2, or a ntially similar sequence thereof having at least
90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity thereto.
The t invention also provides c acid les encoding any of the
HCDR2 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain embodiments the nucleic acid
molecule comprises a polynucleotide ce selected from any of the HCDR2 nucleic
acid sequences listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar ce thereof having at least
90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity thereto.
The present invention also es nucleic acid molecules encoding any of the
HCDR3 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain embodiments the nucleic acid
le comprises a cleotide sequence selected from any of the HCDR3 nucleic
acid sequences listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least
90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity thereto.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid les encoding any of the
LCDR1 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain embodiments the nucleic acid
molecule comprises a polynucleotide ce selected from any of the LCDR1 nucleic acid
sequences listed in Table 2, or a ntially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%,
at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity o.
The t invention also es c acid molecules encoding any of the
LCDR2 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain embodiments the nucleic acid
molecule comprises a polynucleotide sequence selected from any of the LCDR2 nucleic acid
sequences listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%,
at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity thereto.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding any of the
LCDR3 amino acid sequences listed in Table 1; in certain embodiments the nucleic acid
molecule comprises a polynucleotide sequence selected from any of the LCDR3 nucleic acid
ces listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%,
at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity thereto.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding an HCVR,
wherein the HCVR comprises a set of three CDRs (i.e., HCDR1-HCDR2-HCDR3), wherein
the HCDR1-HCDR2-HCDR3 amino acid sequence set is as defined by any of the exemplary
anti-GITR antibodies listed in Table 1.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules ng an LCVR,
n the LCVR comprises a set of three CDRs (i.e., LCDR2-LCDR3), wherein
the LCDR1-LCDR2-LCDR3 amino acid sequence set is as defined by any of the exemplary
anti-GITR antibodies listed in Table 1.
The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding both an
HCVR and an LCVR, wherein the HCVR comprises an amino acid ce of any of the
HCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1, and wherein the LCVR comprises an amino
acid sequence of any of the LCVR amino acid sequences listed in Table 1. In certain
embodiments, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a polynucleotide sequence selected from
any of the HCVR nucleic acid sequences listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar
sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence
identity thereto, and a polynucleotide ce selected from any of the LCVR nucleic acid
sequences listed in Table 2, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%,
at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity thereto. In certain
embodiments ing to this aspect of the invention, the nucleic acid molecule encodes an
HCVR and LCVR, wherein the HCVR and LCVR are both derived from the same anti-GITR
antibody listed in Table 1.
The present invention also provides recombinant expression vectors capable of
sing a polypeptide comprising a heavy or light chain variable region of an anti-GITR
dy. For example, the present invention includes recombinant expression vectors
comprising any of the nucleic acid molecules mentioned above, i.e., nucleic acid molecules
encoding any of the HCVR, LCVR, and/or CDR sequences as set forth in Table 1. Also
included within the scope of the present invention are host cells into which such vectors
have been introduced, as well as methods of producing the antibodies or portions thereof by
culturing the host cells under conditions permitting production of the dies or antibody
fragments, and recovering the antibodies and dy fragments so produced.
The present ion includes anti-GITR antibodies having a modified
glycosylation pattern. In some embodiments, cation to remove undesirable
glycosylation sites may be , or an antibody lacking a fucose moiety present on the
oligosaccharide chain, for example, to increase antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity
(ADCC) function (see Shield et al. (2002) JBC 277:26733). In other applications,
modification of galactosylation can be made in order to modify complement dependent
cytotoxicity (CDC).
In another aspect, the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising
a recombinant human antibody or fragment thereof which specifically binds GITR and a
pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In a related aspect, the invention features a
composition which is a combination of an anti-GITR antibody and a second therapeutic
agent. In one embodiment, the second therapeutic agent is any agent that is
advantageously combined with an anti-GITR dy. The present invention also provides
antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) sing an anti-GITR antibody conjugated to a
cytotoxic agent. Exemplary combination therapies, co-formulations, and ADCs involving the
anti-GITR antibodies of the present invention are disclosed ere herein.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides therapeutic methods for killing tumor
cells or for inhibiting or attenuating tumor cell , or otherwise treating a patient afflicted
with cancer, using an anti-GITR antibody or antigen-binding portion of an antibody of the
invention. The therapeutic methods ing to this aspect of the invention comprise
administering a eutically effective amount of a ceutical ition comprising
an dy or antigen-binding nt of an antibody of the invention to a subject in need
thereof. The disorder treated is any disease or condition which is improved, ameliorated,
inhibited or prevented by targeting GITR and/or by sing T-cell proliferation or function
and/or inhibiting suppression activity induced by regulatory T cells.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides therapeutic methods for killing tumor
cells or for inhibiting or attenuating tumor cell growth, or otherwise treating a patient afflicted
with , using a combination of an anti-GITR antibody or antigen-binding portion of an
ITR antibody and an anti-PD1 antibody or antigen-binding portion of an anti-PD1
antibody. The eutic methods according to this aspect of the invention comprise
administering a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising
a ation of an anti-GITR and anti-PD1 antibody or antigen-binding fragment
composition to a subject in need thereof. The disorder treated is any e or condition
which is improved, ameliorated, inhibited or prevented by targeting both GITR and PD1.
Other embodiments will become apparent from a review of the ensuing detailed
description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 s average tumor volumes for each treatment group (mm3 ± SEM)
plotted against days after tumor challenge as described in Example 7. Mice were treated
with either isotype antibody (open circles, ○), anti-PD-1 antibody (open squares, □), anti-
GITR antibody (open pyramids, ∆), or a combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-GITR (closed
inverted pyramids, ▼).
Figure 2 depicts survival analysis of MC38 bearing mice d with the
combination of an anti-mouse GITR and anti-mouse- PD1 antibody as described in Example
7. Mice were treated with either isotype dy (open circles, ○), anti-PD-1 antibody (open
squares, □), anti-GITR antibody (open pyramids, ∆), or a combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-
GITR (open inverted pyramids,).
Figure 3 depicts the individual tumor growth curve of tumor-free or naïve control
mice nged with MC38 or B16.F10.9 tumor cells as described in Example 7.
Figure 4 depicts average tumor volumes for mice treated with different depletion
antibodies as described in Example 7.
Figure 5 depicts FACS analysis result of intratumoral CD8/Treg, CD4 Teff/Treg ratio
as bed in e 7.
Figure 6 depicts percentage and cell /mm3 tumor of T cell subsets in tumor
as described in Example 7.
Figure 7 depicts average tumor volumes for each treatment group (mm3 ± SEM)
plotted against days after tumor challenge as depicted in Example 7.
Figure 8 depicts survival analysis of MC38 g GITR/GIRL humanized mice
treated with the combination of an anti-human GITR- and anti-mouse PD1-antibody as
described in Example 7.
Figure 9 s FACS analysis of intratumoral and spleen percentage of CD8 T
cells, percentage of Treg cells, and CD8/Treg ratio as bed in e 7.
Figure 10 depicts average tumor volumes for each treatment group (mm3 ± SEM)
plotted against days after tumor challenge as described in Example 7.
Figure 11 s survival analysis of MC38 g PD1/PDL1 humanized mice
treated with the combination of an anti-mouse GITR- and uman PD1-antibody as
described in Example 7.
Figure 12 depicts a tumor growth curve of MC38-bearing mice as described in
Example 7. The Y-axis depicts tumor volume in cubic millimeters and the X-axis depicts time
in days post tumor challenge. Open s (□, ○) ent mice first treated with an
isotype antibody (control). Filled symbols (■, ●) ent mice first treated with an anti-
CD226 antibody. Those mice then treated with the e antibody are represented by
circles (○, ●) and solid lines. Those mice then treated with the anti-GITR and anti-PD-1
combination are represented by squares (□, ■) and dotted lines.
Figure 13 depicts a survival curve of MC38-bearing mice as described in Example
7. The Y-axis depicts percent survival and the X-axis depicts time in days post tumor
nge. Open symbols (□, ○) represent mice first treated with an isotype antibody
(control). Filled symbols (■, ●) represent mice first treated with an anti-CD226 antibody.
Those mice then treated with the isotype antibody are represented by circles (○, ●) and solid
lines. Those mice then treated with the anti-GITR and anti-PD-1 combination are
represented by s (□, ■) and dotted lines.
Figure 14 depicts a tumor growth curve of MC38-bearing wild type mice
(represented by diamonds [ ]) or TIGIT knock-out mice (represented by triangles [ ])
treated with isotype IgGs as described in Example 7. The Y-axis depicts tumor volume in
cubic millimeters and the X-axis depicts time in days post tumor challenge. Open symbols
and dotted lines represent mice first treated with an isotype antibody ol). Filled symbols
and solid lines represent mice first treated with an anti-CD226 antibody.
Figure 15 depicts a tumor growth curve of MC38-bearing wild type mice
(represented by circles [○, ●]) or TIGIT knock-out mice (represented by inverted les [
]) treated with isotype IgGs as described in Example 7. The Y-axis depicts tumor volume
in cubic millimeters and the X-axis depicts time in days post tumor challenge. Open symbols
and dotted lines represent mice first treated with an isotype antibody (control). Filled symbols
and solid lines represent mice first d with an anti-CD226 antibody.
Figure 16 includes cumulative distribution function (CDF) plots depicting the
upregulated expression of CD226 by combination treatment in total (Panel A), clonal
expanded (Panel B), or non-expanded (Panel C) CD8+ T cells. The X-axis depicts CD226
expression in log2(RPKM) (Reads Per Kilobase of transcript per Million mapped reads) and
the Y-axis depicts cumulative frequency. The red line represents the ITR / anti-PD1
ent; the black line represents isotype antibody treatment; the blue line ents anti-
GITR treatment; and the purple line ents anti-PD1 treatment.
Figure 17 is a Western blot depicting the relative expression of phospho-CD3ζ and
phospho-CD226 as a function of PD-1 tration.
Figure 18, Panels A-D depict bar charts of the number of T-cell types produced in
wildtype (open bars) and CD226 knock out mice (solid bars). Panel A is a bar chart depicting
FACS analysis (number of cells) of T cell development in thymus (Tconv, conventional T
cells; DP, CD4/CD8 double positive; SP, single positive; DN, CD4/CD8 double negative).
Panel B is a bar chart depicting FACS validation (number of cells) of the population of T cell
subsets in spleen and blood in wildtype and CD226-/- animals. Panel C is a bar chart
depicting FACS analysis (MFI, mean fluorescence intensity) of T cell subsets in spleen and
blood that express PD1. Panel D is a bar chart depicting FACS is (MFI) of T cell
subsets in spleen and blood that express GITR. Panels E-I are bar charts depicting
inflammatory cytokine secretion in picograms per milliliter upon ex vivo TCR ation of
splenocytes with anti-CD3 + anti-CD28 Ab for 16 hours. Splenocytes from CD226-/- (solid
bars) or wild type (WT) (open bars) mice were stimulated with anti-CD3 + anti-CD28 Ab for
16 hours. Panel E = IFN-γ; panel F = IL-2; panel G = TNF-α; panel H = IL-6; and panel I = IL-
Figure 19 is a line graph depicting percent animal survival as a on of time in
days post tumor challenge. Panel A depicts CD226 KO mice (rose lines) or WT littermates
(black lines) nged with MC38 tumor cells and treated with either anti-GITR + anti-PD-1
Ab (filled s and squares) or isotype Abs (open circles and squares). Panels B-D depict
the effect of antibody treatment on (B) animals treated with antibodies blocking CD28
signaling (10 mg/kg CTLAIg; panel B, green lines); (C) animals treated with antibodies
blocking OX40 signaling (10 mg/kg OX40L blocking antibody; panel C); and (D) animals
treated with antibodies blocking 4-1BB signaling (10 mg/kg 4-1BBL blocking antibody; panel
Figure 20 is a line graph depicting tumor size (in cubic millimeters) as a on of
days after tumor challenge for mice treated with isotype (open circles and black line), anti-
PD1 (open squares, red line), anti-GITR (open upright pyramids and green line), and anti-
GITR / D1 combination y (open inverted pyramids and blue lines). Panel A
represents MC38 tumors not expressing CD155. Panel B represents MC38 tumors
expressing CD155.
Figure 21 is a bar chart depicting the number of cells sing CD226 (Panel A),
4-1BB (Panel B), and IFN-γ (Panel C) from s challenged with MC38 tumor cells over
expressing CD155 (filled bars) and MC38 tumor cells that do not express CD155 (open
bars).
Figure 22 depicts a dot plot RNA-seq analysis of cancer t tumor biopsies
showing CD226 RNA expression (in log2[RPKM]) as a function of anti-PD-1 Ab treatment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Before the present invention is bed, it is to be tood that this invention is
not limited to particular methods and experimental conditions described, as such methods
and conditions may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for
the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting,
since the scope of the present ion will be limited only by the ed claims.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the
same meaning as ly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this
invention belongs. As used herein, the term "about," when used in reference to a particular
recited numerical value, means that the value may vary from the d value by no more
than 1%. For example, as used herein, the expression "about 100" includes 99 and 101 and
all values in between (e.g., 99.1, 99.2, 99.3, 99.4, etc.).
Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein
can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred s and
materials are now described. All patents, applications and non-patent publications
mentioned in this specification are orated herein by reference in their entireties.
tions
The expression glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor, "GITR," and
the like, as used herein, refers to the human orticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor
receptor, comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 413 (NCBI
Accession #NP_004186.1). The sion "GITR" includes both monomeric and
multimeric GITR molecules. As used herein, the expression "monomeric human GITR"
means a GITR protein or portion f that does not contain or possess any multimerizing
domains and that exists under normal conditions as a single GITR molecule without a direct
physical connection to another GITR molecule. An exemplary monomeric GITR molecule is
the molecule referred to herein as "hGITR.mmh" comprising the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO: 409 (see, e.g., Example 3, herein). As used herein, the expression ic
human GITR" means a construct comprising two GITR molecules connected to one another
through a linker, covalent bond, non-covalent bond, or through a multimerizing domain such
as an antibody Fc domain. Exemplary dimeric GITR molecules include those molecules
referred to herein as "hGITR.mFc" and “hGITR.hFc”, sing the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO: 410 and SEQ ID NO: 411 respectively (see, e.g., Example 3, herein).
All references to ns, polypeptides and protein fragments herein are intended
to refer to the human version of the respective protein, polypeptide or protein fragment
unless explicitly specified as being from a non-human species. Thus, the expression "GITR"
means human GITR unless specified as being from a non-human species, e.g., "mouse
GITR," "monkey GITR," etc.
As used herein, the expression "cell surface-expressed GITR" means one or more
GITR protein(s), or the ellular domain thereof, that is/are expressed on the surface of a
cell in vitro or in vivo, such that at least a portion of a GITR protein is exposed to the
extracellular side of the cell membrane and is accessible to an antigen-binding portion of an
antibody. A "cell e-expressed GITR" can comprise or consist of a GITR protein
sed on the surface of a cell which ly expresses GITR protein. Alternatively,
"cell surface-expressed GITR" can comprise or consist of GITR protein expressed on the
surface of a cell that normally does not express human GITR on its surface but has been
artificially engineered to express GITR on its surface.
As used herein, the expression "anti-GITR antibody" includes both monovalent and
monospecific bivalent antibodies with a single specificity, as well as ific dies
comprising a first arm that binds GITR and a second arm that binds a second (target)
antigen, wherein the anti-GITR arm comprises any of the HCVR/LCVR or CDR sequences
as set forth in Table 1 herein. The expression "anti-GITR antibody" also includes antibodydrug
conjugates (ADCs) comprising an anti-GITR antibody or antigen-binding portion f
conjugated to a drug or toxin (i.e., cytotoxic agent). The sion "anti-GITR antibody"
also includes antibody-radionuclide conjugates (ARCs) sing an anti-GITR antibody or
antigen-binding portion thereof conjugated to a radionuclide.
The term "antibody", as used herein, means any antigen-binding molecule or
molecular complex comprising at least one complementarity determining region (CDR) that
specifically binds to or interacts with a particular antigen (e.g., GITR). The term "antibody"
includes immunoglobulin molecules comprising four polypeptide chains, two heavy (H)
chains and two light (L) chains inter-connected by disulfide bonds, as well as multimers
thereof (e.g., IgM). Each heavy chain comprises a heavy chain variable region (abbreviated
herein as HCVR or VH) and a heavy chain nt . The heavy chain constant region
comprises three s, CH1, CH2 and CH3. Each light chain comprises a light chain
variable region (abbreviated herein as LCVR or VL) and a light chain constant region. The
light chain constant region comprises one domain (CL1). The VH and VL regions can be
further subdivided into regions of hypervariability, termed complementarity determining
regions , interspersed with regions that are more conserved, termed framework
regions (FR). Each VH and VL is composed of three CDRs and four FRs, arranged from
terminus to carboxy-terminus in the following order: FR1, CDR1, FR2, CDR2, FR3,
CDR3, FR4. In different embodiments of the invention, the FRs of the anti-GITR antibody
(or antigen-binding portion thereof) may be cal to the human germline sequences, or
may be naturally or cially modified. An amino acid consensus sequence may be defined
based on a side-by-side analysis of two or more CDRs.
The term ody", as used herein, also includes antigen-binding fragments of full
antibody molecules. The terms "antigen-binding portion" of an antibody, "antigen-binding
nt" of an antibody, and the like, as used herein, include any naturally occurring,
enzymatically obtainable, synthetic, or genetically engineered polypeptide or glycoprotein
that specifically binds an antigen to form a complex. Antigen-binding fragments of an
antibody may be derived, e.g., from full antibody molecules using any suitable standard
ques such as proteolytic ion or inant genetic engineering techniques
involving the manipulation and expression of DNA encoding antibody variable and optionally
constant domains. Such DNA is known and/or is readily available from, e.g., commercial
sources, DNA libraries (including, e.g., phage-antibody libraries), or can be synthesized.
The DNA may be sequenced and lated chemically or by using molecular biology
techniques, for example, to arrange one or more variable and/or constant domains into a
suitable configuration, or to introduce codons, create cysteine residues, modify, add or
delete amino acids, etc.
Non-limiting examples of antigen-binding fragments include: (i) Fab nts;
(ii) F(ab')2 fragments; (iii) Fd nts; (iv) Fv fragments; (v) -chain Fv (scFv)
molecules; (vi) dAb fragments; and (vii) minimal recognition units consisting of the amino
acid residues that mimic the hypervariable region of an dy (e.g., an isolated
complementarity determining region (CDR) such as a CDR3 peptide), or a constrained
FR3-CDR3-FR4 peptide. Other engineered molecules, such as -specific antibodies,
single domain antibodies, domain-deleted dies, chimeric antibodies, afted
antibodies, diabodies, dies, tetrabodies, minibodies, dies (e.g. monovalent
nanobodies, bivalent nanobodies, etc.), small modular immunopharmaceuticals (SMIPs),
and shark variable IgNAR domains, are also encompassed within the expression "antigenbinding
fragment," as used herein.
An antigen-binding fragment of an antibody will typically comprise at least one
variable domain. The variable domain may be of any size or amino acid composition and
will generally se at least one CDR which is nt to or in frame with one or more
framework sequences. In antigen-binding fragments having a VH domain associated with a
VL domain, the VH and VL domains may be situated relative to one r in any suitable
arrangement. For example, the variable region may be dimeric and contain VH-VH, VH-VL or
VL-VL dimers. Alternatively, the antigen-binding fragment of an antibody may contain a
monomeric VH or VL domain.
In certain embodiments, an antigen-binding fragment of an antibody may contain at
least one variable domain covalently linked to at least one constant domain. Non-limiting,
exemplary configurations of variable and constant domains that may be found within an
antigen-binding fragment of an antibody of the present invention include: (i) VH-CH1; (ii) VH-
CH2; (iii) VH-CH3; (iv) -CH2; (v) VH-CH1-CH2-CH3; (vi) VH-CH2-CH3; (vii) VH-CL; (viii) VLCH1
; (ix) ; (x) VL-CH3; (xi) -CH2; (xii) VL-CH1-CH2-CH3; (xiii) VL-CH2-CH3; and
(xiv) VL-CL. In any configuration of variable and nt domains, including any of the
exemplary configurations listed above, the variable and constant domains may be either
directly linked to one another or may be linked by a full or partial hinge or linker region. A
hinge region may consist of at least 2 (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60 or more) amino acids which
result in a flexible or semi-flexible linkage between adjacent le and/or constant
domains in a single polypeptide molecule. Moreover, an n-binding fragment of an
antibody of the present invention may comprise a homo-dimer or hetero-dimer (or other
multimer) of any of the variable and constant domain configurations listed above in noncovalent
association with one r and/or with one or more monomeric VH or VL domain
(e.g., by disulfide bond(s)).
As with full antibody molecules, antigen-binding fragments may be monospecific or
pecific (e.g., bispecific). A multispecific antigen-binding fragment of an antibody will
typically comprise at least two different variable domains, n each variable domain is
capable of specifically binding to a separate antigen or to a different epitope on the same
antigen. Any multispecific antibody format, ing the exemplary bispecific antibody
formats disclosed herein, may be adapted for use in the context of an antigen-binding
fragment of an antibody of the t invention using routine techniques available in the art.
The antibodies of the present invention may function through ment-
dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) or antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC).
"Complement-dependent cytotoxicity" (CDC) refers to lysis of antigen-expressing cells by an
antibody of the invention in the ce of complement. "Antibody-dependent cellmediated
cytotoxicity" (ADCC) refers to a cell-mediated reaction in which nonspecific
cytotoxic cells that s Fc receptors (FcRs) (e.g., Natural Killer (NK) cells, neutrophils,
and macrophages) recognize bound antibody on a target cell and thereby lead to lysis of the
target cell. CDC and ADCC can be measured using assays that are well known and
available in the art. (See, e.g., U.S. Patent Nos 5,500,362 and 5,821,337, and Clynes et al.
(1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 95:652-656). The nt region of an antibody is
important in the ability of an antibody to fix complement and mediate cell-dependent
cytotoxicity. Thus, the e of an antibody may be selected on the basis of whether it is
desirable for the antibody to mediate xicity.
In certain embodiments of the invention, the anti-GITR antibodies of the invention
are human antibodies. The term "human antibody", as used herein, is ed to include
antibodies having variable and constant regions derived from human germline
immunoglobulin sequences. The human antibodies of the invention may include amino acid
residues not encoded by human germline immunoglobulin sequences (e.g., mutations
uced by random or site-specific mutagenesis in vitro or by somatic mutation in vivo), for
example in the CDRs and in particular CDR3. However, the term "human antibody", as used
herein, is not intended to include antibodies in which CDR sequences derived from the
germline of another mammalian species, such as a mouse, have been grafted onto human
framework sequences. The term “human antibody” does not include naturally ing
les that normally exist without modification or human intervention/manipulation, in a
naturally occurring, unmodified living organism.
The antibodies of the invention may, in some embodiments, be inant human
antibodies. The term "recombinant human antibody", as used herein, is intended to e
all human antibodies that are prepared, expressed, created or isolated by inant
means, such as antibodies expressed using a recombinant expression vector transfected
into a host cell (described further below), antibodies isolated from a recombinant,
combinatorial human antibody library (described further below), antibodies isolated from an
animal (e.g., a mouse) that is transgenic for human immunoglobulin genes (see e.g., Taylor
et al. (1992) Nucl. Acids Res. 20:6287-6295) or antibodies ed, expressed, created or
isolated by any other means that involves splicing of human immunoglobulin gene
sequences to other DNA sequences. Such inant human antibodies have variable
and constant regions derived from human germline globulin sequences. In certain
embodiments, however, such recombinant human antibodies are subjected to in vitro
mutagenesis (or, when an animal transgenic for human Ig sequences is used, in vivo
c mutagenesis) and thus the amino acid sequences of the VH and VL regions of the
recombinant antibodies are sequences that, while d from and related to human
germline VH and VL sequences, may not naturally exist within the human antibody germline
repertoire in vivo.
Human antibodies can exist in two forms that are associated with hinge
heterogeneity. In one form, an immunoglobulin molecule comprises a stable four chain
construct of approximately 150-160 kDa in which the dimers are held together by an
interchain heavy chain disulfide bond. In a second form, the dimers are not linked via interchain
disulfide bonds and a le of about 75-80 kDa is formed composed of a
covalently coupled light and heavy chain (half-antibody). These forms have been ely
difficult to separate, even after ty purification.
The frequency of appearance of the second form in various intact IgG isotypes is
due to, but not limited to, structural differences associated with the hinge region isotype of
the antibody. A single amino acid substitution in the hinge region of the human IgG4 hinge
can significantly reduce the appearance of the second form (Angal et al. (1993) Molecular
Immunology 30:105) to levels typically observed using a human IgG1 hinge. The t
invention encompasses antibodies having one or more mutations in the hinge, CH2 or CH3
region which may be desirable, for example, in production, to improve the yield of the
desired antibody form.
The antibodies of the invention may be isolated dies. An "isolated antibody,"
as used herein, means an antibody that has been identified and separated and/or recovered
from at least one ent of its natural environment. For example, an dy that has
been separated or removed from at least one component of an organism, or from a tissue or
cell in which the dy naturally exists or is naturally ed, is an "isolated antibody"
for purposes of the present invention. An isolated antibody also includes an antibody in situ
within a recombinant cell. Isolated antibodies are antibodies that have been subjected to at
least one purification or isolation step. According to certain embodiments, an isolated
antibody may be substantially free of other cellular material and/or chemicals.
The anti-GITR antibodies disclosed herein may comprise one or more amino acid
substitutions, insertions and/or deletions in the framework and/or CDR s of the heavy
and light chain variable domains as compared to the corresponding germline sequences
from which the antibodies were derived. Such mutations can be readily ascertained by
comparing the amino acid sequences disclosed herein to germline sequences available
from, for example, public antibody sequence databases. The present invention includes
antibodies, and antigen-binding fragments thereof, which are derived from any of the amino
acid sequences sed herein, wherein one or more amino acids within one or more
ork and/or CDR regions are mutated to the corresponding residue(s) of the germline
sequence from which the antibody was derived, or to the corresponding residue(s) of
another human ne sequence, or to a conservative amino acid substitution of the
corresponding germline residue(s) (such sequence s are referred to herein
collectively as "germline mutations"). A person of ordinary skill in the art, starting with the
heavy and light chain le region sequences disclosed herein, can easily e
numerous antibodies and antigen-binding fragments which se one or more individual
germline mutations or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, all of the framework
and/or CDR residues within the VH and/or VL domains are mutated back to the residues
found in the original germline ce from which the antibody was derived. In other
embodiments, only certain residues are mutated back to the original germline sequence,
e.g., only the mutated residues found within the first 8 amino acids of FR1 or within the last 8
amino acids of FR4, or only the mutated es found within CDR1, CDR2 or CDR3. In
other ments, one or more of the framework and/or CDR residue(s) are mutated to the
corresponding residue(s) of a different germline sequence (i.e., a germline sequence that is
different from the germline sequence from which the antibody was ally derived).
Furthermore, the antibodies of the present invention may contain any combination of two or
more germline mutations within the framework and/or CDR regions, e.g., wherein certain
individual es are mutated to the corresponding residue of a particular germline
sequence while certain other residues that differ from the original germline sequence are
maintained or are mutated to the corresponding residue of a different germline sequence.
Once obtained, dies and antigen-binding fragments that contain one or more germline
mutations can be easily tested for one or more desired property such as, improved binding
icity, increased binding affinity, improved or enhanced antagonistic or agonistic
biological properties (as the case may be), reduced immunogenicity, etc. dies and
n-binding fragments obtained in this general manner are encompassed within the
present invention.
The present invention also includes anti-GITR antibodies comprising variants of any
of the HCVR, LCVR, and/or CDR amino acid sequences disclosed herein having one or
more conservative substitutions. For example, the present invention includes anti-GITR
antibodies having HCVR, LCVR, and/or CDR amino acid sequences with, e.g., 10 or fewer,
8 or fewer, 6 or fewer, 4 or fewer, etc. conservative amino acid substitutions relative to any
of the HCVR, LCVR, and/or CDR amino acid sequences set forth in Table 1 herein.
The term "epitope" refers to an antigenic inant that interacts with a ic
antigen-binding site in the variable region of an antibody molecule known as a paratope. A
single antigen may have more than one epitope. Thus, different antibodies may bind to
different areas on an antigen and may have different biological effects. Epitopes may be
either conformational or linear. A conformational epitope is produced by spatially juxtaposed
amino acids from different segments of the linear polypeptide chain. A linear e is one
produced by adjacent amino acid residues in a polypeptide chain. In certain circumstance,
an epitope may include moieties of saccharides, phosphoryl groups, or sulfonyl groups on
the antigen.
The term "substantial identity" or "substantially cal," when referring to a nucleic
acid or fragment thereof, indicates that, when lly aligned with appropriate nucleotide
insertions or deletions with r c acid (or its mentary strand), there is
nucleotide sequence identity in at least about 95%, and more ably at least about 96%,
97%, 98% or 99% of the nucleotide bases, as measured by any well-known algorithm of
ce ty, such as FASTA, BLAST or Gap, as discussed below. A nucleic acid
molecule having substantial identity to a reference nucleic acid molecule may, in certain
instances, encode a ptide having the same or substantially similar amino acid
sequence as the polypeptide d by the reference nucleic acid molecule.
As applied to polypeptides, the term "substantial similarity" or "substantially similar"
means that two peptide sequences, when optimally aligned, such as by the programs GAP
or BESTFIT using default gap weights, share at least 95% sequence identity, even more
preferably at least 98% or 99% sequence identity. Preferably, residue positions which are
not identical differ by conservative amino acid substitutions. A "conservative amino acid
substitution" is one in which an amino acid residue is substituted by another amino acid
residue having a side chain (R group) with similar chemical properties (e.g., charge or
hydrophobicity). In l, a conservative amino acid substitution will not substantially
change the functional properties of a protein. In cases where two or more amino acid
sequences differ from each other by vative substitutions, the percent ce
identity or degree of similarity may be adjusted upwards to correct for the conservative
nature of the substitution. Means for making this adjustment are nown to those of skill
in the art. See, e.g., Pearson (1994) Methods Mol. Biol. 24: 307-331, herein incorporated by
reference. Examples of groups of amino acids that have side chains with similar chemical
properties include (1) aliphatic side chains: glycine, alanine, valine, leucine and isoleucine;
(2) tic-hydroxyl side chains: serine and threonine; (3) amide-containing side chains:
asparagine and glutamine; (4) aromatic side chains: phenylalanine, tyrosine, and phan;
(5) basic side chains: lysine, arginine, and histidine; (6) acidic side chains: aspartate and
ate, and (7) sulfur-containing side chains are cysteine and methionine. Preferred
conservative amino acids substitution groups are: valine-leucine-isoleucine, phenylalaninetyrosine
, lysine-arginine, alanine-valine, glutamate-aspartate, and asparagine-glutamine.
Alternatively, a conservative replacement is any change having a positive value in the
PAM250 log-likelihood matrix disclosed in Gonnet et al. (1992) Science 256: 1443-1445,
herein incorporated by reference. A "moderately conservative" ement is any change
having a nonnegative value in the PAM250 log-likelihood matrix.
Sequence similarity for polypeptides, which is also referred to as sequence identity,
is typically ed using sequence analysis software. Protein analysis software matches
similar sequences using es of similarity assigned to various substitutions, ons
and other modifications, including conservative amino acid substitutions. For instance, GCG
software contains programs such as Gap and Bestfit which can be used with default
parameters to determine ce homology or ce identity between closely related
polypeptides, such as homologous polypeptides from different species of organisms or
between a wild type protein and a mutein thereof. See, e.g., GCG Version 6.1. Polypeptide
sequences also can be compared using FASTA using default or recommended parameters,
a program in GCG Version 6.1. FASTA (e.g., FASTA2 and ) es alignments
and percent sequence identity of the regions of the best overlap between the query and
search sequences (Pearson (2000) supra). Another preferred algorithm when comparing a
sequence of the ion to a database containing a large number of sequences from
different organisms is the computer m BLAST, especially BLASTP or TBLASTN, using
default parameters. See, e.g., Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410 and Altschul et
al. (1997) c Acids Res. 25:3389-402, each herein incorporated by reference.
Anti-GITR Antibodies Comprising Fc Variants
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, anti-GITR antibodies
are provided comprising an Fc domain sing one or more mutations which e or
diminish antibody binding to the FcRn receptor, e.g., at acidic pH as compared to neutral pH.
For example, the present invention includes anti-GITR antibodies comprising a mutation in
the CH2 or a CH3 region of the Fc domain, n the mutation(s) increases the affinity of
the Fc domain to FcRn in an acidic environment (e.g., in an endosome where pH ranges
from about 5.5 to about 6.0). Such mutations may result in an increase in serum half-life of
the antibody when administered to an animal. Non-limiting examples of such Fc
modifications include, e.g., a modification at position 250 (e.g., E or Q); 250 and 428 (e.g., L
or F); 252 (e.g., L/Y/F/W or T), 254 (e.g., S or T), and 256 (e.g., S/R/Q/E/D or T); or a
cation at on 428 and/or 433 (e.g., H/L/R/S/P/Q or K) and/or 434 (e.g., H/F or Y);
or a modification at position 250 and/or 428; or a modification at position 307 or 308 (e.g.,
308F, V308F), and 434. In one embodiment, the modification comprises a 428L (e.g.,
M428L) and 434S (e.g., N434S) modification; a 428L, 259I (e.g., V259I), and 308F (e.g.,
V308F) modification; a 433K (e.g., H433K) and a 434 (e.g., 434Y) modification; a 252, 254,
and 256 (e.g., 252Y, 254T, and 256E) modification; a 250Q and 428L modification (e.g.,
T250Q and M428L); and a 307 and/or 308 cation (e.g., 308F or 308P).
For example, the t invention includes anti-GITR antibodies comprising an Fc
domain comprising one or more pairs or groups of mutations selected from the group
consisting of: 250Q and 248L (e.g., T250Q and M248L); 252Y, 254T and 256E (e.g.,
M252Y, S254T and T256E); 428L and 434S (e.g., M428L and N434S); and 433K and 434F
(e.g., H433K and N434F). All possible ations of the foregoing Fc domain mutations,
and other mutations within the antibody le domains disclosed herein, are contemplated
within the scope of the present invention.
Biological Characteristics of the Anti-GITR Antibodies
The t invention includes antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof
that bind monomeric human GITR with high affinity. For example, the present invention
includes anti-GITR antibodies that bind monomeric human GITR (e.g., hGITR.mmh) with a
KD of less than about 5.0 nM as measured by surface plasmon resonance at 37ºC, e.g.,
using an assay format as defined in Example 3 herein, or a substantially similar assay. In
some ments, anti-GITR antibodies are provided that bind monomeric human GITR at
37ºC with a KD of less than about 4 nM, less than about 3 nM, less than about 2 nM, or less
than about 1.50 nM as measured by surface plasmon resonance, e.g., using an assay
format as defined in Example 3 herein, or a substantially similar assay.
The present ion also includes dies and antigen-binding fragments
thereof that bind monomeric human GITR (e.g., hGITR.mmh) with a dissociative ife (t½)
of greater than about 12 minutes as ed by surface plasmon resonance at 37ºC, e.g.,
using an assay format as defined in Example 3 herein, or a substantially similar assay.
According to certain embodiments, anti-GITR antibodies are provided that bind monomeric
human GITR at 37ºC with a t½ of greater than about 12 minutes, greater than about 13
minutes, greater than about 14 minutes, greater than about 15 minutes, or longer, as
measured by surface plasmon resonance, e.g., using an assay format as defined in Example
3 herein, or a substantially similar assay.
The present invention also includes antibodies and antigen-binding fragments
f that bind dimeric human GITR (e.g., hGITR.mFc) with high affinity. For example, the
present ion includes anti-GITR dies that bind dimeric human GITR with a KD of
less than about 950 pM as measured by surface plasmon resonance at 37ºC, e.g., using an
assay format as defined in Example 3 herein, or a substantially similar assay. ing to
certain embodiments, anti-GITR antibodies are provided that bind dimeric human GITR at
37ºC with a KD of less than about 900 pM, less than about 850 pM, less than about 800 pM,
less than about 700 pM, less than about 600 pM, less than about 500 pM, less than about
400 pM, less than about 300 pM, less than about 200 pM, or less than about 100 pM as
measured by surface plasmon nce, e.g., using an assay format as defined in Example
3 herein, or a substantially similar assay.
The present invention also includes dies and antigen-binding fragments
thereof that bind dimeric human GITR (e.g., hGITR.mFc) with a dissociative ife (t½) of
greater than about 7 minutes as measured by surface plasmon resonance at 37ºC, e.g.,
using an assay format as defined in Example 3 herein, or a substantially similar assay.
According to n embodiments, anti-GITR antibodies are provided that bind dimeric
human GITR at 37ºC with a t½ of greater than about 10 minutes, greater than about 20
minutes, greater than about 30 minutes, greater than about 40 s, greater than about
50 minutes, greater than about 60 minutes, greater than about 70 minutes, greater than
about 80 minutes, r than about 90 s, greater than about 100 minutes, or longer,
as measured by e plasmon resonance, e.g., using an assay format as defined in
Example 3 herein, or a substantially similar assay.
The present disclosure also includes antibodies and antigen-binding fragments
thereof that bind cell-surface-expressed GITR. For example, antibodies that bind to human
GITR transfected embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) D9 cells with high affinity are provided
. For example, the instant disclosure includes anti-GITR antibodies that bind human
GITR transfected embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) D9 cells with an EC50 of less than about
260 pM as measured by electrochemiluminescence, e.g., using an assay format as defined
in Example 4 herein, or a ntially similar assay. In certain embodiments, anti-GITR
antibodies are provided that bind human GITR transfected nic kidney 293 (HEK-293)
D9 cells with an EC50 of less than about 250 pM, less than about 240 pM, less than about
230 pM, or less than about 220 pM as measured by ochemiluminescence, e.g., using
an assay format as defined in Example 4 herein, or a substantially similar assay.
The antibodies of the present invention may possess one or more of the
aforementioned biological characteristics, or any combination thereof. The foregoing list of
biological characteristics of the dies of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive.
Other biological characteristics of the dies of the present invention will be evident to a
person of ordinary skill in the art from a review of the present disclosure including the
working Examples herein.
Fc anchoring-dependent and anchoring-independent GITR activation and GITRL
blocking
The present disclosure includes antibodies and antigen-binding nts f
that activate human GITR, e.g., as determined in the assay s described in Example 5
and/or Example 6 herein, or in a substantially similar assay format. As used herein,
ates human GITR” refers to the activation of GITR via binding to its cognate ligand,
GITR Ligand (GITRL) or to the binding of agonist anti-GITR antigen binding protein(s) to
GITR. With regard to activation of GITR by agonist anti-GITR binding proteins, “activation”
can be in the presence or absence of antigen-binding protein anchoring to Fc gamma
receptors. Human GITR activation is manifested in the exhibition of n biological
activities, including but not limited to the induction or enhancement of GITR signaling in vitro
or in vivo, the reduction of regulatory T cell suppression of effector T cell activity; the
decrease of circulating T reg levels in vitro or in vivo, the decrease of umoral T regs in
vivo, the activation of effector T cells in vitro or in vivo, the ion or enhancement of
effector T cell proliferation in vitro or in vivo, or the inhibition or reduction of tumor growth in
vivo.
GITR activation in the absence of Fc Anchoring
In some embodiments, the dies and antigen-binding fragments thereof
provided herein activate human GITR in the absence of Fc anchoring, e.g., as ined in
the assay formats described in Example 5 and/or Example 6 herein, or in a substantially
similar assay format. As used herein, “in the absence of Fc anchoring” refers to the
activation of GITR and GITR-mediated signaling or blocking of GITRL without the clustering
of anti-GITR antibodies by different forms of the Fc gamma receptor and can be determined
and quantified via, e.g., the activation of y T-cells co-cultured in vitro in the absence of
cell-surface bound Fc gamma receptor(s). In some embodiments, the antibody or nbinding
fragment thereof activates human GITR at an tion percentage greater than
about 25% at an EC50 of less than about 3 nM in the absence of Fc anchoring, as
determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., as described in Example 5 or substantially similar
assay format. In some embodiments, the antibody or n-binding fragment thereof
tes human GITR at an activation percentage greater than about 30%, greater than
about 40%, greater than about 50%, greater than about 60%, or greater than about 65% at
an EC50 of less than about 3 nM in the absence of Fc anchoring as ined by NFκB
reporter assay, e.g., as described in Example 5 or substantially r assay format. In
some embodiments, the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR
at an activation percentage greater than about 30%, greater than about 40%, greater than
about 50%, greater than about 60%, or greater than about 65% at an EC50 of less than about
2 nM in the e of Fc ing as determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., as
described in Example 5 or substantially similar assay format. In some embodiments, the
dy or antigen-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR at an activation
tage greater than about 30%, greater than about 40%, greater than about 50%,
r than about 60%, or greater than about 65% at an EC50 of less than about 1.5 nM in
the absence of Fc anchoring as determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., as described in
Example 5 or substantially similar assay format. In some embodiments, the antibody or
n-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR at an activation percentage greater
than about 30%, r than about 40%, r than about 50%, greater than about 60%,
or greater than about 65% at an EC50 of less than about 1.4 nM in the absence of Fc
anchoring as determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., as bed in Example 5 or
substantially r assay format. In some embodiments, the antibody or antigen-binding
fragment thereof activates human GITR at an activation percentage greater than about 30%,
greater than about 40%, greater than about 50%, r than about 60%, or greater than
about 65% at an EC50 of less than about 1.3 nM in the absence of Fc anchoring as
determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., as described in Example 5 or substantially similar
assay format.
In some embodiments, the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds GITR
and exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the absence of Fc-anchoring as determined by
naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay, e.g., as described in Example 6 or
substantially similar assay format. In some embodiments, the antibody or n-binding
fragment thereof binds GITR and exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the absence of Fc
anchoring with an EC50 of about 8 nM or less as determined by naïve human CD4+ T-cell
proliferation assay, e.g., as described in Example 6 or substantially similar assay format. In
some embodiments, the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds GITR and
exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the absence of Fc anchoring at least 2, at least 3, at
least 4, at least 5, at least 6, at least 7, at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, or at least 11 fold
above background at about 22 nM antibody (or antigen-binding fragment) concentration as
determined by naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay, e.g., as described in Example 6
or substantially similar assay format.
GITR tion in the presence of Fc anchoring
In some embodiments, the antibodies or n-binding fragments thereof
provided herein activate human GITR in the presence of Fc anchoring, e.g., as ined
in the assay formats described in Example 5 and/or Example 6 herein, or in a substantially
similar assay . As used herein, “in the presence of Fc anchoring” refers to the
activation of GITR and GITR mediated signaling or blocking of GITRL through the clustering
of anti-GITR antibodies via the interaction of the Fc region of the antibodies with different
forms of the Fc gamma receptor (FcgR), such as FcgRI, FcgRIIa or Ia and can be
determined and quantified via, e.g., the activation of T-cells co-cultured in vitro in the
presence of cell-surface bound Fc gamma receptor(s).
In some embodiments, the antibody or n-binding fragment thereof exhibits
T-cell proliferative ty in the presence of Fc anchoring at least about 2 fold above
background at about 33 nM dy (or antibody-binding fragment) concentration as
determined by naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay, e.g., as described in Example 6
or ntially similar assay format. In some embodiments, the antibody or antigen-binding
nt thereof exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the ce of Fc anchoring at least
about 2 fold, at least about 3 fold, at least about 4 fold, or at least about 5 fold above
background at about 33 nM antibody (or antigen-binding fragment) concentration as
determined by naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay, e.g., as described in Example 6
or ntially similar assay format. In some embodiments, the antibody or antigen-binding
fragment exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the presence of Fc anchoring with an EC50 of
less than about 34 nM as determined by naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay, e.g.,
as described in Example 6 or substantially similar assay format. In some embodiments, the
antibody or n-binding fragment exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the presence of
Fc anchoring with an EC50 of less than about 30 nM, less than about 20 nM, less than about
nM, less than about 5 nM, or less than about 4 nM as determined by naïve human CD4+
T-cell proliferation assay, e.g., as described in Example 6 or substantially similar assay
format.
Antibodies that block GITR ligand ed receptor stimulation
The present disclosure includes antibodies that block human GITR ligand
(hGITRL)-mediated receptor stimulation, e.g., as determined in the assay format described
in Example 5 herein. As used herein, “blocks human GITR ligand (hGITRL)-mediated
receptor stimulation” refers to the ability of anti-GITR antigen binding proteins to block the
binding of GITR to its cognate ligand, GITRL. The blocking of GITR ligand can restore the
suppression of effector T-cell ty by regulatory T cells. The ng of GITR ligand can
be determined and quantified via a variety of methods known in the art, including, for
e, the reduction in T-cell proliferation or cytokine secretion and an increase in the
levels of circulating regulatory T cells.
In some embodiments, the antibodies provided herein block human GITR ligand
(hGITRL)-mediated receptor stimulation in the absence of GITR anchoring, e.g., as
ined in the assay format described in Example 5 herein. In some embodiments, the
antibody or dy-binding fragment thereof blocks human GITR ligand-mediated receptor
stimulation in the absence of Fc anchoring with a blocking percentage greater than about
55% at an IC50 less than about 4.0 nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., as
described in Example 5 or ntially similar assay format. In some embodiments, the
antibody or antibody-binding fragment thereof blocks human GITR -mediated receptor
stimulation in the absence of Fc anchoring with a blocking tage greater than about
60%, greater than about 70%, greater than about 80%, or greater than about 85% at an IC50
less than about 4.0 nM, less than about 3.0 nM, less than about 2.0 nM, less than about 1.0
nM, less than about 0.9 nM, less than about 0.8 nM, or less than about 0.7 nM as
determined by NFκB er assay, e.g., as bed in Example 5 or substantially similar
assay format.
In some embodiments, the antibodies or antigen binding fragments activates
human GITR and blocks human GITR ligand-mediated or stimulation at a blocking
percentage less than about 25% in the absence of Fc anchoring as ined by NFκB
reporter assay, e.g., in the assay described in Example 5 or substantially similar assay. In
some embodiments, the antibodies or n binding fragments activates human GITR and
blocks human GITR ligand-mediated receptor stimulation at a blocking percentage less than
about 54% in the absence of Fc anchoring as determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., in
the assay described in e 5 or substantially similar assay. In some embodiments, the
antibodies or antigen binding fragments activates human GITR and blocks human GITR
ligand-mediated receptor stimulation at a blocking percentage less than about 40%, less
than about 30%, less than about 20%, less than about 10%, less than about 5%, or less than
about 1% in the absence of Fc anchoring as determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., in the
assay described in Example 5 or substantially similar assay. In some embodiments, the
antibodies or antigen binding fragments activates human GITR at an activation percentage
of at least about 50% and does not block hGITRL-mediated receptor stimulation at a
blocking percentage of greater than about 50% in the absence of Fc anchoring as
determined by NFκB reporter assay, e.g., in the assay described in Example 5 or
ntially similar assay.
In some embodiments, the antibodies or antigen binding fragments both activate
human GITR and block human GITR ligand (hGITRL)-mediated receptor stimulation.
In some embodiments, the antibodies both activate human GITR and block human
GITR ligand (hGITRL)-mediated or stimulation in the absence of Fc anchoring, e.g., as
determined in the assay format described in e 5 herein, or a substantially r
assay. In some embodiments,
(A) the antibody or antigen-binding fragment possesses at least one of the properties
selected from the group consisting of:
i. activates human GITR in the absence of Fc anchoring at an activation
percentage greater than about 25% at an EC50 less than about 3 nM as
determined by NFκB reporter assay and
ii. tes human GITR in the absence of Fc anchoring with an EC50 of less
than about 1.0 nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay; and
(B) the antibody or antigen-binding fragment blocks hGITRL-mediated receptor
stimulation in the absence of Fc anchoring at a blocking percentage greater than
about 54% at an IC50 of less than about 4.0 nM as determined by NFκB reporter
assay.
In some embodiments,
(A) the antibody or n-binding fragment activates human GITR in the absence of
Fc anchoring at an activation percentage greater than about 50% at an EC50 less
than about 1.5 nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay; and
(B) the antibody or n-binding fragment blocks hGITRL-mediated receptor
stimulation in the absence of Fc anchoring at a blocking percentage greater than
about 54% at an IC50 of less than about 4.0 nM as determined by NFκB reporter
assay; and
Epitope Mapping and Related Technologies
The epitope to which the dies of the present invention bind may consist of a
single contiguous sequence of 3 or more (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,
17, 18, 19, 20 or more) amino acids of a GITR protein. atively, the epitope may
consist of a plurality of non-contiguous amino acids (or amino acid sequences) of GITR. In
some embodiments, the e is located on or near the GITRL-binding domain of GITR. In
other embodiments, the epitope is located outside of the GITRL-binding domain of GITR,
e.g., at a location on the surface of GITR at which an antibody, when bound to such an
epitope, does not interfere with GITRL binding to GITR.
Various techniques known to s of ordinary skill in the art can be used to
determine r an antibody "interacts with one or more amino acids" within a polypeptide
or n. ary techniques include, e.g., routine cross-blocking assay such as that
described Antibodies, Harlow and Lane (Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harb., NY),
alanine scanning mutational analysis, peptide blots analysis ke, 2004, Methods Mol
Biol 248:443-463), and peptide cleavage analysis. In on, s such as epitope
excision, epitope extraction and chemical modification of antigens can be ed (Tomer,
2000, Protein Science 496). Another method that can be used to identify the amino
acids within a polypeptide with which an antibody interacts is hydrogen/deuterium exchange
detected by mass spectrometry. In general terms, the hydrogen/deuterium exchange
method involves deuterium-labeling the protein of interest, followed by binding the antibody
to the ium-labeled protein. Next, the protein/antibody complex is transferred to water
to allow hydrogen-deuterium exchange to occur at all residues except for the residues
protected by the antibody (which remain deuterium-labeled). After dissociation of the
antibody, the target protein is subjected to protease cleavage and mass spectrometry
analysis, thereby revealing the deuterium-labeled residues which correspond to the specific
amino acids with which the antibody interacts. See, e.g., Ehring (1999) Analytical
Biochemistry 267(2):252-259; Engen and Smith (2001) Anal. Chem. A-265A.
The present invention further includes anti-GITR antibodies that bind to the same
epitope as any of the specific exemplary antibodies described herein (e.g. antibodies
comprising any of the amino acid sequences as set forth in Table 1 herein). Likewise, the
present invention also includes anti-GITR antibodies that compete for binding to GITR with
any of the specific ary antibodies described herein (e.g. antibodies comprising any of
the amino acid sequences as set forth in Table 1 herein).
One can easily determine r an dy binds to the same epitope as, or
competes for g with, a reference anti-GITR antibody by using routine methods known
in the art and exemplified herein. For example, to determine if a test antibody binds to the
same epitope as a reference anti-GITR antibody of the invention, the reference antibody is
allowed to bind to a GITR protein. Next, the ability of a test antibody to bind to the GITR
molecule is ed. If the test antibody is able to bind to GITR following saturation
binding with the reference anti-GITR antibody, it can be concluded that the test antibody
binds to a different e than the reference anti-GITR antibody. On the other hand, if the
test antibody is not able to bind to the GITR molecule ing saturation binding with the
reference anti-GITR antibody, then the test dy may bind to the same epitope as the
epitope bound by the reference anti-GITR antibody of the invention. Additional routine
experimentation (e.g., peptide mutation and binding analyses) can then be carried out to
confirm whether the observed lack of binding of the test antibody is in fact due to binding to
the same epitope as the reference antibody or if steric blocking (or another phenomenon) is
responsible for the lack of observed binding. Experiments of this sort can be med
using ELISA, RIA, Biacore, flow try or any other quantitative or qualitative antibodybinding
assay available in the art. In accordance with certain embodiments of the present
invention, two antibodies bind to the same (or overlapping) epitope if, e.g., a 1-, 5-, 10-, 20-
or 100-fold excess of one dy inhibits binding of the other by at least 50% but ably
75%, 90% or even 99% as measured in a competitive binding assay (see, e.g., ns et
al., Cancer Res. 1990:50:1495-1502). Alternatively, two antibodies are deemed to bind to
the same e if essentially all amino acid mutations in the n that reduce or
eliminate binding of one antibody reduce or eliminate g of the other. Two dies
are deemed to have "overlapping epitopes" if only a subset of the amino acid mutations that
reduce or eliminate g of one antibody reduce or eliminate binding of the other.
To determine if an antibody competes for binding (or cross-competes for binding)
with a reference anti-GITR antibody, the above-described binding methodology is performed
in two orientations: In a first orientation, the reference antibody is allowed to bind to a GITR
protein under saturating conditions followed by assessment of binding of the test antibody to
the GITR molecule. In a second orientation, the test antibody is d to bind to a GITR
molecule under saturating conditions followed by assessment of binding of the reference
antibody to the GITR molecule. If, in both orientations, only the first (saturating) antibody is
capable of binding to the GITR molecule, then it is concluded that the test antibody and the
reference dy compete for binding to GITR. As will be appreciated by a person of
ordinary skill in the art, an antibody that es for binding with a reference antibody may
not necessarily bind to the same epitope as the reference antibody, but may sterically block
binding of the reference antibody by binding an overlapping or adjacent epitope.
Preparation of Human Antibodies
The anti-GITR antibodies of the present invention can be fully human antibodies.
Methods for generating onal antibodies, including fully human monoclonal antibodies
are known in the art. Any such known s can be used in the context of the present
invention to make human antibodies that specifically bind to human GITR.
Using VELOCIMMUNE™ technology, for example, or any other similar known
method for generating fully human monoclonal antibodies, high affinity chimeric antibodies to
GITR are initially isolated having a human le region and a mouse constant . As
in the experimental section below, the antibodies are characterized and selected for
desirable characteristics, including affinity, ligand blocking activity, selectivity, epitope, etc. If
necessary, mouse constant regions are replaced with a d human constant region, for
example wild-type or modified IgG1 or IgG4, to generate a fully human anti-GITR antibody.
While the constant region selected may vary according to specific use, high affinity antigenbinding
and target specificity characteristics reside in the variable region. In certain
instances, fully human anti-GITR antibodies are isolated directly from antigen-positive B
cells.
Bioequivalents
The anti-GITR antibodies and antibody fragments of the present invention
encompass proteins having amino acid sequences that vary from those of the described
antibodies but that retain the ability to bind human GITR. Such variant antibodies and
dy fragments comprise one or more additions, deletions, or substitutions of amino
acids when compared to parent sequence, but exhibit biological activity that is ially
equivalent to that of the bed antibodies. Likewise, the anti-GITR dy-encoding
DNA sequences of the present invention encompass ces that comprise one or more
additions, deletions, or substitutions of nucleotides when compared to the disclosed
ce, but that encode an anti-GITR antibody or antibody fragment that is ially
ivalent to an anti-GITR antibody or dy fragment of the invention. Examples of
such variant amino acid and DNA ces are discussed above.
Two n-binding proteins, or antibodies, are considered bioequivalent if, for
example, they are pharmaceutical equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives whose rate
and extent of absorption do not show a significant difference when administered at the same
molar dose under similar experimental conditions, either single dose or multiple dose. Some
antibodies will be considered equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives if they are
equivalent in the extent of their absorption but not in their rate of absorption and yet may be
considered bioequivalent because such differences in the rate of absorption are intentional
and are reflected in the labeling, are not essential to the attainment of effective body drug
concentrations on, e.g., chronic use, and are considered medically insignificant for the
particular drug product d.
In one embodiment, two antigen-binding proteins are bioequivalent if there are no
ally meaningful differences in their safety, purity, and potency.
In one embodiment, two antigen-binding proteins are bioequivalent if a patient can
be switched one or more times between the reference product and the biological product
without an expected increase in the risk of adverse effects, including a clinically icant
change in genicity, or diminished effectiveness, as ed to continued therapy
without such switching.
In one embodiment, two antigen-binding proteins are bioequivalent if they both act
by a common mechanism or mechanisms of action for the condition or conditions of use, to
the extent that such mechanisms are known.
Bioequivalence may be demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro methods.
Bioequivalence measures include, e.g., (a) an in vivo test in humans or other mammals, in
which the tration of the antibody or its metabolites is measured in blood, plasma,
serum, or other biological fluid as a function of time; (b) an in vitro test that has been
ated with and is ably predictive of human in vivo bioavailability data; (c) an in
vivo test in humans or other mammals in which the appropriate acute pharmacological effect
of the antibody (or its target) is measured as a function of time; and (d) in a well-controlled
clinical trial that establishes safety, efficacy, or ilability or bioequivalence of an
Bioequivalent variants of anti-GITR antibodies of the invention may be constructed
by, for example, making various substitutions of residues or sequences or deleting terminal
or internal residues or sequences not needed for ical activity. For example, cysteine
residues not essential for biological activity can be deleted or ed with other amino
acids to prevent formation of unnecessary or incorrect olecular disulfide bridges upon
renaturation. In other contexts, bioequivalent antibodies may include anti-GITR antibody
variants comprising amino acid changes which modify the glycosylation characteristics of the
antibodies, e.g., mutations which eliminate or remove glycosylation.
Species Selectivity and Species Cross-Reactivity
The present invention, according to certain ments, provides anti-GITR
antibodies that bind to human GITR but not to GITR from other species. The present
invention also includes anti-GITR antibodies that bind to human GITR and to GITR from one
or more non-human species. For example, the anti-GITR antibodies of the invention may
bind to human GITR and may bind or not bind, as the case may be, to one or more of
mouse, rat, guinea pig, hamster, gerbil, pig, cat, dog, rabbit, goat, sheep, cow, horse, camel,
cynomologous, et, rhesus or chimpanzee GITR. According to certain exemplary
embodiments of the present ion, anti-GITR antibodies are provided which specifically
bind human GITR and cynomolgus monkey (e.g., Macaca fascicularis) GITR. Other anti-
GITR antibodies of the invention bind human GITR but do not bind, or bind only weakly, to
cynomolgus monkey GITR.
pecific Antibodies
The antibodies of the present invention may be monospecific or multispecific (e.g.,
bispecific). Multispecific antibodies may be specific for different epitopes of one target
ptide or may contain antigen-binding domains specific for more than one target
polypeptide. See, e.g., Tutt et al., 1991, J. l. 147:60-69; Kufer et al., 2004, Trends
Biotechnol. 22:238-244. The anti-GITR antibodies of the present invention can be linked to
or co-expressed with another functional molecule, e.g., another peptide or protein. For
e, an antibody or fragment thereof can be functionally linked (e.g., by chemical
coupling, genetic , noncovalent association or otherwise) to one or more other
molecular entities, such as another antibody or antibody fragment to produce a bispecific or
a multispecific antibody with a second binding specificity.
The present invention includes bispecific antibodies wherein one arm of an
immunoglobulin binds human GITR, and the other arm of the immunoglobulin is specific for
a second antigen. The GITR-binding arm can comprise any of the HCVR/LCVR or CDR
amino acid ces as set forth in Table 1 herein. In certain embodiments, the GITR-
binding arm binds human GITR and blocks GITRL binding to GITR. In other embodiments,
the GITR-binding arm binds human GITR but does not block GITRL binding to GITR. In
some embodiments, the GITR binding arm binds human GITR and activates GITR signaling.
In other embodiments, the GITR binding arm blocks GITRL mediated receptor ation.
The present invention also includes bispecific dies wherein one arm of an antibody
binds a first epitope of human GITR, and the other arm of said antibody binds a second
distinct epitope of human GITR.
An exemplary bispecific antibody format that can be used in the context of the
present invention involves the use of a first immunoglobulin (Ig) CH3 domain and a second Ig
CH3 domain, wherein the first and second Ig CH3 domains differ from one another by at least
one amino acid, and wherein at least one amino acid difference reduces binding of the
bispecific antibody to Protein A as compared to a ific antibody lacking the amino acid
difference. In one ment, the first Ig CH3 domain binds Protein A and the second Ig
CH3 domain contains a mutation that reduces or hes Protein A binding such as an
H95R modification (by IMGT exon numbering; H435R by EU numbering). The second CH3
may further comprise a Y96F modification (by IMGT; Y436F by EU). Further modifications
that may be found within the second CH3 include: D16E, L18M, N44S, K52N, V57M, and
V82I (by IMGT; D356E, L358M, N384S, K392N, V397M, and V422I by EU) in the case of
IgG1 dies; N44S, K52N, and V82I (IMGT; N384S, K392N, and V422I by EU) in the
case of IgG2 dies; and Q15R, N44S, K52N, V57M, R69K, E79Q, and V82I (by IMGT;
Q355R, N384S, K392N, V397M, R409K, E419Q, and V422I by EU) in the case of IgG4
antibodies. Variations on the bispecific antibody format described above are contemplated
within the scope of the t invention.
Other exemplary ific formats that can be used in the context of the present
invention include, without tion, e.g., scFv-based or diabody bispecific formats, IgG-scFv
fusions, dual variable domain (DVD)-Ig, Quadroma, knobs-into-holes, common light chain
(e.g., common light chain with knobs-into-holes, etc.), CrossMab, CrossFab, (SEED)body,
leucine , Duobody, IgG1/IgG2, dual acting Fab (DAF)-IgG, and Mab2 bispecific formats
(see, e.g., Klein et al. 2012, mAbs 4:6, 1-11, and nces cited therein, for a review of the
foregoing s). Bispecific antibodies can also be constructed using peptide/nucleic acid
conjugation, e.g., wherein unnatural amino acids with onal chemical reactivity are
used to generate pecific antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates which then self-assemble
into multimeric complexes with defined composition, valency and geometry. (See, e.g.,
Kazane et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. [Epub: Dec. 4, 2012]).
eutic Formulation and Administration
The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the anti-GITR
antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof of the present ion. The
pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are formulated with suitable carriers,
excipients, and other agents that provide improved transfer, delivery, tolerance, and the like.
A multitude of appropriate ations can be found in the ary known to all
pharmaceutical chemists: Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing
Company, Easton, PA. These formulations include, for example, powders, pastes,
nts, jellies, waxes, oils, lipids, lipid (cationic or anionic) containing vesicles (such as
LIPOFECTIN™, Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA), DNA conjugates, anhydrous absorption
pastes, oil-in-water and water-in-oil ons, emulsions carbowax (polyethylene glycols of
various lar weights), semi-solid gels, and semi-solid mixtures containing carbowax.
See also Powell et al. "Compendium of excipients for parenteral formulations" PDA (1998) J
Pharm Sci Technol 52:238-311.
The dose of antibody administered to a patient may vary depending upon the age
and the size of the t, target disease, conditions, route of administration, and the like.
The preferred dose is typically calculated according to body weight or body surface area. In
an adult patient, it may be advantageous to intravenously administer the dy of the
present invention normally at a single dose of about 0.01 to about 20 mg/kg body weight,
more preferably about 0.02 to about 7, about 0.03 to about 5, or about 0.05 to about 3 mg/kg
body weight. Depending on the severity of the condition, the frequency and the on of
the treatment can be adjusted. Effective dosages and schedules for administering anti-GITR
antibodies may be determined empirically; for example, patient progress can be monitored
by periodic assessment, and the dose adjusted accordingly. Moreover, interspecies scaling
of dosages can be performed using well-known methods in the art (e.g., Mordenti et al.,
1991, Pharmaceut. Res. 8:1351).
Various delivery systems are known and can be used to administer the
ceutical ition of the invention, e.g., encapsulation in liposomes,
articles, microcapsules, recombinant cells capable of expressing the mutant viruses,
receptor mediated endocytosis (see, e.g., Wu et al., 1987, J. Biol. Chem. 262:4429-4432).
Methods of introduction include, but are not d to, intradermal, intramuscular,
intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, epidural, and oral routes. The
composition may be administered by any convenient route, for example by infusion or bolus
ion, by absorption through epithelial or mucocutaneous linings (e.g., oral mucosa, rectal
and intestinal , etc.) and may be administered together with other ically active
agents. Administration can be systemic or local.
A pharmaceutical composition of the present invention can be delivered
subcutaneously or intravenously with a standard needle and syringe. In addition, with
respect to aneous delivery, a pen delivery device readily has applications in delivering
a pharmaceutical composition of the present invention. Such a pen delivery device can be
reusable or disposable. A reusable pen delivery device generally utilizes a replaceable
cartridge that contains a pharmaceutical composition. Once all of the pharmaceutical
ition within the cartridge has been administered and the cartridge is empty, the
empty cartridge can readily be discarded and replaced with a new cartridge that contains the
pharmaceutical composition. The pen delivery device can then be reused. In a disposable
pen delivery device, there is no eable cartridge. Rather, the disposable pen ry
device comes prefilled with the pharmaceutical composition held in a oir within the
device. Once the reservoir is emptied of the pharmaceutical composition, the entire device
is discarded.
Numerous reusable pen and autoinjector ry devices have applications in the
subcutaneous delivery of a pharmaceutical ition of the present invention. Examples
include, but are not limited to AUTOPEN™ (Owen Mumford, Inc., Woodstock, UK),
ONIC™ pen (Disetronic Medical Systems, Bergdorf, Switzerland), HUMALOG MIX
75/25™ pen, HUMALOG™ pen, HUMALIN 70/30™ pen (Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, IN),
NOVOPEN™ I, II and III (Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen, Denmark), NOVOPEN JUNIOR™
(Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen, Denmark), BD™ pen n Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ),
OPTIPEN™, OPTIPEN PRO™, OPTIPEN STARLET™, and OPTICLIK™ (sanofi-aventis,
Frankfurt, Germany), to name only a few. Examples of disposable pen delivery devices
having applications in subcutaneous delivery of a pharmaceutical composition of the present
invention include, but are not limited to the SOLOSTAR™ pen i-aventis), the
FLEXPEN™ (Novo k), and the KWIKPEN™ (Eli Lilly), the SURECLICKTM Autoinjector
(Amgen, nd Oaks, CA), the PENLETTM (Haselmeier, Stuttgart, Germany), the
EPIPEN (Dey, L.P.), and the HUMIRATM Pen (Abbott Labs, Abbott Park IL), to name only a
In certain situations, the pharmaceutical composition can be delivered in a
controlled release system. In one embodiment, a pump may be used (see Langer, supra;
Sefton, 1987, CRC Crit. Ref. Biomed. Eng. 14:201). In another embodiment, polymeric
materials can be used; see, Medical Applications of Controlled Release, Langer and Wise
(eds.), 1974, CRC Pres., Boca Raton, Florida. In yet another embodiment, a controlled
release system can be placed in proximity of the composition’s target, thus requiring only a
fraction of the systemic dose (see, e.g., Goodson, 1984, in Medical Applications of
Controlled Release, supra, vol. 2, pp. 115-138). Other controlled release systems are
discussed in the review by Langer, 1990, Science 27-1533.
The injectable preparations may include dosage forms for intravenous,
subcutaneous, intracutaneous and intramuscular injections, drip infusions, etc. These
injectable preparations may be prepared by methods publicly known. For e, the
injectable preparations may be prepared, e.g., by dissolving, suspending or emulsifying the
antibody or its salt described above in a e aqueous medium or an oily medium
conventionally used for injections. As the aqueous medium for injections, there are, for
example, physiological , an isotonic solution containing glucose and other auxiliary
agents, etc., which may be used in combination with an appropriate solubilizing agent such
as an alcohol (e.g., ethanol), a polyalcohol (e.g., propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol), a
nonionic surfactant [e.g., polysorbate 80, HCO-50 (polyoxyethylene (50 mol) adduct of
hydrogenated castor oil)], etc. As the oily medium, there are employed, e.g., sesame oil,
soybean oil, etc., which may be used in combination with a solubilizing agent such as benzyl
benzoate, benzyl alcohol, etc. The ion thus prepared is preferably filled in an
appropriate ampoule.
ageously, the pharmaceutical compositions for oral or parenteral use
described above are prepared into dosage forms in a unit dose suited to fit a dose of the
active ients. Such dosage forms in a unit dose include, for example, tablets, pills,
capsules, injections (ampoules), suppositories, etc. The amount of the aforesaid antibody
contained is generally about 5 to about 500 mg per dosage form in a unit dose; especially in
the form of injection, it is preferred that the aforesaid antibody is contained in about 5 to
about 100 mg and in about 10 to about 250 mg for the other dosage forms.
Therapeutic Uses of the Antibodies
The t invention includes s sing administering to a subject in
need f a therapeutic composition comprising an anti-GITR antibody (e.g., an anti-GITR
antibody comprising any of the HCVR/LCVR or CDR sequences as set forth in Table 1
herein). The eutic composition can comprise any of the anti-GITR antibodies, antigenbinding
fragments f, or ADCs disclosed herein, and a pharmaceutically able
carrier or t.
The antibodies of the invention are useful, inter alia, for the treatment, prevention
and/or amelioration of any disease or disorder associated with or mediated by GITR
expression or activity, or treatable by blocking the interaction n GITR and GITRL,
and/or inhibiting or stimulating GITR activity and/or signaling. For example, the antibodies
and antigen-binding fragments of the present disclosure can be used to treat immune and
proliferative diseases or disorders, e.g., cancer, by modulating the immune response,
though, e.g., GITR activation.
The antibodies and antigen-binding fragments of the instant disclosure can be used
to treat a disease or disorder by enhancing an immune response. The instant disclosure
includes s of modulating anti-tumor immune response in a subject comprising
administering to the subject an anti-GITR antibody or antigen-binding fragment described
herein. In certain embodiments, the antibody or antigen-binding nt reduces the
suppressive activity of T or cells by T regulatory cells. In some embodiments, the
antibody or antigen-binding fragment of the instant disclosure enhances intra-tumoral T
or/T regulatory cell ratio conducive for therapeutic benefit. In some embodiments, the
antibody or antigen-binding fragment of the instant disclosure promotes T cell survival.
Exemplary diseases or disorders that can be d by the antibodies and antigen-
binding fragments include immune and proliferative diseases or ers, e.g., cancer. The
antibodies and antigen-binding fragments of the present ion can be used to treat
primary and/or metastatic tumors arising in the brain and meninges, oropharynx, lung and
bronchial tree, gastrointestinal tract, male and female uctive tract, muscle, bone, skin
and appendages, connective tissue, , immune system, blood forming cells and bone
marrow, liver and y tract, and special sensory organs such as the eye. In some
embodiments, the antibodies and antigen-binding fragments of the instant sure are
used to treat solid or blood-borne tumors. In n embodiments, the antibodies of the
instant disclosure are used to treat one or more of the following cancers: renal cell
carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, head and neck cancer, prostate cancer, malignant
gliomas, arcoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer (e.g., gastric cancer with MET
amplification), malignant mesothelioma, le myeloma, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer,
small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, synovial sarcoma, thyroid cancer, breast
cancer, melanoma, testicular, kidney, esophageal cancer, uterine , endometrial
cancer, or liver .
In certain embodiments, the antibodies of the invention are useful for ng an
autoimmune disease, including but not limited to, alopecia areata, autoimmune hepatitis,
celiac disease, Graves’ disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Hashimoto’s disease, hemolytic
, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory myopathies, multiple sclerosis, y
y cirrhosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjögren’s syndrome, systemic
lupus erthyematosus, go, autoimmune pancreatitis, autoimmune urticaria, autoimmune
thrombocytopenic purpura, Crohn’s disease, diabetes type I, eosinophilic fasciitis,
eosinophilic enterogastritis, Goodpasture’s syndrome, enia gravis, psoriatic tis,
rheumatic fever, ulcerative colitis, vasculitis and Wegener’s granulomatosis.
In the context of the methods of treatment described herein, the anti-GITR antibody
may be administered as a monotherapy (i.e., as the only therapeutic agent) or in
combination with one or more additional eutic agents (examples of which are
described ere herein).
Combination Therapies and Formulations
Provided herein are also combination therapies ing an anti-GITR antibody of
the present disclosure and any additional therapeutic agent that may be advantageously
combined with an antibody of the instant disclosure or antigen-binding fragment thereof.
The present invention includes compositions and therapeutic formulations
comprising any of the anti-GITR antibodies described herein in combination with one or
more additional eutically active components, and methods of treatment comprising
administering such combinations to subjects in need thereof.
The antibodies of the present invention may be combined istically with one or
more anti-cancer drugs or therapy used to treat cancer, including, for e, renal cell
carcinoma, colorectal cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, squamous cell carcinoma of head
and neck, non-small-cell lung cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, adenocarcinoma,
prostate , glioma, and melanoma. It is contemplated herein to use anti-GITR
antibodies of the invention in combination with immunostimulatory and/or supportive
therapies to inhibit tumor growth, and/or enhance survival of cancer patients. The
immunostimulatory therapies e direct immunostimulatory therapies to augment
immune cell ty by either “releasing the brake” on suppressed immune cells or “stepping
on the gas” to activate an immune response. Examples include targeting other checkpoint
receptors, vaccination and adjuvants. The immunosupportive modalities may increase
antigenicity of the tumor by promoting immunogenic cell death, inflammation or have other
ct effects that promote an anti-tumor immune response. Examples include ion,
chemotherapy, anti-angiogenic agents, and surgery.
The instant disclosure includes s of modulating anti-tumor immune se
in a subject comprising administering to the subject an anti-GITR antibody in combination
with one or more agonistic dies against activating receptors and one or more blocking
dies against inhibitory receptors that enhance T-cell ation to promote tumor
destruction.
The instant disclosure includes methods of modulating anti-tumor immune response
in a subject comprising administering to the subject an anti-GITR antibody or antigen-binding
fragment described herein in combination with one or more isolated antibody or antigenbinding
fragment thereof that binds to a second T-cell activating receptor (i.e., other than
GITR). In some embodiments, the second T-cell activating receptor is CD28, OX40, CD137,
CD27, or VEM. The instant disclosure also includes formulations comprising an anti-GITR
antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof provided herein and an dy or antigenbinding
fragment that binds said second T-cell activating or.
In various embodiments, one or more antibodies of the present invention may be
used in combination with an antibody to PD-L1, an antibody to PD-1 (e.g., nivolumab), a
LAG-3 inhibitor, a CTLA-4 inhibitor (e.g., ipilimumab), a TIM3 inhibitor, a BTLA inhibitor, a
TIGIT inhibitor, a CD47 inhibitor, an antagonist of another T-cell co-inhibitor or ligand (e.g.,
an antibody to CD-28, 2B4, LY108, LAIR1, ICOS, CD160 or VISTA), an indoleamine-2,3-
dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor, a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) nist [e.g., a
“VEGF-Trap” such as aflibercept or other VEGF-inhibiting fusion protein as set forth in US
7,087,411, or an anti-VEGF antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof (e.g.,
bevacizumab, or ranibizumab) or a small molecule kinase inhibitor of VEGF receptor (e.g.,
sunitinib, sorafenib, or pazopanib)], an Ang2 inhibitor (e.g., nesvacumab), a transforming
growth factor beta (TGFβ) tor, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor
(e.g., erlotinib, cetuximab), an agonist to a co-stimulatory or (e.g., an agonist to
glucocorticoid-induced elated protein), an dy to a tumor-specific n (e.g.,
CA9, CA125, melanoma-associated antigen 3 (MAGE3), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA),
vimentin, tumor-M2-PK, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), mucin-1, , and CA19-9), a
vaccine (e.g., Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, a cancer vaccine), an adjuvant to increase antigen
presentation (e.g., granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor), a bispecific antibody
(e.g., CD3xCD20 bispecific antibody, PSMAxCD3 bispecific antibody), a xin, a
chemotherapeutic agent (e.g., dacarbazine, temozolomide, cyclophosphamide, docetaxel,
doxorubicin, daunorubicin, cisplatin, carboplatin, gemcitabine, rexate, ntrone,
latin, paclitaxel, and vincristine), cyclophosphamide, radiotherapy, an IL-6R inhibitor
(e.g., sarilumab), an IL-4R inhibitor (e.g., dupilumab), an IL-10 inhibitor, a cytokine such as
IL-2, IL-7, IL-21, and IL-15, an antibody-drug ate (ADC) (e.g., anti-CD19-DM4 ADC,
and anti-DS6-DM4 ADC), an anti-inflammatory drug (e.g., corticosteroids, and non-steroidal
nflammatory drugs), a dietary supplement such as anti-oxidants or any palliative care to
treat cancer. In certain embodiments, the anti-GITR antibodies of the present invention may
be used in combination with cancer es including dendritic cell vaccines, tic
viruses, tumor cell vaccines, etc. to augment the anti-tumor response. Examples of cancer
vaccines that can be used in combination with anti-GITR antibodies of the present invention
include MAGE3 e for melanoma and bladder cancer, MUC1 e for breast cancer,
EGFRv3 (e.g., Rindopepimut) for brain cancer (including glioblastoma multiforme), or
ALVAC-CEA (for CEA+ s).
In some embodiments, one or more anti-GITR antibodies described herein are
administered in combination with one or more anti-PD1 antibodies, including but not limited
to those described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 203579, which is orated
herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the anti-GITR antibody is
H1H14536P2 or H2aM14536P2. In some embodiments, the D1 antibody is REGN
2810 (also known as H4H7798N as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0203579),
pembrolizumab, or nivolumab..
In certain embodiments, the anti-GITR dies of the invention may be
administered in combination with radiation therapy in s to generate long-term durable
anti-tumor responses and/or enhance survival of patients with cancer. In some
embodiments, the anti-GITR antibodies of the invention may be administered prior to,
concomitantly or after administering radiation therapy to a cancer patient. For example,
radiation therapy may be administered in one or more doses to tumor lesions followed by
administration of one or more doses of anti-GITR antibodies of the invention. In some
embodiments, radiation therapy may be administered locally to a tumor lesion to enhance
the local immunogenicity of a patient’s tumor inating radiation) and/or to kill tumor cells
(ablative radiation) followed by systemic administration of an anti-GITR antibody of the
invention. For example, intracranial radiation may be stered to a patient with brain
cancer (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme) in combination with systemic administration of an anti-
GITR dy of the invention. In certain embodiments, the anti-GITR antibodies of the
invention may be stered in combination with radiation therapy and a
chemotherapeutic agent (e.g., temozolomide) or a VEGF antagonist (e.g., aflibercept).
In certain embodiments, the anti-GITR antibodies of the invention may be
administered in combination with one or more anti-viral drugs to treat chronic viral infection
caused by LCMV, HIV, HPV, HBV or HCV. Examples of anti-viral drugs include, but are not
limited to, zidovudine, lamivudine, abacavir, ribavirin, lopinavir, efavirenz, cobicistat,
tenofovir, rilpivirine and corticosteroids. In some ments, the anti-GITR antibodies of
the invention may be administered in ation with a LAG3 inhibitor, a CTLA-4 inhibitor
or any antagonist of another T-cell co-inhibitor to treat chronic viral infection.
In certain embodiments, the anti-GITR antibodies of the invention may be combined
with an antibody to a Fc receptor on immune cells for the treatment of an autoimmune
disease. In one embodiment, an antibody or fragment thereof of the invention is
administered in combination with an antibody or n-binding protein targeted to an
antigen specific to autoimmune tissue. In n embodiments, an antibody or antigenbinding
fragment f of the invention is administered in ation with an antibody or
antigen-binding protein targeted to a T-cell or or a B-cell receptor, including but not
limited to, Fcα (e.g., CD89), Fc gamma (e.g., CD64, CD32, CD16a, and CD16b), CD19, etc.
The antibodies of fragments thereof of the ion may be used in combination with any
drug or therapy known in the art (e.g., corticosteroids and other suppressants) to
treat an autoimmune disease or disorder including, but not limited to alopecia areata,
autoimmune hepatitis, celiac disease, Graves’ disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome,
Hashimoto’s disease, hemolytic anemia, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory
myopathies, multiple sclerosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis, toid arthritis,
scleroderma, Sjögren’s syndrome, ic lupus erthyematosus, vitiligo, autoimmune
pancreatitis, autoimmune urticaria, autoimmune ocytopenic purpura, Crohn’s disease,
diabetes type I, eosinophilic fasciitis, eosinophilic enterogastritis, Goodpasture’s syndrome,
myasthenia gravis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatic fever, ulcerative colitis, itis and
Wegener’s granulomatosis.
The instant disclosure also includes methods of modulating anti-tumor immune
se in a t comprising administering to the subject an ITR dy or
antigen-binding fragment bed herein in combination with one or more ed antibody
or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds to a T-cell inhibitory receptor. In some
embodiments, the T-cell inhibitory receptor is , PD-1, TIM-3, BTLA, VISTA, or LAG-3.
The instant disclosure also includes formulations comprising an anti-GITR antibody or
antigen-binding fragment thereof provided herein and an antibody or antigen-binding
fragment that binds said T-cell inhibitory receptor.
The instant disclosure also includes methods of treating cancer by administering an
antibody or n-binding fragment thereof or formulation described herein to a subject in
ction with radiation or chemotherapy.
In some embodiments, the anti-GITR dies of the present invention are co-
formulated with and/or administered in combination with one or more additional
eutically active component(s) selected from the group consisting of: an EGFR
antagonist (e.g., an anti-EGFR antibody [e.g., cetuximab or mumab] or small molecule
inhibitor of EGFR [e.g., gefitinib or erlotinib]), an antagonist of another EGFR family member
such as Her2/ErbB2, ErbB3 or ErbB4 (e.g., anti-ErbB2 [e.g., trastuzumab or T-DM1
{KADCYLA®}], anti-ErbB3 or anti-ErbB4 antibody or small molecule inhibitor of ErbB2,
ErbB3 or ErbB4 activity), an antagonist of EGFRvIII (e.g., an antibody that specifically binds
EGFRvIII), a cMET anagonist (e.g., an anti-cMET antibody), an IGF1R antagonist (e.g., an
anti-IGF1R antibody), a B-raf inhibitor (e.g., vemurafenib, sorafenib, GDC-0879, PLX-4720),
a PDGFR-α inhibitor (e.g., an anti-PDGFR-α antibody), a PDGFR-β inhibitor (e.g., an anti-
PDGFR-β antibody or small molecule kinase inhibitor such as, e.g., imatinib mesylate or
sunitinib malate), a PDGF ligand inhibitor (e.g., anti-PDGF-A, -B, -C, or -D antibody,
r, siRNA, etc.), a VEGF antagonist (e.g., a VEGF-Trap such as aflibercept, see, e.g.,
US 7,087,411 (also ed to herein as a "VEGF-inhibiting fusion protein"), anti-VEGF
antibody (e.g., bevacizumab), a small molecule kinase inhibitor of VEGF receptor (e.g.,
sunitinib, sorafenib or pazopanib)), a DLL4 antagonist (e.g., an anti-DLL4 antibody disclosed
in US 2009/0142354 such as REGN421), an Ang2 antagonist (e.g., an anti-Ang2 antibody
disclosed in US 027286 such as H1H685P), a FOLH1 antagonist (e.g., an anti-
FOLH1 antibody), a STEAP1 or STEAP2 antagonist (e.g., an anti-STEAP1 antibody or an
anti-STEAP2 antibody), a TMPRSS2 antagonist (e.g., an anti-TMPRSS2 antibody), a MSLN
antagonist (e.g., an anti-MSLN antibody), a CA9 antagonist (e.g., an anti-CA9 antibody), a
uroplakin antagonist (e.g., an anti-uroplakin [e.g., anti-UPK3A] antibody), a MUC16
antagonist (e.g., an UC16 antibody), a Tn antigen antagonist (e.g., an anti-Tn
antibody), a CLEC12A antagonist (e.g., an anti- A antibody), a TNFRSF17
antagonist (e.g., an anti-TNFRSF17 antibody), a LGR5 antagonist (e.g., an anti-LGR5
antibody), a lent CD20 antagonist (e.g., a lent D20 antibody such as
rituximab), etc. Other agents that may be beneficially administered in combination with
antibodies of the invention include, e.g., tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, and cytokine
inhibitors, including small-molecule cytokine inhibitors and antibodies that bind to cytokines
such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, IL-11, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, IL-18, or to their
respective receptors.
The present invention includes compositions and therapeutic formulations
comprising any of the anti-GITR antibodies described herein in combination with one or
more chemotherapeutic agents. Examples of herapeutic agents include alkylating
agents such as thiotepa and cyclosphosphamide (Cytoxan™); alkyl sulfonates such as
busulfan, improsulfan and piposulfan; aziridines such as benzodopa, carboquone,
dopa, and uredopa; ethylenimines and methylamelamines including altretamine,
ylenemelamine, trietylenephosphoramide, triethylenethiophosphaoramide and
trimethylolomelamine; nitrogen mustards such as chlorambucil, chlornaphazine,
cholophosphamide, estramustine, ifosfamide, mechlorethamine, mechlorethamine oxide
hydrochloride, melphalan, ichin, phenesterine, prednimustine, trofosfamide, uracil
mustard; nitrosureas such as carmustine, chlorozotocin, fotemustine, lomustine, nimustine,
ranimustine; antibiotics such as aclacinomysins, actinomycin, authramycin, azaserine,
bleomycins, omycin, calicheamicin, carabicin, carminomycin, carzinophilin,
chromomycins, dactinomycin, ubicin, detorubicin, 6-diazooxo-L-norleucine,
doxorubicin, epirubicin, esorubicin, idarubicin, marcellomycin, mitomycins, mycophenolic
acid, nogalamycin, olivomycins, peplomycin, potfiromycin, puromycin, quelamycin,
rodorubicin, streptonigrin, streptozocin, tubercidin, ubenimex, zinostatin, zorubicin; tabolites
such as methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU); folic acid analogues such as
denopterin, rexate, pteropterin, trimetrexate; purine s such as fludarabine, 6-
mercaptopurine, thiamiprine, thioguanine; pyrimidine s such as ancitabine,
azacitidine, 6-azauridine, carmofur, cytarabine, dideoxyuridine, doxifluridine, enocitabine,
floxuridine; androgens such as calusterone, dromostanolone nate, epitiostanol,
mepitiostane, testolactone; anti-adrenals such as aminoglutethimide, mitotane, trilostane;
folic acid replenisher such as frolinic acid; aceglatone; aldophosphamide glycoside;
aminolevulinic acid; amsacrine; bestrabucil; bisantrene; edatraxate; defofamine;
demecolcine; diaziquone; elfornithine; elliptinium acetate; etoglucid; gallium nitrate;
hydroxyurea; lentinan; lonidamine; mitoguazone; mitoxantrone; mopidamol; nitracrine;
pentostatin; phenamet; bicin; podophyllinic acid; 2-ethylhydrazide; procarbazine;
PSK™; razoxane; ran; spirogermanium; tenuazonic acid; triaziquone; 2,2',2''-
trichlorotriethylamine; urethan; vindesine; dacarbazine; mannomustine; mitobronitol;
mitolactol; pipobroman; gacytosine; arabinoside ("Ara-C"); cyclophosphamide; thiotepa;
taxanes, e.g. axel (Taxol™, Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology, Princeton, N.J.) and
docetaxel ere™; Aventis Antony, France); chlorambucil; gemcitabine; 6-thioguanine;
mercaptopurine; methotrexate; platinum s such as cisplatin and carboplatin;
vinblastine; platinum; etoposide (VP-16); ifosfamide; mitomycin C; mitoxantrone; vincristine;
vinorelbine; ine; novantrone; side; daunomycin; aminopterin; ;
ibandronate; CPT-11; topoisomerase inhibitor RFS 2000; difluoromethylornithine (DMFO);
retinoic acid; esperamicins; capecitabine; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, acids or
derivatives of any of the above. Also included in this definition are ormonal agents that
act to regulate or inhibit e action on tumors such as strogens including for
example tamoxifen, raloxifene, aromatase inhibiting 4(5)-imidazoles, 4-hydroxytamoxifen,
trioxifene, keoxifene, LY 117018, onapristone, and toremifene (Fareston); and antiandrogens
such as flutamide, nilutamide, bicalutamide, leuprolide, and goserelin; and
pharmaceutically acceptable salts, acids or derivatives of any of the above.
The anti-GITR antibodies of the invention may also be administered and/or co-
ated in combination with antivirals, antibiotics, analgesics, corticosteroids, ds,
oxygen, antioxidants, COX inhibitors, cardioprotectants, metal chelators, IFN-gamma, and/or
NSAIDs.
The additional therapeutically active component(s), e.g., any of the agents listed
above or derivatives thereof, may be administered just prior to, concurrent with, or shortly
after the administration of an anti-GITR dy of the present invention; (for purposes of
the present disclosure, such administration ns are considered the administration of an
anti-GITR antibody "in combination with" an additional eutically active component).
The present invention includes pharmaceutical compositions in which an anti-GITR antibody
of the present invention is co-formulated with one or more of the additional therapeutically
active component(s) as bed elsewhere herein.
The additional therapeutically active component(s) may be administered to a
subject prior to administration of an anti-GITR antibody of the present invention. For
example, a first component may be deemed to be administered "prior to" a second
component if the first component is administered 1 week before, 72 hours before, 60 hours
before, 48 hours before, 36 hours before, 24 hours before, 12 hours before, 6 hours before,
hours before, 4 hours before, 3 hours , 2 hours , 1 hour before, 30 minutes
before, 15 minutes before, 10 minutes , 5 minutes before, or less than 1 minute before
administration of the second ent. In other embodiments, the additional
therapeutically active component(s) may be administered to a subject after administration of
an anti-GITR antibody of the present invention. For e, a first component may be
deemed to be administered "after" a second component if the first component is
administered 1 minute after, 5 minutes after, 10 minutes after, 15 minutes after, 30 minutes
after, 1 hour after, 2 hours after, 3 hours after, 4 hours after, 5 hours after, 6 hours after, 12
hours after, 24 hours after, 36 hours after, 48 hours after, 60 hours after, 72 hours after
administration of the second component. In yet other embodiments, the additional
therapeutically active component(s) may be administered to a subject concurrent with
administration of an anti-GITR antibody of the present invention. "Concurrent"
administration, for purposes of the t invention, includes, e.g., administration of an anti-
GITR antibody and an additional therapeutically active component to a subject in a single
dosage form (e.g., co-formulated), or in separate dosage forms stered to the subject
within about 30 minutes or less of each other. If administered in separate dosage forms,
each dosage form may be administered via the same route (e.g., both the anti-GITR
antibody and the additional therapeutically active component may be administered
intravenously, subcutaneously, etc.); alternatively, each dosage form may be administered
via a different route (e.g., the anti-GITR antibody may be stered intravenously, and
the additional therapeutically active component may be stered subcutaneously). In
any event, administering the components in a single dosage from, in separate dosage forms
by the same route, or in separate dosage forms by different routes are all considered
"concurrent administration," for purposes of the present disclosure. For purposes of the
present disclosure, administration of an anti-GITR antibody "prior to", "concurrent with," or
"after" (as those terms are defined herein above) stration of an onal
therapeutically active component is ered administration of an anti-GITR dy "in
ation with" an additional eutically active component).
The present invention includes pharmaceutical itions in which an anti-GITR
antibody of the present invention is co-formulated with one or more of the additional
therapeutically active component(s) as described elsewhere herein using a variety of dosage
combinations.
In exemplary embodiments in which an anti-GITR antibody of the invention is
stered in combination with a VEGF antagonist (e.g., a VEGF trap such as aflibercept),
ing administration of co-formulations comprising an anti-GITR antibody and a VEGF
antagonist, the dual components may be administered to a subject and/or coformulated
using a variety of dosage combinations. For example, the anti-GITR antibody
may be administered to a subject and/or contained in a co-formulation in an amount ed
from the group consisting of 0.01 mg, 0.02 mg, 0.03 mg, 0.04 mg, 0.05 mg, 0.1 mg, 0.2 mg,
0.3 mg, 0.4 mg, 0.5 mg, 0.6 mg, 0.7 mg, 0.8 mg, 0.9 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.5 mg, 2.0 mg, 2.5 mg,
3.0 mg, 3.5 mg, 4.0 mg, 4.5 mg, 5.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 7.0 mg, 8.0 mg, 9.0 mg, and 10.0 mg; and
the VEGF antagonist (e.g., a VEGF trap such as aflibercept) may be stered to the
t and/or contained in a co-formulation in an amount selected from the group consisting
of 0.1 mg, 0.2 mg, 0.3 mg, 0.4 mg, 0.5 mg, 0.6 mg, 0.7 mg, 0.8 mg, 0.9 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.1 mg,
1.2 mg, 1.3 mg, 1.4 mg, 1.5 mg, 1.6 mg, 1.7 mg, 1.8 mg, 1.9 mg, 2.0 mg, 2.1 mg, 2.2 mg,
2.3 mg, 2.4 mg, 2.5 mg, 2.6 mg, 2.7 mg, 2.8 mg, 2.9 mg and 3.0 mg. The combinations/coformulations
may be administered to a subject according to any of the administration
regimens disclosed elsewhere herein, including, e.g., twice a week, once every week, once
every 2 weeks, once every 3 weeks, once every month, once every 2 months, once every 3
months, once every 4 months, once every 5 months, once every 6 months, etc.
Administration Regimens
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, multiple doses of an
anti-GITR antibody (or a pharmaceutical composition comprising a combination of an anti-
GITR antibody and any of the additional therapeutically active agents mentioned herein) may
be administered to a subject over a defined time course. The methods according to this
aspect of the ion comprise sequentially administering to a subject multiple doses of an
anti-GITR dy of the invention. As used herein, "sequentially administering" means
that each dose of anti-GITR antibody is administered to the subject at a different point in
time, e.g., on different days separated by a ermined interval (e.g., hours, days, weeks
or months). The present ion includes methods which comprise sequentially
administering to the t a single initial dose of an anti-GITR antibody, ed by one or
more secondary doses of the anti-GITR antibody, and optionally followed by one or more
tertiary doses of the anti-GITR antibody.
The terms "initial dose," "secondary doses," and "tertiary doses," refer to the
temporal sequence of stration of the anti-GITR antibody of the invention. Thus, the
"initial dose" is the dose which is administered at the beginning of the treatment regimen
(also referred to as the "baseline dose"); the "secondary doses" are the doses which are
administered after the l dose; and the "tertiary doses" are the doses which are
administered after the secondary doses. The initial, secondary, and tertiary doses may all
contain the same amount of anti-GITR antibody, but generally may differ from one r in
terms of frequency of administration. In certain embodiments, however, the amount of anti-
GITR antibody contained in the initial, secondary and/or tertiary doses varies from one
another (e.g., adjusted up or down as appropriate) during the course of treatment. In certain
embodiments, two or more (e.g., 2, 3, 4, or 5) doses are administered at the beginning of the
treatment n as "loading doses" followed by subsequent doses that are administered
on a less frequent basis (e.g., "maintenance doses").
In certain exemplary ments of the present invention, each secondary and/or
tertiary dose is administered 1 to 26 (e.g., 1, 1½, 2, 2½, 3, 3½, 4, 4½, 5, 5½, 6, 6½, 7, 7½, 8,
8½, 9, 9½, 10, 10½, 11, 11½, 12, 12½, 13, 13½, 14, 14½, 15, 15½, 16, 16½, 17, 17½, 18,
18½, 19, 19½, 20, 20½, 21, 21½, 22, 22½, 23, 23½, 24, 24½, 25, 25½, 26, 26½, or more)
weeks after the immediately preceding dose. The phrase "the immediately preceding dose,"
as used herein, means, in a sequence of le administrations, the dose of anti-GITR
antibody which is administered to a patient prior to the administration of the very next dose in
the sequence with no ening doses.
The methods according to this aspect of the invention may comprise administering
to a patient any number of secondary and/or tertiary doses of an anti-GITR dy. For
example, in certain embodiments, only a single secondary dose is stered to the
patient. In other embodiments, two or more (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more) secondary
doses are administered to the patient. Likewise, in certain embodiments, only a single
tertiary dose is administered to the patient. In other embodiments, two or more (e.g., 2, 3, 4,
, 6, 7, 8, or more) tertiary doses are administered to the patient. The administration
regimen may be carried out indefinitely over the lifetime of a particular subject, or until such
treatment is no longer therapeutically needed or advantageous.
In embodiments involving multiple ary doses, each ary dose may be
administered at the same frequency as the other secondary doses. For example, each
secondary dose may be administered to the patient 1 to 2 weeks or 1 to 2 months after the
immediately preceding dose. rly, in embodiments involving multiple tertiary doses,
each ry dose may be administered at the same ncy as the other tertiary doses.
For e, each tertiary dose may be administered to the patient 2 to 12 weeks after the
immediately ing dose. In certain embodiments of the invention, the frequency at
which the secondary and/or tertiary doses are administered to a patient can vary over the
course of the treatment regimen. The frequency of administration may also be adjusted
during the course of treatment by a physician depending on the needs of the individual
patient following clinical examination.
The present invention includes administration ns in which 2 to 6 loading
doses are administered to a patient at a first frequency (e.g., once a week, once every two
weeks, once every three weeks, once a month, once every two months, etc.), followed by
administration of two or more maintenance doses to the patient on a less frequent basis.
For example, according to this aspect of the invention, if the loading doses are administered
at a frequency of once a month, then the maintenance doses may be administered to the
patient once every six weeks, once every two , once every three months, etc.
Diagnostic Uses of the Antibodies
The anti-GITR antibodies of the present invention may also be used to detect
and/or measure GITR, or GITR-expressing cells in a sample, e.g., for diagnostic purposes.
For example, an anti-GITR antibody, or fragment f, may be used to diagnose a
condition or disease characterized by aberrant expression (e.g., over-expression, underexpression
, lack of expression, etc.) of GITR. Exemplary diagnostic assays for GITR may
comprise, e.g., contacting a sample, obtained from a patient, with an anti-GITR antibody of
the invention, wherein the anti-GITR antibody is d with a detectable label or reporter
molecule. atively, an unlabeled anti-GITR antibody can be used in diagnostic
ations in combination with a secondary antibody which is itself detectably d. The
detectable label or reporter molecule can be a sotope, such as 3H, 14C, 32P, 35S, or 125I;
a fluorescent or uminescent moiety such as fluorescein, or rhodamine; or an enzyme
such as alkaline atase, beta-galactosidase, horseradish peroxidase, or rase.
ic exemplary assays that can be used to detect or measure GITR in a sample include
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ), radioimmunoassay (RIA), immuno-PET (e.g.,
89Zr, 64Cu, etc.), and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).
Samples that can be used in GITR diagnostic assays according to the present
invention include any tissue or fluid sample obtainable from a patient which contains
detectable quantities of GITR protein, or fragments thereof, under normal or pathological
conditions. Generally, levels of GITR in a particular sample obtained from a healthy patient
(e.g., a patient not afflicted with a disease or condition associated with abnormal GITR levels
or activity) will be measured to initially establish a baseline, or standard, level of GITR. This
baseline level of GITR can then be ed against the levels of GITR measured in
samples ed from individuals suspected of having a GITR related disease or condition.
EXAMPLES
The following examples are put forth so as to provide those of ry skill in the
art with a complete sure and description of how to make and use the methods and
compositions of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of what the inventors
regard as their invention. Efforts have been made to ensure accuracy with respect to
numbers used (e.g., amounts, temperature, etc.) but some experimental errors and
deviations should be accounted for. Unless indicated otherwise, parts are parts by weight,
molecular weight is average molecular , temperature is in degrees Centigrade, and
pressure is at or near atmospheric.
Example 1. Generation of Anti-GITR Antibodies
Anti-GITR dies were obtained by immunizing a VELOCIMMUNE® mouse (i.e.,
an engineered mouse comprising DNA encoding human globulin heavy and kappa
light chain variable regions) with an immunogen comprising a soluble dimeric ecto domain of
human GITR. The dy immune response was monitored by a GITR-specific
immunoassay. Several fully human anti-GITR antibodies were isolated ly from antigenpositive
B cells without fusion to myeloma cells, as described in US 2007/0280945A1.
Certain ical properties of the exemplary anti-GITR antibodies generated in
accordance with the methods of this Example are described in detail in the Examples set
forth below.
Example 2. Heavy and Light Chain Variable Region Amino Acid and Nucleic Acid
Sequences
Table 1 sets forth the amino acid sequence identifiers of the heavy and light chain
variable regions and CDRs of selected anti-GITR antibodies of the invention. The
ponding nucleic acid sequence identifiers are set forth in Table 2.
Table 1: Amino Acid Sequence Identifiers
SEQ ID NOs:
Antibody
Designation HCVR HCDR1 HCDR2 HCDR3 LCVR LCDR1 LCDR2 LCDR3
74P 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
H1H14486P 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32
H1H14491P 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
H1H14493P 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
H1H14495P 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80
H1H14503P 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96
H1H14512P 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112
20P 114 116 118 120 122 124 126 128
H1H14523P 130 132 134 136 138 140 142 144
H1H14524P 146 148 150 152 154 156 158 160
H4H14469P 162 164 166 168 170 172 174 176
H4H14470P 178 180 182 184 186 188 190 192
H4H14475P 194 196 198 200 202 204 206 208
H4H14476P 210 212 214 216 218 220 222 224
H4H14508P 226 228 230 232 234 236 238 240
H4H14516P 242 244 246 248 250 252 254 256
H4H14521P 258 260 262 264 266 268 270 272
25P 274 276 278 280 282 284 286 288
H4H14528P 290 292 294 296 298 300 302 304
H4H14530P 306 308 310 312 314 316 318 320
H4H14531P2 322 324 326 328 402 404 406 408
H4H14532P2 330 332 334 336 402 404 406 408
H4H14536P2 338 340 342 344 402 404 406 408
H4H14539P2 346 348 350 352 402 404 406 408
H4H14541P2 354 356 358 360 402 404 406 408
H4H15736P2 362 364 366 368 402 404 406 408
H4H15740P2 370 372 374 376 402 404 406 408
H4H15744P2 378 380 382 384 402 404 406 408
H4H15745P2 386 388 390 392 402 404 406 408
H4H15753P2 394 396 398 400 402 404 406 408
Table 2: Nucleic Acid Sequence Identifiers
SEQ ID NOs:
Antibody
Designation HCVR HCDR1 HCDR2 HCDR3 LCVR LCDR1 LCDR2 LCDR3
H1H14474P 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15
86P 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31
H1H14491P 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47
H1H14493P 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63
H1H14495P 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79
H1H14503P 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95
H1H14512P 97 99 101 103 105 107 109 111
H1H14520P 113 115 117 119 121 123 125 127
H1H14523P 129 131 133 135 137 139 141 143
H1H14524P 145 147 149 151 153 155 157 159
H4H14469P 161 163 165 167 169 171 173 175
H4H14470P 177 179 181 183 185 187 189 191
H4H14475P 193 195 197 199 201 203 205 207
H4H14476P 209 211 213 215 217 219 221 223
H4H14508P 225 227 229 231 233 235 237 239
H4H14516P 241 243 245 247 249 251 253 255
H4H14521P 257 259 261 263 265 267 269 271
H4H14525P 273 275 277 279 281 283 285 287
H4H14528P 289 291 293 295 297 299 301 303
H4H14530P 305 307 309 311 313 315 317 319
H4H14531P2 321 323 325 327 401 403 405 407
H4H14532P2 329 331 333 335 401 403 405 407
36P2 337 339 341 343 401 403 405 407
H4H14539P2 345 347 349 351 401 403 405 407
H4H14541P2 353 355 357 359 401 403 405 407
H4H15736P2 361 363 365 367 401 403 405 407
H4H15740P2 369 371 373 375 401 403 405 407
H4H15744P2 377 379 381 383 401 403 405 407
H4H15745P2 385 387 389 391 401 403 405 407
H4H15753P2 393 395 397 399 401 403 405 407
Antibodies are typically referred to herein according to the following nomenclature:
Fc prefix (e.g. "H1H," "H4H," etc.), followed by a numerical identifier (e.g. "14493," "14495,"
etc.), followed by a "P" or "P2" suffix, as shown in Tables 1 and 2. Thus, according to this
nomenclature, an antibody may be referred to herein as, e.g., " 86P," "
H4H14531P2," etc. The H1H, and H4H prefixes on the antibody designations used herein
indicate the particular Fc region isotype of the antibody. For e, an "H1H" antibody
has a human IgG1 Fc, an "H4H" antibody has a human IgG4 Fc, and an H2M has a mouse
IgG2 Fc (all variable regions are fully human as denoted by the first 'H' in the antibody
ation). As will be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art, an antibody
having a ular Fc isotype can be converted to an antibody with a different Fc e,
but in any event, the le domains (including the CDRs) – which are indicated by the
numerical identifiers shown in Tables 1 and 2 – will remain the same, and the binding
properties are expected to be cal or substantially similar regardless of the nature of the
Fc domain.
Control Constructs Used in the Following Examples
Control constructs were included in the following experiments for comparative
purposes: Anti-GITR Control Ab I: a mouse anti-human GITR hybridoma with variable heavy
and light chain domains having the amino acid sequences of the ponding domains of
“clone 6C8” as set forth in WO 2006/ 105021 A2; produced with mIgG1 and mIgG2a
constant regions in the following examples; and Anti-GITR Control Ab II: a human anti-GITR
antibody with variable heavy and light chain domains having the amino acid sequences of
the corresponding s of “36E5” as set forth in US 8709424 B2.
Example 3. Surface Plasmon Resonance Derived Binding Affinities and c
nts of Human Monoclonal anti-TNFRSF18 (GITR) antibodies
Binding affinities and kinetic constants of human anti-GITR antibodies were
determined by surface plasmon resonance (Biacore 4000 or T-200) at 37°C (Table 3).
Antibodies, expressed as human IgG1 or IgG4 (i.e., “H1H” or “H4H” designations), were
captured onto a mouse anti-human Fc CM5 Biacore sensor surface (mAb-capture format)
and soluble monomeric (human (h) GITR.mmh; SEQ ID NO: 409 and Macaca fasicularis
(mf) GITR.mmh; SEQ ID NO: 412) or dimeric (hGITR.hFc; SEQ ID NO: 411 and hGITRmFc;
SEQ ID NO: 410). GITR proteins were injected over the sensor surface at a flow rate of 30
ute. All Biacore g studies were med in a buffer composed of 0.01M
HEPES pH 7.4, 0.15M NaCl, 3mM EDTA, 0.05% v/v Surfactant P20 (HBS-ET running
buffer). Antibody-reagent association was monitored for 4 minutes while dissociation in
HBS-ET running buffer (10 mM HEPES, 150 mM NaCl, 3 mM EDTA, 0.05% (v/v) Surfactant
P20, pH 7.4) was monitored for 10 minutes. Kinetic ation (ka) and dissociation (kd) rate
constants were determined by fitting the real-time sensorgrams to a 1:1 binding model using
Scrubber 2.0c curve fitting re. g dissociation equilibrium constants (KD) and
dissociative half-lives (t½) were ated from the kinetic rate nts as: KD [M] = kd / ka;
and t1/2 (min) = (ln2/(60*kd). Results are summarized in Table 3.
Table 3: Biacore Binding Affinities of Human Fc mAbs at 37 ºC
Binding at 37 °C/ Antibody Capture Format
Antibody Analyte ka (Ms-1) Kd (s-1) KD (Molar) t½ (min)
hGITR.mmh 5.32E+05 7.39E-04 1.39E-09 15.6
H1H14503P hGITR.mFc 1.12E+06 1.54E-04 1.37E-10 75.0
mfGITR.mmh 2.68E+05 5.60E-03 2.09E-08 2.1
hGITR.mmh 05 1.16E-03 09 9.9
H1H14474P hGITR.mFc 1.21E+06 1.30E-04 10 89.2
mfGITR.mmh 3.39E+05 9.51E-03 2.80E-08 1.2
hGITR.mmh 5.17E+05 1.27E-03 2.45E-09 9.1
H1H14495P hGITR.mFc 1.14E+06 1.10E-04 9.68E-11 105.0
mfGITR.mmh 2.96E+05 7.23E-03 2.45E-08 1.6
hGITR.mmh 05 03 2.79E-09 9.4
H1H14486P hGITR.mFc 9.65E+05 1.53E-04 1.59E-10 75.5
mfGITR.mmh 05 1.66E-02 1.22E-07 0.7
hGITR.mmh 4.05E+05 1.47E-03 3.62E-09 7.9
H1H14524P hGITR.mFc 9.22E+05 1.35E-04 1.46E-10 85.6
mfGITR.mmh 1.20E+05 1.89E-02 1.58E-07 0.6
hGITR.mmh 05 1.38E-03 5.06E-09 8.4
H4H14530P hGITR.mFc 2.93E+05 1.85E-04 6.30E-10 62.6
mfGITR.mmh 2.40E+05 6.11E-04 09 18.9
hGITR.mmh 3.19E+05 1.62E-03 5.06E-09 7.2
H1H14491P hGITR.mFc 8.42E+05 1.69E-04 2.01E-10 68.3
mfGITR.mmh 1.18E+05 8.89E-03 7.53E-08 1.3
hGITR.mmh 2.16E+05 1.86E-03 09 6.2
H1H14523P hGITR.mFc 5.55E+05 1.20E-04 2.16E-10 96.3
mfGITR.mmh 1.23E+05 1.09E-02 8.85E-08 1.1
Binding at 37 °C/ Antibody Capture Format
Antibody Analyte ka (Ms-1 ) Kd (s -1) K
D (Molar) t½ (min)
hGITR.mmh 1.86E+05 2.50E-03 1.34E-08 4.6
93P hGITR.mFc 5.24E+05 1.91E-04 3.65E-10 60.4
mfGITR.mmh 1.00E+04 1.40E-02 1.40E-06 0.8
hGITR.mmh 3.48E+05 6.45E-03 1.85E-08 1.8
H4H14532P2 hGITR.mFc 7.20E+05 2.69E-04 3.73E-10 42.9
mfGITR.mmh 2.60E+05 6.48E-03 2.49E-08 1.8
hGITR.mmh 3.45E+05 7.84E-03 2.27E-08 1.5
21P hGITR.mFc 1.23E+06 4.79E-04 3.89E-10 24.1
mfGITR.mmh 1.66E+05 3.34E-03 2.01E-08 3.5
hGITR.mmh 4.24E+05 9.76E-03 2.30E-08 1.2
H4H14536P2 hGITR.mFc 1.26E+06 2.19E-04 1.73E-10 52.7
mfGITR.mmh 1.04E+05 1.47E-02 1.42E-07 0.8
hGITR.mmh 3.92E+05 1.23E-02 3.14E-08 0.9
H4H14476P hGITR.mFc 9.06E+05 2.69E-04 2.97E-10 42.9
mfGITR.mmh 1.91E+05 1.07E-02 5.58E-08 1.1
hGITR.mmh 2.25E+05 7.38E-03 3.27E-08 1.6
H4H14516P hGITR.mFc 1.68E+06 1.81E-03 1.08E-09 6.4
mfGITR.mmh 1.90E+05 1.12E-02 5.87E-08 1.0
hGITR.mmh 2.55E+05 9.35E-03 3.66E-08 1.2
H4H14508P hGITR.mFc 06 7.19E-04 5.97E-10 16.1
mfGITR.mmh 1.29E+05 03 08 2.3
mmh 2.84E+05 1.22E-02 4.30E-08 0.9
H4H14469P hGITR.mFc 1.20E+06 4.01E-04 3.35E-10 28.8
.mmh 5.91E+04 2.43E-03 4.11E-08 4.7
hGITR.mmh 3.07E+05 1.40E-02 4.57E-08 0.8
H4H14475P hGITR.mFc 1.60E+06 1.35E-03 8.47E-10 8.5
mfGITR.mmh 1.83E+05 03 4.17E-08 1.5
mmh 1.02E+05 5.23E-03 5.13E-08 2.2
H4H14528P hGITR.mFc 1.58E+06 1.77E-03 09 6.5
mfGITR.mmh NB NB NB NB
hGITR.mmh 05 1.66E-02 5.24E-08 0.7
H4H14525P hGITR.mFc 7.91E+05 3.38E-04 4.27E-10 34.2
mfGITR.mmh 05 02 1.55E-07 0.6
hGITR.mmh 2.66E+05 1.67E-02 6.30E-08 0.7
H1H14520P hGITR.mFc 06 5.83E-04 5.37E-10 19.8
mfGITR.mmh 1.99E+05 1.71E-02 8.59E-08 0.7
hGITR.mmh 2.21E+05 1.43E-02 6.47E-08 0.8
H4H14470P hGITR.mFc 9.04E+05 1.04E-03 1.15E-09 11.1
mfGITR.mmh NB NB NB NB
hGITR.mmh 2.14E+05 1.77E-02 8.25E-08 0.7
H4H14539P2 hGITR.mFc 8.53E+05 4.72E-04 5.54E-10 24.5
mfGITR.mmh 7.23E+04 1.65E-03 2.28E-08 7.0
Anti-GITR mmh 2.16E+05 02 1.22E-07 0.4
Control Ab I- hFc 3.82E+05 03 2.04E-08 1.5
mIgG1 mfGITR.mmh 2.18E+05 4.64E-02 2.13E-07 0.2
Anti-GITR hGITR.mmh 1.94E+05 9.67E-04 4.99E-09 11.9
Binding at 37 °C/ Antibody e Format
Antibody Analyte ka (Ms-1 ) Kd (s -1) K
D (Molar) t½ (min)
Control Ab II- hGITR.mFc 1.83E+06 1.73E-03 9.48E-10 6.7
hIgG1 mfGITR.mmh 2.31E+05 03 3.74E-08 1.3
NB= No binding observed under conditions used
As shown in Table 3, all the anti-GITR antibodies of this invention bound to human
GITR, with several antibodies ying sub-nanomolar affinities to dimeric human GITR
n. Additionally, a ty of the anti-GITR antibodies also displayed cross reactivity to
cynomolgus GITR protein. Cross reactivity to rodent GITR proteins was not observed (data
not shown).
Example 4. Anti-GITR antibodies bind specifically and potently to human GITR
expressing cells
In this example, the y of anti-GITR antibodies to bind specifically to a human
xpressing cell line was determined using electrochemiluminescence (ECL) based
detection.
Briefly, human embryonic kidney (HEK)D9 cells were stably transfected with
human GITR (amino acids M1-V241, NCBI Accession #NP_004186.1, SEQ ID: 413) via
Lipofectamine 2000-mediated methodology. Transfectants were ed for at least two
weeks in te growth media + G418.
For cell binding studies, approximately 1x105 hGITR/HEK293-D9 or parental
HEK293-D9 cells, which do not express human GITR, were seeded onto 96-well carbon
electrode plates (MULTI-ARRAY, MSD) for 1 h at 37°C. Nonspecific binding sites were
blocked with 2% BSA (w/v) + PBS for 1 h at room temperature (RT). Next, serial dilutions of
anti-GITR antibodies, ranging from 1.7 pM to 100nM, were added to cells for 1 h at RT.
Plates were then washed to remove unbound antibodies (AquaMax2000 plate washer, MSD
Analytical Technologies) and plate-bound antibodies were detected with a SULFO-TAG™
ated anti-human kappa light chain IgG antibody (Jackson Immunoresearch) for 1 h at
Following washes, luminescent signals were recorded with a SECTOR Imager 6000
(MSD) instrument. Direct g signals (relative light units, RLU) were analyzed as a
function of the antibody concentration and data were fitted with a sigmoidal (four-parameter
logistic) dose-response model using GraphPad Prism™ software. The EC50 for binding
hGITR/HEK293-D9 cells, defined as the concentration of dy at which 50% of the
maximal g signal is detected, was determined to indicate g potency of each
antibody. The signal detected with 100nM antibody binding to the hGITR expressing cells
versus parental cells was recorded as an indication of intensity and specificity of GITR
binding. Results are summarized in Table 4.
As summarized in Table 4, most of the anti-GITR antibodies of this invention bound
specifically to human GITR expressing cells versus parental HEK293 with EC50s ranging
from 210 pM to 85 nM. A majority of the antibodies bound to human GITR-expressing cells
with sub-nanomolar EC50 values. The e control antibody did not display binding to
expressing or parental cell lines.
Table 4: Anti-GITR antibody binding EC50 and binding intensity at 100 nM on human
GITR expressing cells
Binding to
Binding to g to
hGITR/HEK293-
hGITR/HEK293- HEK293-D9
D9 cells
D9 cells Cells (at 100nM)
(at 100nM)
Average Signal Average Signal
dy EC50 (M)
(RLU) (RLU)
H1H14474P 2.80E-10 6230 680
H1H14486P 4.30E-10 5830 280
H1H14491P 4.00E-10 6840 300
H1H14493P 3.00E-10 7220 790
H1H14495P 4.30E-10 6470 340
03P 2.10E-10 5880 330
H1H14512P 2.50E-10 4620 180
H1H14520P 2.40E-10 6450 1130
H1H14523P 4.00E-10 6350 530
H1H14524P 2.10E-10 5740 500
H4H14469P 10 5230 260
H4H14470P 1.40E-09 8390 1580
H4H14475P 8.00E-09 7500 1580
H4H14476P 5.70E-10 8120 1770
H4H14508P 4.50E-10 6870 580
H4H14516P 7.00E-10 10330 2560
H4H14521P 4.30E-10 10080 600
H4H14525P 6.00E-10 8840 1490
H4H14528P 4.50E-10 7310 420
H4H14530P 8.50E-08 4200 520
H4H14532P2 4.30E-10 5740 300
H4H14536P2 3.60E-10 8960 330
H4H14539P2 3.00E-10 4910 300
Anti-GITR Control Ab II-
2.60E-10 13750 10240
hIgG1
Isotype Control Ab-
NB 750 650
hIgG4
In summary, this example demonstrates that the ITR antibodies of this
invention display specific and potent binding to human GITR-expressing cell lines.
Example 5. Anti-GITR dies are l blockers and partial activators in NF-
κB/Luciferase reporter assay in the ce or absence of Fc gamma R antibody
anchoring
In this example, the ability of ITR antibodies to activate hGITR or block
hGITR ligand (hGITRL)-mediated receptor stimulation in the presence or absence of
antibody anchoring to Fc gamma receptors (Fc gamma Rs) was assessed via luciferasebased
reporter assays.
Briefly, a Jurkat cell line with stable incorporation of hGITR and NF- κB-dependent
luciferase reporter was ered (hGITR/Jurkat/NF- κBLuc). The NF- κB Luciferase
reporter was introduced into Jurkat Cells using the Cignal Lenti Reporter system
(SABiosciences). Lentiviruses expressing hGITR were generated in HEK293/T17 ing
the Lenti-X Lentiviral Expression System (Clontech). Jurkat/NF-κB-Luc cells were
transduced with the hGITR-expressing lentivirus via polybrene-mediated uction and
selected in 500 ug/ml G418 for 2 weeks. For antibody anchoring studies, HEK293 cells
were transduced with the Fc gamma RI-expressing lentivirus, as described above.
First, the activation and blocking properties of anti-hGITR antibodies in the absence
of Fc gamma R anchoring (non-anchored bioassay format) was assessed. Approximately
4x104 Jurkat/NF-κBLuc/hGITR cells were seeded overnight (ON) in PDL coated 96 well
plates in OptiMEM + 0.5% FBS.
To determine antibody activation ability, cells were ted for 6 h at 37°C with
ly diluted anti hGITR dies or hGITRL with concentrations ranging from 0.5 pM to
100 nM. To assess antibody blocking of hGITRL ed receptor stimulation, cells were
pre-incubated for 30 min with ly diluted anti hGITR antibodies (0.5 pM to 100 nM)
followed by a constant dose of 10nM hGITRL for 6 h.
Next, the activation and ng properties of selected anti-hGITR dies in the
presence of Fc gamma R anchoring (anchored bioassay format) was determined. Similar to
the above, 4Jurkat/NfκBLuc/hGITR cells were seeded in PDL coated 96 well plates in
complete growth media.
To assess antibody activation, cells were pre-incubated for 1 h at 37°C with serially
diluted anti-hGITR mAbs or hGITRL (0.5 pM to 100 nM). Then, 1x104 hFc gamma
R1/HEK293 cells were immediately added to the wells followed by a 6 h tion. To
assess blocking, hGITR/Jurkat/NfκBLuc cells were pre-incubated for 1h with serially diluted
anti-hGITR antibodies (0.5 pM to 100 nM). 1x104 hFcγR1/HEK293 cells were added to the
wells followed by the addition of a constant dose of 10 nM hGITRL.
For both anchored and non-anchored bioassay formats, Luciferase activity was
measured with One glow reagent (Promega) and relative light units (RLUs) were measured
on a Victor luminometer (Perkin Elmer). The EC50/IC50 values were determined from a four-
parameter logistic on over a 12-point response curve using GraphPad Prism. Results
are ized in Table 5 and Table 6. To determine % blocking, background RLU
(relative light units) from untreated wells are subtracted from treated wells, and the percent
blocking is calculated according to the following formula: [100 - (antibody RLU at max
dose/constant ligand dose 100]. % activation is calculated according the following
formula: (normalized mAb RLU/max GITR ligand response)*100; normalized mAb RLU is
determined by subtracting the RLU from untreated wells from treated wells. Mean fold
activation is calculated as: RLU at maximum Antibody dose/ background RLU from
untreated wells.
Table 5: Blocking and activation ties of anti-GITR antibodies in the absence of
Fc gamma R anchoring
IC50 % EC50 %
Antibody
(nM) Blocking- (nM) tion
H4H14475P ND -2 1.0 70
H1H14491P 0.60 90 2.0 60
H4H14521P 3.80 60 0.4 50
H1H14503P 0.60 90 1.4 50
H4H14469P 0.70 90 2.3 50
H4H14516P 2.30 70 0.8 45
H1H14523P 0.90 70 2.5 40
H1H14524P 0.70 80 2.2 40
28P 3.40 90 1.1 30
H1H14495P 0.70 80 1.3 30
74P 0.80 80 1.2 30
H4H14508P 0.90 40 1.2 30
H4H14532P2 1.00 90 1.2 30
H1H14486P 1.10 50 1.2 30
93P 0.60 90 1.2 25
H1H14512P 0.70 100 1.2 20
H4H14525P 1.40 70 1.1 20
H4H14539P2 1.20 30 1.3 20
H4H14536P2 2.00 90 1.1 20
H4H14470P 0.90 80 1.2 20
H4H14476P 2.60 90 1.0 10
H1H14520P 0.90 80 1.1 10
Anti-GITR Control Ab
0.10 54 1.02 25
I-mIgG1
Isotype Control- IgG1 NB NB NA NA
Isotype Control- IgG4 NB NB NA NA
NB= no blocking
NA = no activation
As summarized in the Table 5 above and Table 6 below, the antibodies tested
displayed partial activating and partial-blocking properties in both the chored and
ed bioassay formats. In the non-anchored format, dies mediated receptor
stimulation with EC50s ranging from 0.4 nM to 2.5 nM. Several antibodies, such as
75P and H4H14491P were potent activators of the GITR receptor displaying 70 and
60 percent activation respectively. A majority of the antibodies tested also displayed
blocking of hGITRL mediated receptor stimulation, with IC50s g from 0.6 nM to 3.8 nM.
Several exemplary antibodies, such as H1H14512P and H4H14536P2 displayed potent
blocking activity of 100% and 90% respectively. H4H14475P, the most potent activator,
displayed the least activity in the blocking assay (percent blocking: -2%).
Table 6: Blocking and activation ties of anti-GITR dies in the presence of
Fc gamma R anchoring
IC50 % EC50 tion
Antibody
(nM) Blocking (nM) over basal
signal
H1H14512P 0.10 64 0.02 7.0
H4H14475P 0.20 43 0.04 8.0
H4H14536P2 0.20 73 0.01 5.0
Anti-GITR
Control Ab I- 0.20 60 0.10 6.0
mIgG1
Anti-GITR
Control Ab I- 0.01 74 0.20 5.0
mIgG2a
Anti-GITR
Control Ab II- 0.20 70 0.01 8.0
hIgG1
Selected antibodies tested in the Fc gamma R-anchoring bioassay format also
displayed a range of activation and blocking properties. H4H14475P, the strongest activator
in the non-anchored format also ly activated hGITR in the anchored bioassay with a
fold activation of 8.0 above the basal . Strong blockers in the non-anchored blocking
format, such as H1H14512P and H4H14536P2, also displayed potent blocking in the
anchored assay (% ng: 60% and 70 %).
In summary, the results demonstrate that the anti-GITR antibodies of this invention
display potent GITR ting properties as well as the ability to block GITRL mediated
receptor stimulation in the absence of Fc gamma R anchoring in an engineered bioassay.
Exemplary antibodies, such as H4H14775P and H4H1536P2 also maintain their activating
and blocking ties, respectively, in the presence of Fc gamma R anchoring.
Example 6. Anti-GITR antibody H4H14536P2 demonstrates potent activity in a Naïve
Human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay in the presence and absence of Fc gamma R
anchoring
As described above, anti-GITR antibodies were tested in an engineered ay
for their ability to activate hGITR in the presence or absence of anchoring Fc gamma
receptors (Fc gamma R). In this example, the effect of antibody anchoring on hGITR
activation was ed in a naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation primary bioassay. The
human CD4+ T-cell system has the advantage that GITR copy number is at endogenous
levels, whereas the engineered system utilizes cells with a higher GITR copy number.
First, anti-GITR antibodies were tested for CD4+ T-cell proliferative ability in the
presence of plate-bound anti-CD3. y, Human CD4+ T cells were isolated from y
donor leukopacks using Human CD4+ T cell Enrichment Cocktail (Stemcell Technologies).
Naïve T cells were further enriched by ion of CD45RO+ cells by MACS (Miltenyi
Biotech). Approximately 5x104 T cells were plated onto 96-well U-bottomed polystyrene
plates pre-coated with a suboptimal amount of the D3 mAb OKT3 (30 ng/mL) and
ed s of anti-GITR antibodies or controls. Three days after stimulation, tritiated
thymidine (1 μCi per well, Perkin Elmer Health es NET027001) was added to each
microwell and pulsed for 18 hours. Cells were harvested onto filter plates (Unifilter-96 GF/C
6005174) using a Filtermate Harvester (Perkin Elmer Health Sciences D961962).
Scintillation fluid (Perkin Elmer Health Sciences Microscint20 6013621) was added to filter
plates and radioactive counts were measured using a plate reader n Elmer Health
Sciences Topcount NXT). T-cell proliferation relative to control, given as the mean fold
activation at 10.6 nM of antibody concentration, is presented in Table 7. In this assay format,
.6 nM represented the point at which T-cell proliferation reached a plateau on the dose
response curve.
Table 7: T-cell proliferative activity (Fold activation) of plate-bound anti-GITR
antibodies at 10.6 nM in the presence of plate-bound anti-CD3 Ab
Donor Mean Fold
Antibody 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Activation
H4H14536P2 3 24 24 25 24 47 26 16 23
08P 10 4 4 7 4 11 3 2 5
H4H14525P 6 1 1 2 1 3 2 1 2
H4H14469P 3 12 12 15 12 17 11 11 12
H4H14532P2 2 6 6 12 6 19 7 2 8
H4H14470P 0 3 3 4 3 6 4 1 3
H4H14475P 0 2 2 2 2 12 1 0 3
H4H14528P 2 8 8 4 8 31 5 4 8
Donor Mean Fold
Antibody 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Activation
H4H14539P2 2 12 12 13 12 39 11 6 13
H4H14516P 1 4 4 12 4 14 4 1 5
H4H14521P 1 4 4 5 4 12 3 2 4
Anti-GITR
Control Ab 1- 6 23 23 40 23 66 25 11 27
mIgG1
Isotype
Control 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
As the results in Table 7 show, the anti-GITR antibodies tested demonstrated T-
cell proliferative ability when plate-bound in the presence of plate-bound anti-CD3. The Anti-
GITR l Ab I demonstrated proliferative activity 27-fold above the isotype control. The
majority of the anti-GITR antibodies of this invention displayed activation 2-8 fold above the
isotype control, with several exemplary dies, H4H14469P, H4H14539P2, and
H4H14536P2 demonstrating activation 12, 13 and 23 fold above the control, respectively. In
summary, the results demonstrate that the ITR dies tested demonstrate T-cell
proliferative activity in this classical format.
Next, additional assay formats were ed to test the ability of anti-GITR
antibodies to activate s in the presence or absence of urface bound Fc gamma R.
To assess anti-GITR antibody ability to activate T cells in the ce of Fc
gamma R1 anchoring, HEK293 cells were engineered to s the high affinity
hFc gamma R1 receptor, as described above. HEK293/ Fc gamma RI cells were treated with
50 ug/mL Mitomycin C for 30 min at 37°C to inhibit proliferation. After subsequent washes to
remove traces of Mitomycin C, cells were coated with 300 ng/mL D3 antibody OKT3 to
stimulate T cell activation. HEK293/Fc gamma RI cells were co-cultured with human naïve
CD4+ T cells in a 1:2 ratio and titrated amounts of anti-GITR antibodies or controls were
added to the co-culture medium.
T cell proliferation was assessed by measurement of the levels of tritiated
thymidine incorporation. 72 h after stimulation, tritiated thymidine (0.5μCi per well, Perkin
Elmer Health Sciences) was added to each microwell for an additional 18 h at 37°C. Cells
were harvested onto filter plates (Unifilter-96 GF/C 6005174) using a Filtermate Harvester
(Perkin Elmer Health es D961962). Scintillation fluid (Perkin Elmer Health es
Microscint20 6013621) was added to filter plates and radioactive counts were measured
using a plate reader (Perkin Elmer Health Sciences Topcount NXT). T-cell proliferation
relative to control, given as the mean fold activation at a 33 nM concentration of antibody is
presented in Table 8. In this assay , 33 nM represented the point at which T-cell
proliferation reached a plateau on the dose response curve.
Table 8: T-cell proliferative activity (Fold activation) of anti-GITR dies at 33nM in
the presence of Fc gamma R anchoring
Donor Mean
Antibody Fold
1 2 3 4 5
Activation
H4H14536P2 1.3 6.3 1.5 2.7 15.7 5.5
H4H14508P 1.0 0.7 1.1 1.8 1.3 1.2
H4H14525P 1.2 0.8 1.0 1.5 1.5 1.2
H4H14469P 0.70 1.0 0.9 1.5 1.5 1.1
H4H14532P2 0.80 0.9 1.0 1.7 2.1 1.3
H4H14470P 1.8 1.0 1.4 1.5 2.0 1.5
H4H14475P 1.0 1.3 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.3
H4H14528P 0.9 1.5 1.1 1.9 1.7 1.4
H4H14539P2 0.9 0.7 1.1 1.5 1.5 1.1
H4H14516P 1.2 0.9 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.1
H4H14521P 1.5 1.1 1.1 1.7 0.9 1.2
76P 0.6 0.20 0.8 0.8 0.1 0.5
Anti-GITR Control mAbs
Control I-mIgG1 2.8 2.8 1.4 1.1 1.7 2.0
Control I-mIgG2a 1.1 0.1 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.3
Control II-hIgG1 0.1 0.6 1.3 0.2 1.2 0.7
Isotype Control-hIgG4 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Table 9: T-cell proliferative activity (EC50) of ITR antibodies at 33nM in the
presence of Fc gamma R anchoring
Donor Mean
Antibody
1 2 3 4 5 EC50 (nM)
H4H14536P2 1.2 0.5 1.3 11.2 1.6 3.2
Control I-mIgG1 37.2 NA 42.9 3.5 52.7 34.1
As the results in Table 8 summarize, several antibodies showed activation above
ls with levels ranging from 1-2 fold. However, one exemplary antibody, H4H14536P2,
demonstrated potent T-cell proliferation activity in the anchored g. With a mean fold
activation of 5.5, H4H14536P2 stimulated r T-cell activation compared to the anti-
GITR comparator antibodies (mean fold activation range: 0.7 -2.0). H4H14536P2 had a
mean EC50 of T-cell proliferation of 3.2 nM compared with 34.1 nM for the most potent anti-
GITR control Ab, Control I-mIgG (Table 9). Furthermore, in this assay format, 75P,
a potent activator in the engineered ay bed above, demonstrated modest
proliferative activity in this primary bioassay setting.
Next, antibodies were tested for T-cell proliferation activity in the absence of Fc
gamma R anchoring. Human CD4+ T cells were isolated as described above, and plated
onto 96-well U-bottomed polystyrene plates pre-coated with 30 ng/mL of the anti-CD3
antibody, OKT3. Similar to above, titrated concentrations of anti-GITR antibodies or controls
were added to the culture medium. T cell proliferation was measured by tritiated thymidine
incorporation. T-cell proliferation observed in four donors at 22 nM dy tration is
presented as the fold activation compared to isotype control in Table 10. The EC50 (nM) of
H4H14536P2 is shown in Table 11.
As observed in the anchored assay , H4H14536P2 again yed potent T
cell proliferative activity at 22 nM in the non-anchored format. H4H14536P2 activated T cells
with a mean fold activation of 11.0 and an EC50 of 8.3 nM. In this assay format, control anti-
GITR antibody I exhibited no T-cell proliferation capability.
Table 10: T-cell proliferative activity (Fold activation) of anti-GITR antibodies at 22 nM
in the absence of Fc gamma R anchoring
Donor Mean
dy 1 2 3 4
Activation
H4H14536P2 6.2 4.2 10.1 23.4 11.0
H4H14508P 0.7 0.9 0.9 1.4 1.0
H4H14525P 0.7 1.0 0.9 1.0 0.9
H4H14469P 0.9 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.9
H4H14532P2 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.1 0.9
H4H14470P 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.7 1.1
75P 0.7 1.1 0.8 0.8 0.9
H4H14528P 0.6 0.8 0.9 1.0 0.8
H4H14539P2 0.5 0.8 1.1 0.8 0.8
H4H14516P 0.7 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.9
H4H14521P 0.5 1.2 0.8 1.0 0.9
H4H14476P 0.7 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8
Anti-GITR Control Ab
Control I- mIgG1 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.0 0.9
Isotype Control 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Table 11: EC50 (nM) of H4H14536P2
Donor: 1 2 3 4 Average
H4H14536P2 EC50 (nM): 12.2 6.4 9.0 5.7 8.3
In summary, this example demonstrates that one exemplary anti-GITR antibody,
H4H14536P2, displays potent T-cell proliferative activity in the presence and e of
hFc gamma R1 anchoring, while the anti-GITR comparative antibody Control I displayed no
T-cell proliferative activity in the non-anchored setting. Thus, the ability of H4H14536P2 to
activate T cells in the absence of hFc gamma R1 anchoring is a unique property, implying
that the antibody may not have to compete with endogenous IgG binding to Fc gamma
receptors in vivo to retain activity. This unique property of 36P2 may confer an
age in a therapeutic setting.
Example 7. Administration of anti-GITR antibodies in combination with anti-PD1
antibodies istically controls and eradicates tumors
As assessment of the effect of administering anti-GITR antibodies in combination
with anti-PD1 antibodies on tumor growth was performed using the following methods. The
results of the assessment are summarized below.
Tumor implantation, treatment n and growth measurement
MC38 colorectal cancer cells (obtained from ATCC) were implanted
subcutaneously in C57BL/6 mice (3x105 cells/mouse) (defined as day 0). On day 6 (i.e., 6
days post tumor implantation), mice were segregated into 4 groups (5 mice per group) and
each group was treated intra-peritoneally (IP) with: (1) rat IgG2a (2A3, Bio X cell, Cat.#
BE0089) (isotype control) + rat IgG2b (LTF2, Bio X cell, Cat.# ) (isotype control) (2)
anti-GITR onal antibody DTA1 (rat anti-mouse GITR, Bio X cell, Cat.# ) + rat
IgG2a (control) (3) anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody RPM1-14 (rat anti-mouse PD-1, Bio X
cell, Cat.# BE0146) + rat IgG2b (control) or (4) anti-GITR antibody DTA1+ anti-PD-1
antibody RPM1-14. Antibody injection(s) were then administrated again on day 13. dy
treatments were dosed at 5 mg/kg of each antibody. Tumors were measured two
ionally (length x width) and tumor volume was calculated (length x width2 x 0.5). Mice
were euthanized when the tumor reached a designated tumor end-point (tumor volume >
3 or tumor ulceration).
Tumor re-challenge assessment
Mice treated with the combination of anti-PD-1 antibody and anti-GITR antibody
that remained tumor free for over 80 days were re-challenged with 3 x 105 of the eic
tumor (MC38) in the right flank and 2.5 x 105 of an allogeneic (B16F10.9) tumor cell line
(melanoma cell line, ATCC) in the left flank. Tumors were monitored as described above.
Antibody depletion experiments
Mice injected with different ing mAbs (anti-CD4, anti-CD8, anti-CD25,)
starting at one day prior of tumor challenge and given at twice weekly for total eight doses,
were treated with the combination therapy or the isotype control IgG. The depletion
efficiency was confirmed by FACS analysis of peripheral blood s.
Flow cytometry (FACS) analysis of intratumoral lymphocytes
Mice were treated as described above. Five days after antibody treatment, tumor
and spleen were collected. Tumors were minced with scissors and dissociated to single cell
suspension with se TL/DNAse I mix. Spleens were dissociated with MACS Octo
Dissociator. Cells were stained with panels of FACS antibodies against mouse CD45, CD3,
CD4, CD8, CD25 and FoxP3, as well as activation markers (PD1, GITR, Ki67, CD160,
CTLA4, ICOS, TIM3, LAG3, KLRG1 and CD44). Cells were acquired on BD Fortessa X20 or
LSR II and analyzed by FlowJo software.
Administration of anti-mouse GITR antibodies in ation with anti-mouse PD1
antibodies significantly induces tumor regression and provides long-term tumor remission in
MC38 bearing mice
Using the methods described above, the efficacy of administering an anti-mouse
GITR antibody (clone DTA-1, Bio X cell, Cat.# BE0063) in combination with an ouse
PD-1 antibody (clone RMP1-14, Bio X cell, Cat.# BE0146) in the control of subcutaneous
MC38 tumors was assessed. As shown in Figure 1 and Tables 12 and 13, ation
treatment of PD1 blockade and anti-GITR (DTA-1) antibody icantly induced tumor
regression in MC38 tumor g mice, in comparison to anti-PD-1 or anti-GITR mAb alone
or isotype control treated mice. Furthermore, mice d with combination therapy showed
long-term tumor remission, as 100% of the mice remained tumor free for over 120 days
(Figure 2, Tables 14, 15).
Table 12. Average tumor volumes for each treatment group (mm3 ± SEM) and tumor
free mice following anti-GITR and/or anti-PD-1 Ab treatment
Tumor Volume (mm3)
Tumor
Free mice
Mean (SEM)
Treatment Group Day 10 Day 13 Day 17 Day 19 Day 21 Day 21
Isotype (Rat IgG2a + Rat
196 (44) 232 (46) 802 (869) NA NA 0/5
IgG2b)
Anti-PD1 + Rat IgG2b 181 (37) 259 (103) 551 (199) 880 (335) 1550 (616) 0/5
Anti-GITR + Rat IgG2a 172 (9) 262 (72) 407 (112) 741(269) 882 (307) 0/5
ITR + Anti-PD1 130 (29) 41 (13) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 5/5
Table 13. Summary of tumor free mice of three independent experiments following
anti-GITR and/or anti-PD1 Ab treatment
Tumor Free
Treatment Group Day 21
Isotype (Rat IgG2a + Rat IgG2b) 0/15
Anti-PD1 + Rat IgG2b 0/15
Anti-GITR + Rat IgG2a 1/15
Anti-GITR + D1 10/15
Table 14. Survival Proportions (percentage)
Anti-PD-1 +
Days Isotype Anti-PD-1 Anti-GITR
Anti-GITR
0 100 100 100 100
17 80
21 40
24 0 60
26 20
20
52 0 0
123 100
Administration of anti-mouse GITR antibodies in combination with anti-mouse PD1
antibodies induces tumor/antigen-specific immunologic memory response
To determine whether mice treated with the combined stration of anti-PD-1
and anti-GITR dies ped a tumor/antigen-specific memory response, survival
tumor-free mice were re-challenged with 3 x 105 of syngeneic MC38 colon carcinoma cells in
the right flank and 2.5 x 105 of allogeneic melanoma cell line B16F10.9 in the left flank. It
was found that MC38 tumors did not grow in mice treated with the D1 antibody and
ITR antibody combination, while the same tumors grew in naive control mice ut
any previous treatment) (Figure 3). In contrast, the allogeneic tumor (melanoma) did not
grow in both groups, demonstrating that the combined administration of anti-PD-1 and anti
GITR antibodies induced tumor-antigen specific immunologic memory response capable of
controlling the second challenge with the same type of tumor.
Immune population study
Mice were treated with CD4, CD8 and CD25 depleting mAbs prior to anti-PD-1
antibody and anti-GITR antibody combination treatment. It was found that depletion of
CD8+ cells fully abrogated the anti-tumoral effect (MC38 tumors), while depletion of CD4 or
CD25 T cells showed partial inhibition e 4, Table 15). Thus, the umor effect of the
combination y in MC38 tumors appears inantly dependent on CD8+ T cells.
The effect of anti-GITR and anti-PD1 combination treatment on tumor infiltrating
lymphocytes (TILs) was assessed. It was found that the combination treatment induced a
significant increase in the CD8/Treg ratio in comparison to mono-therapy treatment (anti-PD-
1 or anti-GITR) or isotype control (Figure 5). The effect of the ation treatment on
CD4/Treg ratio was found to be less pronounced. Anti-PD-1 and anti-GITR combination
treatment sed the tage of intra-tumoral Tregs while it increased the CD8 T cells
(Figure 6). Further, anti-PD-1 treatment alone induced expansion of the Treg cell number,
while the anti-PD-1/anti-GITR combination treatment significantly reduced it in comparison to
the isotype control treated mice.
Table 15. Anti-tumor efficacy after CD4, CD8, or CD25 depletion
Tumor size (mm3)
Mean (SEM)
Depletion
Immunotherapy Day 8 Day 12 Day 16
Antibody
e control 55 (12) 161 (60) 555 (224)
Anti-CD4 48 (17) 60 (22) 135 (71)
Isotype control
Anti-CD8 49 (17) 176 (431) 825 (431)
Anti-CD25 59 (16) 61 (21) 182 (68)
Isotype control 43 (19) 26 (16) 11 (7)
Anti-GITR + Anti- Anti-CD4 68 (21) 50 (32) 123 (122)
PD1 Anti-CD8 67 (23) 222 (86) 1041 (543)
Anti-CD25 14 (6) 35 (30) 80 (64)
Administration of uman GITR antibodies in combination with anti-mouse PD1
antibodies significantly induces tumor regression and provides long-term tumor remission in
MC38 bearing ITRL humanized mice
The efficacy of administering an uman GITR antibody (H2aM14536P2) in
combination with an anti-mouse PD-1 antibody (clone RMP1-14 Bio X cell, Cat.# BE0146) in
the control of subcutaneous MC38 tumors was assessed in GITR/GITRL zed mice. It
was found that anti-mouse PD-1 blockade synergized with the anti-human GITR antibody
and significantly d tumor regression (4/6 mice) in MC38 tumor bearing mice, in
comparison to anti-PD1 (1/7) or ITR (1/7) mAb alone or isotype control (0/7) treated
mice, as shown in the average tumor growth curves (Figure 7, Table 16). Further, mice
treated with the combination therapy showed long-term tumor remission, as over 60% of the
mice remain tumor free at day 50, in comparison to 0% for the isotype control and 10% for
the anti-PD-1 or the anti-GITR ent groups (Figure 8, Table 16).
Anti-human GITR dies increase intra-tumoral CD8/Treg ratio
The effect of anti-human GITR antibodies on intra-tumoral and splenic T cell
populations was assessed. Anti-human GITR antibodies H2aM14536P2 and H1H14536P2
were ted. It was found that both uman GITR dy isotypes (mIg2a and
hIgG1) induced a significant increase in the intra-tumoral CD8/Treg ratio (Figure 9). The
same treatment had no effect on peripheral spleen T cell subsets. Human IgG1 and mouse
IgG2a isotype IgG were used in the assay for controls.
Table 16. Anti-tumor efficacy mediated by uman GITR antibody and anti-mouse
PD1 antibody treatment
Tumor size (mm3) Tumor Free
Mean (SEM) Mice
Treatment Group Day 9 Day 13 Day 16 Day 19 Day 51
Isotype control 146 (26) 248 (53) 402 (97) 838 (205) 0/7 (0%)
PD1 120 (23) 163 (50) 275 (103)617 (257) 1/7 (14%)
H2aM14536P2 134 (28) 162 (51) 194 (51) 346 (87) 1/7 (14%)
H2aH14536P2 +Anti-
122 (18) 90 (54) 114 (88) 192 (165)
PD-1 4/6 (67%)
Administration of anti-mouse GITR antibodies in combination with anti-human PD1
dies significantly induces tumor regression and provides long-term tumor remission in
MC38 bearing PD1/PDL1 humanized mice
The efficacy of stering an anti-mouse GITR antibody (DTA-1) in combination
with an anti-human PD-1 antibody (REGN2810, also known as H4H7798N as disclosed in
US Patent Publication No. 2015/0203579) in the control of subcutaneous MC38 tumors was
assessed in PD1/PDL1 humanized mice. It was found that anti-human PD-1 blockade
synergized with the anti-mouse GITR antibody and induced tumor growth delay in MC38
tumor bearing mice, in comparison to anti PD1 or anti GITR mAb alone or isotype control
treated mice as shown in the average tumor growth curves (Figure 10, Table 17). Further,
mice treated with the combination therapy showed long-term tumor remission as over 40%
of the mice remained tumor free at day 45, in comparison to 0% for the isotype l, the
anti-PD-1 or the anti-GITR treatment groups (Figure 11).
Table 17. Anti-tumor efficacy mediated by anti-mouse GITR + anti-human PD1 Ab
treatment
Tumor size (mm3)
Mean (SEM)
Treatment Group Day 13 Day 17 Day 20 Day 24
Isotype control 301 (38) 742 (81) 1392 (104) 2790 (366)
Anti-PD1(REGN2810) 184 (21) 354 (143) 589 (201) 937 (324)
Anti-GITR 362 (99) 713 (360) 1199 (563) NA
Anti-GITR + Anti-PD-1 212 (117) 120 (60) 127 (62) 167 (98)
Example 8: RNA Extraction and Analysis
Single-cell sorting RNA-seq analysis
On day 8 and 11 post tumor challenge, single cell suspension of tumor was
prepared by mouse tumor dissociation kit (Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, DE) and
spleens were dissociated with gentleMACS™ Octo Dissociator (Miltenyi Biotec). Tumors and
s from the same treatment group were pooled and viable CD8+ T cells were sorted by
FACS. FACS sorted T cells were mixed with C1 Cell Suspension Reagent (Fluidigm, South
San Francisco, CA) before loading onto a 5- to 10-μm C1 Integrated Fluidic Circuit (IFC;
Fluidigm). EAD staining solution was ed by adding 2.5 μL ethidium
homodimer-1 and 0.625 μL calcein AM (Life Technologies, ad, CA) to 1.25 mL C1
Cell Wash Buffer (Fluidigm) and 20 μL was loaded onto the C1 IFC. Each capture site was
carefully examined under a Zeiss microscope in bright field, GFP, and Texas Red channels
for cell doublets and ity. Cell lysing, reverse transcription, and cDNA amplification were
performed on the C1 -Cell Auto Prep IFC, as specified by the manufacturer (protocol
68 E1). The SMARTer™ Ultra Low RNA Kit (Clontech, Mountain View, CA) was used
for cDNA synthesis from the single cells. Illumina NGS libraries were constructed using the
NEXTERA XT DNA Sample Prep kit (Illumina), according to the manufacturer’s
recommendations (protocol 100-7168 E1). A total of 2,222 single cells were sequenced on
Illumina NextSeq (Illumina, San Diego, CA) by multiplexed single-read run with 75 cycles.
Raw sequence data (BCL files) were converted to FASTQ format via Illumina CASAVA
1.8.2. Reads were decoded based on their barcodes. Read quality was evaluated using
FastQC (www.bioinformatics. babraham.ac.uk/projects/fastqc/).
Example 9: Role of CD226 and TIGIT in combination treatment
Genetic inactivation or pharmacological inhibition of CD226 reversed the tumor
regression ed by anti-GITR / anti-PD1 combination treatment in some ments,
while inhibition of other TNF-receptor or B7 superfamily members had no effect.
CD226 Blocking experiment
0.5 mg of anti-CD226 (10E5, ience, San Diego, CA) or rat IgG2b isotype
control IgG (LTF2, Bio X Cell, West Lebanon, NH) were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) on
day 5 post tumor challenge and one day prior to immunotherapy. Perpendicular tumor
diameters were measured blindly 2-3 times per weeks using l calipers (VWR, Radnor,
PA). Volume was calculated using the formula L × W × 0.5, where L is the longest dimension
and W is the perpendicular dimension. Differences in survival were determined for each
group by the Kaplan-Meier method and the overall P value was calculated by the log-rank
testing using survival is by PRISM version 6 Pad Software Inc., La Jolla, CA).
An event was defined as death when tumor burden reached the protocol-specified size of
2000 mm3 in maximum tumor volume to minimize morbidity.
As shown in Figures 12 and 13, MC38 tumor bearing mice were treated with either
CD226 blocking Ab or isotype Ab (control IgG) 1d prior to immunotherapy with anti-GITR +
anti-PD-1 or isotype Abs. e tumor growth curve (Fig. 12) and survival curves (Fig. 13)
are shown. Data are representative of three experiments, n = 5 mice per group, survival
is by Log-rank test.
Wild type or TIGIT KO mice were challenged with MC38 tumors, treated with anti-
CD226 or control IgG and either received isotype control (Fig. 14) or anti-GITR+anti-PD-1
combination therapy (Fig. 15). Data shown are average tumor growth curves representative
of two experiments (n = 4-5 mice per group).
Using the CD226 blocking mAb, it was shown that co-stimulatory ing h
CD226 is required for the anti-tumor immunity ed by combination treatment.
Furthermore, the CD226 signaling pathway was required for enhanced tumor surveillance in
TIGIT KO mice (Figs. 14 and 15).
RNA signatures in CD8+ T cells from combination treatment samples
To identify unique gene signatures in clonally expanded CD8+ T cells (tumors
harvested at day 11) from combination ent samples, comprehensive comparisons
across different treatment groups were performed. Genes upregulated in clonally expanded
CD8+ T cells from combination therapy were compared to upregulated genes of CD8+ T
cells from isotype treatment or non-expanded CD8+ T cells with ation treatment. Heat
mapping analysis identified thirty genes overlapping within the comparison. An RNA
signature change of ≥ 2-fold (p < 0.01) was observed within the expanded CD8 T cell
population for the 30 genes after the anti-GITR/anti-PD1 combination treatment of tumors.
Those 30 genes include Id2, S100a11, Ndufb3, Serinc3, Ctsd, S100a4, Ppp1ca, Lbr, Peli1,
Lcp2, Ube2h, Cd226, Mapkapk3, Racgap1, Arf3, Mki67, Ergic2, Azi2, 2, Sik1, Pde4d,
Ppp3cc, Nek7, Emc4, Vav1, Dock10, Tmem173, Fam3c, Ppp1cc, and Glud1.
A four-way comparison across all five groups (i.e., (i) isotype treatment, (ii) anti-
GITR expanded CD8, (iii) ITR/anti-PD1 combination expanded CD8, (iv) anti-PD1
expanded CD8, and (v) anti-GITR/anti-PD1 combination non-expanded CD8) was next
performed to identify genes specifically regulated upon combination therapy versus
monotherapy treatment. Two overlapping upregulated genes (p < 0.01, ≥ 2 fold change in
expression) were identified in the four-way analysis. CD226, which is a costimulatory
molecule that plays an important role in anti-tumor response, was identified as one of the
two genes shared across different comparison pairs. sion analysis of ent subsets
of intratumoral CD8+ T cells ((a) total, (b) clonally expanded, or (c) non-expanded) across
ent groups (i.e., (i) e, (ii) anti-GITR, (iii) anti-PD1, and (iv) anti-GITR/anti-PD1
ation) revealed that CD226 mRNA levels were significantly increased by combination
treatment on clonally expanded T cells (fold change = 10.7), while this difference was d
in bulk (fold change = 3.5) and non-expanded CD8+ T cells (not icant). Further, CD226
mRNA levels were significantly increased by combination treatment on clonally ed
CD8 T cells in comparison to anti-PD-1 (fold change = 6.5) and anti-GITR (fold change =
9.2) (Fig. 16).
Association between PD1 and CD226
The potential association between PD1 and CD226 les was next
investigated. To examine if CD226 is a target for desphosphorylation by the PD1-Shp2
complex, we reconstituted different components involved in T cell signaling in a cell-free
large unilamellar vesicle (LUV) system (i.e., CD3, CD226, cytosolic tyrosine kinase Lck,
Zap70, SLP76 52, and PI3K (p85a). The sensitivity of each component in response to PD-1
titration on the LUVs was measured by phosphotyrosine (pY) immunoblotting (Fig. 17). We
confirmed that TCR/CD3ζ was not a target of sphorylation by PDShp2, whereas
CD226 was efficiently dephosphorylated by PD1-Shp2 in a dose dependent manner after 30
minutes of treatment (Fig. 17). This data demonstrated an ation between PD-1 and
CD226.
Next, the relationship between PD-1 inhibition and CD226 expression was
igated in a clinical setting. RNA-seq analysis was performed on tumor biopsies
collected from 43 advanced cancer patients pre- and post-PD-1 targeted treatment. CD226
expression was significantly increased after two doses of anti-hPD-1 treatment in cancer
patients (Fig. 22). Further, clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was
interrogated to examine if CD226 expression level correlates with the overall T cell activation
strength and may be predictive of a better prognosis in cancer patients. Indeed, patients with
high baseline CD226 expression have icantly higher al ilities in five (skin
cutaneous ma, lung adenocarcinoma, head and neck squamous carcinoma, uterine
corpus endometrial carcinoma and sarcoma) out of twenty different types of cancer
evaluated (skin cutaneous melanoma, lung adenocarcinoma, head and neck squamous
carcinoma, uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma, sarcoma, rectum adenocarcinoma, breast
invasive carcinoma, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, cervical squamous cell carcinoma and
endocervical adenocarcinoma, glioblastoma multiforme, colon adenocarcinoma, stomach
adenocarcinoma, bladder urothelial carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, prostate
arcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, brain lower grade glioma, lung squamous cell
oma, kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma, and ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma.
l, these results t an immunotherapy strategy that boosts CD226 signaling while
simultaneously blocking TIGIT (e.g., via anti-GITR treatment) for maximum T cell activation.
Genetic Inactivation of CD226
Using a CD226 blocking mAb, we showed that costimulatory signaling through
CD226 was required for the anti-tumor immunity mediated by combination treatment (Figs.
12, 13). Since CD226 Ab could possibly have a potential depleting effect on subset of CD8 T
cells, CD226 was genetically vated in C57BL/6 background mice to confirm that result.
CD226-/- mice showed no defect on T cell (CD4+, CD8+, Tregs) homeostasis (Fig. 18,
panels A-D) and responded similarly to wild-type mice to TCR activation (Fig. 18, panels EI
). We observed that the combination treatment no longer conferred the anti-tumor effect or
al benefit in /- mice, suggesting that CD226 was essential for the observed
anti-tumor effects of the combination (Fig. 19, panel A). The effect of CD226 is ic,
since the inhibition of other members of the TNF or superfamily (OX40L or 4-1BBL) or
blockade of the B7 costimulatory molecule (CD28) using Ig preserved the anti-tumor
effect mediated by the combination therapy (Fig. 19, panels B-D).
Requirement for CD226 in TIGIT Null Animals
Overall -cell sorting RNA-seq and FACS phenotyping data showed that anti-
PD-1 favored the expression of CD226, while anti-GITR treatment down-regulated surface
expression of TIGIT, synergistically restoring the homeostatic T cell function.
We showed that the CD226 signaling pathway was required for enhanced tumor
surveillance in TIGIT-/- mice (Figs. 14, 15). Additionally, mice bearing MC38 tumor cells
overexpressing CD155/PVR6, which is the major ligand for CD226, showed significant delay
of tumor growth upon anti-PD-1 or anti-GITR or combination therapy in comparison to
MC38-empty vector (MC38-EV) tumor cells or mice treated with isotype control (Fig. 20).
Immune profiling analysis of mice lanted with MC38-CD155 confirmed ned
higher CD155 expression level on MC38-CD155 cells over M38-EV (empty vector) postimplantation.
We found that CD155 over-expression on MC38 tumor cells was associated
with decreased detectable CD226 expression on CD4+, CD8+ T and Tregs cells (Fig. 21A) ,
while it boosted T cell activation as indicated by ed IFNγ (Fig. 21B) and 4-1BB (Fig.
21C) expression on intra-tumoral T cells. No effect was observed in the periphery.
Without being bound by any theory, it is esized that CD226 expression level
should correlate with the overall T cell activation th and may be predictive of a better
prognosis in cancer patients. Indeed, patients with high CD226 expression have significantly
higher survival ilities in three types of cancer (skin ous melanoma, lung
arcinoma and sarcoma). These data support an immunotherapy strategy that boosts
CD226 signaling while simultaneously blocking TIGIT for maximum T cell activation.
The forgoing experiments demonstrate the synergistic effect of administering an
anti-GITR antibody in combination with an anti-PD1 antibody. In particular, among other
things, the experiments above demonstrate that the combined administration of an anti-GITR
antibody and anti-PD1 antibody induces tumor sion, provides long-term tumor
ion, and induces tumor/antigen-specific immunologic memory response.
Example 10: TCR Analysis
For TCR analysis, we developed a new bioinformatic pipeline rpsTCR for
reconstructing and extracting TCR sequences, especially TCR-CDR3 sequences from
random priming short RNA sequencing reads. The rpsTCR took paired- and single-end short
reads and maps these reads to mouse or human genomes and transcriptomes, but not TCR
gene loci and transcripts using TopHat (Bioinformatics 25, 1105–1111 (2009)) with default
parameters. Mapped reads were discarded and unmapped reads are recycled for extraction
of TCR sequences. Low quality nucleotides in the unmapped reads were trimmed. Then
reads with length less than 35bp were filtered out using HTQC toolkit (Bioinformatics 14, 33
. QC passed short reads was assembled into longer reads using iSSAKE
(Bioinformatics 25, 458–464 (2009)) default setting. TCRklass (J l 194, 446–454
(2015)) was used to identify CDR3 sequences with Scr (conserved residue support score)
set from default 1.7 to 2. A targeted q data from a healthy human PBMC samples
was used as a positive control to evaluate whether the extra steps introduced to the pipeline
resulted in higher false positive or false negative rates comparing to TCRklass alone.
The ty of unique CDR3 sequences from TCRB (64,031) or TCRA (51,448)
were detected by both rpsTCR and TCRklass. The squared correlations between rpsTCR
and TCRklass were 0.9999 and 0.9365 for TCRB-CDR3 and DR3, respectively. Six
TCR-negative cancer or ncer cell lines were used as negative controls. No CDR3
sequences were detected by rpsTCR, whereas some CDR sequences were extracted by
TCRklass from some TCR-negative cancer cell lines.
To further validate the performance of the subject pipeline, we sequenced a heathy
mouse PBMC sample using both targeted TCR-seq and random g RNA-seq
approaches (200M, 2x100bp). gh the number of CDR3 sequences assembled from
RNA-seq data was much smaller than that from the targeted TCR-seq approach, about 45%
of the CDR3 sequences identified from RNA-seq data using rpsTCR were also observed
among CDR3 sequences from targeted TCR-seq. Because of the technique limitation of
targeted TCR-seq, it is not surprising that a fraction of the CDR3 sequences we extracted
from RNA-seq data were not present in the TCR-seq results. For example, the ency of
’ race adapter used for ed TCR-seq is lly low and the multiply PCR tends to
amplify high frequency TCRs, thus only a small portion of TCRs can be targeted. As
expected, much higher percentage (~ 70%) of the CDR3 sequences identified from RNA-seq
data using rpsTCR were also observed among high frequency CDR3 sequences (>= 0.1%)
from targeted TCR-seq, while only about 40% extracted using ss alone. er,
we cut the 100bp read length in 50bp segments and randomly selected 200M reads. Among
the top 10 CDR3 ces ranked by targeted TCR-seq ch, 8 CDR3 sequences
were detected by our rpsTCR, while only 3 were detected by TCRklass. We then applied our
rpsTCR pipeline to extracting CDR3 sequences from the single cell RNA-seq data generated
from intratumoral CD8 T cells of MC38 treated with different antibodies. Our CDR3_beta and
CDR3_alpha sequence detection rates were comparable to published data using targeted
TCR-seq approach to detect TCR sequences from single cell cing of T cells
The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments
described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those
described herein will become nt to those skilled in the art from the foregoing
description and the anying figures. Such modifications are intended to fall within the
scope of the appended claims.
The following numbered paragraphs define particular s of the present invention::
1. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds glucocorticoidinduced
tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), n the antibody or antigenbinding
fragment exhibits one or more properties selected from the group consisting
(i) binds monomeric human GITR at 37ºC with a KD of less than about
.0 nM as measured by surface plasmon resonance;
(ii) binds monomeric human GITR at 37 ºC with a t½ of r than
about 12 minutes;
(iii) binds dimeric human GITR at 37ºC with a KD of less than about 950
pM as measured by surface plasmon resonance;
(iv) binds dimeric human GITR at 37ºC with a t½ of greater than about 7
minutes; and
(v) binds human GITR transfected human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-
293) D9 cells with an EC50 of less than about 260 pM.
2. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 1, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding fragment tes human GITR.
3. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds
glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), wherein the antibody or
antigen-binding fragment activates human GITR in the e of Fc anchoring.
4. The antibody or n-binding fragment of paragraph 3, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding fragment activates human GITR at an activation percentage greater than
about 25% at an EC50 of less than about 3 nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay
. The antibody or n-binding nt of paragraph 3 or 4, wherein the
antibody or antigen-binding fragment activates human GITR with an EC50 of less than about
1.0 nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay.
6. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds
orticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor or (GITR), wherein the antibody or
antigen-binding fragment exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the e of Fc anchoring
as determined in naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay.
7. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 6, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding fragment exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the absence of Fc
anchoring with an EC50 of about 8 nM or less as determined in naïve human CD4+ T-cell
proliferation assay.
8. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 1, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding fragment activates human GITR in the presence of Fc anchoring.
9. An isolated dy or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds
orticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), wherein the antibody or
antigen-binding fragment exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the presence of Fc ing
at least about 2 fold above background as determined in naïve human CD4+ T-cell
proliferation assay.
. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 9, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding fragment exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the presence of Fc
anchoring with an EC50 of less than about 34 nM as determined by naïve human CD4+ T-
cell proliferation assay.
11. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 1, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding fragment blocks hGITR ligand (hGITRL)-mediated receptor stimulation.
12. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 11, wherein the
antibody or n-binding fragment blocks hGITRL-mediated receptor stimulation in the
absence of Fc anchoring.
13. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds
glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), wherein the antibody or
antigen-binding fragment blocks hGITRL-mediated receptor stimulation in the absence of Fc
anchoring at a ng percentage r than about 54% at an IC50 of less than about 4.0
nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay.
14. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment f that binds
glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), wherein the antibody or
antigen-binding fragment ses: (a) the complementarity determining s (CDRs) of
a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) having an amino acid sequence as set forth in Table
1; and (b) the CDRs of a light chain le region (LCVR) having an amino acid sequence
as set forth in Table 1.
. The isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 14, wherein the
antibody or antigen-binding nt comprises an HCVR having an amino acid sequence
as set forth in Table 1 and a LCVR having an amino acid sequence as set forth in Table 1.
16. The ed antibody or antigen-binding fragment of paragraph 14, wherein the
antibody or antigen-binding fragment comprises:
(i) a HCDR1 domain having an amino acid sequence selected from the group
consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 100, 164, 196, 244, 292, 340, and 348;
(ii) a HCDR2 domain having an amino acid sequence selected from the group
consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 102, 166, 198, 246, 294, 342, and 350;
(iii) a HCDR3 domain having an amino acid sequence selected from the group
consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 104, 168, 200, 248, 296, 344, 352;
(iv) a LCDR1 domain having an amino acid sequence selected from the group
consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 108, 172, 204, 252, 300, and 404
(v) a LCDR2 domain having an amino acid sequence selected from the group
consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 110, 174, 206, 254, 302, and 406, and
(vi) a LCDR3 domain having an amino acid sequence ed from the group
consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 112, 176, 208, 256, 304, and 408.
17. The isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment of aph 14, n the
antibody or antigen-binding fragment comprises:
(i) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ
ID NO: 100; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 102; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID
NO: 104; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 108; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 110; and an LCDR3 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 112;
(ii) a heavy chain complementarity ining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ
ID NO: 164; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 166; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID
NO: 168; a light chain mentarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 172; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 174; and an LCDR3 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 176;
(iii) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ
ID NO: 196; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 198; an HCDR3 sing SEQ ID
NO: 200; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 204; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 206; and an LCDR3 sing
SEQ ID NO: 208;
(iv) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ
ID NO: 244; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 246; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID
NO: 248; a light chain mentarity ining region (LCDR)-1 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 252; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 254; and an LCDR3 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 256;
(v) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ
ID NO: 292; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 294; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID
NO: 296; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 300; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 302; and an LCDR3 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 304;
(vi) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ
ID NO: 340; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 342; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID
NO: 344; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 404; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 406; and an LCDR3 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 408; or
(vii) a heavy chain complementarity determining region -1 comprising SEQ
ID NO: 348; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 350; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID
NO: 352; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 404; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 406; and an LCDR3 comprising
SEQ ID NO: 408.
18. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding nt thereof, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding nt thereof competes for binding to GITR with a reference antibody
comprising an HCVR/LCVR amino acid sequence pair selected from the group consisting of
SEQ ID NOS: 98/106; 162/170; 194/202; 242/250; 290/298; 338/402; and 346/102.
19. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof, wherein the antibody
or antigen-binding nt thereof binds to the same e on GITR as a reference
antibody comprising an CVR amino acid sequence pair selected from the group
consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 98/106; 162/170; 194/202; 242/250; 290/298; 338/402; and
346/102.
. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody or antigen-binding
fragment of any of paragraphs 1-19 and a pharmaceutically acceptable r or diluent.
21. A method for treating cancer in a subject comprising administering the
composition of paragraph 20.
22. A method of modulating anti-tumor immune response in a subject sing
administering to the subject the antibody that binds GITR of any of paragraphs 1-19 or
antigen-binding fragment thereof.
23. The method of paragraph 20, further comprising administering an antibody or
antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds to a second T-cell activating or.
24. The method of paragraph 21, wherein the T-cell ting receptor is CD28,
OX40, CD137, CD27, or HVEM.
. The method of any of aphs 19-24, further comprising administering an
antibody or n-binding nt thereof that binds to a T-cell inhibitory receptor.
26. The method of paragraph 25, n the T-cell inhibitory receptor is CTLA-4,
PD-1, TIM-3, BTLA, VISTA, or LAG-3.
27. The method of any of paragraphs 20-26, further comprising administering
radiation therapy to said subject.
28. The method of any of paragraphs 20-27, further comprising administering one
or more chemotherapeutic agent.
29. The method of paragraph 26, wherein the T-cell inhibitory receptor is PD1.
. The method of paragraph 29, wherein the antibody that binds to a T-cell
receptor is REGN 2810.
31. The method of any of paragraphs 22-30, wherein the antibody that binds GITR
is an antibody of paragraph 17.
Claims (29)
- What is claimed is: 1. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment f that binds glucocorticoidinduced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) comprising: (i) a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) comprising the three heavy chain complementarity determining regions (CDRs) (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 338; and a light chain variable region (LCVR) comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% ce identity an amino acid ce of SEQ ID NO: 402; (ii) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 98; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs , LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 106; (iii) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 162; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs , LCDR2, and LCDR3) ned within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 170; (iv) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid ce having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 194; and an LCVR sing the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 202; (v) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% ce identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 242; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 250; (vi) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 290; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 298.(vii) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 346; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 402; (viii) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) ned within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 274; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 282; (ix) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 178; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% ce identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 186; (x) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 210; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% ce identity an amino acid ce of SEQ ID NO: 218; or (xi) an HCVR sing the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 114; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 122.
- 2. The isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment f of claim 1, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof ses an HCVR having 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 338 and an LCVR having 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 402.
- 3. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1, wherein the antibody or n-binding fragment f comprises an HCVR having 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 242 and an LCVR having 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 250.
- 4. The isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment f comprises: (i) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 100; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 102; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 104; a light chain mentarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 108; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 110; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 112; (ii) a heavy chain mentarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 164; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 166; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 168; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 172; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 174; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 176; (iii) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 196; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 198; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 200; a light chain complementarity ining region -1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 204; an LCDR2 sing SEQ ID NO: 206; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 208; (iv) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 244; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 246; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 248; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 252; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 254; and an LCDR3 sing SEQ ID NO: 256; (v) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 292; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 294; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 296; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 300; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 302; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 304; (vi) a heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 340; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 342; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 344; a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 404; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 406; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 408; or (vii) a heavy chain complementarity determining region -1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 348; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 350; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 352; a light chain mentarity determining region (LCDR)-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 404; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 406; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 408.
- 5. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising: an HCDR-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 340; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 342; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 344; an LCDR-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 404; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 406; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 408.
- 6. The antibody or antigen-binding nt thereof of claim 1, comprising: an HCDR-1 sing SEQ ID NO: 244; an HCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 246; an HCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 248; an LCDR-1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 252; an LCDR2 comprising SEQ ID NO: 254; and an LCDR3 comprising SEQ ID NO: 256.
- 7. An isolated dy or antigen-binding fragment f, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof competes for binding to GITR with a reference dy comprising an CVR amino acid sequence pair selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 98/106; 162/170; 194/202; 242/250; 290/298; 338/402; and 346/402.
- 8. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds to the same epitope on GITR as a reference antibody comprising an HCVR/LCVR amino acid sequence pair selected from the group ting of SEQ ID NOS: 98/106; 162/170; 194/202; 242/250; 290/298; 338/402; and 346/402.
- 9. The isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment exhibits one or more properties selected from the group consisting of: (i) binds monomeric human GITR at 37ºC with a KD of less than about 5.0 nM as measured by surface plasmon nce; (ii) binds monomeric human GITR at 37 ºC with a t½ of greater than about 12 minutes; (iii) binds dimeric human GITR at 37ºC with a KD of less than about 950 pM as measured by e plasmon resonance; (iv) binds dimeric human GITR at 37ºC with a t½ of greater than about 7 minutes; and (v) binds human GITR transfected human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) D9 cells with an EC50 of less than about 260 pM.
- 10. The isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR.
- 11. The ed antibody or antigen-binding nt f of claim 1, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR in the absence of Fc anchoring.
- 12. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 10, wherein the antibody or n-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR at an activation percentage greater than about 25% at an EC50 of less than about 3 nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay.
- 13. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 10, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR with an EC50 of less than about 1.0 nM as determined by NFκB reporter assay.
- 14. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment f of claim 11, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the absence of Fc anchoring as determined in naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay.
- 15. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 11, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof exhibits T-cell erative ty in the absence of Fc anchoring with an EC50 of about 8 nM or less as determined in naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay.
- 16. The antibody or antigen-binding nt f of claim 1, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof activates human GITR in the presence of Fc anchoring.
- 17. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 16, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof exhibits T-cell proliferative activity in the presence of Fc anchoring at least about 2 fold above ound as determined in naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay.
- 18. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 16, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof ts T-cell proliferative activity in the presence of Fc anchoring with an EC50 of less than about 34 nM as determined by naïve human CD4+ T-cell proliferation assay.
- 19. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that blocks human glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor or ligand L)-mediated receptor stimulation comprising: (i) a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) comprising the three heavy chain complementarity determining regions (CDRs) (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 338; and a light chain variable region (LCVR) sing the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) ned within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 402; (ii) an HCVR sing the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) ned within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 98; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 106; (iii) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 274; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid ce of SEQ ID NO: 282; (iv) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 178; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 186; (v) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) contained within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 210; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 218; or (vi) an HCVR comprising the three heavy chain CDRs (HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3) ned within an HCVR amino acid sequence having 90% ce identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 114; and an LCVR comprising the three light chain CDRs (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3) contained within an LCVR amino acid sequence having 90% sequence identity an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 122.
- 20. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment of claim 19, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof blocks hGITRL-mediated receptor stimulation in the absence of Fc ing.
- 21. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of any one of claims 1-20 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.
- 22. Use of the ceutical composition of claim 21 in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of cancer in a subject, wherein the treatment comprises administering the composition to the t.
- 23. Use of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of any one of claims 1 to 20 in the preparation of a medicament for the modulation of an anti-tumor immune response in a subject, wherein the tion comprises administering to the subject the dy or antigen-binding fragment that binds GITR.
- 24. Use of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of any one of claims 1 to 20 for the ation of a ment for the modulation of an umor immune response in a t, wherein the modulation reduces the suppressive activity of T effector cells by T regulatory cells, enhances intra-tumoral T effector/T regulatory cell ratio conducive for eutic benefit, and/or promotes T cell survival in the subject.
- 25. The use of any one of claims 22 – 24, wherein the medicament is therapeutically combined with an antibody or n-binding fragment thereof that binds to a second T-cell activating receptor; and/or wherein the T-cell activating receptor is CD28, OX40, CD137, CD27, or HVEM.
- 26. The use of any one of claims 22 – 24, wherein the medicament is therapeutically combined with an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds to a T-cell inhibitory receptor; and/or wherein the T-cell inhibitory receptor is CTLA-4, PD-1, TIM- 3, BTLA, VISTA, or LAG-3.
- 27. The use of any one of claims 22 – 26, wherein the medicament is therapeutically combined with radiation therapy to said t; and/or wherein the medicament is therapeutically combined with one or more chemotherapeutic agent.
- 28. The use of claim 26, wherein the T-cell tory receptor is PD1; and/or wherein the antibody that binds to a T-cell receptor is REGN 2810.
- 29. The use of any one of claims 23 – 28, wherein the antibody that binds GITR is an antibody of claim 2. om mmcmzmso om .55 or Eta $59“. 0 m>mm 00mm ooom com 000? 00m (swim) azgs Jowni 100 nge tumor 2 50 after FIGURE 000000 OCDCOVN IBAQMHS % [_ mm Warn—firm cm 3:: o 39. 3m 8m 3v SN a w>_mz om anus. 9 mum—8:20 $8 8m 0% new 8N o SEE m 35:20 on his Worn—firm om MEDGE BEE O 305. _|
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US62/348,353 | 2016-06-10 | ||
US62/432,023 | 2016-12-09 | ||
US62/500,312 | 2017-05-02 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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NZ788539A true NZ788539A (en) | 2022-05-27 |
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