On-target restoration of a split T cell-engaging antibody for precision immunotherapy

Nat Commun. 2019 Nov 26;10(1):5387. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13196-0.

Abstract

T cell-engaging immunotherapies are changing the landscape of current cancer care. However, suitable target antigens are scarce, restricting these strategies to very few tumor types. Here, we report on a T cell-engaging antibody derivative that comes in two complementary halves and addresses antigen combinations instead of single molecules. Each half, now coined hemibody, contains an antigen-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv) fused to either the variable light (VL) or variable heavy (VH) chain domain of an anti-CD3 antibody. When the two hemibodies simultaneously bind their respective antigens on a single cell, they align and reconstitute the original CD3-binding site to engage T cells. Employing preclinical models for aggressive leukemia and breast cancer, we show that by the combinatorial nature of this approach, T lymphocytes exclusively eliminate dual antigen-positive cells while sparing single positive bystanders. This allows for precision targeting of cancers not amenable to current immunotherapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / genetics
  • Antibodies / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / immunology
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / pharmacology*
  • Binding Sites
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Bystander Effect
  • CD3 Complex / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Female
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / genetics
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Precision Medicine / methods
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Single-Domain Antibodies / genetics
  • Single-Domain Antibodies / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • CD3 Complex
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Single-Domain Antibodies