scholarly journals Recent Advances in Half-life Extension Strategies for Therapeutic Peptides and Proteins

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (41) ◽  
pp. 4932-4946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanbo Tan ◽  
Wencheng Su ◽  
Wenyu Zhang ◽  
Pengju Wang ◽  
Michael Sattler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Recombinant Therapeutic Protein ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
Approved Drugs

Peptides and proteins are two classes of molecules with attractive possibilities for therapeutic applications. However, the bottleneck for the therapeutic application of many peptides and proteins is their short halflives in vivo, typically just a few minutes to hours. Half-life extension strategies have been extensively studied and many of them have been proven to be effective in the generation of long-acting therapeutics with improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in half-life extension strategies, illustrate their potential applications and give some examples, highlighting the strategies that have been used in approved drugs and for drugs in clinical trials. Meanwhile, several novel strategies that are still in the process of discovery or at a preclinical stage are also introduced. In these strategies, the two most frequently used half-life extension methods are the reduction in the rate of renal clearance or the exploitation of the recycling mechanism of FcRn by binding to the albumin or IgG-Fc. Here, we discuss half-life extension strategies of recombinant therapeutic protein via genetic fusion, rather than chemical conjugation such as PEGylation. With the rapid development of genetic engineering and protein engineering, novel strategies for half-life extension have been emerged consistently. Some of these will be evaluated in clinical trials and may become viable alternatives to current strategies for making next-generation biodrugs.

scholarly journals Understanding the Half-Life Extension of Intravitreally Administered Antibodies Binding to Ocular Albumin

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Simon Hauri ◽  
Paulina Jakubiak ◽  
Matthias Fueth ◽  
Stefan Dengl ◽  
Sara Belli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serum Albumin ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
Species Specific

The burden associated with frequent injections of current intravitreal (IVT) therapeutics may be reduced by long-acting delivery strategies. Binding to serum albumin has been shown to extend the ocular half-life in rabbits, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms and translational relevance remain unclear. The aim of this work was to characterize the in vitro and in vivo formation of complexes between human serum albumin (HSA) and an antigen-binding fragment of a rabbit antibody linked to an anti-HSA nanobody (FabA). The ocular and systemic pharmacokinetics of 3H-labeled FabA (0.05 mg/eye IVT) co-formulated with HSA (1 and 15 nmol/eye) were assessed in Dutch belted rabbits. Next, FabA was incubated in vitreous samples from cynomolgus monkeys and human donors (healthy and diseased) supplemented with species-specific serum albumin. Finally, the FabA-albumin complexes formed in vitro and in vivo were analyzed by radio-size exclusion chromatography. A 3-fold increase in FabA vitreal exposure and half-life was observed in rabbits co-administered with 15 nmol HSA compared to 1 nmol and a control arm. The different pharmacokinetic behavior was explained with the formation of higher molecular weight FabA–albumin complexes. The analysis of vitreous samples revealed the existence of predominantly 1:1 complexes at endogenous or low concentrations of supplemented albumin. A shift towards 1:2 complexes was observed with increasing albumin concentrations. Overall, these results suggest that endogenous vitreal albumin concentrations are insufficient for half-life extension and warrant supplementation in the dosing formulation.

scholarly journals Mining of high throughput screening database reveals AP-1 and autophagy pathways as potential targets for COVID-19 therapeutics

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hu Zhu ◽  
Catherine Z. Chen ◽  
Srilatha Sakamuru ◽  
Jinghua Zhao ◽  
Deborah K. Ngan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Cytopathic Effect ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Activity Profile ◽  
Pathway Activity ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Approved Drugs

AbstractThe recent global pandemic of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 presents an urgent need for the development of new therapeutic candidates. Many efforts have been devoted to screening existing drug libraries with the hope to repurpose approved drugs as potential treatments for COVID-19. However, the antiviral mechanisms of action of the drugs found active in these phenotypic screens remain largely unknown. In an effort to deconvolute the viral targets in pursuit of more effective anti-COVID-19 drug development, we mined our in-house database of approved drug screens against 994 assays and compared their activity profiles with the drug activity profile in a cytopathic effect (CPE) assay of SARS-CoV-2. We found that the autophagy and AP-1 signaling pathway activity profiles are significantly correlated with the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity profile. In addition, a class of neurology/psychiatry drugs was found to be significantly enriched with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Taken together, these results provide new insights into SARS-CoV-2 infection and potential targets for COVID-19 therapeutics, which can be further validated by in vivo animal studies and human clinical trials.

scholarly journals Pharmacodynamics of a Long-Acting Echinocandin, CD101, in a Neutropenic Invasive-Candidiasis Murine Model Using an Extended-Interval Dosing Design

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander J. Lepak ◽  
Miao Zhao ◽  
Brian VanScoy ◽  
Paul G. Ambrose ◽  
David R. Andes
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Candidiasis ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Intraperitoneal Administration ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Elimination Half ◽  
Dosing Regimens ◽  
Dosing Strategies ◽  
Long Acting

ABSTRACT Echinocandins are important in the prevention and treatment of invasive candidiasis but limited by current dosing regimens that include daily intravenous administration. The novel echinocandin CD101 has a prolonged half-life of approximately 130 h in humans, making it possible to design once-weekly dosing strategies. The present study examined the pharmacodynamic activity of CD101 using the neutropenic invasive candidiasis mouse model against select Candida albicans (n = 4), C. glabrata (n = 3), and C. parapsilosis (n = 3) strains. The CD101 MIC ranged from 0.03 to 1 mg/liter. Plasma pharmacokinetic measurements were performed using uninfected mice after intraperitoneal administration of 1, 4, 16, and 64 mg/kg. The elimination half-life was prolonged at 28 to 41 h. Neutropenic mice were infected with each strain by lateral tail vein injection, treated with a single dose of CD101, and monitored for 7 days, at which time the organism burden was enumerated from the kidneys. Dose-dependent activity was observed for each organism. The pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) index of the area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h in the steady state divided by the MIC (AUC/MIC index) correlated well with efficacy (R 2, 0.74 to 0.93). The median stasis 24-h free-drug AUC/MIC targets were as follows: for C. albicans, 2.92; for C. glabrata, 0.07; and for C. parapsilosis, 2.61. The PK/PD targets for 1-log10 kill endpoint were 2- to 4-fold higher. Interestingly, the aforementioned PK/PD targets of CD101 were numerically lower for all three species than those of other echinocandins. In summary, CD101 is a promising, novel echinocandin with advantageous pharmacokinetic properties and potent in vivo pharmacodynamic activity.

scholarly journals Proteasome inhibition as a therapeutic approach in atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Morin ◽  
Caroline Soane ◽  
Angela Pierce ◽  
Bridget Sanford ◽  
Kenneth L Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Proteasome Inhibitor ◽  
High Grade Glioma ◽  
Proteasome Inhibition ◽  
Atypical Teratoid ◽  
Rhabdoid Tumors ◽  
Approved Drugs

Abstract Background Atypical teratoid/thabdoid tumor (AT/RT) remains a difficult-to-treat tumor with a 5-year overall survival rate of 15%–45%. Proteasome inhibition has recently been opened as an avenue for cancer treatment with the FDA approval of bortezomib (BTZ) in 2003 and carfilzomib (CFZ) in 2012. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize a pre-approved targeted therapy with potential for clinical trials in AT/RT. Methods We performed a drug screen using a panel of 134 FDA-approved drugs in 3 AT/RT cell lines. Follow-on in vitro studies used 6 cell lines and patient-derived short-term cultures to characterize selected drug interactions with AT/RT. In vivo efficacy was evaluated using patient derived xenografts in an intracranial murine model. Results BTZ and CFZ are highly effective in vitro, producing some of the strongest growth-inhibition responses of the evaluated 134-drug panel. Marizomib (MRZ), a proteasome inhibitor known to pass the blood–brain barrier (BBB), also strongly inhibits AT/RT proteasomes and generates rapid cell death at clinically achievable doses in established cell lines and freshly patient-derived tumor lines. MRZ also significantly extends survival in an intracranial mouse model of AT/RT. Conclusions MRZ is a newer proteasome inhibitor that has been shown to cross the BBB and is already in phase II clinical trials for adult high-grade glioma (NCT NCT02330562 and NCT02903069). MRZ strongly inhibits AT/RT cell growth both in vitro and in vivo via a moderately well-characterized mechanism and has direct translational potential for patients with AT/RT.

scholarly journals Engineering of Long-Circulating Peptidoglycan Hydrolases Enables Efficient Treatment of Systemic Staphylococcus aureus Infection

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna M. Sobieraj ◽  
Markus Huemer ◽  
Léa V. Zinsli ◽  
Susanne Meile ◽  
Anja P. Keller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Peptidoglycan Hydrolases ◽  
Life Threatening

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen causing life-threatening diseases. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant S. aureus infections is a global health concern, requiring development of novel therapeutic options. Peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes (peptidoglycan hydrolases, PGHs) have emerged as a highly effective class of antimicrobial proteins against S. aureus and other pathogens. When applied to Gram-positive bacteria, PGHs hydrolyze bonds within the peptidoglycan layer, leading to rapid bacterial death by lysis. This activity is highly specific and independent of the metabolic activity of the cell or its antibiotic resistance patterns. However, systemic application of PGHs is limited by their often low activity in vivo and by an insufficient serum circulation half-life. To address this problem, we aimed to extend the half-life of PGHs selected for high activity against S. aureus in human serum. Half-life extension and increased serum circulation were achieved through fusion of PGHs to an albumin-binding domain (ABD), resulting in high-affinity recruitment of human serum albumin and formation of large protein complexes. Importantly, the ABD-fused PGHs maintained high killing activity against multiple drug-resistant S. aureus strains, as determined by ex vivo testing in human blood. The top candidate, termed ABD_M23, was tested in vivo to treat S. aureus-induced murine bacteremia. Our findings demonstrate a significantly higher efficacy of ABD_M23 than of the parental M23 enzyme. We conclude that fusion with ABD represents a powerful approach for half-life extension of PGHs, expanding the therapeutic potential of these enzybiotics for treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. IMPORTANCE Life-threatening infections with Staphylococcus aureus are often difficult to treat due to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their ability to persist in protected niches in the body. Bacteriolytic enzymes are promising new antimicrobials because they rapidly kill bacteria, including drug-resistant and persisting cells, by destroying their cell wall. However, when injected into the bloodstream, these enzymes are not retained long enough to clear an infection. Here, we describe a modification to increase blood circulation time of the enzymes and enhance treatment efficacy against S. aureus-induced bloodstream infections. This was achieved by preselecting enzyme candidates for high activity in human blood and coupling them to serum albumin, thereby preventing their elimination by kidney filtration and blood vessel cells.

Mod-5014, a Long-Acting FVIIa-CTP, Proposing a Novel Prophylactic Treatment Supporting Less Frequent Subcutaneous or Intravenous Injections with a Similar Mechanism of Action to rFVIIa: Proof-of-Concept in Hemophilic Animal Models

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 4670-4670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lior Binder ◽  
Ahuva Bar-Ilan ◽  
Malka Hoffman ◽  
Gili Hart
Keyword(s):  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Prophylactic Treatment ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Clinical Stage ◽  
Routes Of Administration ◽  
Hemostatic Effect ◽  
Long Acting

Abstract Introduction: OPKO Biologics is a clinical-stage public company developing bio-better long-acting versions of existing therapeutic proteins, utilizing a technology termed CTP. The technology involves fusion of the C-terminal peptide of hCG to a target protein. The aim of this work was to comprehensively assess the feasibility of intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) administration of FVIIa-CTP (MOD-5014) utilizing the most relevant in vivo pre-clinical models, and to characterize the FVIIa-CTP mechanism of action in preparation for an on-going clinical study. Methods: FVII-CTP was expressed in CHO cells, purified and activated utilizing a CTP-specific purification process. FVIIa-CTP's pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), long-term hemostatic effect and safety parameters were extensively characterized following SC and IV administration in transient FVII-/- rats and FVIII-/- mice. In addition, the long-term hemostatic effect of FVIIa-CTP was evaluated following a bleeding challenge and compared to commercial rFVIIa. Finally, interaction with co-factors, activity, and the off-target effect of FVIIa-CTP was comprehensively characterized. Results: The studies demonstrated that FVIIa-CTP provides long-term exposure (AUC) and half-life that are significantly superior to those of rFVIIa, and consistent with the prolonged half-life of FVIIa-CTP (at an average of 3- and 5-fold, respectively) when compared to IV or SC administration of FVIIa. In addition, a 30% increase in bioavailability was observed relative to commercial FVIIa. A profound improvement in clotting parameters and survival rate following TVT, as well as a reduction of bleeding duration and intensity in tail-clip studies were obtained for both routes of administration for up to 48 hours. Moreover, the safety profile of FVIIa-CTP was further confirmed. Conclusion: Attachments of CTP to FVIIa led to a pronounced enhancement of PK and PD, increased exposure as reflected by AUC, elevated half-life, and improved recovery in mice, rats and pigs following SC and IV administration. FVIIa-CTP injection resulted in an improved bioavailability that translated to a marked in vivo hemostatic effect. Our data suggest that CTP-fused FVIIa can potentially provide a novel approach for IV or SC prophylactic treatment of hemophilic patients (both pediatric and adult), with the major benefit of significant improvement in quality of life. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Hazard to Newborn Infants of Administration of Long-acting Sulfonamides to Pregnant Women

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1959 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 498-499
Author(s):  
JEROLD F. LUCEY ◽  
TIMOTHY J. DRISCOLL
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Blood Level ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Newborn Infants ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Oral Ingestion ◽  
Human Adult ◽  
Low Toxicity ◽  
Long Acting

Recently there have appeared on the market several new long-acting sulfonamides. One of these is sulfadimethoxine (Madribon®). It is reported to have low toxicity and a sustained chemotherapeutic action in vivo. After oral ingestion, blood levels in the human adult have been shown to be maximal in 4 to 12 hours, and to decline gradually thereafter with a half-life of 36 hours. This sustained blood level occurs because the excretion of sulfadimethoxine is determined primarily by its rate of conversion to a glucuronide in the liver.

scholarly journals Improved in vivo anti-tumor effects of IgA-Her2 antibodies through half-life extension and serum exposure enhancement by FcRn targeting

mAbs ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Meyer ◽  
Maaike Nederend ◽  
J.H. Marco Jansen ◽  
Karli R. Reiding ◽  
Shamir R. Jacobino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Half Life ◽  
Life Extension

scholarly journals Fc-GDF15 glyco-engineering and receptor binding affinity optimization for body weight regulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ella Fung ◽  
Liya Kang ◽  
Diana Sapashnik ◽  
Susan Benard ◽  
Annette Sievers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Binding Affinity ◽  
Receptor Binding ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Single Point Mutation ◽  
Receptor Binding Site

AbstractGDF15 is a distant TGF-β family member that induces anorexia and weight loss. Due to its function, GDF15 has attracted attention as a potential therapeutic for the treatment of obesity and its associated metabolic diseases. However, the pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties of GDF15 present several challenges for its development as a therapeutic, including a short half-life, high aggregation propensity, and protease susceptibility in serum. Here, we report the design, characterization and optimization of GDF15 in an Fc-fusion protein format with improved therapeutic properties. Using a structure-based engineering approach, we combined knob-into-hole Fc technology and N-linked glycosylation site mutagenesis for half-life extension, improved solubility and protease resistance. In addition, we identified a set of mutations at the receptor binding site of GDF15 that show increased GFRAL binding affinity and led to significant half-life extension. We also identified a single point mutation that increases p-ERK signaling activity and results in improved weight loss efficacy in vivo. Taken together, our findings allowed us to develop GDF15 in a new therapeutic format that demonstrates better efficacy and potential for improved manufacturability.

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