Discovery and optimization of a novel anti-GUCY2c x CD3 bispecific antibody for the treatment of solid tumors.

We report here the discovery and optimization of a novel T cell retargeting anti-GUCY2C x anti-CD3ε bispecific antibody for the treatment of solid tumors. Using a combination of hybridoma, phage display and rational design protein engineering, we have developed a fully humanized and manufacturable CD3 bispecific antibody that demonstrates favorable pharmacokinetic properties and potent in vivo efficacy. Anti-GUCY2C and anti-CD3ε antibodies derived from mouse hybridomas were first humanized into well-behaved human variable region frameworks with full retention of binding and T-cell mediated cytotoxic activity. To address potential manufacturability concerns, multiple approaches were taken in parallel to optimize and de-risk the two antibody variable regions. These approaches included structure-guided rational mutagenesis and phage display-based optimization, focusing on improving stability, reducing polyreactivity and self-association potential, removing chemical liabilities and proteolytic cleavage sites, and de-risking immunogenicity. Employing rapid library construction methods as well as automated phage display and high-throughput protein production workflows enabled efficient generation of an optimized bispecific antibody with desirable manufacturability properties, high stability, and low nonspecific binding. Proteolytic cleavage and deamidation in complementarity-determining regions were also successfully addressed. Collectively, these improvements translated to a molecule with potent single-agent in vivo efficacy in a tumor cell line adoptive transfer model and a cynomolgus monkey pharmacokinetic profile (half-life>4.5 days) suitable for clinical development. Clinical evaluation of PF-07062119 is ongoing.

Analytical characterization of a monoclonal antibody therapeutic reveals a three-light chain species that is efficiently removed using hydrophobic interaction chromatography.

Size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography analysis of a human monoclonal antibody (mAb) showed the presence of a new species that eluted with a retention time between the dimeric and monomeric species of the antibody. Extensive characterization of this species, referred to as "shoulder," indicated that it was a mAb containing an extra light chain and had a molecular weight of approximately 175 kDa. The extra light chain was found to be non-covalently associated with the Fab portion of the protein. The relative amount of shoulder (typically 1-3% of the total mAb present) varied with the Chinese hamster ovary cell line producing the mAb and was not influenced by the growth conditions. Our three-step mAb purification platform using protein A, anion exchange, and cation exchange process steps was successful at removing dimer and higher and lower molecular weight species, but not the shoulder impurity. It was found that hydrophobic interaction chromatography could be used in place of cation exchange to exploit the subtle differences in hydrophobicity between monomer and shoulder. We developed an antibody polishing process using Butyl Sepharose HP resin that is capable of removing the majority of high and low molecular weight impurities yielding 99% pure mAb monomer, virtually devoid of the shoulder species, with a step recovery of about 80%.