Chemoenzymatic Conjugation of Toxic Payloads to the Globally Conserved N-Glycan of Native mAbs Provides Homogeneous and Highly Efficacious Antibody-Drug Conjugates

Bioconjug Chem. 2015 Nov 18;26(11):2233-42. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.5b00224. Epub 2015 Jun 10.

Abstract

A robust, generally applicable, nongenetic technology is presented to convert monoclonal antibodies into stable and homogeneous ADCs. Starting from a native (nonengineered) mAb, a chemoenzymatic protocol allows for the highly controlled attachment of any given payload to the N-glycan residing at asparagine-297, based on a two-stage process: first, enzymatic remodeling (trimming and tagging with azide), followed by ligation of the payload based on copper-free click chemistry. The technology, termed GlycoConnect, is applicable to any IgG isotype irrespective of glycosylation profile. Application to trastuzumab and maytansine, both components of the marketed ADC Kadcyla, demonstrate a favorable in vitro and in vivo efficacy for GlycoConnect ADC. Moreover, the superiority of the native glycan as attachment site was demonstrated by in vivo comparison to a range of trastuzumab-based glycosylation mutants. A side-by-side comparison of the copper-free click probes bicyclononyne (BCN) and a dibenzoannulated cyclooctyne (DBCO) showed a surprising difference in conjugation efficiency in favor of BCN, which could be even further enhanced by introduction of electron-withdrawing fluoride substitutions onto the azide. The resulting mAb-conjugates were in all cases found to be highly stable, which in combination with the demonstrated efficacy warrants ADCs with a superior therapeutic index.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / chemistry*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / chemistry
  • Azides / chemistry
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Click Chemistry
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates / chemistry*
  • Maytansine / analogs & derivatives
  • Maytansine / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry*
  • Protein Stability
  • Trastuzumab / chemistry

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Azides
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Polysaccharides
  • Maytansine
  • Trastuzumab
  • Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine