Next generation of anti-PD-L1 Atezolizumab with enhanced anti-tumor efficacy in vivo

Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 11;11(1):5774. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85329-9.

Abstract

FDA-approved anti-PD-L1 antibody drug Atezolizumab is a human IgG1 without glycosylation by an N297A mutation. Aglycosylation of IgG1 has been used to completely remove the unwanted Fc-mediated functions such as antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, aglycosylated Atezolizumab is very unstable and easy to form aggregation, which causes quick development of anti-drug antibody (ADA) in 41% of Atezolizumab-treated cancer patients, eventually leading to loss of efficacy. Here, we report the development of the anti-PD-L1 antibody drug Maxatezo, a glycosylated version of Atezolizumab, with no ADCC activity, better thermo-stability, and significantly improved anti-tumor activity in vivo. Using Atezolizumab as the starting template, we back-mutated A297N to re-install the glycosylation, and inserted a short, flexible amino acid sequence (GGGS) between G237 and G238 in the hinge region of the IgG1 heavy chain. Our data shows that insertion of GGGS, does not alter the anti-PD-L1's affinity and inhibitory activity, while completely abolishing ADCC activity. Maxatezo has a similar glycosylation profile and expression level (up to 5.4 g/L) as any normal human IgG1. Most importantly, Maxatezo's thermal stability is much better than Atezolizumab, as evidenced by dramatic increases of Tm1 from 63.55 °C to 71.01 °C and Tagg from 60.7 °C to 71.2 °C. Furthermore, the levels of ADA in mice treated with Maxatezo were significantly lower compared with animals treated with Atezolizumab. Most importantly, at the same dose (10 mg/kg), the tumor growth inhibition rate of Maxatezo was 98%, compared to 68% for Atezolizumab.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / drug effects
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use*
  • Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / drug effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • B7-H1 Antigen / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Receptors, Fc / metabolism
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • Receptors, Fc
  • atezolizumab