Hexavalent bispecific antibodies represent a new class of anticancer therapeutics: 1. Properties of anti-CD20/CD22 antibodies in lymphoma

Blood. 2009 Jun 11;113(24):6161-71. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-10-187138. Epub 2009 Apr 16.

Abstract

The dock and lock (DNL) method is a new technology for generating multivalent antibodies. Here, we report in vitro and in vivo characterizations of 20-22 and 22-20, a pair of humanized hexavalent anti-CD20/22 bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) derived from veltuzumab (v-mab) and epratuzumab (e-mab). The 22-20 was made by site-specific conjugation of e-mab to 4 Fabs of v-mab; 20-22 is of the opposite configuration, composing v-mab and 4 Fabs of e-mab. Each bsAb translocates both CD22 and CD20 into lipid rafts, induces apoptosis and growth inhibition without second-antibody crosslinking, and is significantly more potent in killing lymphoma cells in vitro than their parental antibodies. Although both bsAbs triggered antibody-dependent cellular toxicity, neither displayed complement-dependent cytotoxicity. Intriguingly, 22-20 and 20-22 killed human lymphoma cells in preference to normal B cells ex vivo, whereas the parental v-mab depleted malignant and normal B cells equally. In vivo studies in Daudi tumors revealed 20-22, despite having a shorter serum half-life, had antitumor efficacy comparable with equimolar v-mab; 22-20 was less potent than 20-22 but more effective than e-mab and control bsAbs. These results indicate multiple advantages of hexavalent anti-CD20/22 bsAbs over the individual parental antibodies and suggest that these may represent a new class of cancer therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bispecific / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity
  • Antigens, CD20 / immunology*
  • Apoptosis
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / pathology
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2 / immunology*
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bispecific
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, CD20
  • Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2
  • Caspases
  • Calcium