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Definitions

• KIR proteins include either two (KIR2D) or three (KIR3D) immunoglobulin-like extracellular domains.
• KIR3DL3 is a member of the KIR family and a receptor demonstrated to be found on both T cells and NK cells.
• HHLA2 a B7 gene family member, is broadly expressed in a variety of tumors and antigen presenting cells. HHLA2 binding to KIR3DL3 has been shown to inhibit the immune response of activated T cells.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein can have one or more of the following properties: (1) specifically bind KIR3DL3 (e.g., human KIR3DL3) with high affinity, (2) specifically bind KIR3DL3 expressed on NK cells and/or T cells, (3) block binding of KIR3DL3 to HHLA2, (4) block HHLA2-mediated suppressive activity in T cells, (5) enhance NK cell killing of HHLA2-expressing tumor cells, and (6) enhance anti-tumor activity.
• the present disclosure provides anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein that are useful for methods of treating diseases, disorders, and conditions, such as cancers described herein, and for methods of modulating an immune response.
• the present disclosure encompasses, inter alia, the recognition that immune cell activating agents described herein can (i) increase KIR3DL3 expression in order to enhance functional KIR3DL3 inhibition and/or (ii) increases (e.g., epigenetically) the strength of a KIR3DL3 promoter. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides several examples of such immune cell activating agents that are particularly useful in combination with KIR3DL3 inhibitors for treating a variety of cancers, including solid tumors, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
• RRCC renal cell carcinoma
• the disclosure provides methods of treating a subject having a disease, disorder or condition comprising administering a population of modified immune effector cells, wherein, prior to administering, a population of immune effector cells were contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor, thereby forming a population of modified immune effector cells.
• the disclosure provides methods of treating a subject having a disease, disorder, or condition comprising: (i) administering a population of modified immune effector cells to the subject, wherein a population of immune effector cells were contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent prior to administering, thereby forming a population of modified immune effector cells, and (ii) administering at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor to the subject.
• At least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor is or comprises an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, a miRNA, a shRNA, a siRNA, a CRISPR/Cas guide system, a TALEN, a ZFN, and/or a demethylating agent.
• an antigen-binding fragment comprises an scFv, Fab, Fab', F(ab')2, Fc, or nanobody.
• a demethylating agent comprises or is 5-aza-2- deoxy cytidine (Aza), 5-azacytidine, l-(3-D-arabinofuranosil-5-azacytosine, or dihydro-5- azacytidine.
• an immune cell activating agent results in T cell proliferation and/or increased endogenous expression of at least one cytokine.
• an immune cell activating agent comprises or is a cytokine agent.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL-2, IL-15, IL-12, IL-17, IL-18, IL-21, IFNy, and/or TNFa.
• IL-2 binds to IL-2Ra, IL- 2R(3, or lL-2Ry.
• IL-2 expands only T cells and does not substantially expand Tregs.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises an inhibitor of a suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) protein.
• SOCS suppressor of cytokine signaling
• an immune cell activating agent compnses or is a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof, small molecule, polypeptide, glycoprotein, or exogenous cell.
• a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof binds to 4-1 BB, CD3, CD40, CD28, 0X40, GITR, CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, TIM-3, TGF-0, LAG-3, CD39, or CD73.
• a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is OKT3.
• a costimulatory small molecule binds to 4-1BB, CD3, CD40, CD28, 0X40, GITR, CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, TIM-3, TGF-(3, LAG-3, CD39, or CD73.
• a costimulatory polypeptide comprises or is a soluble HHLA2 polypeptide (e.g., a HHLA2 fusion polypeptide, e.g., aHHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide) or a fragment thereof.
• a costimulatory glycoprotein comprises or is a fibronectin protein or fragment thereof.
• a costimulatory exogenous cell comprises or is an artificial antigen presenting cell.
• immune effector cells are isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or tumor cells.
• a modified immune effector cells comprise or are NK cells and/or T cells.
• T cells comprise or are CD4+ T cells and/or CD8+ T cells.
• modified immune effector cells comprise at least one CAR.
• modified immune effector cells are administered to a subject within less than about 3 hours of contacting with at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor.
• modified immune effector cells are administered to a subject within less than about 1 minute, about 2 minutes, about 3 minutes, about 4 minutes, about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 30 minutes, or about 45 minutes, about 1 hour, about 1.5 hours, about 2 hours, about 2.5 hours, or about 3 hours of contacting with at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor.
• a population of modified immune effector cells and/or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor is administered parenterally.
• parenteral administration is or comprises subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intrastemal injection or infusion.
• the methods comprise sequential administration of a population of modified immune effector cells and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor.
• a population of modified immune effector cells are administered prior to administration of at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor; or (ii) a population of modified immune effector cells are administered after administration of at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor.
• co-adrmnistration of a population of modified immune effector cells and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor comprise co-administration by injection.
• a subject has a cancer.
• a subject has a solid tumor.
• a solid tumor is or comprises one or more of a renal cancer, a bone cancer, a skin cancer, a breast cancer, a cervical cancer, a colorectal cancer, an endometrial cancer, a lung cancer, an ovarian cancer, a liver cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, or a thyroid cancer.
• a subject has a hematological cancer.
• hematological cancer comprises or is a leukemia or lymphoma.
• leukemia comprises or is acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic leukemia, or acute leukemia.
• lymphoma comprises or is Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphocytic lymphoma, or diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
• HL Hodgkin lymphoma
• non-Hodgkin's lymphoma lymphocytic lymphoma
• DLBCL diffuse large B cell lymphoma
• a subject has a cancer that is resistant to a treatment comprising a cytokine agent.
• methods described herein further comprise determining expression of TMIGD2 and/or KIR3DL3 by modified immune effector cells. In some embodiments, methods described herein further comprise determining activation of immune effector cells. In some embodiments, methods described herein further comprise determining expression of CD25, CD69, CD 137, CD 16, CD56, CD96, CD226, KIR2DL5, and/or NKG2D.
• methods described herein further comprise formulating a population of modified immune cells into a composition for administration to a subject.
• the disclosure provides methods of making a population of modified immune effector cells comprising: (i) contacting a population of immune effector cells with at least one immune cell activating agent, and (ii) contacting a population of immune effector cells with at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor, thereby creating a population of modified immune effector cells.
• compositions comprising a population of modified immune effector cells, at least one immune cell activating agent, and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor.
• compositions comprising a population of modified immune effector cells and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor, wherein the immune effector cells were contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent.
• kits comprising at least one immune cell activating agent, at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor, and instructions for use and/or administration.
• kits comprising a population of modified immune effector cells and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor, and instructions for use and/or administration, wherein the immune effector cells were contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof which are or comprise: (a) a heavy chain variable region (VH) comprising one, two, or three VH CDR sequences each with at least about 90% identity to a VH CDR of Table 1; and/or (b) a light chain variable region (VL) comprising one, two, or three VL CDR sequences each with at least about 90% identity to a VL CDR of Table 1.
• VH heavy chain variable region
• VL light chain variable region
• Such anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof can be used in any aspect or embodiment described herein.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a VH comprising one, two, or three VH CDR sequences each with at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or higher identity to a VH CDR of Table 1 ; and/or (b) a VL comprising one, two, or three VL CDR sequences each with at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or higher identity to a VL CDR of Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a VH comprising one, two, or three VH CDR sequences each comprising or consisting of a VH CDR of Table 1; and/or (b) a VL comprising one, two, or three VL CDR sequences each comprising or consisting of a VL CDR of Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a VH with at least about 90% or more identity' to a VH of Table 1; and/or (b) a VL with at least about 90% or more identity to a VL of Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a VH with at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or higher identity to a VH of Table I; and/or (b) a VL with at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or higher identity to a VL of Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a VH comprising or consisting of a VH of Table 1; and/or (b) a VL comprising or consisting of a VL of Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a heavy chain with at least about 90% or more identity to a heavy chain of Table 1; and/or (b) a light chain with at least about 90% or more identity to a light chain of Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigenbinding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a heavy chain with at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or higher identity to a heavy chain of Table 1; and/or (b) a light chain with at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or higher identity to a light chain of Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or comprises: (a) a heavy chain comprising or consisting of a heavy chain of Table 1; and/or (b) a light chain comprising or consisting of a light chain of Table 1.
• the disclosure provides nucleic acids encoding anti- KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof of any aspect or embodiment described herein.
• the disclosure provides expression vectors comprising a nucleic acid of any aspect or embodiment described herein.
• the disclosure provides host cells comprising or expressing an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of any aspect or embodiment described herein, comprising a nucleic acid of any aspect or embodiment described herein, or comprising an expression vector of any aspect or embodiment described herein.
• compositions comprising at least one anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of any aspect or embodiment described herein, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent, or excipient.
• the disclosure provides methods of treating a subject having a disease, disorder, or condition comprising: administering a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition of any aspect or embodiment described herein.
• the disclosure provides methods of modulating an immune response in a subject comprising: administering a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition of any aspect or embodiment described herein.
• a subject has or is at risk of developing a cancer.
• a subject has a solid tumor or a hematological cancer.
• a solid tumor is or comprises one or more of: a renal cancer, a bone cancer, a skin cancer, a breast cancer, a cervical cancer, a colorectal cancer, an endometrial cancer, a lung cancer, an ovarian cancer, a liver cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, or a thyroid cancer.
• a hematological cancer comprises or is a leukemia or lymphoma.
• a leukemia comprises or is acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic leukemia, or acute leukemia.
• a lymphoma comprises or is Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphocytic lymphoma, or diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
• HL Hodgkin lymphoma
• non-Hodgkin's lymphoma lymphocytic lymphoma
• DLBCL diffuse large B cell lymphoma
• FIGS. 1A-1B are schematics of the HHLA2 checkpoint axis showing that HHLA2 expressed on tumor cells modulates NK and T cell activity via interaction with KIR3DL3 or TMIGD2.
• FIG. 2 is a graph showing monovalent binding affinity of an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody described herein (NPX267) to recombinant KIR3DL3 protein as determined by SPR using a Biacore instrument.
• FIGS. 3A-3C are graphs showing binding of NPX267 to KIR3DL3 expressed on 300.19-KIR3DL3 cells (FIG. 3A), NK92MI cells (FIG. 3B), and primary human NK cells (FIG. 3C) by flow cytometry using an anti-human Phycoerythrin (PE) secondary antibody.
• PE Phycoerythrin
• FIG. 4 is a series of graphs showing binding of NPX267 to KIR3DL3 expressed on tumor infiltrating CD56 + NK cells.
• FIG. 5 is a graph showing the percentage (%) of KIR3DL3 binding to HHLA2 after 300.
• 19-KIR3DL3 cells were treated with NPX267 or IgG4 isotype control antibody at concentrations ranging from 10 mg/mL to 0.0005 mg/mL.
• FIG. 6 is a graph showing fold induction of luminescence in a T cell reporter assay of HHLA2/TCR/CHO cells and Jurkat/IL-2/KIR3DL3 cells pre-complexed with NPX267 and an anti-CD28 agonist antibody as determined using a luminometer (BioTek SynergyTM 2 microplate reader).
• FIGS. 7A-7B are graphs showing NK92MI effector cell killing of K562 cells (FIG. 7A) or KIR3DL3+ human NK cell killing of HCC827 cells (FIG. 7B) following treatment with NPX267 or an IgG4 iso type control as assessed using flow cytometry.
• FIG. 8 is a graph showing tumor growth, as assessed by imaging, in NSG mice injected intraperitoneally with luciferase tagged HCC827 cells and, after tumors were established, injected with KIR3DL3 + primary human NK cells, followed by either NPX267 parent Ab (26E10) or mlgGl every other day for a total of 5 injections.
• agent refers to a molecule that may be delivered to, or expressed, released, or secreted from, a target by an immune effector cell described herein.
• An agent includes, but is not limited to, a cytokine agent (e.g., a cytokine (IL-2, IL-15, IL-12, IL-12, IL-17, and/or IL-18)), a nucleic acid, an antibiotic, an antiinflammatory agent, an antibody or fragments thereof, a chimeric antigen receptor, an antibody agent or fragments thereof, a glycoprotein, an artificial antigen presenting cell, a growth factor, an enzyme, a protein (e.g., an RNAse inhibitor), a peptide, a fusion protein, a synthetic molecule, an organic molecule (e.g., a small molecule), a carbohydrate, a lipid, a hormone, a microsome, a derivative or a variation thereof, and any combinations thereof.
• a cytokine agent e.g
• Immunotherapeutic agent can include any molecule, peptide, antibody, or other agent which can stimulate a host immune system to generate an immune response to a tumor or cancer in the subject.
• Various immunotherapeutic agents are useful in the compositions and methods described herein.
• Affinity matured (or "affinity matured antibody”)' refers to an antibody with one or more alterations in one or more CDRs thereof which result an improvement in the affinity of the antibody for antigen, compared to a parent antibody which does not possess those alteration(s).
• affinity matured antibodies will have nanomolar or even picomolar affinities for a target antigen.
• Affinity matured antibodies may be produced by any of a variety of procedures known in the art. Marks et al., BioTechnology' 10:779-783 (1992) describes affinity maturation by VH and VL domain shuffling. Random mutagenesis of CDR and/or framework residues is described by: Barbas et al. Proc.
• Antibody refers to a polypeptide that includes canonical immunoglobulin sequence elements sufficient to confer specific binding to a particular target antigen.
• intact antibodies as produced in nature are approximately 150 kD tetrameric agents comprising two identical heavy chain polypeptides (about 50 kD each) and two identical light chain polypeptides (about 25 kD each) that associate with each other into what is commonly referred to as a “Y-shaped” structure.
• Each heavy chain comprises at least four domains (each about 110 amino acids long) - an aminoterminal variable (VH) domain (located at the tips of the Y structure), followed by three constant domains: CHI, CH2, and the carboxy -terminal CH3 (located at the base of the Y’s stem).
• VH aminoterminal variable
• CH2 aminoterminal variable
• CH3 carboxy -terminal CH3
• Each light chain comprises two domains - an amino-terminal variable (VL) domain, followed by a carboxy -terminal constant (CL) domain, separated from one another by another “switch”.
• Intact antibody tetramers comprise two heavy chain-light chain dimers in which the heavy and light chains are linked to one another by a single disulfide bond; two other disulfide bonds connect the heavy chain hinge regions to one another, so that the dimers are connected to one another and a tetramer is formed.
• Naturally -produced antibodies are also glycosylated, typically on the CH2 domain.
• Each domain in a natural antibody has a structure characterized by an “immunoglobulin fold” formed from two beta sheets (e.g., 3-, 4-, or 5-stranded sheets) packed against each other in a compressed antiparallel beta barrel.
• Each variable domain contains three hypervariable loops known as “complementarity determining regions” (CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3) and four somewhat invariant “framework” regions (FR1, FR2, FR3, and FR4).
• CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 three hypervariable loops known as “complementarity determining regions” (CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3) and four somewhat invariant “framework” regions (FR1, FR2, FR3, and FR4).
• the Fc region of naturally-occurring antibodies binds to elements of the complement system, and also to receptors on effector cells, including, for example, effector cells that mediate cytotoxicity. Affinity and/or other binding attributes of Fc regions for Fc receptors can be modulated through glycosylation or other modification.
• antibodies produced and/or utilized in accordance with the present disclosure include glycosylated Fc domains, including Fc domains with modified or engineered glycosylation.
• any polypeptide or complex of polypeptides that includes sufficient immunoglobulin domain sequences as found in natural antibodies can be referred to and/or used as an “antibody”, whether such polypeptide is naturally produced (e.g., generated by an organism reacting to an antigen), or produced by recombinant engineering, chemical synthesis, or other artificial system or methodology.
• an antibody is polyclonal. In some embodiments, an antibody is monoclonal. In some embodiments, an antibody has constant region sequences that are characteristic of mouse, rabbit, primate, or human antibodies. In some embodiments, antibody sequence elements are humanized, primatized, chimeric, etc, as is known in the art.
• an antibody utilized in accordance with the present invention is in a format selected from, but not limited to, intact IgA, IgG, IgE or IgM antibodies; bi- or multispecific antibodies (e.g., Zybodies®, etc); antibody fragments such as is used herein in the broadest sense and encompasses various antibody structures, including but not limited to monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, multispecific antibodies (e.g., bispecific antibodies), and/or antibody fragments (preferably those fragments that exhibit the desired antigen-binding activity).
• An antibody described herein can be an immunoglobulin, heavy chain antibody, light chain antibody, LRR-based antibody, or other protein scaffold with antibody -like properties, as well as other immunological binding moiety known in the art, including, e.g., a Fab, Fab', Fab'2, Fab2, Fab3, F(ab’)2 , Fd, Fv, Feb, scFv, SMIP, antibody, diabody, triabody, tetrabody, minibody, maxibody, tandab, DVD, BiTe, TandAb, or the like, or any combination thereof.
• the subunit structures and three-dimensional configurations of different classes of antibodies are known in the art.
• an antibody may lack a covalent modification (e.g., attachment of a glycan) that it would have if produced naturally.
• an antibody may contain a covalent modification (e.g., attachment of a glycan, a payload [e.g., a detectable moiety, a therapeutic moiety, a catalytic moiety, etc], or other pendant group [e g., poly-ethylene glycol, etc.].
• Antigen-binding fragment refers to a portion of an intact antibody that binds the antigen to which the intact antibody binds.
• An antigenbinding fragment of an antibody includes any naturally occurring, enzymatically obtainable, synthetic, or genetically engineered polypeptide or glycoprotein that specifically binds an antigen to form a complex.
• Exemplary antibody fragments include, but are not limited to, Fv, Fab, Fab', Fab'-SH, F(ab')2; diabodies; linear antibodies; single-chain antibody molecules (e.g. scFv or VHH or VH or VL domains only); and multispecific antibodies formed from antibody fragments.
• the antigen-binding fragments of the antibodies described herein are scFvs. In some embodiments, the antigen-binding fragments of the antibodies described herein are VHH domains only. As with full antibody molecules, antigen-binding fragments may be mono-specific or multispecific (e.g., bispecific). A multispecific antigen-binding fragment of an antibody may comprise at least two different variable domains, wherein each variable domain is capable of specifically binding to a separate antigen or to a different epitope of the same antigen.
• Antigen presenting cell As used herein, the terms “antigen presenting cell” or
• APC include professional antigen presenting cells (e.g, B lymphocytes, monocytes, dendritic cells, Langerhans cells) in addition to other antigen presenting cells (e.g., keratinocytes, endothelial cells, astrocytes, fibroblasts, and oligodendrocytes).
• professional antigen presenting cells e.g, B lymphocytes, monocytes, dendritic cells, Langerhans cells
• other antigen presenting cells e.g., keratinocytes, endothelial cells, astrocytes, fibroblasts, and oligodendrocytes.
• Antibody heavy chain As used herein, the term “antibody heavy chain” refers to the larger of the two types of polypeptide chains present in all antibody molecules in their naturally occurring conformations.
• Antibody light chain As used herein, the term “antibody light chain” refers to the smaller of the two types of polypeptide chains present in all antibody molecules in their naturally occurring conformations.
• Activation refers to the state of a cell, for example an immune effector cell described herein, that has been sufficiently stimulated to induce detectable cellular proliferation or has been stimulated to exert its effector function. Activation can also be associated with induced proliferation, cytokine production, cytokine secretion, cell signaling (e.g., gene expression changes), target cell killing, metabolic changes, production of inflammatory mediators, and/or antigen processing and presentation.
• Activation refers to the state of a cell, for example an immune effector cell described herein, that has been sufficiently stimulated to induce detectable cellular proliferation or has been stimulated to exert its effector function. Activation can also be associated with induced proliferation, cytokine production, cytokine secretion, cell signaling (e.g., gene expression changes), target cell killing, metabolic changes, production of inflammatory mediators, and/or antigen processing and presentation.
• Synthetic antibody refers to an antibody that is generated using recombinant DNA technology, such as, for example, an antibody expressed by a bacteriophage described herein.
• the term should also be construed to mean an antibody which has been generated by the synthesis of a DNA molecule encoding the antibody and which DNA molecule expresses an antibody protein, or an amino acid sequence specifying the antibody, wherein the DNA or amino acid sequence has been obtained using synthetic DNA or amino acid sequence technology which is available and well known in the art.
• Antigen refers to a molecule that is capable of provoking an immune response. This immune response may involve either antibody production, the activation of specific immunologically-competent cells, or both. A skilled artisan will understand that any macromolecule, including virtually all proteins or peptides, can serve as an antigen. Furthermore, antigens can be derived from recombinant or genomic DNA. A skilled artisan will understand that any DNA that comprises a nucleotide sequence or a partial nucleotide sequence encoding a protein that elicits an immune response encodes an “antigen” as that term is used herein.
• an antigen need not be encoded solely by a full length nucleotide sequence of a gene. It is readily apparent that the present invention includes, but is not limited to, the use of partial nucleotide sequences of more than one gene and that these nucleotide sequences are arranged in various combinations to elicit the desired immune response. Moreover, a skilled artisan will understand that an antigen need not be encoded by a “gene” at all. It is readily apparent that an antigen can be generated synthesized or can be derived from a biological sample. Such a biological sample can include, but is not limited to a tissue sample, a tumor sample, a cell or a biological fluid.
• Autologous refers to any material derived from an individual to which it is later to be re-introduced into the same individual.
• Allogeneic refers to any material (e.g., a population of cells) derived from a different animal of the same species.
• Xenogeneic refers to any material (e.g., a population of cells) derived from an animal of a different species.
• Chimeric Antigen Receptor refers to an artificial cell surface receptor that is engineered to be expressed on an immune effector cell described herein and specifically targets a cell and/or binds an antigen. CARs may be used, for example, as a therapy with adoptive cell transfer.
• a CAR can comprise at least one extracellular domain, at least one transmembrane domain, and at least one intracellular domain.
• cancer refers to a disease characterized by the rapid and uncontrolled growth of aberrant cells. Cancer cells can spread locally or through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. Cancers can include both solid tumors and hematological cancers. Examples of various cancers are described herein and include, but are not limited to, a renal cancer, a bone cancer, a skin cancer, a breast cancer, a cervical cancer, a colorectal cancer, an endometrial cancer, a lung cancer, an ovarian cancer, a liver cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, a thyroid cancer, leukemia, or lymphoma as well as several other types including those as described elsewhere herein. In certain embodiments, the cancer is renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
• RRCC renal cell carcinoma
• CDR refers to a complementarity determining region within an antibody variable region. There are three CDRs in each of the variable regions of the heavy chain and the light chain, which are designated CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3, for each of the variable regions.
• a "set of CDRs” or “CDR set” refers to a group of three or six CDRs that occur in either a single variable region capable of binding the antigen or the CDRs of cognate heavy and light chain variable regions capable of binding the antigen.
• Chemotherapeutic agent has its art-understood meaning referring to one or more pro-apoptotic, cytostatic and/or cytotoxic agents, for example specifically including agents utilized and/or recommended for use in treating one or more diseases, disorders or conditions associated with undesirable cell proliferation.
• chemotherapeutic agents are useful in the treatment of cancer.
• a chemotherapeutic agent may be or comprise one or more alkylating agents, one or more anthracy clines, one or more cytoskeletal disruptors (e.g.
• microtubule targeting agents such as taxanes, maytansine and analogs thereof, of), one or more epothilones, one or more histone deacetylase inhibitors HDACs), one or more topoisomerase inhibitors (e.g., inhibitors of topoisomerase I and/or topoisomerase II), one or more kinase inhibitors, one or more nucleotide analogs or nucleotide precursor analogs, one or more peptide antibiotics, one or more platinum-based agents, one or more retinoids, one or more vinca alkaloids, and/or one or more analogs of one or more of the following (i.e., that share a relevant anti-proliferative activity).
• HDACs histone deacetylase inhibitors
• topoisomerase inhibitors e.g., inhibitors of topoisomerase I and/or topoisomerase II
• kinase inhibitors e.g., inhibitors of topoisomerase
• a chemotherapeutic agent may be or comprise one or more of Actinomycin, All-trans retinoic acid, an Auiristatin, Azacitidine, Azathioprine, Bleomycin, Bortezomib, Carboplatin, Capecitabine, Cisplatin, Chlorambucil, Cyclophosphamide, Curcumin, Cytarabine, Daunorubicin, Docetaxel, Doxifluridine, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Epothilone, Etoposide, Fluorouracil, Gemcitabine, Hydroxyurea, Idarubicin, Imatinib, Irinotecan, Maytansine and/or analogs thereof (e.g.
• DM1 Mechlorethamine, Mercaptopurine, Methotrexate, Mitoxantrone, a Maytansinoid, Oxaliplatin, Paclitaxel, Pemetrexed, Teniposide, Tioguanine, Topotecan, Valrubicin, Vinblastine, Vincristine, Vindesme, Vinorelbine, or combinations thereof.
• a chemotherapeutic agent may be utilized in the context of an antibody-drug conjugate.
• a chemotherapeutic agent is an antibody-drug conjugate comprising: hLLl -doxorubicin, hRS7-SN-38, hMN-14-SN-38, hLL2-SN-38, hA20-SN-38, hPAM4-SN-38, hLLl-SN-38, hRS7-Pro-2-P-Dox, hMN-14-Pro-2-P-Dox, hLL2-Pro-2-P- Dox, hA20-Pro-2-P-Dox, hPAM4-Pro-2-P-Dox, hLLl-Pro-2-P-Dox, P4/D10-doxorubicin, gemtuzumab ozogamicin, brentuximab vedotin, trastuzumab emtansine, inotuzumab ozogamicin, glembatumomab vedotin, SAR3419, SAR3419,
• Conservative sequence modifications refers to amino acid modifications that do not significantly affect or alter the binding characteristics of an antibody containing the amino acid sequence. Such conservative modifications include amino acid substitutions, additions and deletions.
• Modifications can be introduced into an antibody compatible with various embodiments by standard techniques known in the art, such as site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis.
• Conservative amino acid substitutions are ones in which an amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art.
• amino acids with basic side chains e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine
• acidic side chains e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid
• uncharged polar side chains e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan
• nonpolar side chains e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine
• beta-branched side chains e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine
• aromatic side chains e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine
• Combination therapy refers to those situations in which two or more different therapeutic agents (e.g., a population of modified immune effector cells described herein and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein) are administered in overlapping regimens so that the subject is simultaneously exposed to both agents.
• two or more different therapeutic agents may be administered simultaneously or separately.
• This administration in combination can include simultaneous administration of the two or more therapeutic agents in the same dosage form, simultaneous administration in separate dosage forms, and separate administration. That is, two or more therapeutic agents can be formulated together in the same dosage form and administered simultaneously.
• two or more therapeutic agents can be simultaneously administered, wherein the agents are present in separate formulations.
• a first therapeutic agent can be administered followed by one or more additional therapeutic agents.
• two or more therapeutic agents may be administered a few minutes apart, or a few hours apart, a few days apart, or a few weeks apart. In some embodiments, two or more therapeutic agents may be administered within hours (e g., less than about 3 hours) apart.
• composition may be used to refer to a discrete physical entity that comprises one or more specified components.
• a composition may be of any form - e.g., gas, gel, liquid, or solid.
• composition or method described herein as “comprising” one or more named elements or steps is open-ended, meaning that the named elements or steps are essential, but other elements or steps may be added within the scope of the composition or method.
• any composition or method described as “comprising” (or which “comprises”) one or more named elements or steps also describes the corresponding, more limited composition or method “consisting essentially of’ (or which "consists essentially of') the same named elements or steps, meaning that the composition or method includes the named essential elements or steps and may also include additional elements or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the composition or method.
• composition or method described herein as “comprising” or “consisting essentially of’ one or more named elements or steps also describes the corresponding, more limited, and closed-ended composition or method “consisting of’ (or “consists of’) the named elements or steps to the exclusion of any other unnamed element or step.
• known or disclosed equivalents of any named essential element or step may be substituted for that element or step
• Concurrent administration As used herein, the term “concurrent administration” with respect to two or more therapeutic agents described herein (e g., a population of immune effector cells described herein and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein), is administration performed using doses and time intervals such that the administered therapeutic agents are present together within the body, e.g., at one or more sites of action in the body, over a time interval in non-negligible quantities.
• the time interval can be minutes (e.g., at least 1 minute, 1-30 minutes, 30-60 minutes), hours (e.g., at least 1 hour, 1-2 hours, 2-6 hours, 6-12 hours, 12-24 hours), days (e.g., at least 1 day, 1-2 days, 2-4 days, 4-7 days, etc.), or weeks (e.g., at least 1, 2, or 3 weeks, etc.).
• the therapeutic agents may, but need not be, administered together, e.g., as part of a single composition.
• the therapeutic agents may, but need not be, administered essentially simultaneously (e.g., within less than 5 minutes, or within less than 1 minute apart) or within a short time of one another (e.g., less than 1 hour, less than 30 minutes, less than 10 minutes, approximately 5 minutes apart).
• therapeutic agents administered within such time intervals may be considered to be administered at substantially the same time.
• concurrently administered therapeutic agents are present at effective concentrations within the body over the time interval.
• the effective concentration of each of the therapeutic agents needed to elicit a particular biological response may be less than the effective concentration of each therapeutic agent when administered alone, thereby allowing a reduction in the dose of one or more of the therapeutic agents relative to the dose that would be needed if the agent was administered as a single agent.
• the effects of multiple therapeutic agents may, but need not be, additive or synergistic.
• the therapeutic agents may be administered multiple times.
• Conservative sequence modifications refers to amino acid modifications that do not significantly affect or alter the binding characteristics of an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof containing the amino acid sequence. Such conservative modifications include amino acid substitutions, additions, and deletions. Modifications can be introduced into an antibody compatible with various embodiments by standard techniques known in the art, such as site- directed mutagenesis and PCR-mediated mutagenesis. Conservative amino acid substitutions are ones in which an amino acid residue is replaced with an amino acid residue having a similar side chain. Families of amino acid residues having similar side chains have been defined in the art.
• amino acids with basic side chains e.g., lysine, arginine, histidine
• acidic side chains e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid
• uncharged polar side chains e.g., glycine, asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan
• nonpolar side chains e.g., alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine
• beta-branched side chains e.g., threonine, valine, isoleucine
• aromatic side chains e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, histidine
• Cytotoxic refers to killing or damaging cells.
• cytotoxicity of the metabolically enhanced cells is improved, e.g. increased cytolytic activity of immune effector cells described herein (e.g., T cells or NK cells).
• an “effective amount” described herein refers to a dose that is adequate to prevent or treat at least one sign and/or symptom of cancer in an individual. Amounts effective for a therapeutic or prophylactic use will depend on, for example, the stage and severity of the disease, disorder or condition being treated, the age, weight, and general state of health of the patient, and the judgment of the prescribing physician. The size of the dose will also be determined by the active selected, method of administration, timing and frequency of administration, the existence, nature, and extent of any adverse side-effects that might accompany the administration of a particular active, and the desired physiological effect. It will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that various diseases or disorders could require prolonged treatment involving multiple administrations.
• the amount or dose of a therapeutic agent e.g., a modified immune effector cell described herein and/or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein
• a therapeutic agent e.g., a modified immune effector cell described herein and/or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein
• the dose should be sufficient to detect, treat or prevent cancer in a period of from about 2 hours or longer, e.g., about 12 to about 24 or more hours, from the time of administration. In certain embodiments, the time period could be even longer.
• the dose will be determined by the efficacy of the particular one or more therapeutic agents and the condition of the subject (e.g., human), as well as the body weight of the subject (e.g., human) to be treated.
• effector function refers to a specific activity carried out by an immune cell in response to stimulation of the immune cell.
• effector function of a T lymphocyte includes, recognizing an antigen and killing a cell that expresses the antigen.
• Epitope refers to any moiety that is specifically recognized by an immunoglobulin (e.g., antibody or receptor) binding component.
• an epitope is comprised of a plurality of chemical atoms or groups on an antigen.
• such chemical atoms or groups are surface- exposed when the antigen adopts a relevant three-dimensional conformation.
• such chemical atoms or groups are physically near to each other in space when the antigen adopts such a conformation.
• at least some such chemical atoms are groups are physically separated from one another when the antigen adopts an alternative conformation (e.g., is linearized).
• ‘Framework" or "framework region ”' refers to the sequences of a variable region minus the CDRs. Because a CDR sequence can be determined by different systems, likewise a framework sequence is subject to correspondingly different interpretations.
• the six CDRs divide the framework regions on the heavy and light chains into four sub-regions (FR1, FR2, FR3 and FR4) on each chain, in which CDR1 is positioned between FR1 and FR2, CDR2 between FR2 and FR3, and CDR3 between FR3 and FR4.
• a framework region represents the combined FRs within the variable region of a single, naturally occurring immunoglobulin chain.
• a FR represents one of the four sub-regions, FR1, for example, represents the first framework region closest to the amino terminal end of the variable region and 5' with respect to CDR1, and FRs represents two or more of the sub-regions constituting a framework region.
• Immune effector function As used herein, “immune effector function” or
• immune effector response refers to a function or response, e.g., of an immune effector cell described herein (e.g., a T cell or an NK cell), that enhances or promotes an immune attack of a target cell.
• an immune effector function or response refers to a property of a T cell and/or NK cell that promotes the inhibition of growth or proliferation of a target cell.
• primary stimulation and co-stimulation are examples of immune effector function or response.
• Encoding refers to the inherent property of specific sequences of nucleotides in a polynucleotide, such as a gene, a cDNA, or an mRNA, to serve as templates for synthesis of other polymers and macromolecules in biological processes having either a defined sequence of nucleotides (i. e. , rRNA, tRNA and mRNA) or a defined sequence of amino acids and the biological properties resulting therefrom.
• a gene encodes a protein if transcription and translation of mRNA corresponding to that gene produces the protein in a cell or other biological system.
• Both the coding strand the nucleotide sequence of which is identical to the mRNA sequence and is usually provided in sequence listings, and the non-coding strand, used as the template for transcription of a gene or cDNA, can be referred to as encoding the protein or other product of that gene or cDNA.
• Endogenous refers to any material from or produced inside a particular organism, cell, tissue or system.
• Exogenous refers to any material introduced from or produced outside a particular organism, cell, tissue or system.
• Expand refers to increasing in number, as in an increase in the number of cells, for example, immune effector cells described herein, e.g., T cells or NK cells.
• immune cells that are expanded ex vivo increase in number relative to the number originally present in a culture.
• immune cells, that are expanded ex vivo increase in number relative to other cell types in a culture.
• expansion may occur in vivo.
• a gene product can be a transcript.
• a gene product can be a polypeptide.
• expression of a nucleic acid sequence involves one or more of the following: (1) production of an RNA template from a DNA sequence (e.g., by transcription); (2) processing of an RNA transcript (e.g., by splicing, editing, 5’ cap formation, and/or 3’ end formation); (3) translation of an RNA into a polypeptide or protein; and/or (4) post-translational modification of a polypeptide or protein.
• fragment refers to a structure that includes a discrete portion of the whole, but lacks one or more moieties found in the whole structure. In some embodiments, a fragment consists of such a discrete portion. In some embodiments, a fragment consists of or comprises a characteristic structural element or moiety found in the whole.
• a nucleotide fragment comprises or consists of at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, or more monomeric units (e.g., nucleic acids) as found in the whole nucleotide.
• monomeric units e.g., nucleic acids
• a nucleotide fragment comprises or consists of at least about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 25%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more of the monomeric units (e.g., residues) found in the whole nucleotide.
• homology refers to the overall relatedness between polymeric molecules, e.g., between nucleic acid molecules (e.g., DNA molecules and/or RNA molecules) and/or between polypeptide molecules.
• polymeric molecules are considered to be “homologous” to one another if their sequences are at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical.
• polymeric molecules are considered to be “homologous” to one another if their sequences are at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% similar (e.g., containing residues with related chemical properties at corresponding positions).
• sequences are at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% similar (e.g., containing residues with related chemical properties at corresponding positions).
• a variety of algorithms are available that permit comparison of sequences in order to determine their degree of homology, including by permitting gaps of designated length in one sequence relative to another when considering which residues “correspond” to one another in different sequences.
• Calculation of the percent homology between two nucleic acid sequences can be performed by aligning the two sequences for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second nucleic acid sequences for optimal alignment and noncorresponding sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes).
• the length of a sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or substantially 100% of the length of the reference sequence.
• the nucleotides at corresponding nucleotide positions are then compared.
• the percent homology between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical and similar positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which needs to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.
• Host cell refers to a cell into which exogenous DNA (recombinant or otherwise) has been introduced. Persons of skill upon reading this disclosure will understand that such terms refer not only to the particular subject cell, but also to the progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term host cell as used herein.
• host cells include prokary otic and eukaryotic cells selected from any of the Kingdoms of life that are suitable for expressing an exogenous DNA (e.g., a recombinant nucleic acid sequence).
• Exemplary cells include those of prokaryotes and eukaryotes (single-cell or multiple-cell), bacterial cells (e.g., strains of A’. coli, Bacillus spp., or Streptomyces spp.), mycobacteria cells, fungal cells, yeast cells (e.g., S. cerevisiae, S. pombe, P. pastoris, or P. methanolica), plant cells, insect cells (e.g., SF-9, SF- 21, baculovirus-infected insect cells, or Trichoplusia ni,), non-human animal cells, human cells, or cell fusions (e g., hybridomas or quadromas).
• prokaryotes and eukaryotes single-cell or multiple-cell
• bacterial cells e.g., strains of A’. coli, Bacillus spp., or Streptomyces spp.
• mycobacteria cells e.g
• the cell comprises or is a human, monkey, ape, hamster, rat, or mouse cell.
• the cell is a eukaryotic cell chosen from: CHO (e.g., CHO KI, DXB-1 1 CHO, Veggie-CHO), COS (e.g., COS-7), retinal cell, Vero, CV1, kidney (e g., HEK293, 293 EBNA, MSR 293, MDCK, HaK, BHK), HeLa, HepG2, WI38, MRC 5, Colo205, HB 8065, HL-60, (e g., BHK21), Jurkat, Daudi, A431 (epidermal), CV-1, U937, 3T3, L cell, C127 cell, SP2/0, NS-0, MMT 060562, Sertoli cell, BRL 3 A cell, HT1080 cell, myeloma cell, tumor cell, or a cell line derived from an aforementioned cell.
• CHO e.g
• Human antibody as used herein, the term “human antibody” is intended to include antibodies having variable and constant regions generated (or assembled) from human immunoglobulin sequences.
• antibodies (or antibody components) may be considered to be "human” even though their amino acid sequences include residues or elements not encoded by human germline immunoglobulin sequences (e.g., include sequence variations, for example that may (originally) have been introduced by random or site-specific mutagenesis in vitro or by somatic mutation in vivo), for example in one or more CDRs and in particular CDR3.
• Humanized as is known in the art, the term "humanized” is commonly used to refer to antibodies (or antibody components) whose amino acid sequence includes VH and VL region sequences from a reference antibody raised in a non-human species (e.g., a mouse), but also includes modifications in those sequences relative to the reference antibody intended to render them more "human-like", i.e., more similar to human germline variable sequences.
• a "humanized” antibody (or antibody component) is one that immunospecifically binds to an antigen of interest and that has a framework (FR) region having substantially the amino acid sequence as that of a human antibody, and a complementary' determining region (CDR) having substantially the amino acid sequence as that of a non-human antibody.
• FR framework
• CDR complementary' determining region
• a humanized antibody comprises substantially all of at least one, and typically two, variable domains (Fab, Fab', F(ab')2, FabC, Fv) in which all or substantially all of the CDR regions correspond to those of a non-human immunoglobulin (i.e., donor immunoglobulin) and all or substantially all of the framework regions are those of a human immunoglobulin consensus sequence.
• a humanized antibody also comprises at least a portion of an immunoglobulin constant region (Fc), typically that of a human immunoglobulin constant region.
• a humanized antibody contains both the light chain as well as at least the variable domain of a heavy chain.
• the antibody also may include a CHI, hinge, CH2, CH3, and, optionally, a CH4 region of a heavy chain constant region.
• a humanized antibody only contains a humanized VL region.
• a humanized antibody only contains a humanized VH region.
• a humanized antibody contains humanized VH and VL regions.
• Identity refers to the subunit sequence identity between two polymeric molecules particularly between two amino acid molecules, such as, between two polypeptide molecules. When two amino acid sequences have the same residues at the same positions; e.g., if a position in each of two polypeptide molecules is occupied by an Arginine, then they are identical at that position. The identity or extent to which two amino acid sequences have the same residues at the same positions in an alignment is often expressed as a percentage.
• the identity between two amino acid sequences is a direct function of the number of matching or identical positions; e.g., if half (e.g., five positions in a polymer ten amino acids in length) of the positions in two sequences are identical, the two sequences are 50% identical; if 90% of the positions (e.g., 9 of 10), are matched or identical, the two amino acids sequences are 90% identical.
• Substantial identity refers to a comparison between amino acid or nucleic acid sequences. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, two sequences are generally considered to be “substantially identical” if they contain identical residues in corresponding positions. As is well known in this art, amino acid or nucleic acid sequences may be compared using any of a variety of algorithms, including those available in commercial computer programs such as BLASTN for nucleotide sequences and BLASTP, gapped BLAST, and PSI-BLAST for amino acid sequences.
• two sequences are considered to be substantially identical if at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more of their corresponding residues are identical over a relevant stretch of residues.
• the relevant stretch is a complete sequence.
• the relevant stretch is at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500 or more residues.
• reference to “substantial identity” typically refers to a CDR having an amino acid sequence at least 80%, preferably at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to that of a reference CDR.
• Immune cell refers to a cell that is involved in an immune response, e.g., promotion of an immune response.
• immune cells include, but are not limited to, T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, platelets, large granular lymphocytes, Langerhans' cells, or B-lymphocytes.
• a source of immune cells e g., T cells or NK cells
• T cells or NK cells can be obtained from a subject.
• Immune checkpoint refers to a group of molecules on the cell surface of CD4+ and/or CD 8+ T cells that fine-tune immune responses by down-modulating or inhibiting an anti-tumor immune response.
• Immune checkpoint proteins are w ell-known in the art and include, without limitation, KIR family receptors, HHLA2, CTLA-4, PD-1, VISTA, B7-H2, B7-H3, PD-L1, B7-H4, B7-H6, ICOS, HVEM, PD-L2, CD160, gp49B, PIR-B, TIM-1, TIM-3, TIM-4, LAG-3, GITR, 4-IBB, OX- 40, BTLA, SIRPa (CD47), CD48, 2B4 (CD244), B7.1, B7.2, ILT-2, ILT-4, TIGIT, butyrophilins, and A2aR.
• the term further encompasses biologically active protein fragment, as well as nucleic acids encoding full-length immune checkpoint proteins and biologically active protein fragments thereof. In some embodiment, the term further encompasses any fragment according to homology descriptions provided herein.
• Immune response refers to a cellular and/or sy stemic response to an antigen that occurs when lymphocytes identify antigenic molecules as foreign and induce the formation of antibodies and/or activate lymphocytes to remove the antigen.
• Immunoglobulin refers to a class of proteins that function as antibodies. Antibodies expressed by B cells are sometimes referred to as a BCR (B cell receptor) or antigen receptor. The five members included in this class of proteins are IgA, IgG, IgM, IgD, and IgE.
• IgA is the primary antibody that is present in body secretions, such as saliva, tears, breast milk, gastrointestinal secretions and mucus secretions of the respiratory and genitourinary tracts.
• IgG is the most common circulating antibody.
• IgM is the main immunoglobulin produced in the primary immune response in most subjects.
• IgD is an immunoglobulin that has no known antibody function, but may serve as an antigen receptor.
• IgE is an immunoglobulin that mediates immediate hypersensitivity by causing release of mediators from mast cells and basophils upon exposure to allergen.
• Isolated refers to something altered or removed from the natural state.
• a nucleic acid or a peptide naturally present in a living animal is not “isolated,” but the same nucleic acid or peptide partially or completely separated from the coexisting materials of its natural state is “isolated.”
• An isolated nucleic acid or protein can exist in substantially purified form, or can exist in a non-native environment such as, for example, a host cell.
• an appropriate reference measurement is or comprises a measurement in a particular system (e.g., in a single individual) under otherwise comparable conditions absent presence of (e.g., prior to and/or after) a particular agent or treatment, or in presence of an appropriate comparable reference agent.
• an appropriate reference measurement is or comprises a measurement in comparable system known or expected to respond in a particular way, in presence of the relevant agent or treatment.
• KD refers to the dissociation constant of a binding agent (e.g., an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof) from a complex with its partner (e.g., the epitope to which the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds).
• a binding agent e.g., an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof
• its partner e.g., the epitope to which the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds.
• KD as used herein, equals K divided by Kon.
• Koff refers to the off rate constant for dissociation of a binding agent (e.g., an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof) from a complex with its partner (e.g., the epitope to which the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds).
• a binding agent e.g., an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof
• its partner e.g., the epitope to which the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds.
• Kon refers to the on rate constant for association of a binding agent (e.g., an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof) with its partner (e.g., the epitope to which the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds).
• a binding agent e.g., an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof
• its partner e.g., the epitope to which the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds
• Modulating refers to mediating a detectable increase or decrease in the level of a response and/or a change in the nature of a response in a subject compared with the level and/or nature of a response in the subject in the absence of a treatment or compound, and/or compared with the level and/or nature of a response in an otherwise identical but untreated subject.
• a “monoclonal antibody” or “mAb” refers to an antibody obtained from a population of substantially homogeneous antibodies, i.e., the individual antibodies comprising the population are identical and/or bind the same epitope, except for possible variant antibodies (e.g., containing naturally occurring mutations or arising during production of a monoclonal antibody preparation), such variants generally being present in minor amounts.
• mAb monoclonal antibody
• polyclonal antibody preparations typically include different antibodies directed against different determinants (epitopes)
• each monoclonal antibody of a monoclonal antibody preparation is directed against a single determinant on an antigen.
• nucleic acid refers to a polymer of at least three nucleotides.
• a nucleic acid comprises DNA.
• a nucleic acid comprises RNA.
• a nucleic acid is single stranded.
• a nucleic acid is double stranded.
• a nucleic acid comprises both single and double stranded portions.
• a nucleic acid comprises a backbone that comprises one or more phosphodiester linkages.
• a nucleic acid comprises a backbone that comprises both phosphodiester and non-phosphodiester linkages.
• a nucleic acid may comprise a backbone that comprises one or more phosphorothioate or 5'-N-phosphoramidite linkages and/or one or more peptide bonds, e.g., as in a “peptide nucleic acid”.
• a nucleic acid comprises one or more, or all, natural residues (e.g., adenine, cytosine, deoxyadenosine, deoxy cytidine, deoxyguanosine, deoxythymidine, guanine, thymine, uracil).
• a nucleic acid comprises one or more, or all, nonnatural residues.
• anon-natural residue comprises a nucleoside analog (e.g., 2-aminoadenosine, 2-thiothymidine, inosine, pyrrolo-pyrimidine, 3 -methyl adenosine, 5 -methylcytidine, C-5 propynyl-cytidine, C-5 propynyl-uridine, 2-aminoadenosine, C5- bromouridine, C5-fluorouridine, C5 -iodouridine, C5 -propynyl-uridine, C5 -propynyl- cytidine, C5-methylcytidine, 2-aminoadenosine, 7-deazaadenosine, 7-deazaguanosine, 8- oxoadenosine, 8-oxoguanosine, 0(6)-methylguanine, 2-thiocytidine, methylated bases, intercalated bases, and combinations thereof
• a non-natural residue comprises one or more modified sugars (e.g., 2'-fluoronbose, ribose, 2'-deoxynbose, arabinose, and hexose) as compared to those in natural residues.
• a nucleic acid has a nucleotide sequence that encodes a functional gene product such as an RNA or polypeptide.
• a nucleic acid has a nucleotide sequence that comprises one or more introns.
• a nucleic acid may be prepared by isolation from a natural source, enzymatic synthesis (e g., by polymerization based on a complementary template, e.g., in vivo or in vitro, reproduction in a recombinant cell or system, or chemical synthesis.
• enzymatic synthesis e g., by polymerization based on a complementary template, e.g., in vivo or in vitro, reproduction in a recombinant cell or system, or chemical synthesis.
• a nucleic acid is at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 20, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500, 5000 or more residues long.
• operably linked refers to functional linkage between, for example, a regulatory sequence and a heterologous nucleic acid sequence resulting in expression of the latter.
• a first nucleic acid sequence is operably linked with a second nucleic acid sequence when the first nucleic acid sequence is placed in a functional relationship with the second nucleic acid sequence.
• a promoter is operably linked to a coding sequence if the promoter affects the transcription or expression of the coding sequence.
• operably linked DNA sequences are contiguous and, where necessary to join two protein coding regions, in the same reading frame.
• compositions, and/or dosage forms which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of human beings and animals without excessive toxicity, irritation, allergic response, or other problem or complication, commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio.
• composition means a pharmaceutically-acceptable material, composition, or vehicle, such as a liquid or solid filler, diluent, excipient, or solvent encapsulating material, involved in carrying or transporting the subject compound from one organ, or portion of the body, to another organ, or portion of the body.
• pharmaceutically acceptable carrier means a pharmaceutically-acceptable material, composition, or vehicle, such as a liquid or solid filler, diluent, excipient, or solvent encapsulating material, involved in carrying or transporting the subject compound from one organ, or portion of the body, to another organ, or portion of the body.
• Each carrier must be “acceptable” in the sense of being compatible with the other ingredients of the formulation and not injurious to the subject.
• Some examples of materials which can serve as pharmaceutically acceptable earners include sugars, such as lactose, glucose and sucrose; starches, such as com starch and potato starch; cellulose, and its derivatives, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose and cellulose acetate; powdered tragacanth; malt; gelatin; talc; excipients, such as cocoa butter and suppository waxes; oils, such as peanut oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, com oil and soybean oil; glycols, such as propylene glycol; polyols, such as glycerin, sorbitol, mannitol and polyethylene glycol; esters, such as ethyl oleate and ethyl laurate; agar; buffering agents, such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide; alginic acid; pyrogen-free water; isotonic saline;
• Ringer's solution ethyl alcohol; pH buffered solutions; polyesters, polycarbonates and/or polyanhydrides; and other non-toxic compatible substances employed in pharmaceutical formulations.
• Polynucleotide As used herein, the term “polynucleotide” refers to a chain of nucleotides. Furthermore, nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides. Thus, nucleic acids and polynucleotides as used herein are interchangeable. One skilled in the art has the general knowledge that nucleic acids are polynucleotides, which can be hydrolyzed into the monomeric “nucleotides.” The monomeric nucleotides can be hydrolyzed into nucleosides.
• polynucleotides include, but are not limited to, all nucleic acid sequences which are obtained by any means available in the art, including, without limitation, recombinant means, i.e., the cloning of nucleic acid sequences from a recombinant library or a cell genome, using ordinary cloning technology and PCRTM, and the like, and by synthetic means.
• recombinant means i.e., the cloning of nucleic acid sequences from a recombinant library or a cell genome, using ordinary cloning technology and PCRTM, and the like, and by synthetic means.
• Polypeptide refers to any polymeric chain of residues (e.g., amino acids) that are typically linked by peptide bonds.
• a polypeptide has an amino acid sequence that occurs in nature.
• a polypeptide has an amino acid sequence that does not occur in nature.
• a polypeptide has an amino acid sequence that is engineered in that it is designed and/or produced through action of the hand of man.
• a polypeptide may comprise or consist of natural amino acids, non-natural amino acids, or both.
• a polypeptide may comprise or consist of only natural amino acids or only non-natural amino acids.
• a polypeptide may comprise D-amino acids, L-amino acids, or both. In some embodiments, a polypeptide may comprise only D-amino acids. In some embodiments, a polypeptide may comprise only L-amino acids. In some embodiments, a polypeptide may include one or more pendant groups or other modifications, e.g., modifying or attached to one or more amino acid side chains, at the polypeptide’s N-terminus, at the polypeptide’s C-terminus, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, such pendant groups or modifications may be selected from the group consisting of acetylation, amidation, lipidation, methylation, pegylation, etc., including combinations thereof.
• a polypeptide may be cyclic, and/or may comprise a cyclic portion. In some embodiments, a polypeptide is not cyclic and/or does not comprise any cyclic portion. In some embodiments, a polypeptide is linear. In some embodiments, a polypeptide may be or comprise a stapled polypeptide. In some embodiments, the term “polypeptide” may be appended to a name of a reference polypeptide, activity, or structure; in such instances it is used herein to refer to polypeptides that share the relevant activity or structure and thus can be considered to be members of the same class or family of polypeptides.
• exemplary polypeptides within the class whose amino acid sequences and/or functions are known; in some embodiments, such exemplary polypeptides are reference polypeptides for the polypeptide class or family.
• a member of a polypeptide class or family shows significant sequence homology or identity with, shares a common sequence motif (e.g., a characteristic sequence element) with, and/or shares a common activity (in some embodiments at a comparable level or within a designated range) with a reference polypeptide of the class; in some embodiments with all polypeptides within the class).
• a member polypeptide shows an overall degree of sequence homology or identity with a reference polypeptide that is at least about 30-40%, and is often greater than about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more and/or includes at least one region (e.g., a conserved region that may in some embodiments be or comprise a characteristic sequence element) that shows very high sequence identity, often greater than 90% or even 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99%.
• a conserved region that may in some embodiments be or comprise a characteristic sequence element
• Such a conserved region usually encompasses at least 3-4 and often up to 20 or more amino acids: in some embodiments, a conserved region encompasses at least one stretch of at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or more contiguous amino acids.
• a useful polypeptide may comprise or consist of a fragment of a parent polypeptide.
• a useful polypeptide as may comprise or consist of a plurality of fragments, each of which is found in the same parent polypeptide in a different spatial arrangement relative to one another than is found in the polypeptide of interest (e.g., fragments that are directly linked in the parent may be spatially separated in the polypeptide of interest or vice versa, and/or fragments may be present in a different order in the polypeptide of interest than in the parent), so that the polypeptide of interest is a derivative of its parent polypeptide.
• Protein refers to a polypeptide (i.e., a string of at least two amino acids linked to one another by peptide bonds). Proteins may include moieties other than amino acids (e.g., may be glycoproteins, proteoglycans, etc.) and/or may be otherwise processed or modified. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a “protein” can be a complete polypeptide chain as produced by a cell (with or without a signal sequence), or can be a characteristic portion thereof. Those of ordinary skill will appreciate that a protein can sometimes include more than one polypeptide chain, for example linked by one or more disulfide bonds or associated by other means.
• Polypeptides may contain L-amino acids, D-amino acids, or both and may contain any of a variety of amino acid modifications or analogs known in the art. Useful modifications include, e.g., terminal acetylation, amidation, methylation, etc.
• proteins may comprise natural amino acids, non-natural amino acids, synthetic amino acids, and combinations thereof.
• the term “peptide” is generally used to refer to a polypeptide having a length of less than about 100 amino acids, less than about 50 amino acids, less than 20 amino acids, or less than 10 amino acids.
• proteins are antibodies, antibody fragments, biologically active portions thereof, and/or characteristic portions thereof.
• Recombinant' is intended to refer to polypeptides that are designed, engineered, prepared, expressed, created, manufactured, and/or or isolated by recombinant means, such as polypeptides expressed using a recombinant expression vector transfected into a host cell, polypeptides isolated from a recombinant, combinatorial human polypeptide library (see, e.g., Hoogenboom, TIB Tech 15:62, 1997; Azzazy Clin. Biochem.
• one or more of such selected sequence elements is designed in silico.
• one or more such selected sequence elements results from mutagenesis (e.g., in vivo or in vitro) of a known sequence element, e.g., from a natural or synthetic source.
• a recombinant antibody polypeptide is comprised of sequences found in the germline of a source organism of interest (e.g., human, mouse, etc.).
• a recombinant antibody has an amino acid sequence that resulted from mutagenesis (e.g., in vitro or in vivo, for example in a transgenic animal), so that the amino acid sequences of the VH and VL regions of the recombinant antibodies are sequences that, while originating from and related to germline VH and VL sequences, do not naturally exist within the germline antibody repertoire in vivo.
• mutagenesis e.g., in vitro or in vivo, for example in a transgenic animal
• Signal transduction pathway refers to the biochemical relationship between a plurality of signal transduction molecules that play a role in the transmission of a signal from one portion of a cell to another portion of a cell.
• cell surface receptor includes molecules and complexes of molecules capable of receiving a signal and transmitting signal across the plasma membrane of a cell.
• Single chain antibodies refers to antibodies formed by recombinant DNA techniques in which immunoglobulin heavy and light chain fragments are linked to the Fv region via an engineered span of amino acids.
• Various methods of generating single chain antibodies are known, including those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,778; Bird (1988) Science 242:423-442; Huston et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:5879-5883; Ward et al. (1989) Nature 334:54454, Skerra et al. (1988) Science 242: 1038-1041.
• Small molecule refers to a low molecular weight organic and/or inorganic compound.
• a “small molecule” is a molecule that is less than about 5 kilodaltons (kD) in size.
• a small molecule is less than about 4 kD, 3 kD, about 2 kD, or about 1 kD.
• the small molecule is less than about 800 daltons (D), about 600 D, about 500 D, about 400 D, about 300 D, about 200 D, or about 100 D.
• a small molecule is less than about 2000 g/mol, less than about 1500 g/mol, less than about 1000 g/mol, less than about 800 g/mol, or less than about 500 g/mol. In some embodiments, a small molecule is not a polymer. In some embodiments, a small molecule does not include a polymeric moiety. In some embodiments, a small molecule is not and/or does not comprise a protein or polypeptide (e.g., is not an oligopeptide or peptide). In some embodiments, a small molecule is not and/or does not comprise a polynucleotide (e.g., is not an oligonucleotide).
• a small molecule is not and/or does not comprise a polysaccharide; for example, in some embodiments, a small molecule is not a glycoprotein, proteoglycan, or glycolipid. In some embodiments, a small molecule is not a lipid. In some embodiments, a small molecule is a modulating agent (e.g., is an inhibiting agent or an activating agent). In some embodiments, a small molecule is biologically active. In some embodiments, a small molecule is detectable (e.g., comprises at least one detectable moiety). In some embodiments, a small molecule is a therapeutic agent.
• a modulating agent e.g., is an inhibiting agent or an activating agent.
• a small molecule is biologically active.
• a small molecule is detectable (e.g., comprises at least one detectable moiety). In some embodiments, a small molecule is a therapeutic agent.
• certain small molecule compounds may be provided and/or utilized in any of a variety of forms such as, for example, crystal forms, salt forms, protected forms, pro-drug forms, ester forms, isomeric forms (e.g., optical and/or structural isomers), or isotopic forms.
• certain small molecule compounds have structures that can exist in one or more stereoisomeric forms.
• such a small molecule may be utilized in accordance with the present disclosure in the form of an individual enantiomer, diastereomer or geometric isomer, or may be in the form of a mixture of stereoisomers; in some embodiments, such a small molecule may be utilized in accordance with the present disclosure in a racemic mixture form.
• certain small molecule compounds have structures that can exist in one or more tautomeric forms.
• such a small molecule may be utilized in accordance with the present disclosure in the form of an individual tautomer, or in a form that interconverts between tautomeric forms.
• certain small molecule compounds have structures that permit isotopic substitution (e.g., 2 H or 3 H for H;, n C, 13 C or 14 C for 12C; , 13 N or 15 N for 14N; 17 O or 18 O for 160; 36 C1 for XXC; 18 F for XXF; 1311 for XXXI; etc).
• such a small molecule may be utilized in accordance with the present disclosure in one or more isotopically modified forms, or mixtures thereof.
• reference to a particular small molecule compound may relate to a specific form of that compound.
• a particular small molecule compound may be provided and/or utilized in a salt form (e.g., in an acid-addition or base-addition salt form, depending on the compound); in some such embodiments, the salt form may be a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form.
• a small molecule compound is one that exists or is found in nature
• that compound may be provided and/or utilized in accordance in the present disclosure in a form different from that in which it exists or is found in nature.
• a preparation of a particular small molecule compound that contains an absolute or relative amount of the compound, or of a particular form thereof, that is different from the absolute or relative (with respect to another component of the preparation including, for example, another form of the compound) amount of the compound or form that is present in a reference preparation of interest is distinct from the compound as it exists in the reference preparation or source.
• a preparation of a single stereoisomer of a small molecule compound is considered a different form of the compound than a racemic mixture of the compound; a particular salt of a small molecule compound is considered a different form from another salt form of the compound; a preparation that contains only a form of the compound that contains one conformational isomer ((Z) or (E)) of a double bond is considered to a different form of the compound from one that contains the other conformational isomer ((E) or (Z)) of the double bond; or a preparation in which one or more atoms is a different isotope than is present in a reference preparation is considered to be a different form.
• Subject refers to an organism, for example, a mammal (e.g., a human, a non-human mammal, a non-human primate, a primate, a laboratory animal, a mouse, a rat, a hamster, a gerbil, a cat, or a dog).
• a human subject is an adult, adolescent, or pediatric subject
• a subject is suffering from a disease, disorder or condition, e.g., a disease, disorder, or condition that can be treated as provided herein, e.g., a cancer or a tumor listed herein.
• a subject is susceptible to a disease, disorder, or condition; in some embodiments, a susceptible subject is predisposed to and/or shows an increased risk (as compared to the average risk observed in a reference subject or population) of developing the disease, disorder, or condition.
• a subject displays one or more symptoms of a disease, disorder, or condition.
• a subject does not display a particular symptom (e.g., clinical manifestation of disease) or characteristic of a disease, disorder, or condition.
• a subject does not display any symptom or characteristic of a disease, disorder, or condition.
• a subject is a patient.
• a subject is an individual to whom diagnosis and/or therapy is and/or has been administered.
• the term “substantially” refers to the qualitative condition of exhibiting total or near-total extent or degree of a characteristic or property of interest.
• One of ordinary' skill in the biological arts will understand that biological and chemical phenomena rarely, if ever, go to completion and/or proceed to completeness or achieve or avoid an absolute result. The term “substantially” is therefore used herein to capture the potential lack of completeness inherent in many biological and chemical phenomena.
• Suffering from' An individual who is “suffering from” a disease, disorder, and/or condition has been diagnosed with and/or displays one or more symptoms of a disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• Target refers to a cell, tissue, organ, or site within the body that is the subject of provided methods, systems, and /or compositions, for example, a cell, tissue, organ or site within a body that is in need of treatment or is preferentially bound by, for example, a population of modified immune effector cells described herein or a KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein.
• therapeutic refers to a treatment and/or prophylaxis.
• a therapeutic effect is obtained, for example, by suppression, remission, or eradication of a disease state.
• therapeutic agent refers to any agent that, when administered to a subject, has a therapeutic effect and/or elicits a desired biological and/or pharmacological effect.
• a therapeutic agent can be an agent that, when administered to a subject, can prevent an undesired side effect.
• a therapeutic agent is any substance that can be used to alleviate, ameliorate, relieve, inhibit, prevent, delay onset of, reduce severity of, and/or reduce incidence of one or more symptoms or features of a disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• a therapeutic agent includes, but is not limited to, a population of modified immune effector cells described herein and/or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein.
• therapeutically effective amount means an amount of a substance (e.g., a therapeutic agent, composition, and/or formulation) that elicits a desired biological response when administered as part of a therapeutic regimen.
• a therapeutically effective amount of a substance is an amount that is sufficient, when administered to a subject suffering from or susceptible to a disease, disorder, and/or condition, to treat, diagnose, prevent, and/or delay the onset of the disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• the effective amount of a substance may vary depending on such factors as the desired biological endpoint, the substance to be delivered, and/or the target cell or tissue.
• the effective amount of compound in a formulation to treat a disease, disorder, and/or condition is the amount that alleviates, ameliorates, relieves, inhibits, prevents, delays onset of, reduces severity of and/or reduces incidence of one or more symptoms or features of the disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• a therapeutically effective amount is administered in a single dose. In some embodiments, multiple unit doses are required to deliver a therapeutically effective amount.
• treat refers to partial or complete alleviation, amelioration, delay of onset of, inhibition, prevention, relief, and/or reduction in incidence and/or severity of one or more symptoms or features of a disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• treatment may be administered to a subject who does not exhibit signs or features of a disease, disorder, and/or condition (e.g., may be prophylactic).
• treatment may be administered to a subject who exhibits only early or mild signs or features of the disease, disorder, and/or condition, for example for the purpose of decreasing the risk of developing pathology associated with the disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• treatment may be administered to a subject who exhibits established, severe, and/or late-stage signs of the disease, disorder, or condition.
• treating may comprise administering a population of modified immune effector cell described herein (e.g., a T cell or an NK cell) and/or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein to a subject.
• Tumor refers to an abnormal growth of cells or tissue.
• a tumor may comprise cells that are precancerous (e.g., benign), malignant, pre-metastatic, metastatic, and/or non-metastatic.
• a tumor is associated with, or is a manifestation of, a cancer.
• a tumor may be a disperse tumor or a liquid tumor
• a tumor may be a solid tumor.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof are provided herein.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein specifically bind KIR3DL3 (e.g., human KIR3DL3) with high affinity.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigenbinding fragments thereof described herein block binding of KIR3DL3 to HHLA2.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein specifically bind to KIR3DL3 expressed on NK cells.
• anti- KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein block HHLA2- mediated suppressive activity in T cells.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein enhance NK cell killing of HHLA2- expressing tumor cells.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein enhance anti-tumor activity. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein that can be useful for methods of treating diseases, disorders, and conditions, such as various cancers described herein, and for methods of modulating an immune response.
• the present disclosure provides immune effector cells described herein (e.g., NK cells or T cells) modified with at least one immune cell activating agent and/or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor to produce a population of modified immune effector cells.
• a population of modified immune effector cells exhibits enhanced proliferation, e.g., relative to proliferation prior to modification.
• a population of modified immune effector cells exh i bi Is increased endogenous expression of at least one cytokine, e.g., relative to endogenous expression of at least one cytokine prior to modification.
• Methods of making a population of modified immune effector cells described herein can include: (i) contacting a population of immune effector cells with at least one immune cell activating agent described herein, and/or (ii) contacting the population of immune effector cells with at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein.
• immune effector cell refers to a cell that is involved in an immune response, e.g., promotion of an immune response.
• immune cell effector cells include, but are not limited to, natural killer (NK) cells, T cells (e.g., alpha/beta T cells or gamma/delta T cells), natural killer T (NKT) cells, B cells, mast cells, and myeloid- derived phagocytes.
• modified refers to a changed state or structure of a cell (e.g., an immune effector cell described herein) or a molecule described herein.
• Cells may be modified through the introduction of one or more agents described herein (e.g., at least one immune cell activating agent described herein or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein).
• agents described herein e.g., at least one immune cell activating agent described herein or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein.
• Molecules may be modified in many ways, including chemically, structurally, and functionally.
• a modified immune effector cell has improved effector function as a result of modification, e.g., an immune effector cell contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent described herein (e.g., a cytokine agent described herein) and/or at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein.
• the at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor is one or more anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein.
• immune effector cells comprise or are T cells.
• T cells can have effector functions (Teffs) to increase immune responses by expression of one or more T cell receptors (TCRs).
• effector functions comprise or are one or more of cytokine secretion, cytotoxic activity, and/or anti-self-recognition.
• Conventional T cells can be any T cell population that is not a T regulatory cell (Treg) and include, but are not limited to, naive T cells, activated T cells, memory T cells, resting Tcons, or Tcons that have differentiated, e.g., into Thl or Th2 lineages.
• Teffs comprise or are CD4+ Teffs, such as CD4+ helper T cells (e.g., ThO, Thl, Tfh, or Thl 7).
• Teffs comprise or are CD8+ cytotoxic T cells.
• Teffs comprise or are a subset of non-Treg T cells.
• cytotoxic T cells are CD8+ T lymphocytes.
• a source of T cells can be obtained from a subject.
• T cells can be obtained from a number of sources, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), bone marrow, lymph node tissue, cord blood, thymus tissue, tissue from a site of infection, ascites, pleural effusion, spleen tissue, and tumors.
• PBMCs peripheral blood mononuclear cells
• T cells can be obtained from a unit of blood collected from a subject using any number of techniques known to the skilled artisan, such as FicollTM separation or magnetic bead separation. Any number of T cell lines available in the art, may also be used.
• T cells may be expanded by any method known in the art, such as by contacting T cells with a surface having attached thereto an agent that stimulates a CD3/TCR complex associated signal and a ligand that stimulates a costimulatory molecule on the surface of the T cells.
• T cell populations may be stimulated using a variety of methods known in the art, such as by contact with an anti-CD3 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof.
• a ligand that binds the accessory molecule may be used for co-stimulation of an accessory molecule on the surface of the T cells.
• an anti-CD28 antibody may mimic the activity of B7-1 or B7-2 by activating naive T cells via CD28 prior to translocation of CTLA4 to the cell surface and subsequent T cell suppression.
• a population of T cells e.g., CD4+ T cells or CD8+ T cells
• an anti-CD3 antibody and an anti-CD28 antibody under conditions appropriate for stimulating proliferation of the T cells.
• a population of T cells e.g., CD4+ T cells or CD8+ T cells
• can be contacted with an effective amount of a cytokine e.g., IL-2 or IL- 15
• immune effector cells comprise or are natural killer (NK cells).
• NK cells can exhibit cytolytic activity against a variety of targets via exocytosis of cytoplasmic granules containing a variety of proteins, including perforin and granzyme proteases. Killing by NK cells can be triggered in a contact-dependent, non-phagocytotic process, which does not require prior sensitization to an antigen.
• Human NK cells can be characterized by the presence of the cell-surface markers CD 16 and CD56, and the absence of the T cell receptor (CD3).
• Mature NK cells can be used in the methods and compositions described herein.
• Mature NK cells comprise or are committed NK cells, having characteristic surface markers (e.g., CD16 and CD56) and NK cell function, and lacking the potential for further differentiation.
• NK progenitor cells may be derived from common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs).
• a source of NK cells can be obtained from a subject.
• NK cells can be obtained from a number of sources, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), bone marrow, lymph node tissue, cord blood, thymus tissue, tissue from a site of infection, ascites, pleural effusion, spleen tissue, and tumors.
• PBMCs peripheral blood mononuclear cells
• NK cells can be obtained from a unit of blood collected from a subject using any number of techniques known to the skilled artisan, such as FicollTM separation or magnetic bead isolation. Any number of NK cell lines (e.g., NK-92 cell line) available in the art, may also be used.
• NK cells may be stimulated using a variety of methods known in the art, such as by incubating with an anti-CD20 antibody or co-culture with CD20-expressing cells.
• activation statute of NK cell is determined by assessing expression of markers (e.g., CD25, CD69, CD137, CD16, CD56, CD96, CD226, TIGIT, KIR2DL5, and/or NKG2D).
• markers e.g., CD25, CD69, CD137, CD16, CD56, CD96, CD226, TIGIT, KIR2DL5, and/or NKG2D.
• Cell surface expression of markers can be determined, for example, via FACS analysis or immunohistological staining techniques.
• ADCC antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity
• FcRs Fc receptors
• cytotoxic cells e g. Natural Killer (NK) cells, neutrophils, and macrophages
• FcRs Fc receptors
• Immune effector cells described herein may be activated and expanded generally using methods as described, for example, in U.S. Patents 6,352,694; 6,534,055; 6,905,680; 6,692,964; 5,858,358; 6,887,466; 6,905,681; 7,144,575; 7,067,318; 7,172,869; 7,232,566; 7,175,843; 5,883,223; 6,905,874; 6,797,514; 6,867,041; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20060121005, each of which is hereby incorporated by its reference in its entirety.
• immune effector cells e.g., T cells or NK cells
• an immune effector cell comprising at least one CAR comprises: (a) an extracellular domain (e.g., an extracellular domain described herein), (b) a transmembrane domain (e.g., a transmembrane domain described herein), and (c) an intracellular domain (e.g., an intracellular domain described herein).
• a CAR comprises an antigen binding domain that binds to an antigen, for example, on a target cell.
• a tumor antigen comprises CD19; CD123; CD22; CD30; CD171; CS-1; C-type lectin-like molecule-1 (CLL-1 or CUECL1); CD33; epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII); TNF receptor family member B cell maturation (BCMA); prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA); Receptor ty rosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1); Fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 (FLT3); CD38; CD44v6; Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA); Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM); B7H3 (CD276); KIT (CD 117); Interleukin- 13 receptor subunit alpha-2 (IE-13Ra2 or CD213A2); Mesothelin;
• a CAR comprises one or more extracellular leader domains, one or more extracellular hinge domains and/or one or more intracellular co- stimulatory domains.
• a CAR comprises a leader sequence at the N- terminus.
• a CAR comprises a leader sequence at the N-terminus of the extracellular antigen recognition domain, wherein the leader sequence is optionally cleaved from the antigen recognition domain (e.g., a scFv) during cellular processing and localization of the CAR to the cellular membrane.
• the antigen recognition domain e.g., a scFv
• a CAR comprises a transmembrane domain, for example, that connects an extracellular domain to an intracellular domain.
• a transmembrane domain is naturally associated with one or more other domains of a CAR.
• a transmembrane domain comprises one or more of the following: alpha, beta, or zeta chain of the T-cell receptor, CD28, CD3 epsilon, CD45, CD4, CD5, CD8 (e g , CD8 alpha, CD8 beta), CD9, CD16, CD22, CD33, CD37, CD64, CD80, CD86, CD134, CD137, CD154.
• a CAR comprises one or more intracellular domains.
• an intracellular domain of a CAR comprises at least one domain responsible for signal activation and/or transduction.
• an intracellular domain is or comprises at least one signaling domain.
• an intracellular signaling domain comprises or is a functional signaling domain derived from one or more of TCR zeta, FcR gamma, FcR beta, CD3 zeta, CD3 gamma, CD3 delta, CD3 epsilon, CD5, CD22, CD79a, CD79b, and CD66d.
• an intracellular signalling domain can further comprise a costimulatory signaling domain.
• a costimulatory signaling domain refers to a portion of a CAR comprising an intracellular domain of a costimulatory molecule.
• costimulatory molecules include, but are not limited to, CD27, CD28, 4- IBB (CD137), 0X40, CD30, CD40, PD-1 (also known as PD1), ICOS, LFA-1, CD2, CD7, LIGHT, NKG2C, and B7-H3.
• the present disclosure provides KIR3DL3 inhibitors.
• a population of immune effector cells described herein is contacted with at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor and at least one immune cell activating agent (e.g., prior to or substantially simultaneously with at least one KJR3DL3 inhibitor) to form a population of modified immune effector cells.
• at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor is administered to a subject in combination with a population of modified immune effector cells (e.g., immune effector cells contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent to form a population of modified immune effector cells pnor to administering to a subject).
• HHLA2 is a B7 family member that modulates NK cell and T cell functions. HHLA2 is broadly expressed in a variety of tumors and antigen presenting cells and has been implicated as both an activating and inhibitory' ligand for NK cells and T cells. HHLA2 is a specific ligand for TMIGD2 and the interaction of HHLA2 and TMIGD2 selectively stimulates cell proliferation and cytokine production. HHLA2 also binds KIR3DL3, a receptor on T cells and NK cells, resulting in inhibition of T cell and NK cell activation. The present disclosure provides KIR3DL3 inhibitors for use in combination with immune cell activating agents for treating a variety of cancers, including solid tumors and hematological tumors.
• KIR3DL3 or “Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 3DL3,” as used herein, refer to a member of the Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor transmembrane glycoprotein family expressed by NK cells and T cells. KIR3DL3 is also known as KIRC1, CD158Z, KIR3DL7, and KIR44.
• the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes are polymorphic and highly homologous genes found in a cluster on chromosome 19ql3.4 within the I Mb leukocyte receptor complex (LRC).
• the gene content of the KIR gene cluster varies among haplotypes, although several “framework” genes are found in all haplotypes (KIR3DL3, KIR3DP1, KIR3DL4, and KIR3DL2).
• the KIR proteins are classified by the number of extracellular immunoglobulin domains (2D or 3D) and by whether they have a long (L) or short (S) cytoplasmic domain.
• KIR proteins with the long cytoplasmic domain transduce inhibitory signals upon ligand binding via an immune tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM), while KIR proteins with the short cytoplasmic domain lack the ITIM motif and instead associate with the TYRO protein tyrosine kinase binding protein to transduce activating signals.
• ITIM immune tyrosine-based inhibitory motif
• KIR3DL3 protein has an N-terminal signal sequence, 3 Ig domains, a transmembrane region lacking a positively charged residue, and a long cytoplasmic tail containing an ITIM. KIR3DL3 lacks the stalk region found in other KIRs.
• KIR3DL3 includes fragments, variants (e.g., allelic variants), and derivatives thereof.
• Representative human KIR3DL3 cDNA and human KIR3DL3 polypeptide sequences are publicly available from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
• NCBI National Center for Biotechnology Information
• at least one human KIR3DL3 isoform is known: human KIR3DL3 (NM_153443.4) encoded by the transcript (NP_703144.3).
• KIR3DL3 orthologs in organisms other than humans are also known including, but not limited to, chimpanzee KIR3DL3 (XM_003316679.3 and XP 003 16727.3), Rhesus monkey KIR3DL3 (NM_001104552.2 and NP_001098022.1), mouse KIR3DL3 (NM_001310690.1 and NP_001297619.1, NM_177749.4 and NP_808417.2, NM_177748.2 and NP_808416.1), and rat KIR3DL3 (NM_181479.2 and NP_852144. 1).
• a KIR3DL3 inhibitor exhibits binding affinity for KIR3DL3 or a fragment thereof (e.g., as assessed in a diagnostic assay, such as immunohistochemical (IHC), Western blot, intercellular flow, or ELISA). In some embodiments, a KIR3DL3 inhibitor exhibits the ability to inhibit KIR3DL3 binding to HHLA2.
• a diagnostic assay such as immunohistochemical (IHC), Western blot, intercellular flow, or ELISA.
• Anti-KIR3DL3 Antibodies and Antigen-Binding Fragments [0146] Disclosed herein are methods, compositions, and formulations that include inhibitors of KIR3DL3, e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or fragment thereof may bind specifically to an epitope on KIR3DL3.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises or is a monoclonal antibody.
• an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises or is a full length antibody, e.g., comprising an immunoglobulin Fc region.
• an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises or is a multispecific antibody, e.g., comprising a plurality of immunoglobulin variable domain sequences, wherein a first immunoglobulin variable domain sequence of the plurality has binding specificity for a first epitope and a second immunoglobulin variable domain sequence of the plurality has binding specificity for a second epitope.
• an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises or is a bispecific antibody molecule.
• an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is or has been affinity matured.
• An anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof can include a heavy (H) chain variable domain sequence (VH), and a light (L) chain variable domain sequence (VL).
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises or is a heavy chain and a light chain (a half antibody).
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises or is two heavy (H) chain variable domain sequences and two light (L) chain variable domain sequence, thereby forming two antigen binding sites, such as Fab, Fab’, F(ab’)2, Fc, Fd, Fd’, Fv, single chain antibodies (scFv), single variable domain antibodies, diabodies (Dab) (bivalent and bispecific), and chimeric (e.g., humanized) antibodies, which may be produced by the modification of whole antibodies or those synthesized de novo using recombinant DNA technologies.
• Such functional antibody fragments can retain the ability to selectively bind with KIR3DL3.
• antigen-binding fragments of an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody can include: (i) a Fab fragment, a monovalent fragment consisting of the VL, VH, CL, and CHI domains; (ii) a F(ab')2 fragment, a bivalent fragment comprising two Fab fragments linked by a disulfide bridge at the hinge region; (iii) a Fd fragment consisting of the VH and CHI domains; (iv) a Fv fragment consisting of the VL and VH domains of a single arm of an antibody, (v) a diabody (dAb) fragment, which consists of a VH domain; (vi) a camelid or camelized variable domain; (vii) a scFv; and (viii) a single domain antibody.
• a Fab fragment a monovalent fragment consisting of the VL, VH, CL, and CHI domains
• a F(ab')2 fragment a bivalent fragment comprising two
• Antibody fragments can be obtained using conventional techniques known to those of skill in the art, and the fragments are screened for utility in the same manner as intact antibodies.
• Anti- KIR3DL3 antibodies and antibody fragments can be from any class of antibodies including, but not limited to, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE, and from any subclass (e g., IgGl, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4) of antibodies.
• Preparation of an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof can be monoclonal or polyclonal.
• An anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigenbinding fragment thereof can also be a human, humanized, CDR-grafted, or in vitro generated.
• An anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or fragment can have a heavy chain constant region chosen from, e.g., IgGl, IgG2, IgG3, or IgG4.
• An anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigenbinding fragment can also have a light chain chosen from, e.g., kappa or lambda.
• immunoglobulin Ig is used interchangeably with the term “antibody” herein.
• VH and VL regions can be subdivided into regions of hypervariability, termed “complementarity determining regions” (CDRs), interspersed with regions that are more conserved, termed “framework regions” (FR or FW).
• CDRs complementarity determining regions
• FR frame regions
• HCDR1, HCDR2, and HCDR3 regions of hypervariability
• LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3 regions of hypervariability
• the extent of the framework region and CDRs can be precisely defined using a number of well-known schemes (see, e.g., Kabat, E. A., et al. (1991) Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, Fifth Edition, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH Publication No. 91-3242; Chothia, C. et al. (1987) J. Mol. Biol. 196:901-917; and the AbM definition used by Oxford Molecular’s AbM antibody modeling software, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety).
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises: (a) a heavy chain variable region (VH) comprising one, two, or three VH CDR sequences each with at least about 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or more identity to a VH CDR in Table 1; and/or (b) a light chain variable region (VL) comprising one, two, or three VL CDR sequences each with at least about 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or more identity to a VL CDR in Table 1.
• VH heavy chain variable region
• VL light chain variable region
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises: (a) a VH with at least about 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or more identity to a VH in Table I; and/or (a) a VL with at least about 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or more identity' to a VL in Table 1.
• an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises: (a) a heavy chain with at least about 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or more identity to a heavy chain in Table 1; and/or (a) a light chain with at least about 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or more identity to a light chain in Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16.
• an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19, each disclosed in Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigenbinding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22, each disclosed in Table 1.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VH comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 10.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigenbinding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VL comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 23.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VH comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 and a VL comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 12.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 25.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 and a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 29; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDRI amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42.
• an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDRI amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 32; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDRI amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 43, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45.
• an anti-KJR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof descnbed herein compnses: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDRI ammo acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VH comprising an ammo acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 36.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigenbinding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VL comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 49, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 49.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VH comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36 and a VL comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 49.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 38.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 51.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38, and a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 53, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 54, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 55; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 66, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 67, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 68.
• an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 56, a VH CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 57, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 58; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 69, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 71.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises: (a) a VH comprising a VH CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 59, a VH CDR2 ammo acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 60, and a VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 61; and (b) a VL comprising a VL CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 72, a VL CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 73, and a VL CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 74.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VH comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 62, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 62.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigenbinding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VL comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 75, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 75.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a VH comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 62 and a VL comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 75.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 64.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 77, or an amino acid sequence at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical or higher to SEQ ID NO: 77.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 64, and a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 77.
• Table 1 Amino acid and nucleotide sequences of exemplary anti-RIR3DL3 antibodies.
• Phage display and combinatorial methods for generating antibodies are known in the art (as described in, e.g., Ladner et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,223,409; Kang et al.
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies suitable for detecting KIR3DL3 protein include, e.g., antibodies Cat #: FAB8919R, MAB8919, FAB8919G, FAB8919N, FAB8919S, FAB8919T, FAB8919U, and FAB8919V (R&D systems); antibody AP52374PU-N (Origene); antibody PA5-26178 (ThermoFisher Scientific); antibodies OAAB05761, OAAF08125, OAAN04122, OACA09134, OACA09135, OACD04988; and OASGOl 190 (Aviva Sy stems Biology).
• an “anti-KIR3DL3 antigen-binding fragment” comprises or is any protein or peptide-containing molecule comprising at least a portion of an immunoglobulin molecule containing at least one complementarity determining region (CDR) of a VH or a VL or a KIR3DL3 binding portion derived from any of the antibodies described herein.
• Antibody fragments can be obtained using conventional techniques known to those of skill in the art, and the fragments are screened for utility in the same manner as intact antibodies. Such functional antibody fragments can retain the ability to selectively bind with KIR3DL3.
• anti-K!R3DL3 antigen-bmding fragments described herein can include: (i) a Fab fragment, a monovalent fragment comprising VL, VH, CL, and CHI domains; (ii) a F(ab')2 fragment, a bivalent fragment comprising two Fab fragments linked by a disulfide bridge at a hinge region; (iii) a Fd fragment comprising VH and CHI domains; (iv) a Fv fragment comprising VL and VH domains of a single arm of an antibody, (v) a diabody (dAb) fragment comprising a VH domain; (vi) a camelid or camelized variable domain; (vii) a scFv, a fusion protein of VH and VL regions; or (viii) a single domain antibody.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises or is a heavy chain and a light chain (e
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein is identified using a display technology, such as yeast display, phage display, or ribosome display.
• a display technology such as yeast display, phage display, or ribosome display.
• an anti-KJR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof descnbed herein is identified using a hybndoma library (e.g., a mammalian hybridoma library, e.g., a mouse hybridoma library), followed by supernatant screening.
• a hybndoma library e.g., a mammalian hybridoma library, e.g., a mouse hybridoma library
• Combinatorial methods for generating antibodies are known in the art (as described in, e.g., Ladner et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,223,409; Kang et al. International Publication No. WO 92/18619; Dower et al. International Publication No. WO 91/17271; Winter et al. International Publication WO 92/20791; Markland et al. International Publication No. WO 92/15679; Breitling et al. International Publication WO 93/01288; McCafferty et al. International Publication No. WO 92/01047; Garrard et al. International Publication No.
• an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein may be derived from other species.
• a humanized antibody is an antibody produced by recombinant DNA technology, in which some or all amino acids of a human immunoglobulin light chain or heavy chain that are not required for antigen binding (e.g., constant regions and/or framework regions of variable domains) are used to substitute for the corresponding amino acids from light chain or heavy chain of the cognate, nonhuman antibody.
• a humanized version of a murine antibody to a given antigen has on both heavy and light chains: (1) constant regions of a human antibody; (2) FRs from the variable domains of a human antibody; and (3) CDRs from the murine antibody.
• Human FRs may be selected based on their highest sequence homology to mouse FR sequence. When necessary, one or more residues in human FRs can be changed to residues at corresponding positions in a murine antibody so as to preserve binding affinity of the humanized antibody to a target. This change is sometimes called “back mutation.” Similarly, forward mutations may be made to revert back to murine sequence for a desired reason, e.g. stability or affinity to a target. Humanized antibodies generally are less likely to elicit an immune response in humans as compared to chimeric human antibodies because the former contain considerably fewer non-human components.
• cDNAs encoding VH and VL are isolated from a hybridoma, and nucleic acid sequences encoding VH and VL including CDRs are determined by sequencing. Nucleic acid sequences encoding CDRs are inserted into corresponding regions of a human antibody VH or VL coding sequences and attached to human constant region gene segments of a desired isotype (e.g., yl for CH and K for CL). Humanized heavy and light chain genes are co-expressed in mammalian host cells (e.g., CHO or NSO cells) to produce soluble humanized antibody. To facilitate large-scale production of antibodies, it is often desirable to select for a high expressor using, for example, a DHFR gene or GS gene in the producer line.
• mammalian host cells e.g., CHO or NSO cells
• an anti-KJR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprises or is a human antibody.
• Completely human antibodies may be particularly desirable for therapeutic treatment of human subjects.
• Human antibodies can be made by a variety of methods known in the art including phage display methods described above using antibody libraries derived from human immunoglobulin sequences (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,444,887 and 4,716,111; and PCT publications WO 98/46645, WO 98/60433, WO 98/24893, WO 98/16664, WO 96/34096, WO 96/33735, and WO 91/10741; each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
• the present disclosure provides nucleic acids encoding KIR3DL3 binding agents described herein (e.g., anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof).
• the present disclosure includes nucleic acids encoding one or more heavy chains, VH domains, heavy chain FRs, heavy chain CDRs, heavy chain constant domains, light chains, VL domains, light chain FRs, light chain CDRs, light chain constant domains, or other immunoglobulin-like sequences, antibodies, or antigen-binding fragments thereof disclosed herein.
• Such nucleic acids may be present in a vector.
• nucleic acids may be present in the genome of a cell, e.g., a cell of a subject in need of treatment or a cell for production of an antibody, e.g. a mammalian cell for production of an anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein.
• Nucleic acids encoding KIR3DL3 binding agents described herein may be modified to include codons that are optimized for expression in a particular cell ty pe or organism.
• Codon optimized sequences are synthetic sequences, and preferably encode an identical polypeptide (or biologically active fragment of a full length poly peptide which has substantially the same activity as the full length polypeptide) encoded by a non-codon optimized parent polynucleotide.
• a coding region of a nucleic acids encoding KIR3DL3 binding agents described herein, in whole or in part, may include an altered sequence to optimize codon usage for a particular cell type (e.g., a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell).
• a coding sequence for a humanized heavy (or light) chain variable region described herein may be optimized for expression in a bacterial cells.
• the coding sequence may be optimized for expression in a mammalian cell (e.g., a CHO cell). Such a sequence may be described as a codon-optimized sequence.
• Nucleic acid constructs of the present disclosure may be inserted into an expression vector or viral vector by methods known to the art, and nucleic acids may be operably linked to an expression control sequence.
• a vector comprising any nucleic acids or fragments thereof described herein is further provided by the present disclosure. Any nucleic acids or fragments thereof described herein can be cloned into any suitable vector and can be used to transform or transfect any suitable host. Selection of vectors and methods to construct them are commonly known to persons of ordinary skill in the art (see, e.g., “Recombinant DNA Part D,” Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 153, Wu and Grossman, eds., Academic Press (1987)).
• a vector may include regulatory sequences, such as transcription and/or translation initiation and/or termination codons, which are specific to the type of host (e.g., bacterium, fungus, plant, or animal) into which a vector is to be introduced, as appropriate and taking into consideration whether a vector is DNA or RNA.
• a vector comprises regulatory sequences that are specific to a genus of a host cell.
• a vector comprises regulatory sequences that are specific to a species of a host.
• a nucleic acid construct can include one or more marker genes, which allow for selection of transformed or transfected hosts.
• marker genes include, e.g., biocide resistance (e.g., resistance to antibiotics or heavy metals) or complementation in an auxotrophic host to provide prototrophy.
• An expression vector can comprise a native or nonnative promoter operably linked to an isolated or purified nucleic acid as described above. Selection of promoters, e.g., strong, weak, inducible, tissue-specific, and/or developmental-specific, is within the skill of one in the art. Similarly, combining a nucleic acid as described above with a promoter is also within the skill of one in the art. [0176] Suitable vectors include those designed for propagation and expansion and/or for expression.
• a cloning vector may be selected from the pUC series, the pBluescnpt series (Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif), the pET series (Novagen, Madison, Wis.), the pGEX series (Pharmacia Biotech, Uppsala, Sweden), or the pEX series (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.).
• Bacteriophage vectors such as GTI O. XGT11, ZapII (Stratagene), XEMBL4, and ANM1149, may be used. Examples of plant expression vectors that can be used include pBIHO, pBI101.2, pBI101.3, pBI121, or pBIN19 (Clontech).
• animal expression vectors examples include pEUK-Cl, pMAM, or pMAMneo (Clontech).
• the TOPO cloning system (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.) also can be used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
• Additional sequences can be added to such cloning and/or expression sequences to optimize their function in cloning and/or expression, to aid in isolation of a nucleic acid encoding an KIR3DL3 binding agent described herein, or to improve introduction of a nucleic acid into a cell.
• Use of cloning vectors, expression vectors, adapters, and linkers is well known in the art (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning, a Laboratory Manual, 2d edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989); and Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Greene Publishing Associates and John Wiley & Sons, New York, N.Y. (1994), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety).
• nucleic acids and vectors of the present disclosure are isolated and/or purified.
• the present disclosure also provides a composition comprising an isolated or purified nucleic acid, optionally in the form of a vector.
• Isolated nucleic acids and vectors may be prepared using standard techniques known in the art including, for example, alkali/SDS treatment, CsCl binding, column chromatography, agarose gel electrophoresis, and/or other techniques well known in the art.
• the composition can comprise other components as described further herein.
• Any method known to one skilled in the art for the insertion of nucleic acids into a vector may be used to construct expression vectors encoding an anti-human KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein under control of transcriptional and/or translational control signals. These methods may include in vitro recombinant DNA and synthetic techniques and in vivo recombination (see, e.g., Ausubel, supra; or Sambrook, supra).
• anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein include antibodies and antibody fragments that bind to the same epitope as the KIR3DL3-binding antibodies shown in Table 1 described herein. Additional antibodies and antibody fragments can therefore be identified based on their ability to crosscompete (e.g., to competitively inhibit the binding of, in a statistically significant manner) with other antibodies descnbed herein in K1R3DL3 binding assays.
• test antibody to inhibit the binding of antibodies and antibody fragments described herein to a KIR3DL3 protein (e.g., human KIR3DL3) demonstrates that the test antibody can compete with that antibody or antibody fragment for binding to KIR3DL3; such an antibody may, according to non-limiting theory, bind to the same or a related (e.g., a structurally similar or spatially proximal) epitope on the KIR3DL3 protein as the antibody or antibody fragment with which it competes.
• an antibody that binds to the same epitope on KIR3DL3 as an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein is a human or humanized monoclonal antibody. Such human or humanized monoclonal antibodies can be prepared and isolated described herein.
• KIR3DL3 inhibitors that modulate gene expression, e.g., miRNA, shRNA, siRNA, CRISPR/Cas guide system, TALEN, or ZFN.
• a KIR3DL3 inhibitor comprises or is a gene expression modulator.
• Gene expression modulators can include RNAi molecules (e.g., double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), single-stranded RNAs (ssRNAs), micro RNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs)) and triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs)).
• Gene expression modulators may also include modified versions of any of the foregoing RNA molecules and, thus, include synthetic chemically modified RNAs.
• an RNAi can be a miRNA that reduces a level of KIR3DL3 in a cell (e.g., an NK cell or a T cell).
• an RNAi can be a shRNA that reduces a level of KIR3DL3 in a cell (e.g., an NK cell or a T cell).
• an RNAi can be a siRNA that reduces a level of KIR3DL3 in a cell (e.g., an NK cell or a T cell). Regulation of KIR3DL3 expression using miRNA and siRNA is described in, e.g., Nutalai et al., Genes (Basel). 2019 ;10(8):603, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
• siRNAs and shRNAs for reducing KIR3DL3 expression include shRNA products # TF303684, TR303684, TG303684, TL303684, and TL303684V (HexaBiogen Groupe CliniSciences); shRNA products # sc-60892-SH and sc- 60892-V (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc ); siRNA product # SR314516 (HexaBiogen Groupe CliniSciences); and siRNA product # sc-60892 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.).
• a KIR3DL3 inhibitor comprises or is an endonuclease.
• Endonucleases can create breaks in double-stranded DNA at desired locations in a genome and use the host cell’s mechanisms to repair the break using, for example, homologous recombination or nonhomologous end-joining.
• Classes of endonucleases that can be used for gene editing include, but are not limited to, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat(s) (CRISPR), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,697,853; as well as U.S. Publication Nos.
• ZFNs zinc-finger nucleases
• meganucleases see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,802,437, 8,445,251 and 8,338,157; and U.S. Publication Nos. 20130224863, 20110113509 and 20110033935)
• homing endonucleases see, e.g., U.S. Publication No 20150166969; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,005,973
• a KIR3DL3 inhibitor comprises or is a CRISPR/Cas system.
• CRISPR or “CRISPR to KIR3DL3” or “CRISPR to inhibit KIR3DL3,” as used herein, refer to a set of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats or a system comprising such a set of repeats.
• Cas refers to a CRISPR- associated protein.
• CRISPR/Cas system refers to a system derived from CRISPR and Cas, which can be used to silence or mutate a KIR3DL3 gene in an immune effector cell described herein, e.g., an NK cell or a T cell.
• CRISPR constructs for modulating KIR3DL3 expression include CRISPR products # KN224383, KN224383BN, KN224383RB, and KN224383LP (Ongene Technologies); CRISPR products # KI 151421, K1151401, K1151402, K1151403, K1151404, K1151405, K1151406, K1151407, KI 151408, and KI 151411 (Applied Biological Materials); and CRISPR products # sc-406227, sc-406227- KO-2, sc-406227-HDR-2, sc-406227-NIC, and sc-406227-NIC-2 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology).
• a KIR3DL3 inhibitor comprises or is a TALEN.
• TALEN or “TALEN to KIR3DL3” or “TALEN to inhibit KIR3DL3,” as used herein, refer to a transcription activator-like effector nuclease, an artificial nuclease which can be used to edit a KIR3DL3 gene in an immune effector cell as described, e.g., an NK cell or a T cell.
• a KIR3DL3 inhibitor comprises or is a ZFN.
• ZFN or “Zinc Finger Nuclease” or “ZFN to KIR3DL3” or “ZFN to inhibit KIR3DL3,” as used herein, refer to a zinc finger nuclease, an artificial nuclease which can be used to edit the KIR3DL3 gene in an immune effector cell described herein, e.g., an NK cell or a T cell.
• a KIR3DL3 inhibitor comprises or is a demethylating agent.
• a demethylating agent comprises or is 5-aza-2- deoxy cytidine (Aza), e.g., as described in Trundley et al, Immunogenetics (2006) 57: 904- 916, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
• a demethylating agent comprises or is 5-azacytidme.
• a demethylating agent comprises or is l-P-D-arabinofuranosil-5 -azacytosine.
• a demethylating agent comprises or is dihydro-5-azacytidine.
• Immune Cell Activating Agents Disclosed herein are methods, compositions, and formulations that include at least one immune cell activating agent, e.g., cytokine agent, costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof, polypeptides, glycoproteins, or exogenous cells.
• at least one immune cell activating agent e.g., cytokine agent, costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof, polypeptides, glycoproteins, or exogenous cells.
• immune cell activating agent refers to an agent that activates an immune effector cell described herein (e.g., an NK cell or a T cell), thereby modifying the immune effector cell (e.g., by increasing proliferation and/or endogenous expression of an interleukin).
• An immune cell activating agent can include, but is not limited to, a cytokine agent (e.g., an interleukin, e.g., a cytokine (e.g., IL-2, IL-15, IL-12, IL-17, and/or IL-18)), an antibody or fragment thereof (e.g., a costimulatory antibody or fragment thereof), a polypeptide, a glycoprotein, an exogenous cell (e.g., an artificial antigen presenting cell), a nucleic acid, an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory agent, a chimeric antigen receptor, a growth factor, an enzyme, a fusion protein, a synthetic molecule, an organic molecule (e.g., a small molecule), a carbohydrate, a lipid, a hormone, a microsome, a derivative or a variation thereof, and any combinations thereof.
• a cytokine agent e.g., an interleukin, e.g., a cyto
• Immune cell activating agents may be endogenously expressed or exogenous to an immune effector cell described herein.
• An immune cell activating agent may bind any cell moiety, such as a receptor, an antigenic determinant, or other binding site present on an immune effector cell described herein.
• An immune cell activating agent may diffuse or be transported into a cell, where it may act intracellularly.
• An immune activating agent can be an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof, or small molecule that decreases or blocks the inhibitory activity of one or more of a checkpoint protein (e.g., 4-1BB, CD40, CD28, 0X40, GITR, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, TIM-3, TGF- , or LAG-3), an enzyme (e.g. , CD39 or CD73), and/or a receptor (e.g., CTLA- 4 or CD3).
• a checkpoint protein e.g., 4-1BB, CD40, CD28, 0X40,
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with an immune cell activating agent described herein increases proliferation and/or increases endogenous expression of at least one interleukin (e.g., a cytokine) by immune effector cells.
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with at least one immune cell activating agent increases proliferation, e.g., relative to an immune effector cell not contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent.
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with at least one immune cell activating agent increases endogenous expression of at least one interleukin described herein, e.g.. relative to an immune effector cell not contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent.
• an immune cell activating agent comprises or is a cytokine agent.
• an immune cell activating agent comprises or is an interleukin.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL-2, IL-15, IL- 12, IL- 17, IL-18, IL-21, IFNy, or TNFa.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL- 2.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL-15.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL-12.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL-17.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL-18.
• a cytokine agent is or comprises IL-21.
• IL-2 is a member of a cytokine family including IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL- 15 and IL-21, in which each member of this family has a four alpha helix bundle.
• IL-2 can be a T cell growth factor and is endogenously secreted by both CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ T cells in vivo.
• IL-2 signals through the IL-2 receptor complex consisting of three chains, IL- 2Ra (CD25), IL-2RP (CD 122), and IL-2R (CD 132).
• IL-2 binds to IL- 2Ra (CD25), IL-2R(3 (CD 122), and/or IL-2R (CD 132) to activate an immune effector cell or proliferation of an immune effector cell described herein.
• IL-2 expands T cells (e.g., CD4+ helper T cells and/or CD8+ T cells).
• IL-2 does not substantially expand Tregs.
• IL-2 enhances cytotoxicity and/or expands NK cells.
• a cytokine agent comprises or is an inhibitor of a suppressor (e.g., an endogenous suppressor) of cytokine signaling.
• a cytokine agent comprises or is a suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) protein.
• SOCS cytokine signaling
• the immune cell activating agent comprises or is a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof, or a costimulatory small molecule.
• a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof binds to CD3, 4-1BB, CD40, CD28, 0X40, GITR, CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, TIM-3, TGF-P or LAG-3.
• a costimulatory small molecule binds to CD3, 4-1BB, CD40, CD28, 0X40, GITR, CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, TIM-3, TGF-P, LAG-3, CD39, or CD73.
• a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-CD3 antibody or fragment thereof.
• an anti-CD3 antibody comprises or is OKT3 (also known as Muromonab-CD3 or Orthoclone OKT3).
• an anti-CD3 antibody or fragment thereof binds to a T cell molecule, T3, associated with a T cell antigen receptor resulting in activation of T cells.
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with an anti-CD3 antibody or fragment thereof increases cytokine production by the immune effector cell, e.g., relative to an immune effector cell not contacted with an anti-CD3 antibody or fragment thereof.
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with an anti-CD3 antibody or fragment thereof enhances proliferation of an immune effector cell, e.g., relative to an immune effector cell not contacted with an anti-CD3 antibody or fragment thereof.
• a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-4- IBB antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-CD40 antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-CD28 antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-OX40 antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-GITR antibody or fragment thereof.
• a costimulatory antibody or antigen fragment thereof binding comprises or is an anti-CTLA-4 antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-PD-1 antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-PD-Ll antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises or is an anti-PD-L2 antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprise or is an anti-TIM-3 antibody or fragment thereof.
• a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprise or is an anti-TGF-P antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, a costimulatory antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprise or is an anti-LAG-3 antibody or fragment thereof.
• the immune cell activating agent comprises or is a costimulatory polypeptide. In some embodiments, a costimulatory polypeptide comprises or is a soluble HHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide. In some embodiments, a soluble HHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide comprises an extracellular domain of human HHLA2. In some embodiments, a soluble HHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide comprises a human IgG Fc region.
• a soluble HHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide comprises a human IgM Fc region.
• an IgG is an IgGl.
• a soluble HHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide binds KIR3DL3 in an immune effector cell described herein.
• a soluble HHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide blocks an interaction between KIR3DL3 and HHLA2 in an immune effector cell described herein.
• a soluble HHLA2 Fc fusion polypeptide is described in WO2014/133728, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.
• an immune cell activating agent comprises or is a glycoprotein.
• a costimulatory glycoprotein comprises or is a fibronectin protein or fragment thereof.
• Fibronectin is an endogenously expressed high- molecular weight ( ⁇ 440kDa) glycoprotein of the extracellular matrix known to bind to membrane-spanning integrins.
• an immune cell activating agent comprises or is a recombinant human fibronectin protein or fragment thereof.
• a recombinant human fibronectin fragment comprises a central cell-binding domain, a heparin-binding domain II, and a CS1 -sequence.
• a fibronectin protein or fragment thereof comprises or is RetroNectin® (Takara Bio Inc.).
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with a fibronectin protein or fragment thereof e.g., RetroNectin®
• retroNectin® increase proliferation of an immune effector cell described herein, e.g., relative to an immune effector cell not contacted with a fibronectin protein or fragment thereof.
• an immune cell activating agent comprises or is a costimulatory exogenous cell.
• a costimulatory exogenous cell comprises or is an artificial antigen presenting cell (aAPC).
• an aAPC comprises or is a K562-based aAPC.
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with an aAPC enhances cytokine production (e.g., IL-2 production) of an immune effector cell to enhance immune effector cell stimulation, e.g., relative to an immune effector cell not contacted with an aAPC.
• contacting an immune effector cell described herein with an aAPC enhances proliferation of an immune effector cell, e.g., relative to an immune effector cell not contacted with an aAPC.
• the present disclosure provides methods of treating a disease, disorder or condition (e.g., a disease, disorder or condition described herein) in a subject comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one K1R3DL3 inhibitor described herein.
• a disease, disorder or condition e.g., a disease, disorder or condition described herein
• the at least one K1R3DL3 inhibitor is or comprises one or more anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein.
• the disclosure provides at least one anti-K!R3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprising amino acid sequences found in Table 1 for use as a medicament. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides at least one anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprising amino acid sequences found in Table 1 for use in the treatment of a disease, disorder, or condition described herein. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides use of at least one anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein comprising amino acid sequences found in Table 1 for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a disease, disorder, or condition described herein.
• the present disclosure provides methods of treating a disease, disorder or condition (e.g., a disease, disorder or condition described herein) in a subject comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein.
• a population of immune effector cells described herein prior to administering, was contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent described herein and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof) described herein, thereby forming a population of modified immune effector cells.
• the present disclosure also provides methods of treating a disease, disorder or condition (e.g., a disease, disorder or condition described herein) in a subject comprising delivering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein and administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein (e.g., an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein) to a subject.
• a population of immune effector cells were contacted with at least one immune cell activating agent, thereby forming a population of modified immune effector cells.
• a therapeutically effective amount of at least one pharmaceutical composition described herein is administered to a subject having a disease, disorder, or condition.
• Pharmaceutical compositions described herein can be for use in the manufacture of a medicament for treating a disease, disorder, or condition in a subject or stimulating an immune response in a subject.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein is administered to a subject.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein is administered to a subject prior to administration of a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein) to a subject.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein is administered to a subject after administration of a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein) to a subject.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein is administered substantially simultaneously (e.g., co-administration by injection) with a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein) to a subject.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells and at least one K1R3DL3 inhibitor descnbed herein (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein) is administered to a subject (e.g., by injection).
• K1R3DL3 inhibitor descnbed herein e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein is administered to a subject within less than about 3 hours of contacting the immune effector cells with at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein).
• at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein is administered to a subject within less than about 1 minute, about 2 minutes, about 3 minutes, about 4 minutes, about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 30 minutes, or about 45 minutes, about 1 hour, about 1.5 hours, about 2 hours, about 2.5 hours, or about 3 hours of contacting the immune effector cells with at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein).
• KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein.
• a subject to be treated with methods described herein can be a mammal, e.g., a primate, e.g., a human (e.g., a patient having, or at risk of having, a disease, disorder or condition described herein).
• immune effector cells e.g., NK cells or T cells
• Pharmaceutical compositions described herein can be administered to a subject in accordance with a dosage regimen described herein, alone or in combination with one or more therapeutic agents, procedures, or modalities.
• a method of treating e.g., one or more of reducing, inhibiting, or delaying progression of) a cancer or a tumor in a subject with a pharmaceutical composition comprising immune cells described herein (e.g., NK cells or T cells) and/or a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein) is provided.
• a subject can have an adult or pediatric form of cancer.
• a cancer may be at an early, intermediate, or late stage, or a metastatic cancer.
• a subject has a cancer that is resistant to a therapeutic agent, e.g., comprising a cytokine agent described herein.
• a method of treating e.g., one or more of reducing, inhibiting, or delaying progression of) a sign or symptom of cancer in a subject with a pharmaceutical composition comprising immune cells described herein (e.g., NK cells or T cells) and/or a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein) is provided.
• pharmaceutical composition described herein are useful to delay the onset of, slow the progression of, or ameliorate one or more signs or symptoms of cancer.
• a physiological sign or symptom of cancer comprises or is an increase in tumor volume, an increase in number of cancer cells, an increase in number of metastases, a decrease in life expectancy, an increase in cancer cell proliferation, and/or an increase in cancer cell survival.
• a physical sign or symptom of cancer comprises or is a skin lesion (e.g., a lump or mole), weight loss, digestive problems, discomfort, fatigue, pain, trouble swallowing, cough, unusual bleeding and/or discharge, changes in bowel and/or bladder habits, and/or mental confusion.
• a cancer can include, but is not limited to, a solid tumor, a hematological cancer (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, e.g., multiple myeloma), or a metastatic lesion.
• a hematological cancer e.g., leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, e.g., multiple myeloma
• a metastatic lesion e.g., metastatic lesion.
• solid tumors include malignancies, e.g., sarcomas and carcinomas, e.g., adenocarcinomas of the various organ systems, such as those affecting the lung, breast, ovarian, lymphoid, gastrointestinal (e.g., colon), anal, genitals and genitourinary tract (e.g., renal, urothelial, bladder cells, prostate), pharynx, CNS (e.g., brain, neural or glial cells), head and neck, skin (e.g., melanoma, e.g., a cutaneous melanoma), pancreas, and bones (e.g., a chordoma).
• malignancies e.g., sarcomas and carcinomas
• carcinomas e.g., adenocarcinomas of the various organ systems, such as those affecting the lung, breast, ovarian, lymphoid, gastrointestinal (e.g., colon),
• a cancer is chosen from a lung cancer (e.g., a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (e.g., a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with squamous and/or non-squamous histology, or a NSCLC adenocarcinoma), or a small cell lung cancer (SCLC)), a skin cancer (e.g., a Merkel cell carcinoma or a melanoma (e.g., an advanced melanoma)), an ovarian cancer, a mesothelioma, a bladder cancer, a soft tissue sarcoma (e g., a hemangiopericytoma (HPC)), a bone cancer (a bone sarcoma), a kidney cancer (e.g., a renal cancer (e.g., a renal cell carcinoma)), a liver cancer (e.g., a hepatocellular carcinoma), a lung cancer (e.g.,
• a cancer is a brain tumor, e.g., a glioblastoma, a gliosarcoma, or a recurrent brain tumor.
• a cancer is a pancreatic cancer, e.g., an advanced pancreatic cancer.
• a cancer is a skin cancer, e.g., a melanoma (e.g., a stage II-IV melanoma, an HLA-A2 positive melanoma, an unresectable melanoma, or a metastatic melanoma), or a Merkel cell carcinoma.
• a cancer is a renal cancer, e.g., a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (e.g., a metastatic renal cell carcinoma).
• RCC renal cell carcinoma
• a cancer is a breast cancer, e.g., a metastatic breast carcinoma or a stage IV breast carcinoma, e.g., a triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).
• TNBC triple negative breast cancer
• a cancer is a virus-associated cancer.
• a cancer is an anal canal cancer (e.g., a squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal).
• a cancer is a cervical cancer (e.g., a squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix).
• a cancer is a gastric cancer (e.g., an Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) positive gastric cancer, or a gastric or gastro-esophageal junction carcinoma).
• a cancer is a head and neck cancer (e.g., an HPV positive and negative squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN)).
• a cancer is a nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).
• a cancer is a colorectal cancer, e.g., a relapsed colorectal cancer, a metastatic colorectal cancer, e.g., a microsatellite unstable colorectal cancer, a microsatellite stable colorectal cancer, a mismatch repair proficient colorectal cancer, or a mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer.
• a cancer is a hematological cancer.
• a cancer is a leukemia, e.g., acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic leukemia, or acute leukemia.
• a cancer is a lymphoma, e.g., Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphocytic lymphoma, or diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (e.g., a relapsed or refractory HL or DLBCL).
• a cancer is a myeloma, e.g., multiple myeloma.
• compositions described herein may be carried out in any convenient manner (e.g., injection, ingestion, transfusion, inhalation, implantation, or transplantation).
• a pharmaceutical compositions described herein is administered by injection or infusion.
• Pharmaceutical compositions described herein may be administered to a patient transarterially, subcutaneously, intravenously, intradermally, intratumorally, intranodally, intramedullary, intramuscularly, or intraperitoneally.
• a pharmaceutical composition described herein is administered parenterally (e.g., intravenously, subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, or intramuscularly).
• a pharmaceutical composition described herein is administered by subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intrastemal infusion or injection. In some embodiments, a pharmaceutical composition described herein is administered by intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. Pharmaceutical compositions described herein may be injected directly into a site of inflammation, a local disease site, a lymph node, an organ, a tumor, or site of infection in a subject.
• a subject to be treated with methods described herein can be a mammal (e.g., a primate, mouse, humanized mouse, rat, non-human mammal, domestic animal, such as a dog, cat, cow, or horse), and is preferably a human (e.g., a patient having, or at risk of having, a disease, disorder or condition described herein).
• a subject can be an animal model of cancer, such as a xenograft animal model of a human-derived cancer.
• a subject has not undergone treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and/or immune checkpoint therapy.
• a subject has undergone treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and/or immune checkpoint therapy.
• a subject has had surgery to remove cancerous or precancerous tissue.
• a cancerous tissue has not been removed, e.g., the cancerous tissue may be located in an inoperable region of the body, such as in a tissue that is essential for life or in a region where a surgical procedure would cause considerable risk of harm to a subject.
• an additional agent e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, or more additional agents
• an additional agent may be or comprise any known treatment for a particular disease, disorder, or condition (e.g., a cancer).
• an additional agent can be or comprise one or more of: a chemotherapeutic agent, immune checkpoint inhibitor, a gene expression modulators, an immunomodulatory interleukin, an immunomodulatory chemokine, a hormone therapy, a cell-based therapy, a cancer vaccine, an epigenetic modifiers (e.g., histone deacetylase (HD AC) modifier, an immunomodulatory drug, immunomodulatory antibody, a nutritional supplement, treatment with hyperthermia, a photodynamic therapy, surgery, radiation, or a transplant.
• a chemotherapeutic agent immune checkpoint inhibitor
• a gene expression modulators e.g., an immunomodulatory interleukin, an immunomodulatory chemokine
• a hormone therapy e.g., a cell-based therapy, a cancer vaccine
• an epigenetic modifiers e.g., histone deacetylase (HD AC) modifier
• an immunomodulatory drug e.g., immunomodulatory antibody
• a nutritional supplement e.g.,
• a chemotherapeutic agent comprises or is one or more anthracy clines, one or more cytoskeletal disruptors (e.g. microtubule targeting agents such as taxanes, maytansine, and analogs thereof), one or more epothilones, one or more histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACs), one or more topoisomerase inhibitors (e.g., one or more of inhibitors of topoisomerase I or topoisomerase II), one or more kinase inhibitors, one or more nucleotide analogs or nucleotide precursor analogs, one or more peptide antibiotics, one or more platinum-based agents, one or more retinoids, one or more vinca alkaloids, or a combination thereof.
• cytoskeletal disruptors e.g. microtubule targeting agents such as taxanes, maytansine, and analogs thereof
• HDACs histone deacetylase inhibitors
• topoisomerase inhibitors e.
• a chemotherapeutic agent comprises or is one or more of: Actinomycin, All-trans retinoic acid, an Auiristatin, Azacitidine, Azathioprine, Bleomycin, Bortezomib, Carboplatin, Capecitabine, Cisplatin, Chlorambucil, Cyclophosphamide, Curcumin, Cytarabine, Daunorubicin, Docetaxel, Doxifluridine, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Epothilone, Etoposide, Fludarabine, Fluorouracil, Gemcitabine, Hydroxyurea, Idarubicin, Imatinib, Irinotecan, Maytansine and/or analogs thereof (e.g.
• a chemotherapeutic agent comprises or is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
• an ADC comprises or is hLLl -doxorubicin, hRS7-SN-38, hMN-14-SN-38, hLL2-SN-38, hA20-SN-38, hPAM4-SN-38, hLLl-SN-38, hRS7-Pro-2-P-Dox, hMN-14-Pro- 2-P-Dox, hLL2-Pro-2-P-Dox, hA20-Pro-2-P-Dox, hPAM4-Pro-2-P-Dox, hLLl-Pro-2-P-Dox, P4/D10-doxorubicin, gemtuzumab ozogamicin, brentuximab vedotin, trastuzumab emtansine, inotuzumab ozogamicin, glembatumomab vedotin, SAR3419, SAR566658, BIIB015, BT
• an immune checkpoint inhibitor comprises or is an agent that targets one or more of: CTLA-4, PD-1, VISTA, B7-H2, B7-H3, PD-L1, B7-H4, B7-H6, 2B4, ICOS, HVEM, PD-L2, CD 160, gp49B, PIR-B, KIR family receptors, TIM-1, TIM-3, TIM-4, LAG-3, BTLA, SIRPalpha (CD47), CD48, 2B4 (CD244), B7.1, B7.2, ILT-2, ILT-4, TIGIT, HHLA2, TMIDG2, KIR3DL3, and A2aR.
• gene expression modulators comprise or are one or more of an inhibitory nucleic acid, a CRISPR/Cas guide system, TALEN, or ZFN.
• Inhibitory nucleic acids can include RNAi molecules (e.g., double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), singlestranded RNAs (ssRNAs), micro RNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs)) and triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs)).
• dsRNAs double-stranded RNAs
• ssRNAs singlestranded RNAs
• miRNAs micro RNAs
• siRNAs short interfering RNAs
• shRNAs short hairpin RNAs
• Gene expression modulators may also include modified versions of any of the foregoing RNA molecules and, thus, include synthetic chemically modified RNAs.
• a CRISPR/Cas guide system can comprise Cas
• immunomodulatory interleukins comprise or are one or more of: IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, IL-12, IL-17, or IL-23.
• immunomodulatory chemokines comprise or are one or more of: CCL3, CCL26, and CXCL7.
• immunomodulatory drugs comprise or are immunocytostatic drugs, glucocorticoids, cytostatics, immunophilins and modulators thereof (e.g., rapamycin, a calcineunn inhibitor, tacrolimus, ciclosporin (cyclosporin), pimecrolimus, abetimus, gusperimus, ridaforolimus, everolimus, temsirolimus, or zotarolimus), hydrocortisone (cortisol), cortisone acetate, prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, betamethasone, triamcinolone, beclometasone, fludrocortisone acetate, deoxycorticosterone acetate (doca) aldosterone, a non-glucocorticoid steroid, a pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor, leflunomide, teriflunomide, a
• an immunomodulatory antibody comprises or is one or more of: antibodies that bind to CD40, Toll-like receptor (TLR), 0X40, GITR, CD27, or 4- 1BB, T-cell bispecific antibodies, an anti-IL-2 receptor antibody, an anti-CD3 antibody, OKT3 (muromonab), otelixizumab, teplizumab, visilizumab, an anti-CD4 antibody, clenoliximab, keliximab, zanolimumab, an anti-CDll antibody, efalizumab, an anti-CD18 antibody, erlizumab, rovelizumab, an anti-CD20 antibody, afutuzumab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, pascolizumab, rituximab, an anti-CD23 antibody, lumiliximab, an anti-CD40 antibody, teneliximab, toral
• a hormone therapy may be or comprise tamoxifen, raloxifene, leuprolide, bicaluatmide, granisetron, flutamide, or a combination thereof.
• a cell-based therapy comprises or is chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR- T) cells, CAR-NK cells, TCR-transduced T cells, dendritic cells, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), natural killer (NK) cells, Irradiated autologous or allogeneic tumor cells, or a combination thereof.
• treatment with hyperthermia comprises or is local hyperthermia (e.g., external, intraluminal, or interstitial hyperthermia), regional hyperthermia (e.g., deep tissue hyperthermia, regional perfusion, or (continuous hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion), or whole-body hyperthermia.
• a photodynamic therapy comprises or is administration of photosensitizers, such as hematoporphyrin and its derivatives, Verteporfm (BPD-MA), phthalocyanine, photosensitizer Pc4, demethoxy -hypocrellin A, 2BA-2-DMHA, or a combination thereof.
• surgery comprises or is surgery to remove cancerous or precancerous tissue.
• a transplant comprises or is a stem cell transplant or an organ transplant.
• a nutritional supplement comprises or is one or more of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, and the like (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,981,844 and 5,230,902 and PCT Publ. No. WO 2004/004483).
• an additional agent is administered prior to, substantially simultaneously with, or subsequent to administration of an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein.
• administration of an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein and an additional agent results in an improvement in a disease, disorder, or condition (e.g., cancer) to an extent that is greater than an improvement produced by either the bispecific antibody molecule or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein or the additional agent alone.
• the difference between the combined effect and the effect of each agent alone can be a statistically significant difference.
• the combined effect can be a synergistic effect.
• combined administration of an anti- KIR3DL3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein and an additional agent allows administration of the additional agent at a reduced dose, a reduced number of doses, and/or a reduced frequency of dosage compared to a standard dosing regimen, e.g., an approved dosing regimen for the additional agent.
• a therapeutic agent comprises or is a cytotoxic agent, a drug, and/or a radioisotope.
• cytotoxic agent When conjugated to a cytotoxic agent, such conjugates can be referred to as “immunotoxins.”
• a cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to (e.g., can kill) cells.
• cytotoxic agents include, but are not limited to, taxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1 -dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologs of any of the foregoing.
• Anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein can be conjugated to one or more therapeutic agents (e.g., one or more drugs) including, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6- thioguanine, cytarabine, and/or 5 -fluorouracil decarbazine), topoisomerase I inhibitors (e.g., deruxtecan), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamme, thiotepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU), lomustine (CCNU), cyclophosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and/or cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracy clines (e.g., daunorubi), 5-flu
• Anti-KIR3DL3 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof described herein can be conjugated to one or more radioisotopes (e.g., radioactive iodine) to generate cytotoxic radiopharmaceuticals for treating diseases, disorders, or conditions described herein, such as cancers described herein.
• radioisotopes e.g., radioactive iodine
• compositions comprising a population of immune effector cells described herein (e.g., NK cells or T cells) in combination with one or more pharmaceutically or physiologically acceptable carriers, diluents, or excipients.
• a population of immune effector cells described herein e.g., NK cells or T cells
• pharmaceutically or physiologically acceptable carriers e.g., diluents, or excipients.
• compositions comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor in combination with one or more pharmaceutically or physiologically acceptable carriers, diluents, or excipients.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprises an anti-K!R3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof in combination with one or more pharmaceutically or physiologically acceptable carriers, diluents, or excipients.
• a pharmaceutical composition comprises a population of modified immune effector cells described herein and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein.
• a therapeutically effective amount “an immunologically effective amount,” “an anti-immune response effective amount,” or “an immune response-inhibiting effective amount” is indicated
• a precise amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of modified immune effector cells described herein (e.g., NK cells or T cells) and/or a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor as described herein (e.g., an anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof) can be determined by a physician with consideration of individual differences in age, weight, immune response, and condition of the patient (subject).
• compositions described herein may comprise buffers including neutral buffered saline or phosphate buffered saline (PBS); carbohydrates, such as glucose, mannose, sucrose, dextrans, or mannitol; proteins, polypeptides, or amino acids (e.g., glycine); antioxidants; chelating agents, such as EDTA or glutathione; adjuvants (e g., aluminum hydroxide); and preservatives.
• a pharmaceutical composition is substantially free of contaminants, e.g., there are no detectable levels of a contaminant (e.g., an endotoxin).
• compositions described herein may be administered in a manner appropriate to the disease, disorder, or condition to be treated or prevented. Quantity and frequency of administration will be determined by such factors as condition of a patient, and type and severity of a patient’s disease, disorder, or condition, although appropriate dosages may be determined by clinical trials.
• compositions described herein may be in a variety of forms. These include, for example, liquid, semi-solid and solid dosage forms, such as liquid solutions (e.g., injectable and infusible solutions), dispersions or suspensions, liposomes, and suppositories. Preferred compositions may be injectable or infusible solutions.
• liquid solutions e.g., injectable and infusible solutions
• dispersions or suspensions e.g., dispersions or suspensions
• liposomes e.g., liposomes, and suppositories.
• Preferred compositions may be injectable or infusible solutions.
• compositions described herein can be formulated for administration intravenously, subcutaneously, intradermally, intratumorally, intranodally, intramedullary, intramuscularly, transarterially, or intraperitoneally.
• a pharmaceutical composition described herein is formulated for parenteral (e.g., intravenous, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, or intramuscular) administration. In some embodiments, a pharmaceutical composition described herein is formulated for subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intrastemal injection or infusion. In preferred embodiments, a pharmaceutical composition described herein is formulated for subcutaneous or intravenous injection of infusion. Pharmaceutical compositions described herein can be formulated for administered by using infusion techniques that are commonly known in immunotherapy (See, e.g., Rosenberg et al., New Eng. J. of Med. 319: 1676, 1988, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety).
• parenteral administration and “administered parenterally” refer to modes of administration other than enteral and topical administration, usually by injection or infusion, and include, without limitation, intravenous, intramuscular, intraarterial, intrathecal, intracapsular, intraorbital, intracardiac, intradermal, intraperitoneal, transtracheal, subcutaneous, subcuticular, intraarticular, subcapsular, subarachnoid, intraspinal, epidural, intratumoral, and intrastemal injection and infusion.
• compositions comprising modified immune effector cells described herein may be administered at a dosage of about 10 4 to about 10 9 cells/kg body weight (e.g., about 10 5 to about 10 6 cells/kg body weight), including all integer values within those ranges).
• a dose of modified immune effector cells described herein comprises at least about 1 x 10 6 , about 1.1 x 10 6 , about 2 x 10 6 , about 3.6 x 10 6 , about 5 x 10 6 , about 1 x 10 7 , about 1.8 x 10 7 , about 2 x 10 7 , about 5 x 10 7 , about 1 x 10 8 , about 2 x 10 8 , about 5 x 10 8 , about 1 x 10 9 , about 2 x 10 9 , or about 5 x 10 9 cells.
• Pharmaceutical compositions described herein may also be administered multiple times at a certain dosage. An optimal dosage and treatment regime for a particular patient can readily be determined by one skilled in the art by monitoring a patient for signs of a disease, disorder, or condition and adjusting treatment accordingly.
• compositions described herein are administered in combination with (e.g., before, simultaneously, or following) bone marrow transplantation or lymphocyte ablative therapy using a chemotherapy agent (e.g., fludarabine, external-beam radiation therapy (XRT), cyclophosphamide, or Rituxan).
• a chemotherapy agent e.g., fludarabine, external-beam radiation therapy (XRT), cyclophosphamide, or Rituxan
• subjects undergo standard treatment with high dose chemotherapy followed by peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.
• following transplant subjects receive an infusion of one or more pharmaceutical compositions described herein.
• pharmaceutical compositions described herein may be administered before or following surgery.
• a dosage of any aforementioned therapy to be administered to a subj ect will vary with a disease, disorder, or condition being treated and based on a specific subject. Scaling of dosages for human administration can be performed according to art-accepted practices.
• kits comprising at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein, and instructions for use and/or administration.
• kits may include one or more containers comprising a pharmaceutical composition that comprises at least one anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein, and instructions for use and/or administration.
• kits comprising at least one immune cell activating agent described herein, at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein, and instructions for use and/or administration.
• kits may include one or more containers comprising a first pharmaceutical composition that comprises at least one immune cell activating agent described herein, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and a second pharmaceutical composition that comprises at least one KJR3DL3 inhibitor described herein and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
• the kits described herein comprise one or more anti-KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof, described herein, and instructions for use and/or administration.
• kits comprising a population of modified immune effector cells and at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor, and instructions for use and/or administration.
• kits may include one or more containers comprising a first pharmaceutical composition that comprises a population of modified immune effector cells described herein, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and a second pharmaceutical composition that comprises at least one KIR3DL3 inhibitor described herein and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
• such kits comprise at least one KIR3DL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof described herein and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
• a kit comprises instructions for use in any method described herein. Instructions can comprise a description of administration of the first and second pharmaceutical compositions to a subject to achieve the intended activity in a subject.
• the kit may further comprise a description of selecting a subject suitable for treatment based on identifying whether the subject is in need of the treatment.
• the instructions comprise a description of administering the first and second pharmaceutical compositions to a subject who is in need of the treatment.
• the instructions relating to the first and second pharmaceutical compositions described herein generally include information as to dosage, dosing schedule, and route of administration for the intended treatment.
• the containers may be unit doses, bulk packages (e.g., multi-dose packages) or sub-unit doses.
• Instructions supplied in the kits of the disclosure are typically written instructions on a label or package insert.
• the label or package insert indicates that the pharmaceutical compositions are used for treating, delaying the onset, and/or alleviating a disease, disorder or condition in a subject.
• kits provided herein are in suitable packaging.
• suitable packaging includes, but is not limited to, vials, bottles, jars, flexible packaging, and the like. Also contemplated are packages for use in combination with a specific device, such as an infusion device.
• a kit may have a sterile access port (for example, the container may be an intravenous solution bag or a vial having a stopper pierce able by a hypodermic injection needle). The container may also have a sterile access port.
• Kits optionally may provide additional components such as buffers and interpretive information.
• the kit comprises a container and a label or package insert(s) on or associated with the container.
• the disclosure provides articles of manufacture comprising contents of the kits described above.
• Example 1 First-in-class Monoclonal Antibody that binds Human KIR3DL3
• KIR3DL3 is a member of the killer cell Ig- like (KIR) receptor family and is expressed by both NK and T cells.
• KIR3DL3 has recently been shown to be a coinhibitory receptor for the B7 ligand, human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2) (see Bhatt et al, Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9: 156-169 and Wei et al. Science Immunol. 2021; 6: eab9792; each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety).
• HHLA2 human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2
• HHLA2 -induced KIR3DL3 activation SHP-1 and SHP-2 are recruited to KIR3DL3’s cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) and downstream activation signals are blunted.
• ITIM cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif
• T and NK cell activity is suppressed.
• HHLA2 has limited expression in normal tissues, but is highly expressed in many cancers and is often associated with poor patient outcomes.
• RCC renal cell carcinoma
• HHLA2 expression is often not co-expressed with PD-L1.
• KIR3DL3-HHLA2 axis represents a novel immune checkpoint pathway and blockade of KIR3DL3 signaling may be a promising strategy to promote antitumor immunity.
• NPX267 is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that was shown to bind specifically to KIR3DL3 (FIG. 2).
• the monovalent binding affinity of NPX267 to recombinant KIR3DL3 protein was determined by SPR using a Biacore instrument;
• KIR3DL3 protein was immobilized on a CM5 chip and NPX267 was run as the analyte.
• the affinity of NPX267 for human KIR3DL3 was 679pM. No off-target binding was found in a screen of greater than 5800 plasma membrane proteins.
• NPX267 was shown to specifically bind to KIR3DL3 expressed on 300.19- KIR3DL3 cells, NK92MI cells, and primary human NK cells (FIGS. 3A-3C) 300.
• 19- KIR3DL3 cells were treated with NPX267 or IgG4 isotype control antibody at concentrations ranging from 10 mg/mL to 0.0005 mg/mL for 30 minutes (FIG. 3A).
• Flow cytometric analysis of primary antibody binding was detected using an anti-human PE secondary antibody. The mean and standard deviation of duplicate data points are shown. Data performed in duplicate w as entered into GraphPad Prism software and the ECso was determined using a 4-parameter nonlinear regression equation.
• NK92 MI cells were treated with NPX267 at concentrations ranging from 10 mg/mL to 0.0005 mg/mL for 30 minutes (FIG. 3B).
• Flow cytometric analysis of primary antibody binding was detected using an anti-human PE secondary antibody. The mean and standard deviation of triplicate data points are shown.
• NK cells For primary human NK cells, human whole blood cells were treated with NPX267 at concentrations ranging from 10 mg/mL to 0.00016351 mg/mL for 30 minutes (FIG. 3C). Red blood cells were lysed and cells were stained with a cocktail of anti-human CD3, Anti-human CD56 and anti-human IgG4 PE. Flow cytometric analysis of primary antibody binding was detected using an anti-human PE secondary antibody.
• NPX267 was shown to bind to KIR3DL3 on tumor infiltrating CD56 + NK cells (FIG. 4). Cryopreserved human dissociated tumor cells were thawed and split into NPX276 and fluorescence-minus-one (FMO) conditions. Cells were stained with an antibody cocktail of Viability dye, CD45-BV421, EpCAM-FITC and CD56-PE for 30 minutes +/- NPX267-APC. Samples were acquired immediately on a flow cytometer. NPX267+ gates were determined from FMO sample for each donor. KIR3DL3 expression ranged from 6 to 15% of infiltrating CD56+ NK cells.
• NPX267 was shown to block binding of KIR3DL3 to HHLA2 (FIG. 5).
• 19-KIR3DL3 cells were treated with NPX267 or IgG4 isotype control antibody at concentrations ranging from 10 mg/mL to 0.0005 mg/mL for 30 minutes. Recombinant biotinylated HHLA2 at 5 mg/mL was added to the cells and incubated for 30 minutes. The cells were treated with 1 :250 of APC-streptavidin for 30 minutes to detect recombinant biotinylated HHLA2 bound to cells. The gMFI of APC-streptavidin on 300. 19-KIR3DL3 cells was measured by flow cytometry and percent inhibition was calculated.
• NPX267 was shown to block HHLA2-mediated suppressive activity in a T cell reporter assay (FIG. 6).
• HHLA2/TCR/CHO cells were seeded into white, clear-bottom 96-well plates and allowed to adhere overnight. The next day Jurkat/IL-2/KIR3DL3 cells were incubated with NPX267 for 1 hour. Tissue culture medium was removed from the HHLA2/TCR/CHO cells, and Jurkat/IL-2/KIR3DL3 cells pre-complexed with experimental antibodies and an anti-CD28 agonist antibody were added for 5-6 hours.
• the One-Step Luciferase Assay System was used to perform the luciferase assay.
• NPX267 was shown to enhance NK cell killing of HHLA2 expressing tumor cells (FIGS. 7A and 7B).
• NK92MI effector cells were plated in a round bottom 96-well plate and treated with 10 mg/mL NPX267 for 30 minutes.
• NK92MI cells were mixed with K562 cells engineered to express HHLA2 at a 1:1 effector to target ratio and incubated at 37C and 5% CO2 for 3 hours. Cells were then stained with the apoptosis marker Annexm V and analyzed via flow cytometry to assess target cell death.
• NPX267 increased target cell death by a maximum of two-fold in a dose dependent manner over an IgG4 isotype control (FIG. 7A).
• KIR3DL3+ human NK cells were incubated with 10 mg/mL of NPX267 or IgG4 isotype control for 30 minutes then added to CellTrace Violet labelled HCC827 cells at a ratio of 5 NK cells to 1 HCC827 cell for 6 hours. Cells were stained with 7-AAD. Flow cytometry was used to detect non-viable HCC827 cells (CellTrace Violet+ 7-AAD+).
• NPX267 is the humanized version of 26E10, which was shown to enhance NK cell-mediated anti -tumor activity in the HCC827 model in vivo (FIG. 8).
• mice were injected ip with KIR3DL3+ NK cells (IxlO 7 ) together with 1 pg of rhIL-2, 1 pg of rhIL-15, and 200 pg of NPX267 (or mlgGl) every other day for a total of 5 injections. Tumor grow th was assessed by imaging.
• NPX267 blocked HHLA2 engagement with KIR3DL3 on primary human NK and T cells in a dose dependent fashion.
• the ability of NPX267 to block KIR3DL3-mediated suppression of T cell activation was assessed with a T cell reporter system and primary CD8 + T cell functional assays.
• KIR3DL3 blockade with NPX267 inhibited HHLA2-mediated suppression of T cell activation in a dose dependent manner.
• the anti -tumor activity of KIR3DL3 blockade with NPX267 was also demonstrated in NK-cell mediated cytotoxicity assays.
• NPX267 treatment augmented the ability of human NK cell lines and primary NK cells to kill HHLA2 + tumor cells in vitro.
• NPX267 blockade of HHLA2 mediated KIR3DL3 signaling enhanced anti-tumor immunity in humanized mouse models bearing HHLA2 + human tumors.
• KIR3DL3-HHLA2 pathway is a novel immune checkpoint axis that facilitates tumor escape by attenuating both innate and adaptive antitumor immune responses.
• NPX267 a first-in-class KIR3DL3 blocking antibody, potentiates anti-tumor immunity against HHLA2 + tumors and represents a promising approach to treat certain diseases, disorders or conditions, and particularly cancers.

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