WO2024251547A1 - Switch receptors - Google Patents
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- WO2024251547A1 WO2024251547A1 PCT/EP2024/064471 EP2024064471W WO2024251547A1 WO 2024251547 A1 WO2024251547 A1 WO 2024251547A1 EP 2024064471 W EP2024064471 W EP 2024064471W WO 2024251547 A1 WO2024251547 A1 WO 2024251547A1
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
- A61K40/10—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by the cell type used
- A61K40/11—T-cells, e.g. tumour infiltrating lymphocytes [TIL] or regulatory T [Treg] cells; Lymphokine-activated killer [LAK] cells
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
- C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
- C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
- C07K14/715—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants for cytokines; for lymphokines; for interferons
- C07K14/7155—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants for cytokines; for lymphokines; for interferons for interleukins [IL]
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
- A61K40/30—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by the recombinant expression of specific molecules in the cells of the immune system
- A61K40/31—Chimeric antigen receptors [CAR]
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
- A61K40/30—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by the recombinant expression of specific molecules in the cells of the immune system
- A61K40/34—Antigenic peptides
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
- A61K40/30—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by the recombinant expression of specific molecules in the cells of the immune system
- A61K40/35—Cytokines
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K40/00—Cellular immunotherapy
- A61K40/40—Cellular immunotherapy characterised by antigens that are targeted or presented by cells of the immune system
- A61K40/41—Vertebrate antigens
- A61K40/42—Cancer antigens
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
- A61P35/00—Antineoplastic agents
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- C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
- C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
- C07K14/52—Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
- C07K14/54—Interleukins [IL]
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
- C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
- C07K14/52—Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
- C07K14/54—Interleukins [IL]
- C07K14/5434—IL-12
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
- C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
- C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
- C07K14/70503—Immunoglobulin superfamily
- C07K14/7051—T-cell receptor (TcR)-CD3 complex
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
- C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
- C12N5/00—Undifferentiated human, animal or plant cells, e.g. cell lines; Tissues; Cultivation or maintenance thereof; Culture media therefor
- C12N5/06—Animal cells or tissues; Human cells or tissues
- C12N5/0602—Vertebrate cells
- C12N5/0634—Cells from the blood or the immune system
- C12N5/0636—T lymphocytes
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K2239/00—Indexing codes associated with cellular immunotherapy of group A61K40/00
- A61K2239/10—Indexing codes associated with cellular immunotherapy of group A61K40/00 characterized by the structure of the chimeric antigen receptor [CAR]
- A61K2239/23—On/off switch
- A61K2239/24—Dimerizable CARs; CARs with adapter
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
- A61K2239/00—Indexing codes associated with cellular immunotherapy of group A61K40/00
- A61K2239/27—Indexing codes associated with cellular immunotherapy of group A61K40/00 characterized by targeting or presenting multiple antigens
- A61K2239/28—Expressing multiple CARs, TCRs or antigens
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
- C07K2319/01—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif
- C07K2319/02—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif containing a signal sequence
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
- C07K2319/01—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif
- C07K2319/03—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif containing a transmembrane segment
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C07K—PEPTIDES
- C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
- C07K2319/40—Fusion polypeptide containing a tag for immunodetection, or an epitope for immunisation
- C07K2319/43—Fusion polypeptide containing a tag for immunodetection, or an epitope for immunisation containing a FLAG-tag
Definitions
- Switch Receptors Sequence Listing The instant application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted electronically in XML format compliant with WIPO Standard ST.26 and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Said XML file, created on May 7, 2024, is named P38561-WO-Seq.xml, and is 88,941 bytes in size.
- Field of the invention The present disclosure relates to the fields of molecular biology, more specifically cytokine receptors.
- the present disclosure also relates to methods of medical treatment and prophylaxis, particularly cellular immunotherapy. Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) expressing T cells have shown clinical efficacy in different hematologic malignancies.
- CAR Chimeric antigen receptor
- CAR-T cell therapies have yet to provide meaningful clinical benefits over conventional chemo- and immunotherapies.
- This discrepancy can be attributed to several factors, including tumor heterogeneity, limited immune cell tumor infiltration, the tumor microenvironment (TME) as well as the display or secretion of immune inhibitory factors.
- Immune inhibitory ligands such as PD-L1, PD-L2, and CTLA-4, are well known to interact with their respective receptors on T cells, leading to T cell exhaustion and impaired anti-tumor response.
- immune-inhibitory cytokines e.g., IL10, IL4, TGF ⁇
- Interleukin 23 has emerged as a potential factor with pro-carcinogenic properties.
- IL23 produced by tumour-associated immune cells, can promote tumour growth and metastasis (Li et al., Carcinogenesis 34, no.3 (March 2013): 658–66.; Zhang et al., Carcinogenesis 35, no.6 (June 2014): 1330–40.; Langowski et al., Nature 442, no. 7101 (July 2006): 461–65.), angiogenesis, mediate tumour immune evasion and suppression (Fu et Al., European Urology 75, no.5 (May 2019): 752–63.); Teng, et al.
- a method involving systematic and/or untargeted downregulation of IL-23 or upregulation of IL12 signalling would severely interfere with the proper function of the immune system and have serious consequences are risks for the patient’s health.
- a strategy that modulates the balance between IL23 and IL12 signalling holds promise in improving CAR-T cell therapy outcomes in solid tumours.
- chimeric receptors a.k.a. switch receptors
- one of the challenges associated with this strategy is finding mutations that efficiently prevent activation by the original ligand without otherwise compromising the receptor’s structure or intrinsic ability to activate gene transcription.
- the present invention generally relates to chimeric cytokine receptors (also referred to as switch receptors or chimeric receptor polypeptides herein) capable of translating an interleukin-23 signal into a cellular response akin to interleukin-12.
- the chimeric cytokine receptors of the invention are comprised of at least the first extracellular domain of the interleukin-23 receptor and further extracellular domains of the interleukin-12 receptor beta 2, the intracellular domains of the Interleukin-12 receptor beta 2 and the transmembrane domain of either receptor.
- a chimeric receptor complex After engagement of the chimeric cytokine receptor with interleukin-23 and interleukin-12 receptor beta 1, a chimeric receptor complex is formed that leads to an intracellular response akin to interleukin-12, in a dose-dependent manner.
- the invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding the chimeric cytokine receptors of the present invention, vectors, cells, pharmaceutical compositions, and uses and methods as described below.
- the present disclosure provides a chimeric receptor polypeptide comprising: (i) an extracellular portion comprising an IL23-binding domain; (ii) an intracellular portion comprising the intracellular domains of IL12Rb2 (Interleukin-12 receptor beta 2); and (iii) a transmembrane domain that joins the extracellular portion and the intracellular portion.
- the IL23-binding domain of the chimeric receptor polypeptide binds the p19 subunit of IL23.
- the intracellular portion comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the transmembrane domain is selected from the transmembrane domain of IL12Rb2, IL23Ra, CD8, and CD28.
- the transmembrane domain comprises an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID Nos: 3, 4, 22, 33, or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide further comprises a signal sequence.
- the signal sequence comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 16.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide further comprises one or more linkers.
- the linker is a GS linker, a 2A linker, an ⁇ -helical linker, a glycine-alanine polymer linker, an alanine-serine polymer linker, or an IgG4-Fc linker.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide further comprises a tag polypeptide, e.g. a Flag tag.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide further comprises a marker, e.g. a fluorescent polypeptide, e.g. GFP or eGFP.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide comprises from the N-terminus to the C-terminus: Optional signal peptide – optional tag – optional linker – IL23-binding domain –transmembrane domain – intracellular portion comprising the intracellular domains of IL12Rb2 – optional linker – optional marker
- the IL23-binding domain comprises an extracellular domain of IL23R ⁇ (a.k.a. IL23R).
- the IL23-binding domain comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the IL23-binding domain comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35 or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the IL23-binding domain comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide further comprises, between the IL23-binding domain and the transmembrane domain, an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47 or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide further comprises, between the IL23-binding domain and the transmembrane domain, an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48 or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide further comprises, between the IL23-binding domain and the transmembrane domain, an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity thereto.
- the IL23-binding domain comprises a Fv, scFv, Fab, Fab‘, Fab‘-SH, F(ab’)2, crossFab, scFab, a single domain antibody (sdAb), or a designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin).
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 80% (preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99%) sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID Nos: 36-44.
- the present disclosure provides a nucleic acid, or a plurality of nucleic acids, encoding a chimeric receptor polypeptide disclosed herein, e.g. in the first aspect and the embodiments thereof, and optionally further comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a chimeric antigen receptor.
- the present disclosure provides an expression vector, or a plurality of expression vectors, comprising a nucleic acid or a plurality of nucleic acids disclosed herein, e.g. in the second aspect.
- the present disclosure provides a cell comprising a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the first aspect, a nucleic acid or a plurality of nucleic acids according to the second aspect, or an expression vector or a plurality of expression vectors according to the third aspect.
- the cell expresses IL12Rb1 (Interleukin-12 receptor beta 1 chain).
- the cell is a eukaryotic cell.
- the eukaryotic cell is an animal cell.
- the animal cell is a mammalian cell.
- the mammalian cell is a human cell.
- the cell is an immune cell, a neuron, an epithelial cell, an endothelial cell, or a stem cell. In some embodiments, the cell is an immune cell. In some embodiments, the immune cell is a tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL), B cell, a monocyte, a natural killer (NK) cell, a basophil, an eosinophil, a neutrophil, a dendritic cell, a macrophage, a regulatory T cell (Treg), a helper T cell (Th), a cytotoxic T cell (Tctl), an effector T cell, a memory T cell, a Natural Killer T (NKT) cell, or other T cell.
- TIL tumor infiltrating lymphocyte
- B cell a monocyte, a natural killer (NK) cell, a basophil, an eosinophil, a neutrophil, a dendritic cell, a macrophage, a regulatory T cell (Treg), a helper T cell
- the immune cell further comprises a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). In some embodiments, the immune cell further comprises an engineered TCR. In some embodiments, the cell shows a dose-dependent phosphorylation of STAT4 but not STAT3 when treated with IL23. In some embodiments, the cell is a transduced T cell capable of expressing the chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the first aspect and the embodiments thereof.
- CAR chimeric antigen receptor
- the immune cell further comprises an engineered TCR.
- the cell shows a dose-dependent phosphorylation of STAT4 but not STAT3 when treated with IL23.
- the cell is a transduced T cell capable of expressing the chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the first aspect and the embodiments thereof.
- the cell expresses an antigen binding receptor comprising an anchoring transmembrane domain and an extracellular domain, wherein the extracellular domain comprises an antigen binding moiety comprising (i) a heavy chain variable domain (VH) comprising a heavy chain complementary determining region (HCDR) 1 of SEQ ID NO:49, a HCDR 2 of SEQ ID NO:50 or SEQ ID NO:51, and a HCDR 3 of SEQ ID NO:52, and (ii) a light chain variable domain (VL) comprising a light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR) 1 of SEQ ID NO:53, a LCDR 2 of SEQ ID NO:54 and a LCDR 3 of SEQ ID NO:55.
- VH heavy chain variable domain
- HCDR heavy chain complementary determining region
- LCDR light chain variable domain
- LCDR light chain complementarity determining region
- the VH domain comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58 and SEQ ID NO 59. In some embodiments, the VL domain comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:60 or SEQ ID NO:61.
- the anchoring transmembrane domain is a transmembrane domain selected from the group consisting of the CD8, the CD4, the CD3z, the FCGR3A, the NKG2D, the CD27, the CD28, the CD137, the OX40, the ICOS, the DAP10 or the DAP12 transmembrane domain or a fragment thereof, in particular wherein the anchoring transmembrane domain is the CD8 transmembrane domain or a fragment thereof.
- the antigen binding receptor further comprises at least one stimulatory signalling domain and/or at least one co-stimulatory signalling domain.
- the antigen binding receptor at least one stimulatory signalling domain is individually selected from the group consisting of the intracellular domain of CD3z, of FCGR3A and of NKG2D, or fragments thereof that retains stimulatory signalling activity, in particular wherein the at least one stimulatory signalling domain is the CD3z intracellular domain or a fragment thereof that retains CD3z stimulatory signalling activity.
- the antigen binding receptor the at least one co-stimulatory signalling domain is individually selected from the group consisting of the intracellular domain of CD27, of CD28, of CD137, of OX40, of ICOS, of DAP10 and of DAP12, or fragments thereof that retain co-stimulatory signalling activity.
- the antigen binding receptor comprises at least one CD28 costimulatory domain or a fragment thereof that retains CD28 co-stimulatory activity, and/or at least one CD137 costimulatory domain or a fragment thereof that retains CD137 co-stimulatory activity.
- the antigen binding receptor comprises a stimulatory signalling domain comprising the intracellular domain of CD3z, or a fragment thereof that retains CD3z stimulatory signalling activity, and wherein the antigen binding receptor comprises a co-stimulatory signalling domain comprising the intracellular domain of CD28, or a fragment thereof that retains CD28 co-stimulatory signalling activity.
- the antigen binding receptor comprises one stimulatory signalling domain comprising the intracellular domain of CD3z, or a fragment thereof that retains CD3z stimulatory signalling activity, and wherein the antigen binding receptor comprises one co-stimulatory signalling domain comprising the intracellular domain of CD137, or a fragment thereof that retains CD137 co-stimulatory signalling activity.
- the antigen binding moiety is connected at the C-terminus to the N-terminus of the anchoring transmembrane domain, optionally through a peptide linker.
- the light chain variable domain (VL) of the antigen binding moiety is connected at the C-terminus to the N-terminus of the anchoring transmembrane domain, optionally through a peptide linker, and/or wherein the heavy chain variable domain (VH) is connected at the C-terminus to the N-terminus of the light chain variable domain (VL), optionally through a peptide linker.
- the present disclosure provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the cell according to the fourth aspect, and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
- the present disclosure provides the chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the first aspect, or the nucleic acid(s) according to the second aspect, or the cell according to the third aspect, or the pharmaceutical composition according to the fourth aspect, for use in a method of medical treatment of a disease or prophylaxis of a disease.
- the method is a cell therapy, e.g. an adoptive cell therapy.
- the disease is a cancer, an autoimmune disease, or an infection.
- the cancer is selected from the group consisting of acute leukemias (including but not limited to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), B-cell acute lymphoid leukemia (BALL), T-cell acute lymphoid leukemia (TALL), and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL)), chronic leukemias (including but not limited to chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)), multiple myeloma (MM), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN).
- acute leukemias including but not limited to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), B-cell acute lymphoid leukemia (BALL), T-cell acute lymphoid leukemia (TALL), and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL)
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the first aspect, or the nucleic acid(s) according to the second aspect, or the cell according to the third aspect, or the pharmaceutical composition according to the fourth aspect is administered intravenously, intratumorally, or subcutaneously.
- the present disclosure provides a method for modulating the activity of an immune cell, said method comprising: administering, to an immune cell, the nucleic acid or plurality of nucleic acids according to the second aspect, or the expression vector or plurality of expression according to the third aspect.
- the immune cell is a tumour infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL), B cell, a monocyte, a natural killer (NK) cell, a basophil, an eosinophil, a neutrophil, a dendritic cell, a macrophage, a regulatory T cell (Treg), a helper T cell (Th), a cytotoxic T cell (Tctl), an effector T cell, a memory T cell, a Natural Killer T (NKT) cell, or other T cell.
- TIL tumour infiltrating lymphocyte
- B cell a monocyte
- NK natural killer
- a basophil an eosinophil
- a neutrophil a neutrophil
- dendritic cell a macrophage
- Treg regulatory T cell
- Th helper T cell
- Tctl cytotoxic T cell
- an effector T cell a memory T cell
- NKT Natural Killer T
- FIG. 1D Overview of expression cassettes of IL23-IL12sR formats in a screening plasmid combined with a downstream GFP reporter.
- Figure 1E Overview of expression cassettes of IL23-IL12sR formats as downstream gene element of different CAR constructs including variants with chimeric ECDs.
- AB-SP human IgG1 antibody signal peptide
- Tag FLAG epitope tag.
- E2A can be replaced by another 2A self-cleaving peptide, e.g. T2A.
- Figure 1F Depiction of the mechanism of action of an immune cell engineered with IL23-IL12sRs.
- IL23-IL12sR Detection of IL23-IL12sR on engineered immune cells.
- IL23-IL12sR T cells are additionally gated on GFP reporter fluorescence.
- the IL18Ra is upregulated in response to IL23 stimulation, in engineered cells exclusively.
- the response of an IL23- IL12sR variant with IL12Rb2-TMD appears 10-fold more sensitive. Either response shows a lower EC50 than stimulation of wild type cells by IL12.
- IL23-IL12sR (IL12Rb2-TMD) T cells show a lower IL12Rb2-baseline, more similar to the wild type cells, when compared to IL23-IL12sR (IL23R-TMD).
- Figure 5 5.
- T cells engineered with a P329G-CAR with 41BB costimulation and IL23- IL12sR via detection of alternative surface expression of IL12 signalling-related markers in flow cytometry A) Compared to previous results without co-expression of a P329G CAR, the IL18Ra upregulation is 2-fold higher, compared to wild type T cells stimulated with IL12. B) Upregulation of IL12Rb2 via a feed-forward mechanism triggered by STAT4 phosphorylation can be observed as well. C) Secretion of IFN ⁇ can be observed in a dose-dependent manner in response to IL23 or IL12. D) Compared to wild type T cells, the IFN ⁇ release mediated by IL12 is increased.
- a similar response is also triggered via stimulation with IL23 in cells with a P329G-CAR and IL23-IL12sR, but not in cells engineered with an IL23-IL12sR only.
- Figure 6. Immune cells engineered with a P329G-CAR and FLAG-tagged IL23-IL12sR show increased killing of MKN-45 and HPAF-II target cells when stimulated with IL23.
- Engineered cells titrated with CEA- CAM5 targeted IgG antibody carrying a P329G mutation in the Fc portion (e.g. as disclosed in WO2022029051A1) show dose-dependent killing efficiency in vitro.
- IL23 triggering IL23-IL12sRs potentiates target cell growth inhibition, represented as 20-40% increased MKN-45 killing in vitro.
- CEACAM5 targeted killing of HPAF- II target cells is improved by 10-20%.
- Figure 7. Detection and functional characteristics of immune cells engineered with a CEA-CAM5 CAR and non-FLAG-tagged IL23-IL12sR linked with a self-cleaving 2A-peptide.
- A) anti-CEA-CAM5 CAR expression was assessed with biotinylated CEA-Fc fusion molecule and secondary staining via AF647-labeled Streptavidin.
- IL23-IL12sR cannot be detected but expected to be similar to the CAR, analogous to previous results.
- Figure 8. Immune cells engineered with a CEA-CAR and IL23-IL12sR show increased killing of MKN-45 target cells when stimulated with IL23.
- E:T effector to target
- Variants with (1+5) or (3+3) chimeric ECD show highest response to IL23 across different E:T ratios.
- Figure 11 Immune cells engineered with a CEA-CAR and IL23-IL12sR and stimulated with IL23 show persistent killing of HPAF-II target cells in a repetitive killing assay. Effector and target cells were seeded at a ratio of 1:1. Effector cells were transferred to fresh target cells every 2 days with or without the addition of cytokines. Both CEA-CAR T cells and CEA-CAR IL23-IL12sR T cells control the growth of HPAF-II cells CEA-CAR IL23-IL12sR T cells show repeated killing of target cells across 5 rounds.
- Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) expressing T cells have shown remarkable clinical efficacy, particularly improving survival rates of patients with advanced haematological malignancies.
- inhibitory factors of the tumour microenvironment such as checkpoint molecules and immunosuppressive cytokines, limit CAR-T cell function particularly targeting solid cancers thus far.
- One approach of manipulating the tumour microenvironment used in the present invention is the development of switch receptors that translate an inhibitory signal into a beneficial signal.
- switch receptors that translate an inhibitory signal into a beneficial signal.
- both complexes share the IL12Rb1 via their common p40 cytokine subunit.
- IL12Rb1 is constitutively expressed on the surface of human immune cells.
- IL12 specifically interacts with the IL12Rb2 via its p35 subunit to promote TYK2 and JAK2-mediated phosphorylation of STAT4.
- IL23 specifically interacts with the IL23R to promote TYK2 and JAK2-mediated phosphorylation of STAT4 and STAT3.
- Chimeric IL23-IL12 switch receptors are composed of extracellular domains (ECD) of IL23R and intracellular domain (ICD) of IL12Rb2.
- IL23R-IL12Rb2 switch receptors induce IL12-like signalling via phosphorylation of STAT4 upon stimulation with IL23.
- the chimeric switch receptors of the present invention translate the pro-carcinogenic signal of IL23 into a cytotoxic IL12 signal.
- T cells e.g. CAR-T cells, engineered with these switch receptors differentially regulate important surface markers and secreted factors in response to stimulation and show increased cancer cell line killing in vitro.
- Alternative IL23-IL12sR (sR: Switch Receptor) formats are indicated in Figure 1C.
- IL23 is bound by the IL23R_ECD1 domain.
- All chimeric IL23R-IL12Rb1 switch receptors contain the IL23R_ECD1 and C- terminal IL23R ECDs were replaced by the corresponding number of IL12Rb2 ECDs resulting in different chimeric IL23R-IL12Rb2 designs.
- An overview of expression cassettes of IL23-IL12sR formats in a screening plasmid combined with a downstream GFP reporter is shown in Figure 1D.
- Constructs (1) and (2) correspond to SEQ ID Nos: 36 and 37, respectively.
- An overview of expression cassettes of IL23-IL12sR formats as downstream gene element of different CAR constructs including variants with chimeric ECDs is indicated in Figure 1E.
- Constructs (3), (4), (5), (6) and (8) correspond to SEQ ID Nos: 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42, respectively.
- the mechanism of action of an immune cell engineered with IL23-IL12sRs is shown in Figure 1F.
- IL23 is released by cells near engineered immune cells, e.g., in the tumour microenvironment.
- IL23 is recognized by chimeric IL23-IL12sR and the endogenous IL12Rb1 leading to formation of the chimeric IL23-IL12sR complex and phosphorylation of STAT4.
- STAT4 signalling leads to the upregulation of IL18Ra, IL12Rb2, CD25 and secretion of IFN ⁇ .
- a and/or B is used herein to include all of the following alternatives: “A”, “B”, “A or B”, and “A and B.”
- administration and “administering”, as used herein, refer to the delivery of a composition or formulation as disclosed herein by an administration route including, but not limited to, intravenous, intra- arterial, intracranial, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, or combinations thereof. The term includes, but is not limited to, administration by a medical professional and self-administration.
- “Cancer” refers to the presence of cells possessing several characteristics typical of cancer-causing cells, such as uncontrolled proliferation, immortality, metastatic potential, rapid growth and proliferation rate, and certain characteristic morphological features.
- Cancer cells can aggregate into a mass, such as a tumour, or can exist alone within a subject.
- a tumour can be a solid tumour, a soft tissue tumour, or a metastatic lesion.
- cancer also encompasses other types of non-tumour cancers.
- Non- limiting examples include blood cancers or hematological cancers, such as leukemia.
- Cancer can include premalignant, as well as malignant cancers.
- the terms “cell”, “cell culture”, and “cell line” refer not only to the particular subject cell or cell line but also to the progeny or potential progeny of such a cell, cell culture, or cell line, without regard to the number of transfers or passages in culture. It should be understood that not all progeny are exactly identical to the parental cell.
- progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein, so long as the progeny retain the same functionality as that of the original cell, cell culture, or cell line.
- percent identity refers to two or more sequences or sub-sequences that are the same or have a specified percentage of nucleotides or amino acids that are the same (e.g., about 80% sequence identity, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or higher identity over a specified region, when compared and aligned for maximum correspondence over a comparison window or designated region) as measured using a BLAST or BLAST 2.0 sequence comparison algorithms with default parameters described below, or by manual alignment and visual inspection.
- sequences are then said to be “substantially identical.”
- This definition also refers to, or may be applied to, the complement of a sequence.
- This definition also includes sequences that have deletions and/or additions, as well as those that have substitutions. Sequence identity can be calculated over a region that is at least about 20 amino acids or nucleotides in length, or over a region that is 10-100 amino acids or nucleotides in length, or over the entire length of a given sequence.
- Sequence identity can be calculated using published techniques and widely available computer programs, such as the GCS program package (Devereux et al, Nucleic Acids Res.12:387, 1984), BLASTP, BLASTN, FASTA (Atschul et al., J Mol Biol 215:403, 1990). Sequence identity can be measured using sequence analysis software such as the Sequence Analysis Software Package of the Genetics Computer Group at the University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center (1710 University Avenue, Madison, Wis.53705), with the default parameters thereof.
- a “subject” or an “individual” includes animals, such as human (e.g., human subject) and non-human animals.
- a “subject” or “individual” is a patient under the care of a physician.
- the subject can be a human patient or a subject who has, is at risk of having, or is suspected of having a disease of interest (e.g., cancer) and/or one or more symptoms of the disease.
- the subject can also be a subject who is diagnosed with a risk of the condition of interest at the time of diagnosis or later.
- non-human animals includes all vertebrates, e.g., mammals, e.g., rodents, e.g., mice, non-human primates, and other mammals, such as e.g., sheep, dogs, cows, chickens, and non-mammals, such as amphibians, reptiles, etc.
- mammals e.g., rodents, e.g., mice, non-human primates, and other mammals, such as e.g., sheep, dogs, cows, chickens, and non-mammals, such as amphibians, reptiles, etc.
- chimeric receptors or switch receptors which comprise an extracellular portion comprising an IL23-binding domain, an intracellular portion comprising the intracellular domains of IL12Rb2, and a transmembrane domain that joins the extracellular portion and the intracellular portion.
- Immune cells expressing these chimeric receptors may be useful in the context of modulating immune cell activity.
- the ligand can be added exogenously and not be limited to production within the cell.
- the present disclosure also relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding the chimeric cytokine receptors of the present invention, vectors, cells, pharmaceutical compositions, and uses and methods, as described herein, e.g. in the claims.
- Antigen-binding moieties In some embodiments, the cell expressing the chimeric receptor polypeptide of the invention also expresses an antigen binding receptor comprising an anchoring transmembrane domain and an extracellular domain.
- an antigen-binding moiety refers to a moiety that binds to a given target antigen.
- Antigen-binding moieties include antibodies (i.e. immunoglobulins (Igs)), and antigen-binding fragments and derivatives thereof.
- an antigen-binding moiety comprises, or consists of, a monoclonal antibody, a monospecific antibody, a multispecific (e.g., bispecific, trispecific, etc.) antibody, a variable fragment (Fv) moiety, a single-chain Fv (scFv) moiety, a fragment antigen-binding (Fab) moiety, a single-chain Fab moiety (scFab), a crossFab moiety, a Fab’ moiety, a Fab’-SH moiety, a F(ab’)2 moiety, a diabody moiety, a triabody moiety, an scFv-Fc moiety, a minibody moiety, a heavy chain only antibody (HCAb) moiety, or a single domain antibody (dAb, VHH) moiety.
- Fv variable fragment
- scFv single-chain Fv
- Fab fragment antigen-binding
- scFab single-chain Fab moiety
- Antigen-binding moieties according to the present disclosure also include further target antigen-binding peptides/polypeptides such as peptide aptamers, thioredoxins, anticalins, Kunitz domains, avimers, knottins, fynomers, atrimers, DARPins, affibodys, affilins, armadillo repeat proteins (ArmRPs), OBodys and adnectins (reviewed e.g. in Reverdatto et al., Curr Top Med Chem. 2015; 15(12): 1082–1101, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety (see also e.g.
- Antigen-binding moieties according to the present disclosure also include target antigen-binding nucleic acids, e.g. nucleic acid aptamers (reviewed, for example, in Zhou and Rossi Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2017 16(3):181-202).
- Antigen-binding moieties according to the present disclosure also include target antigen-binding small molecules (e.g. low molecular weight ( ⁇ 1000 daltons, typically between ⁇ 300-700 daltons) organic compounds).
- the antigen-binding moieties are capable of binding to a variant Fc domain, e.g. as disclosed in WO2022029051A1, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- the antigen-binding moieties described herein preferably display specific binding to a variant Fc domain e.g. as disclosed in WO2022029051A1.
- specific binding refers to binding which is selective for the target antigen, and which can be discriminated from non-specific binding to non-target antigen.
- An antigen-binding moiety that specifically binds to a given target antigen preferably binds the target antigen with greater affinity, and/or with greater duration than it binds to other, non-target antigens.
- the ability of a given moiety to bind specifically to a given target antigen can be determined by analysis according to methods known in the art, such as by ELISA, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR; see e.g. Hearty et al., Methods Mol Biol (2012) 907:411-442), Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI; see e.g. Lad et al., (2015) J Biomol Screen 20(4): 498-507), flow cytometry, or by a radiolabeled antigen-binding assay (RIA) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
- SPR Surface Plasmon Resonance
- BLI Bio-Layer Interferometry
- RIA radiolabeled antigen-binding assay
- the level of binding may be the response detected in a given assay.
- an antigen-binding moiety that ‘does not bind’ or that ‘displays substantially no binding’ to a given antigen displays a level of binding to the given antigen which is similar to the level of binding to an antigen that the antigen-binding moiety is known not to bind, or known to not to bind specifically, e.g. a non-target antigen.
- the level of binding of an antigen-binding moiety that does not bind, or that displays substantially no binding, to a given antigen is ⁇ 0.5 times and ⁇ 2 times, e.g.
- the polypeptides of the present disclosure may additionally comprise further amino acids or sequences of amino acids.
- the polypeptides may comprise one or more linker sequences between sequences of amino acids.
- a linker sequence may be provided between different domains of a chimeric receptor polypeptide (e.g. the extracellular portion and the transmembrane domain, or between the transmembrane domain and the intracellular portion).
- Linker sequences are known to the skilled person, and are described, for example in Chen et al., Adv Drug Deliv Rev (2013) 65(10): 1357-1369, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- a linker sequence may be a flexible linker sequence. Flexible linker sequences allow for relative movement of the amino acid sequences which are linked by the linker sequence.
- a linker sequence comprises at least one glycine residue and/or at least one serine residue.
- the linker sequence comprises or consists of glycine and serine residues.
- the linker sequence comprises one or more (e.g.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6) copies (e.g. in tandem) of the sequence motif G4S.
- a linker sequence comprises or consists of (G4S)3 or (G4S)4.
- the linker sequence has a length of 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-10, 1-15, 1-20, 1-25, or 1-30 amino acids.
- the linker sequence is one or more repetitions of GGSG.
- the linker sequence comprises one or more copies of an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:92.
- the linker sequence comprises at least 1, 2, 3 or 4 copies of an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:20.
- the linker sequence comprises, or consists of, an amino acid sequence having at least 60%, preferably one of ⁇ 70%, ⁇ 75%, ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99% or 100% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:18.
- the linker sequence comprises a cleavage site, e.g. a cleavage site as described hereinbelow.
- polypeptides of the present disclosure may comprise amino acid sequence(s) to facilitate expression, folding, trafficking, processing, purification or detection thereof.
- chimeric receptor polypeptides of the present disclosure may additionally comprise a sequence of amino acids forming a detectable moiety, e.g. as described hereinbelow.
- the polypeptides may additionally comprise a signal peptide (also known as a leader sequence or signal sequence).
- Signal peptides normally consist of a sequence of 5-30 hydrophobic amino acids, which form a single alpha helix. Secreted proteins and proteins expressed at the cell surface often comprise signal peptides.
- Signal peptides are known for many proteins, and are recorded in databases such as GenBank, UniProt and Ensembl, and/or can be identified/predicted e.g. using amino acid sequence analysis tools such as SignalP (Petersen et al., 2011 Nature Methods 8: 785-786) or Signal-BLAST (Frank and Sippl, 2008 Bioinformatics 24: 2172-2176).
- the signal peptide may be present at the N-terminus of the chimeric receptor polypeptide, and may be present in the newly-synthesised polypeptide.
- the signal peptide provides for efficient trafficking of the chimeric receptor polypeptide. Signal peptides are often removed by cleavage, and thus are not comprised in the mature chimeric receptor polypeptide.
- Signal peptides are known for many proteins, and are recorded in databases such as GenBank, UniProt, Swiss-Prot, TrEMBL, Protein Information Resource, Protein Data Bank, Ensembl, and InterPro, and/or can be identified/predicted e.g. using amino acid sequence analysis tools such as SignalP (Petersen et al., 2011 Nature Methods 8: 785-786) or Signal-BLAST (Frank and Sippl, 2008 Bioinformatics 24: 2172-2176).
- SignalP Protein et al., 2011 Nature Methods 8: 785-786
- Signal-BLAST Frank and Sippl, 2008 Bioinformatics 24: 2172-2176.
- the signal peptide comprises, or consists of, an amino acid sequence having at least 60%, preferably one of ⁇ 70%, ⁇ 75%, ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99% or 100% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:16.
- chimeric receptor polypeptides of the present disclosure comprise a detectable moiety, a.k.a. a marker.
- a detectable moiety is provided at the N-terminus and/or C-terminus of the polypeptide.
- a detectable moiety is a fluorescent label, phosphorescent label, luminescent label, immuno-detectable label (e.g. an epitope tag), radiolabel, chemical, nucleic acid or enzymatic label.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptides may be covalently or non-covalently labelled with the detectable moiety.
- Fluorescent labels include e.g.
- GFP green fluorescent protein
- eGFP enhanced GFP
- Eu europium
- Tb terbium
- Sm samarium
- tetramethyl rhodamine Texas Red
- 4-methyl umbelliferone 7-amino-4-methyl coumarin
- Cy3 Cy5
- Radiolabels include radioisotopes such as Hydrogen 3 , Sulfur 35 , Carbon 14 , Phosphorus 32 , Iodine 123 , Iodine 125 , Iodine 126 , Iodine 131 , Iodine 133 , Bromine 77 , Technetium 99m , Indium 111 , Indium 113m , Gallium 67 , Gallium 68 , Ruthenium 95 , Ruthenium 97 , Ruthenium 103 , Ruthenium 105 , Mercury 207 , Mercury 203 , Rhenium 99m , Rhenium 101 , Rhenium 105 , Scandium 47 , Tellurium 121m , Tellurium 122m , Tellurium 125m , Thulium 165 , Thuliuml 167 , Thulium 168 , Copper 67 , Fluorine 18 , Yttrium 90 , Palladium 100 , Bismuth 217 and Anti
- Luminescent labels include as radioluminescent, chemiluminescent (e.g. acridinium ester, luminol, isoluminol) and bioluminescent labels.
- Immuno-detectable labels include haptens, peptides/polypeptides, antibodies, receptors and ligands such as biotin, avidin, streptavidin or digoxigenin.
- Nucleic acid labels include aptamers.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide comprises an epitope tag, e.g.
- the chimeric receptor polypeptide comprises a moiety having a detectable activity, e.g. an enzymatic moiety.
- Enzymatic moieties include e.g. luciferases, glucose oxidases, galactosidases (e.g. beta-galactosidase), glucorinidases, phosphatases (e.g. alkaline phosphatase), peroxidases (e.g. horseradish peroxidase) and cholinesterases.
- a polypeptide of the present disclosure comprises a fluorescent label.
- the polypeptide comprises an eGFP moiety.
- the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 60%, preferably one of ⁇ 70%, ⁇ 75%, ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99% or 100% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:7.
- Chimeric receptor polypeptides of the present disclosure may also comprise one or more cleavage sites.
- a cleavage site refers to a sequence of amino acids that acts as a substrate for an enzyme capable of cleaving peptide bonds. Many such cleavage sites are known to, and can be employed by, the person skilled in the art of molecular biology.
- the cleavage sequence comprises an autocleavage site.
- Autocleavage sites include the 2A cleavage sequence from Picornavirus ‘NPGP’, which is cleaved at ’G/P’. Further autocleavage sites are described e.g. in Kim et al., PLoS ONE (2011) 6: e18556 (hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety), and include e.g. T2A, P2A, E2A and F2A cleavage sites. The amino acid sequences of T2A and E2A cleavage sites are shown in SEQ ID NOs: 6 and 9, respectively.
- a cleavage site may be included in a polypeptide according to the present disclosure to provide for removal of a moiety or domain. It might be desirable to remove a given moiety or domain so that it is not comprised in the polypeptide complex formed by the polypeptide.
- a cleavage site (specifically, a T2A cleavage site) is provided upstream of an eGFP moiety, to provide for its removal such that the eGFP moiety is not included in the final chimeric receptor polypeptide.
- a chimeric receptor polypeptides according to the present disclosure comprises a cleavage site adjacent to (i.e.
- a cleavage site according to the present disclosure is a 2A cleavage site, e.g. selected from a T2A, P2A, E2A and F2A cleavage site. In some embodiments, the cleavage site is a T2A cleavage site.
- a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure comprises or consists of one of the following structures: Optional signal peptide – optional tag – optional linker – IL23-binding domain –transmembrane domain – intracellular portion comprising the intracellular domains of IL12Rb2 – optional linker – optional marker
- a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 60%, preferably one of ⁇ 70%, ⁇ 75%, ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99% or 100% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:36, 37, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 or 44.
- Nucleic acids and vectors The present disclosure provides a nucleic acid, or a plurality of nucleic acids, encoding a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure.
- the nucleic acid(s) comprise or consist of DNA and/or RNA.
- a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure may be produced within a cell by translation of RNA encoding chimeric receptor polypeptide.
- a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure may be produced within a cell by transcription from nucleic acid encoding the chimeric receptor polypeptide, and subsequent translation of the transcribed RNA.
- the nucleic acid(s) may be, or may be comprised/contained in, a vector, or a plurality of vectors.
- a ‘vector’ as used herein is a nucleic acid molecule used as a vehicle to transfer exogenous nucleic acid into a cell.
- the present disclosure also provides a vector, or plurality of vectors, comprising the nucleic acid or plurality of nucleic acids according to the present disclosure.
- the vector may facilitate delivery of the nucleic acid(s) encoding a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure to a cell.
- the vector may be an expression vector comprising elements required for expressing a chimeric receptor polypeptide, optionally together with or linked with a CAR molecule.
- the vector may comprise elements facilitating integration of the nucleic acid(s) into the genomic DNA of cell into which the vector is introduced.
- Nucleic acids and vectors according to the present disclosure may be provided in purified or isolated form, i.e. from other nucleic acid, or naturally-occurring biological material.
- a vector may be a vector for expression of the nucleic acid in the cell (i.e. an expression vector).
- Such vectors may include a promoter sequence operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure.
- a vector may also include a termination codon (i.e.3’ in the nucleotide sequence of the vector to the nucleotide sequence encoding the chimeric receptor polypeptide and expression enhancers. Any suitable vectors, promoters, enhancers and termination codons known in the art may be used to express a peptide or polypeptide from a vector according to the present disclosure.
- operably linked may include the situation where nucleic acid encoding a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure and regulatory nucleic acid sequence(s) (e.g. a promoter and/or enhancers) are covalently linked in such a way as to place the expression of the nucleic acid encoding a chimeric receptor polypeptide under the influence or control of the regulatory nucleic acid sequence(s) (thereby forming an expression cassette).
- a regulatory sequence is operably linked to the selected nucleic acid sequence if the regulatory sequence is capable of effecting transcription of the nucleic acid sequence.
- the resulting transcript(s) may then be translated into the desired polypeptide(s).
- Vectors contemplated in connection with the present disclosure include DNA vectors, RNA vectors, plasmids (e.g. conjugative plasmids (e.g. F plasmids), non-conjugative plasmids, R plasmids, col plasmids, episomes), viral vectors (e.g. retroviral vectors, e.g. gammaretroviral vectors (e.g. murine Leukemia virus (MLV)-derived vectors, e.g.
- plasmids e.g. conjugative plasmids (e.g. F plasmids), non-conjugative plasmids, R plasmids, col plasmids, episomes
- viral vectors e.g. retroviral vectors, e.g. gammaretroviral vectors (e.g. murine Leukemia virus (MLV)-derived vectors, e.g.
- a vector according to the present disclosure is a lentiviral vector.
- the vector may be a eukaryotic vector, i.e.
- a vector comprising the elements necessary for expression of protein from the vector in a eukaryotic cell.
- the vector may be a mammalian vector, e.g. comprising a cytomegalovirus (CMV) or SV40 promoter to drive protein expression.
- CMV cytomegalovirus
- a nucleic acid/plurality or vector/plurality according to the present disclosure comprises an EF1 ⁇ promoter.
- a nucleic acid/plurality or vector/plurality encodes a chimeric receptor polypeptide comprising or consisting of an amino acid sequence having at least 70%, preferably one of ⁇ 80%, ⁇ 85%, ⁇ 90%, ⁇ 91%, ⁇ 92%, ⁇ 93%, ⁇ 94%, ⁇ 95%, ⁇ 96%, ⁇ 97%, ⁇ 98%, ⁇ 99% or 100% amino acid sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 36, 37, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 or 44.
- Constituent polypeptides of a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure may be encoded by different nucleic acids of a plurality of nucleic acids according to the present disclosure, or by different vectors of a plurality of nucleic acids according to the present disclosure.
- a nucleic acid, or a plurality of nucleic acids, according to the present disclosure encodes two or more (e.g. 2, 3, 4 or more) chimeric receptor polypeptides according to the present disclosure.
- nucleic acid/plurality or vector/plurality encodes two or more (e.g.2, 3, 4 or more) chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure
- transcription of nucleic acid encoding the two or more chimeric receptor polypeptides is under the control of the same promoter.
- transcription of nucleic acid encoding the two or more chimeric receptor polypeptides is under the control of different promoters.
- the nucleic acid/plurality or vector/plurality is multicistronic (e.g. bicistronic, tricistronic, etc.).
- nucleic acid/plurality or vector/plurality vector comprises multiple polypeptide-encoding nucleotide sequences.
- nucleic acid encoding two or chimeric receptor polypeptides is provided in different cistrons.
- Cells comprising/expressing the chimeric receptor polypeptides of the disclosure The present disclosure also provides a cell comprising a r chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure, or a nucleic acid/plurality or vector/plurality according to the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that where cells are referred to herein in the singular (i.e. ‘a/the cell’), pluralities/populations of such cells are also contemplated.
- the cell may be a eukaryotic cell, e.g. a mammalian cell.
- the mammal may be a primate (rhesus, cynomolgous, non-human primate or human) or a non-human mammal (e.g. rabbit, guinea pig, rat, mouse or other rodent (including any animal in the order Rodentia), cat, dog, pig, sheep, goat, cattle (including cows, e.g. dairy cows, or any animal in the order Bos), horse (including any animal in the order Equidae), donkey, and non-human primate).
- the cell is a human cell.
- the cell is an immune cell.
- An immune cell may be a cell of hematopoietic origin, e.g. a neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil, dendritic cell, lymphocyte, or monocyte.
- a lymphocyte may be e.g. a T cell, B cell, NK cell, NKT cell or innate lymphoid cell (ILC), or a precursor thereof.
- the immune cell may express CD27, CD28, CD4 and/or CD8.
- the immune cell is a T cell, e.g. a CD3+ T cell.
- the T cell is a CD3+, CD4+ T cell.
- the T cell is a CD3+, CD8+ T cell.
- the T cell is a T helper cell (T H cell).
- the T cell is a cytotoxic T cell (e.g. a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)).
- CTL cytotoxic T lymphocyte
- the immune cell is a tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL), B cell, a monocyte, a natural killer (NK) cell, a basophil, an eosinophil, a neutrophil, a dendritic cell, a macrophage, a regulatory T cell (Treg), a helper T cell (Th), a cytotoxic T cell (Tctl), an effector T cell, a memory T cell, a Natural Killer T (NKT) cell, or other T cell.
- a cell according to the present disclosure expresses/presents a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure at the cell surface. That is, the chimeric receptor polypeptide may be present in or at the cell membrane. Cells can be evaluated for surface expression of chimeric receptor polypeptide, e.g. using antibody-based methods such as flow cytometry (e.g. as described in Examples of the present disclosure). In aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure, a cell according to the present disclosure comprises or expresses a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure.
- a cell according to the present disclosure comprises nucleic acid encoding a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure. In some aspects and embodiments, a cell according to the present disclosure comprises a nucleic acid/plurality or vector/plurality according to the present disclosure. In aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure, a cell according to the present disclosure comprises or expresses a polypeptide complex according to the present disclosure that binds to a variant Fc domain as described herein. Dose-dependent IL12 signalling mediated by exposure of the cells of the invention to IL23 can be investigated as described in the Examples herein, e.g.
- chimeric receptor polypeptide -mediated signalling can also be analysed using reporter-based methods, e.g. methods quantifying the activity of a transcription factor or gene whose expression/activity is upregulated in response to signalling through IL12.
- reporter-based methods e.g. methods quantifying the activity of a transcription factor or gene whose expression/activity is upregulated in response to signalling through IL12.
- expression may be gene or protein expression.
- Gene expression encompasses transcription of DNA to RNA, and can be measured by various means known to those skilled in the art, for example by measuring levels of mRNA by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), or using reporter-based methods.
- protein expression can be measured by various methods well known in the art, e.g.
- An immune cell e.g. a T cell
- An immune cell may display cytotoxicity to cells comprising/expressing a variant Fc domain according to the present disclosure. That is, an immune cell (e.g. a T cell) according to the present disclosure may posses the ability to kill cells comprising/expressing a variant Fc domain according to the present disclosure. Cytotoxicity and cell killing can be investigated, for example, using any of the methods reviewed in Zaritskaya et al., Expert Rev Vaccines (2011), 9(6):601-616, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- Examples of in vitro assays of cytotoxicity/cell killing assays include release assays such as the 51 Cr release assay, the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) release assay, and the calcein-acetoxymethyl (calcein-AM) release assay.
- release assays such as the 51 Cr release assay, the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) release assay, and the calcein-acetoxymethyl (calcein-AM) release assay.
- LDH lactate dehydrogenase
- MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyl tetrazolium bromide
- test cells by co-culturing the test cells with the given target cell type (e.g. a cell comprising a variant Fc domain according to the present disclosure), and measuring the number/proportion of viable (i.e. non- lysed) /dead (e.g. lysed) target cells after a suitable period of time.
- target cell type e.g. a cell comprising a variant Fc domain according to the present disclosure
- suitable assays include the xCELLigence real-time cytolytic in vitro potency assay described in Cerignoli et al., PLoS One. (2016) 13(3): e0193498 (hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety), and the Incucyte immune cell killing assay, which is employed in the experimental examples of the present disclosure.
- the present disclosure also provides methods for producing a cell according to the present disclosure, and the cells obtained or obtainable by such methods.
- Methods for producing cells comprising/expressing a polypeptide/polypeptide complex of interest are well known to the skilled person, and generally comprise introducing nucleic acid(s)/vector(s) encoding the polypeptide(s) of interest into the cells.
- Such methods may comprise nucleic acid transfer for permanent (i.e. stable) or transient expression of the transferred nucleic acid.
- following introduction into a cell nucleic acid(s) encoding the polypeptide(s) of interest may be integrated into or form part of the genomic DNA of the cell.
- nucleic acid(s) encoding the polypeptide(s) of interest may be maintained extrachromosomally.
- Any suitable genetic engineering platform may be used, and include gammaretroviral vectors, lentiviral vectors, adenovirus vectors, DNA transfection, transposon-based gene delivery and RNA transfection, for example as described in Maus et al., Annu Rev Immunol (2014) 32:189-225, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Methods also include those described e.g. in Wang and Rivière Mol Ther Oncolytics. (2016) 3:16015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- Suitable methods for introducing nucleic acid(s)/vector(s) into cells include transduction, transfection and electroporation. Methods for generating/expanding populations of cells comprising/expressing polypeptide(s) of interest in vitro/ex vivo are well known to the skilled person. Suitable culture conditions (i.e. cell culture media, additives, stimulations, temperature, gaseous atmosphere), cell numbers, culture periods and methods for introducing nucleic acid(s)/vector(s) encoding polypeptide(s) of interest into cells, etc. can be determined by reference e.g. to WO 2018/177966 A1. In some embodiments, a cell/population of cells according to the present disclosure is prepared under GMP (good manufacturing practice; e.g.
- cultures of cells according to the present disclosure may be maintained at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO2.
- the cells of cell cultures can be established and/or maintained at any suitable density, as can readily be determined by the skilled person. Cultures can be performed in any vessel suitable for the volume of the culture, e.g.
- Immune cells may be activated prior to introduction of nucleic acid(s) encoding the polypeptide(s) of interest.
- T cells within a population of PBMCs may be non- specifically activated by stimulation in vitro with agonist anti-CD3 and agonist anti-CD28 antibodies, in the presence of IL-2.
- Introducing nucleic acid(s) into a cell may comprise transduction, e.g. lentiviral transduction.
- Transduction of immune cells with viral vectors is described e.g. in Simmons and Alberola-Ila, Methods Mol Biol. (2016) 1323:99-108, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- Agents may be employed to enhance the efficiency of transduction.
- Hexadimethrine bromide polybrene
- Other agents commonly used to enhance transduction include e.g.
- the poloxamer-based agents such as LentiBOOST (Sirion Biotech), Retronectin (Takara), Vectofusin (Miltenyi Biotech) and also SureENTRY (Qiagen) and ViraDuctin (Cell Biolabs).
- the methods comprise centrifuging the cells into which it is desired to introduce nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide(s) of interest in the presence of cell culture medium comprising viral vector comprising the nucleic acid (referred to in the art as ‘spinfection’).
- the methods generally comprise introducing a nucleic acid encoding polypeptide(s) of interest into a cell, and culturing the cell under conditions suitable for expression of the polypeptide(s) of interest by the cell.
- the methods comprise culturing immune cells into which nucleic acid encoding polypeptide(s) of interest has been introduced in order to expand their number.
- the methods comprise analysing the cells to confirm successful introduction of the nucleic acid into the cells.
- the methods comprise analysing the cells to confirm expression of the polypeptide(s) of interest by the cells (e.g. via evaluation of a detectable entity).
- the methods further comprise cells expressing the polypeptide(s) of interest, e.g.
- Methods for purifying/isolating immune cells from heterogeneous populations of cells are well known in the art, and may employ e.g. FACS- or MACS-based methods for sorting populations of cells based on the expression of markers of the immune cells.
- the methods purifying/isolating cells of a particular type, e.g. CD8+ T cells or CTLs expressing the polypeptide(s) of interest.
- Modification of a given target nucleic acid can be achieved in a variety of ways known to the skilled person, including modification of the target nucleic acid by homologous recombination, and target nucleic acid editing using site-specific nucleases (SSNs). Suitable methods may employ targeting by homologous recombination, which is reviewed, for example, in Mortensen Curr Protoc Neurosci. (2007) Chapter 4:Unit 4.29 and Vasquez et al., PNAS 2001, 98(15): 8403- 8410 both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Targeting by homologous recombination involves the exchange of nucleic acid sequence through crossover events guided by homologous sequences.
- DSBs site-specific double strand breaks
- NHEJ error-prone non-homologous end-joining
- DSBs may be repaired by homology- directed repair (HDR), a high-fidelity mechanism in which a DNA template with ends homologous to the break site is supplied and introduced at the site of the DSB.
- SSNs capable of being engineered to generate target nucleic acid sequence-specific DSBs include zinc- finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated-9 (CRISPR/Cas9) systems.
- ZFN systems are reviewed e.g. in Umov et al., Nat Rev Genet. (2010) 11(9):636-46, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- ZFNs comprise a programmable Zinc Finger DNA-binding domain and a DNA- cleaving domain (e.g. a FokI endonuclease domain).
- the DNA-binding domain may be identified by screening a Zinc Finger array capable of binding to the target nucleic acid sequence.
- TALEN systems are reviewed e.g. in Mahfouz et al., Plant Biotechnol J. (2014) 12(8):1006-14, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- TALENs comprise a programmable DNA-binding TALE domain and a DNA- cleaving domain (e.g. a FokI endonuclease domain).
- TALEs comprise repeat domains consisting of repeats of 33-39 amino acids, which are identical except for two residues at positions 12 and 13 of each repeat which are repeat variable di-residues (RVDs).
- RVDs repeat variable di-residues
- Each RVD determines binding of the repeat to a nucleotide in the target DNA sequence according to the following relationship: ‘HD’ binds to C, ‘NI’ binds to A, ‘NG’ binds to T and ‘NN’ or ‘NK’ binds to G (Moscou and Bogdanove, Science (2009) 326(5959):1501.).
- CRISPR/Cas9 and related systems e.g.
- CRISPR/Cpf1, CRISPR/C2c1, CRISPR/C2c2 and CRISPR/C2c3 are reviewed e.g. in Nakade et al., Bioengineered (2017) 8(3):265-273, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- These systems comprise an endonuclease (e.g. Cas9, Cpf1 etc.) and the single- guide RNA (sgRNA) molecule.
- the sgRNA can be engineered to target endonuclease activity to nucleic acid sequences of interest.
- modifying nucleic acid e.g.
- compositions comprising the polypeptides, nucleic acids, expression vectors and cells described herein.
- polypeptides, nucleic acids, expression vectors and cells described herein may be formulated as pharmaceutical compositions or medicaments for clinical use and may comprise a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier, diluent, excipient or adjuvant.
- the present disclosure provides a pharmaceutical composition or medicament comprising a cell according to the present disclosure.
- the present disclosure also provides a pharmaceutical composition/medicament comprising a polypeptide, nucleic acid/plurality, expression vector/plurality or cell described herein.
- a pharmaceutical composition/medicament according to the present disclosure comprises a nucleic acid/plurality, expression vector/plurality or cell described herein.
- compositions/medicaments of the present disclosure may comprise one or more pharmaceutically-acceptable carriers (e.g. liposomes, micelles, microspheres, nanoparticles), diluents/excipients (e.g. starch, cellulose, a cellulose derivative, a polyol, dextrose, maltodextrin, magnesium stearate), adjuvants, fillers, buffers, preservatives (e.g. vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, retinyl palmitate, selenium, cysteine, methionine, citric acid, sodium citrate, methyl paraben, propyl paraben), anti- oxidants (e.g.
- pharmaceutically-acceptable carriers e.g. liposomes, micelles, microspheres, nanoparticles
- diluents/excipients e.g. starch, cellulose, a cellulose derivative, a polyol, dextrose, maltodextrin, magnesium
- vitamin A vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, retinyl palmitate, selenium
- lubricants e.g. magnesium stearate, talc, silica, stearic acid, vegetable stearin
- binders e.g. sucrose, lactose, starch, cellulose, gelatin, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol
- solubilisers e.g., surfactants (e.g., wetting agents), masking agents or colouring agents (e.g. titanium oxide).
- pharmaceutically-acceptable refers to compounds, ingredients, materials, compositions, dosage forms, etc., which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of the subject in question (e.g. a human subject) without excessive toxicity, irritation, allergic response, or other problem or complication, commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio.
- Each carrier, diluent, excipient, adjuvant, filler, buffer, preservative, anti-oxidant, lubricant, binder, stabiliser, solubiliser, surfactant, masking agent, colouring agent, flavouring agent or sweetening agent of a composition according to the present disclosure must also be ‘acceptable’ in the sense of being compatible with the other ingredients of the formulation.
- Suitable carriers, diluents, excipients, adjuvants, fillers, buffers, preservatives, anti-oxidants, lubricants, binders, stabilisers, solubilisers, surfactants, masking agents, colouring agents, flavouring agents or sweetening agents can be found in standard pharmaceutical texts, for example, Remington’s ‘The Science and Practice of Pharmacy’ (Ed. A. Adejare), 23rd Edition (2020), Academic Press.
- compositions and medicaments of the present disclosure may be formulated for topical, parenteral, systemic, intracavitary, intravenous, intra-arterial, intramuscular, intrathecal, intraocular, intraconjunctival, intratumoral, subcutaneous, intradermal, intrathecal, oral or transdermal routes of administration.
- a pharmaceutical composition/medicament may be formulated for administration by injection or infusion, or administration by ingestion.
- Suitable formulations may comprise the cell provided in a sterile or isotonic medium.
- Medicaments and pharmaceutical compositions may be formulated in fluid, including gel, form. Fluid formulations may be formulated for administration by injection or infusion (e.g. via catheter) to a selected region of the human or animal body.
- the pharmaceutical compositions/medicament is formulated for injection or infusion, e.g. into a blood vessel, tissue/organ of interest, or a tumour.
- the present disclosure also provides methods for the production of pharmaceutically useful compositions, such methods of production may comprise one or more steps selected from: producing a cell described herein; isolating/purifying a cell described herein; and/or mixing a cell described herein with a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier, adjuvant, excipient or diluent.
- a further aspect the present disclosure relates to a method of formulating or producing a medicament or pharmaceutical composition for use in the treatment of a disease/condition (e.g.
- a disease/condition described herein the method comprising formulating a pharmaceutical composition or medicament by mixing a cell described herein with a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier, adjuvant, excipient or diluent.
- Therapeutic and prophylactic applications The articles of the present disclosure find use in therapeutic and prophylactic methods.
- a cell according to the present disclosure e.g. a cell comprising/expressing a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure
- a composition according to the present disclosure e.g. a pharmaceutical composition comprising a cell according to the present disclosure, e.g. a cell comprising/expressing a chimeric receptor polypeptide according to the present disclosure finds use in such methods.
- the present disclosure provides a cell or composition described herein for use in a method of medical treatment or prophylaxis. Also provided is a cell or composition described herein for use in a method of treating or preventing a disease or condition described herein. Also provided is the use of a cell or composition described herein in the manufacture of a medicament for treating or preventing a disease or condition described herein. Also provided is a method of treating or preventing a disease or condition described herein, comprising administering to a subject a therapeutically- or prophylactically- effective amount of a cell or composition described herein.
- the intervention described in the preceding paragraph may be effective to reduce the development or progression of a disease/condition, alleviate the symptoms of a disease/condition or reduce the pathology of a disease/condition.
- the intervention may be effective to prevent progression of the disease/condition, e.g. to prevent worsening of, or to slow the rate of development of, the disease/condition.
- the intervention may lead to an improvement in the disease/condition, e.g. a reduction in the symptoms of the disease/condition or reduction in some other correlate of the severity/activity of the disease/condition.
- the intervention may prevent progression/development of the disease/condition a later stage (e.g. a chronic stage or metastasis).
- Therapeutic or prophylactic intervention in accordance with the present disclosure generally comprises administering a cell or pharmaceutical composition according to the present disclosure to a subject to which an antigen-binding molecule comprising: (a) an antigen-binding domain that binds to the target antigen, and (b) a variant Fc domain according to the present disclosure, has been or is to be administered.
- an antigen-binding molecule comprising: (a) an antigen-binding domain that binds to the target antigen, and (b) a variant Fc domain according to the present disclosure, has been or is to be administered.
- an antigen-binding molecule comprising: (a) an antigen-binding domain that binds to the target antigen, and (b) a variant Fc domain according to the present disclosure, has been or is to be administered.
- ACT adoptive cell transfer
- Adoptive cell transfer generally refers to a process by which cells (e.g. immune cells) are obtained from a subject, typically by drawing a blood sample from which the cells
- the cells are then typically modified and/or expanded, and then administered either to the same subject (in the case of adoptive transfer of autologous/autogeneic cells) or to a different subject (in the case of adoptive transfer of allogeneic cells).
- the treatment is typically aimed at providing a population of cells with certain desired characteristics to a subject, or increasing the frequency of such cells with such characteristics in that subject.
- Adoptive transfer may be performed with the aim of introducing a cell or population of cells into a subject, and/or increasing the frequency of a cell or population of cells in a subject.
- Adoptive transfer of immune cells is described, for example, in Kalos and June (2013), Immunity 39(1): 49- 60, and Davis et al.
- the present disclosure provides methods comprising administering cells and compositions according to the present disclosure to a subject.
- Administration of the articles of the present disclosure is preferably in a ‘therapeutically-effective’ or ‘prophylactically-effective’ amount, this being sufficient to show therapeutic or prophylactic benefit to the subject.
- the actual amount administered, and rate and time-course of administration, will depend on the nature and severity of the disease/condition and the particular article administered. Prescription of treatment, e.g. decisions on dosage etc., is within the responsibility of general practitioners and other medical doctors, and typically takes account of the disease/disorder to be treated, the condition of the individual subject, the site of delivery, the method of administration and other factors known to practitioners. Examples of the techniques and protocols mentioned above can be found in Remington’s ‘The Science and Practice of Pharmacy’ (ed. A. Adejare), 23rd Edition (2020), Academic Press.
- Administration of the articles of the present disclosure may be parenteral, systemic, intravenous, intra- arterial, intramuscular, intracavitary, intrathecal, intraocular, intravitreal, intraconjunctival, subretinal, suprachoroidal, subcutaneous, intradermal, intrathecal, oral, nasal, topical or transdermal. Administration may be by injection or infusion. Administration of the articles of the present disclosure may be intratumoral. In some cases, the articles of the present disclosure may be formulated for targeted delivery to specific cells, a tissue, an organ and/or a tumor. Multiple doses of an article of the present disclosure may be provided.
- Multiple doses may be separated by a predetermined time interval, which may be selected to be one of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or 31 days, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 months.
- Administration of a cell or composition according to the present disclosure with an antigen-binding molecule described herein to a subject in accordance with the therapeutic and prophylactic intervention described herein may be simultaneous or sequential.
- Simultaneous administration refers to administration of (i) a cell or composition according to the present disclosure, and (ii) an antigen-binding molecule described herein together, for example as a pharmaceutical composition containing both agents (i.e.
- Sequential administration refers to administration of one of (i) a cell or composition according to the present disclosure, and (ii) an antigen-binding molecule described herein, followed after a given time interval by separate administration of the other agent. It is not required that the two agents are administered by the same route, although this is the case in some embodiments.
- the time interval may be any time interval.
- Subjects A subject in accordance with the various aspects of the present disclosure may be any animal or human. Therapeutic and prophylactic applications may be in human or animals (veterinary use). The subject to be administered with an article of the present disclosure (e.g.
- a subject in need of such intervention may be a subject in need of such intervention.
- the subject is preferably mammalian, more preferably human.
- the subject may be a non-human mammal, but is more preferably human.
- the subject may be male or female.
- the subject may be a patient.
- a subject may have (e.g. may have been diagnosed with) a disease or condition described herein, may be suspected of having such a disease/condition, or may be at risk of developing/contracting such a disease/condition.
- a subject may be selected for treatment according to the methods based on characterisation for one or more markers of such a disease/condition.
- a subject may be selected for therapeutic or prophylactic intervention as described herein based on the detection of cells/tissue expressing a target antigen (i.e. the target antigen of an antigen-binding molecule to be employed in conjunction with a cell or composition according to the present disclosure), or of cells/tissue overexpressing the target antigen, e.g. in a sample obtained from the subject.
- a subject may be an allogeneic or non-autologous subject with respect to an intervention in accordance with the present disclosure.
- the subject is a subject other than the subject from which the cell of the intervention (i.e.
- a subject to be treated/prevented in accordance with the present disclosure may be genetically non-identical to the subject from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject is derived.
- a subject to be treated/prevented in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise MHC/HLA genes encoding MHC/HLA molecules (e.g. MHC class I ⁇ and/or MHC class II molecules) that are non-identical to the MHC/HLA molecules (e.g. MHC class I ⁇ and/or MHC class II molecules) encoded by the cell (e.g.
- a subject to be treated/prevented in accordance with the present disclosure may be HLA-mismatched with respect to the subject from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject is derived.
- the subject to which cells are administered in accordance with the present disclosure may be allogeneic/non-autologous with respect to the source from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject is derived.
- the subject to which cells are administered may be a different subject to the subject from which cells are/were obtained for the production of the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject.
- the subject to which the cell is administered may be genetically non-identical to the subject from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject cells are/were obtained for the production of the cells.
- a subject may be an autogeneic/autologous subject with respect to an intervention in accordance with the present disclosure.
- the subject is the same subject from which the cell of the intervention (i.e. the cell to be administered, or the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament to be administered) is derived.
- a subject to be treated/prevented in accordance with the present disclosure may be genetically identical to the subject from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject is derived.
- a subject to be treated/prevented in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise MHC/HLA genes encoding MHC/HLA molecules (e.g. MHC class I ⁇ and/or MHC class II molecules) that are identical to the MHC/HLA molecules (e.g. MHC class I ⁇ and/or MHC class II molecules) encoded by the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject.
- MHC/HLA genes encoding MHC/HLA molecules (e.g. MHC class I ⁇ and/or MHC class II molecules) that are identical to the MHC/HLA molecules (e.g. MHC class I ⁇ and/or MHC class II molecules) encoded by the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medi
- a subject to be treated/prevented in accordance with the present disclosure may be HLA-matched with respect to the subject from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject is derived.
- the subject to which cells are administered in accordance with the present disclosure may be autogeneic/autologous with respect to the source from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject is derived.
- the subject to which cells are administered may be the same subject as the subject from which cells are/were obtained for the production of the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject.
- the subject to which the cell is administered may be genetically identical to the subject from which the cell (e.g. the cell of the pharmaceutical composition/medicament) to be administered to the subject cells are/were obtained for the production of the cells.
- the singular forms ‘a,’ ‘an,’ and ‘the’ include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from ‘about’ one particular value, and/or to ‘about’ another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent ‘about,’ it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
- nucleic acid sequence is disclosed herein, the reverse complement thereof is also expressly contemplated.
- Methods described herein may preferably be performed in vitro.
- the term ‘in vitro’ is intended to encompass procedures performed with cells in culture whereas the term ‘in vivo’ is intended to encompass procedures with/on intact multi-cellular organisms. Examples The following are examples of methods and compositions of the invention. It is understood that various other embodiments may be practiced, given the general description provided above.
- Example 1 Materials and Methods 1.1 Recombinant DNA / RNA Techniques Standard methods were used to manipulate DNA as described in Sambrook et al., Molecular cloning: A laboratory manual; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 1989.
- the molecular biological reagents were used according to the manufacturers’ instructions.
- General information regarding the nucleotide sequences of human immunoglobulins light and heavy chains is given in: Kabat, E.A. et al., (1991) Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, 5 th ed., NIH Publication No.91-3242.
- 1.2 DNA Sequencing DNA sequences were determined by double-strand Sanger sequencing.
- Desired gene segments were either generated by PCR using appropriate templates or were synthesized by GeneArt AG (Regensburg, Germany) from synthetic oligonucleotides and PCR products by automated gene synthesis.
- the gene segments flanked by singular restriction endonuclease cleavage sites were cloned into second generation lenti viral vector vectors.
- the plasmid DNA was purified from transformed bacteria and concentration determined by UV spectroscopy.
- the DNA sequences of the subcloned gene fragments were confirmed by DNA sequencing.
- Gene segments were designed with suitable restriction sites to allow sub-cloning into the respective expression vectors. All constructs were designed with a 5’- end DNA sequence coding for a leader peptide which targets proteins for secretion in eukaryotic cells. When more than one protein chain was expressed, the coding sequences were separated by DNA encoding P2A / T2A / E2A self-splicing peptides.
- E2A is derived from equine rhinitis A virus; P2A is derived from porcine teschovirus-12A; T2A is derived from thosea asigna virus 2A.
- pan T cell Biotin-Antibody In brief, cell pellets were labeled with Pan T cell Biotin-Antibody, incubated for 5 minutes at 4 °C and further labeled with Pan T cell magnetic MicroBead Cocktail. Following negative selection on a MACS® Manual Separator, the purified Pan T cell population was either cultured, or frozen as 5 ⁇ 10 6 cells mL -1 aliquots in advanced RPMI 1640 (Fisher Scientific, #12633012) + 20% FBS (Sigma- Aldrich) + 1x GlutaMAXTM (Fisher Scientific, #35050061) + 20% DMSO (Sigma-Aldrich, #D2650-100ML) in dedicated freezing containers at -80 °C for at least 24 hours, then transferred to liquid nitrogen.
- advanced RPMI 1640 Fisher Scientific, #12633012
- FBS Sigma- Aldrich
- 1x GlutaMAXTM Fisher Scientific, #35050061
- DMSO Sigma-Aldrich, #D2650-
- Antibodies and antibody-like proteins were generated by transient transfection of Expi293F cells.
- Cells were seeded in Expi293 media (Gibco, #1435101) at a density of 2.5 ⁇ 10 6 mL -1 .
- Expression vectors and ExpiFectamine (Gibco, ExpiFectamine transfection kit, #13385544) were separately mixed in OptiMEM (Gibco, #11520386). After 5 minutes, both solutions were combined, mixed by pipetting and incubated for 25 minutes at room temperature.
- Fc containing proteins were purified from cell culture supernatants by Protein A-affinity chromatography (equilibration buffer: 20 mM sodium citrate, 20 mM sodium phosphate, pH 7.5; elution buffer: 20 mM sodium citrate, pH 3.0). Elution was achieved at pH 3.0 followed by immediate pH neutralization of the sample.
- the protein was concentrated by centrifugation (Millipore Amicon® ULTRA-15, #UFC903096), and aggregated protein was separated from monomeric protein by size exclusion chromatography in 20 mM histidine, 140 mM sodium chloride, pH 6.0.
- the antibodies and antibody-like proteins described herein were prepared by Evitria using their proprietary vector system with conventional (non-PCR based) cloning techniques and using suspension-adapted CHO K1 cells (originally received from ATCC and adapted to serum-free growth in suspension culture at Evitria).
- Evitria used its proprietary, animal-component free and serum-free media (eviGrow and eviMake2) and its proprietary transfection reagent (eviFect).
- eviGrow and eviMake2 animal-component free and serum-free media
- eviFect its proprietary transfection reagent
- the concentrations of purified proteins were determined by measuring the absorption at 280 nm using the mass extinction coefficient calculated on the basis of the amino acid sequence according to Pace, et al., Protein Science, 1995, 4, 2411-1423. Purity and molecular weight of the proteins were analyzed by CE- SDS in the presence and absence of a reducing agent using a LabChipGXII or LabChip GX Touch (Perkin Elmer).
- Determination of the aggregate content was performed by HPLC chromatography at 25 °C using analytical size-exclusion column (TSKgel G3000 SW XL or UP-SW3000) equilibrated in running buffer (200 mM KH2PO4, 250 mM KCl pH 6.2, 0.02 % NaN3).
- T cells were quickly thawed in a 37 °C water bath and washed with 10x (V:V) advanced RPMI 1640 (Fisher Scientific, #12633012) + 10% FBS (Sigma-Aldrich) + 1x GlutaMAXTM (Fisher Scientific, #35050061) + 50 IU ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-2 (Miltenyi, #130-097-748) + 25ng ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-7 (Miltenyi, #130-095-364) + 50 ng ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-15 (Miltenyi, #130-095-766).
- Cells were then seeded at 10 6 ⁇ mL -1 cells in a 12-well plate (Sigma Aldrich, # Z707791-126EA) and activated using Immunocult CD3/CD28/CD2 T cell Activator cocktail (Stemcell Technologies, #10990) for 24 hours. After brief incubation with 8 ⁇ g ⁇ mL -1 Polybrene (Sigma Aldrich) and Lentiboost P (1:100) (Sirion Biotech, #SB-P-LV-101-12), previously purified virus-like particles were added to the activated T cells.
- T cells Engineered or wild type T cells are cultured in G-Rex® 24 multi-well cell culture plates (Wilson Wolf, #80192M) at densities of 0.2 ⁇ 10 6 mL -1 to 4 ⁇ 10 6 ML -1 in advanced RPMI 1640 (Fisher Scientific, #12633012) + 10% FBS (Sigma-Aldrich) + 1x GlutaMAXTM (Fisher Scientific, #35050061) + 50 IU ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-2 (Miltenyi, #130-097-748) + 25 ng ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-7 (Miltenyi, #130-095-364) + 50ng ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-15 (Miltenyi, #130-095-766).
- the cells were resuspended in Phosflow Perm Buffer III (BD Biosciences, 558050) and incubated at 4 °C for 30 minutes. The cells were washed 2 more times in DPBS before being stained with pre-diluted antibody solution using a murine anti-pSTAT4 antibody conjugated with Alexa FluorTM 647 (BD, #558137) and murine anti-pSTAT3 antibody conjugated with PE (BD, #562072) for 60 minutes at 4 °C.
- Phosflow Perm Buffer III BD Biosciences, 558050
- IFN ⁇ EU Cryptate - and IFN ⁇ XL antibodies were diluted 20-fold in 20x in detection buffer. Next, supernatants were combined 4:1 with a pre- mixed 1:1 dilution of donor and acceptor antibodies and incubated for 4 to 12 hours at room temperature. A standard was acquired as serial 1:3 dilutions from 4000 pg ⁇ mL -1 to 0 pg ⁇ mL -1 . FRET-Fluorescence emission was determined at 665 nm (acceptor) and 620 nm (donor). The data was normalized to the donor signal, background subtracted and fitted to the IFN ⁇ standard curve obtained in the same assay.
- Incucyte Killing Assay Target cells (MKN-45-NLR or HPAF-II-NLR) were seeded in RPMI 1640 (Fisher Scientific, # 11875093) + 2% FBS (Sigma-Aldrich) + 1x GlutaMAXTM (Fisher Scientific, #35050061) in a 96-well plate with edge reservoir (Fisher Scientific, # 167425) and incubated for at least 2 hours.
- Engineered cells were washed two times in Dulbecco’s phosphate buffered saline (DPBS, Merck #D8537-500ML), resuspended in RPMI 1640 (Fisher Scientific, # 11875093) + 2% FBS (Sigma-Aldrich) + 1x GlutaMAXTM (Fisher Scientific, #35050061). Cell densities were normalized to equal percentage of CAR-positive cells before being added to the target cells.
- Engineered T cells were either used at different effector to target cells ratios (E:T) for direct CARs, or at fixed E:T with dilutions of the targeting IgG for adaptor-based CARs.
- Target cell killing was monitored for 7 days in an Incucyte® Live-Cell Analysis System. Analysis was cut off, when the growth of target cells-only reached a plateau. Data was normalized to the initial cell concentration and to the growth of target cells without effector cells. In case of a repetitive assay setting (e.g. as in Example 9), target cell killing was monitored for 2 days in an Incucyte® Live-Cell Analysis System per round, indicated by dotted lines. RPMI1640 (Fisher Scientific, # 11875093) supplemented with 1x GlutaMAXTM (Fisher Scientific, #35050061) and 10% FBS (Sigma- Aldrich) was chosen as a culture medium.
- Engineered T cells were washed two times in PBS and normalized to the amount of CAR positive cells by addition of wild-type cells before being added to the target cells at an E:T ratio of 1:1. Finally, IL12 or IL23 were added as indicated. After 2 days, corresponding to one round, new target cells were seeded in a new plate. Also, engineered T cells were separated from cancer cells by lightly resuspending and aspirating. Supernatant was removed and fresh medium was added before combining the engineered T cells with the new target cells. Finally, IL12 or IL23 were added again, as indicated. Analysis was continued in the same Incucyte® Live-Cell Analysis System. This process was repeated 4 times for a total of five repetitive killing rounds.
- Example 2 Detection of IL23 – IL12 chimeric cytokine receptors in human immune cells T cells isolated from 50 mL of healthy donor blood were transduced with VLPs containing transgenes encoding different IL23 – IL12 chimeric cytokine receptors (IL23-IL12sR). First, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from donated fresh human blood by density gradient centrifugation. The cell population was further enriched for untouched human Pan T cells by negative selection using a human Pan T cell isolation Kit (Miltenyi, #130-096-535).
- PBMCs peripheral blood mononuclear cells
- Cells were then cultured for 24 hours in advanced RPMI 1640 + 10% FBS + 1x GlutaMAX + 50 IU ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-2 + 25 ng ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-7 + 50 ng ⁇ mL -1 Interleukin-15, before being stimulated with Immunocult CD3/CD28/CD2 T cell Activator cocktail (StemCELL technologies, #10990) to induce clonal expansion.
- 10x concentrated VLPs encoding desired constructs were added together with polybrene (Sigma, #TR-1003- G) and LentiBoostP (Sirion Biotech, #SB-A-LF-901-01) to the cells for subsequent incubation for at least 72 hours.
- eGFP reporter fluorescence fluorescently labeled anti-CAR antigen
- fluorescently labeled anti-CAR antigen e.g. Biot-Avi-tag_Fc_huCEACAM5(A3B3) or Fc_(PGLALA)_AF647.
- the surface expression of IL23-IL12sR was assessed, where applicable, by flow cytometry directly by an N- terminal FLAG-tag (DYKDDDDK) and commercially available fluorescently labeled anti-FLAG-tag antibody (Biolegend, #637322). More specifically, 100,000 cells per condition were harvested, washed with PBS and seeded in a 96 well V-bottom plate.
- T cells transduced with an IL23–IL12sR were stimulated with serial dilutions of recombinant human interleukin-23 (huIL23) (Thermo Fisher Scientific, #PHC9321) for 40 minutes, followed by immediate fixation (BD, #557870), permeabilization (BD, #558050) and intracellular staining for flow cytometric analysis using a murine anti-pSTAT4 antibody conjugated with Alexa FluorTM 647 (BD, #558137) and murine anti-pSTAT3 antibody conjugated with PE (BD, #562072).
- huIL23 human interleukin-23
- PE murine anti-pSTAT3 antibody conjugated with PE
- IL23– IL12sR modified cells showed dose-dependent phosphorylation of STAT4 (Jacobson et Al.1995, Kaplan et Al.1998) but not STAT3 (Chen et Al.2003) when stimulated with IL23, similar to the endogenous IL12 receptor complex stimulated with IL12 ( Figure 3A, 3B).
- STAT4 Jacobson et Al.1995, Kaplan et Al.1998)
- STAT3 Choleukin IL12 receptor complex stimulated with IL12
- Figure 3A, 3B the EC50 of pSTAT4 upregulation via IL23- IL12sRs is higher and maximum signal appears increased.
- Example 4 Functional Analysis of IL23-IL12sR-mediated upregulation of characteristic cell surface markers in engineered human immune cells Functional analysis of IL23-IL12sRs was done by flow cytometric analysis of cell surface markers which are known to be expressed upon IL12 signaling.
- IL18Ra Yamamoto et Al., 1998)
- IL12Rb2 via a STAT4 mediated feed-forward loop
- PD-1 Greenner et Al., 2013
- CD25 Valenzuela et Al., 2002
- T cells transduced with an IL23-IL12sR with eGFP reporter were stimulated with serial dilutions of huIL23 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, #PHC9321) for 24 hours.
- the EC50 of IL23-IL12sR_(IL12Rb2-TMD) is lowered by approximately 100- fold, and the EC50 of the IL23IL12sR_(IL23R-TMD) by 1000-fold, compared to the signal of IL12 and the endogenous IL12 receptor complex.
- the IL12Rb2 is upregulated by stimulation of the IL23 – IL12 chimeric cytokine receptor with IL23 ( Figure 4B), consistent with a previously reported feed-forward mechanisms, triggered by STAT4 signaling (e.g., Valenzuela et Al. 2002).
- IL23-IL12sR (IL12Rb2-TMD) T cells show a lower IL12Rb2-baseline, more similar to the wild type cells, when compared to IL23-IL12sR (IL23R-TMD).
- this feed-forward mechanism cannot be visualized in this manner because the selected anti-IL12Rb2 antibody (Biolegend, #394205) stands in competition with IL12 and is therefore either out-competed or high concentrations of IL12 lead to increased internalization of IL12Rb2.
- IL18Ra APC Biolegend 313814 IL12Rb2 PE BD Biosciences 550723 PD1 BV421 Biolegend 329920 CD25 BV605 Biolegend 302631 CD8 BV711 Biolegend 301043 CD3 BUV395 BD Biosciences 740283 target molecule origin Cat.Nr. Live/DEAD TM Aqua Aqua405 Thermo Fisher L34957 Scientific Table 2. Panel 2. target molecule origin Cat.Nr.
- PG-CAR Fc_(PGLALA)_AF647 in-house IL18Ra FITC Biolegend 313810 IL12Rb2 PE BD Biosciences 550723 PD1 BV421 Biolegend 329920 CD25 BV605 Biolegend 302631 CD8 BV711 Biolegend 301043 CD3 BUV395 BD Biosciences 740283 Live/DEAD TM Aqua Aqua405 Thermo Fisher L34957 Scientific Table 3. Panel 3. target molecule / fluorophore origin Cat.Nr.
- Example 6 Killing assay using human immune cells engineered with IL23-IL12sR Killing of target cells mediated by IL23-IL12sRs was assessed in the context of adaptor-CAR. Initially, healthy donor human T cells were purified, activated and transduced with VLPs carrying the respective CAR and IL23-IL12sR formats. Cells were expanded for >5 days at 37 °C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere. Prior to the preparation of the killing assay, transduction efficiency of the immune cells was assessed by flow cytometry, as described in example 1.
- Target cells MKN-45-NLR or HPAF-II-NLR were seeded in a 96-well plate with edge reservoir and incubated for at least 2 hours to adhere to the plate.
- Engineered cells were washed two times in PBS and normalized to the amount of CAR positive cells by addition of wild-type cells before being added to the target cells.
- Engineered T cells were seeded at fixed E:T with dilutions of the targeting IgG for adaptor-based CAR-T cells.
- Target cell killing was observed for 5-7 days in an Incucyte® live-cell analysis system. Data was normalized to the initial cell concentration and to the growth of target cells without effector cells.
- Example 7 Functionality of IL23-IL12sRs in human immune cells engineered with a direct CAR Detection of chimeric constructs, analysis of signal transduction, functional analysis and killing capacity of engineered human immune cells was assessed similar to Examples 2-6.
- Example 8 IL23-IL12sR designs with chimeric ECD having similar or improved sensitivity and efficacy when transduced in human immune cells Detection of chimeric constructs, analysis of signal transduction and / or functional analysis was assessed similar to Examples 2-7.
- constructs are expressed after transduction of human healthy donor primary T cells, as is indirectly detected by the expression of the P329G CAR stained with Fc_(PGLALA)_AF647 and directly detected by staining of the FLAG-tag with a fluorescently labeled anti-FLAG-antibody (Figure 9A).
- Figure 9A This suggests that IL23-IL12sR designs with a full IL23R-ECD and IL12Rb2-TMD or IL23R-TMD are superior in how they influence the expression of the upstream CAR as well as the expression of the receptor itself, compared to designs with a chimeric ECD.
- Example 9 Repetitive killing assay using human immune cells engineered with IL23-IL12sR
- engineered human immune cells were generated and cultured as previously outlined (e.g. under Example 1).
- Target cells HPAF-II-NLR were seeded in a 96-well plate.
- engineered T cells transfected with construct #12 [SEQ ID NO: 66 and 67] or construct #13 [SEQ ID NO: 68 and 6]
- CAR-T cells can control cancer cell growth for 2 rounds ( Figure 11).
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| US20210061881A1 (en) * | 2019-08-30 | 2021-03-04 | Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. | Chimeric cytokine receptors comprising tgf beta binding domains |
| WO2022032042A1 (en) * | 2020-08-05 | 2022-02-10 | Synthekine, Inc. | Il12 receptor synthetic cytokines and methods of use |
| WO2022029051A1 (en) | 2020-08-03 | 2022-02-10 | F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ag | Improved antigen binding receptors |
| WO2023081813A1 (en) * | 2021-11-05 | 2023-05-11 | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Inc. | Zip cytokine receptors |
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| US20210061881A1 (en) * | 2019-08-30 | 2021-03-04 | Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. | Chimeric cytokine receptors comprising tgf beta binding domains |
| WO2022029051A1 (en) | 2020-08-03 | 2022-02-10 | F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ag | Improved antigen binding receptors |
| WO2022032042A1 (en) * | 2020-08-05 | 2022-02-10 | Synthekine, Inc. | Il12 receptor synthetic cytokines and methods of use |
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