Ingmarie Höidén-Guthenberg

Tumor Imaging Using a Picomolar Affinity HER2 Binding Affibody Molecule

The detection of cell-bound proteins that are produced due to aberrant gene expression in malignant tumors can provide important diagnostic information influencing patient management. The use of small radiolabeled targeting proteins would enable high-contrast radionuclide imaging of cancers expressing such antigens if adequate binding affinity and specificity could be provided. Here, we describe a HER2-specific 6 kDa Affibody molecule (hereinafter denoted Affibody molecule) with 22 pmol/L affinity that can be used for the visualization of HER2 expression in tumors in vivo using gamma camera. A library for affinity maturation was constructed by re-randomization of relevant positions identified after the alignment of first-generation variants of nanomolar affinity (50 nmol/L). One selected Affibody molecule, Z(HER2:342) showed a >2,200-fold increase in affinity achieved through a single-library affinity maturation step. When radioiodinated, the affinity-matured Affibody molecule showed clear, high-contrast visualization of HER2-expressing xenografts in mice as early as 6 hours post-injection. The tumor uptake at 4 hours post-injection was improved 4-fold (due to increased affinity) with 9% of the injected dose per gram of tissue in the tumor. Affibody molecules represent a new class of affinity molecules that can provide small sized, high affinity cancer-specific ligands, which may be well suited for tumor imaging.

Directed Evolution to Low Nanomolar Affinity of a Tumor-Targeting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Binding Affibody Molecule

The epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (EGFR) is overexpressed in various malignancies and is associated with a poor patient prognosis. A small, receptor-specific, high-affinity imaging agent would be a useful tool in diagnosing malignant tumors and in deciding upon treatment and assessing the response to treatment. We describe here the affinity maturation procedure for the generation of Affibody molecules binding with high affinity and specificity to EGFR. A library for affinity maturation was constructed by rerandomization of selected positions after the alignment of first-generation binding variants. New binders were selected with phage display technology, using a single oligonucleotide in a single-library effort, and the best second-generation binders had an approximately 30-fold improvement in affinity (K(d)=5-10 nM) for the soluble extracellular domain of EGFR in biospecific interaction analysis using Biacore. The dissociation equilibrium constant, K(d), was also determined for the Affibody with highest affinity using EGFR-expressing A431 cells in flow cytometric analysis (K(d)=2.8 nM). A retained high specificity for EGFR was verified by a dot blot assay showing staining only of EGFR proteins among a panel of serum proteins and other EGFR family member proteins (HER2, HER3, and HER4). The EGFR-binding Affibody molecules were radiolabeled with indium-111, showing specific binding to EGFR-expressing A431 cells and successful targeting of the A431 tumor xenografts with 4-6% injected activity per gram accumulated in the tumor 4 h postinjection.

Design of an Optimized Scaffold for Affibody Molecules

Affibody molecules are non-immunoglobulin-derived affinity proteins based on a three-helical bundle protein domain. Here, we describe the design process of an optimized Affibody molecule scaffold with improved properties and a surface distinctly different from that of the parental scaffold. The improvement was achieved by applying an iterative process of amino acid substitutions in the context of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-specific Affibody molecule Z(HER2:342). Replacements in the N-terminal region, loop 1, helix 2 and helix 3 were guided by extensive structural modeling using the available structures of the parent Z domain and Affibody molecules. The effect of several single substitutions was analyzed followed by combination of up to 11 different substitutions. The two amino acid substitutions N23T and S33K accounted for the most dramatic improvements, including increased thermal stability with elevated melting temperatures of up to +12 degrees C. The optimized scaffold contains 11 amino acid substitutions in the nonbinding surface and is characterized by improved thermal and chemical stability, as well as increased hydrophilicity, and enables generation of identical Affibody molecules both by chemical peptide synthesis and by recombinant bacterial expression. A HER2-specific Affibody tracer, [MMA-DOTA-Cys61]-Z(HER2:2891)-Cys (ABY-025), was produced by conjugating MMA-DOTA (maleimide-monoamide-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) to the peptide produced either chemically or in Escherichia coli. ABY-025 showed high affinity and specificity for HER2 (equilibrium dissociation constant, K(D), of 76 pM) and detected HER2 in tissue sections of SKOV-3 xenograft and human breast tumors. The HER2-binding capacity was fully retained after three cycles of heating to 90 degrees C followed by cooling to room temperature. Furthermore, the binding surfaces of five Affibody molecules targeting other proteins (tumor necrosis factor alpha, insulin, Taq polymerase, epidermal growth factor receptor or platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta) were grafted onto the optimized scaffold, resulting in molecules with improved thermal stability and a more hydrophilic nonbinding surface.

Engineered High-Affinity Affibody Molecules Targeting Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor β In Vivo

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) β is a marker of stromal pericytes and fibroblasts and represents an interesting target for both diagnosis and therapy of solid tumors. A receptor-specific imaging agent would be a useful tool for further understanding the prognostic role of this receptor in vivo. Affibody molecules constitute a class of very small binding proteins that are highly suited for in vivo imaging applications and that can be selected to specifically recognize a desired target protein. Here we describe the isolation of PDGFRβ-specific Affibody molecules with subnanomolar affinity. First-generation Affibody molecules were generated from a large naive library using phage display selection. Subsequently, sequences from binders having a desired selectivity profile and competing with the natural ligand for binding were used in the design of an affinity maturation library, which was created using a single partially randomized oligonucleotide. From this second-generation library, Affibody molecules with a 10-fold improvement in affinity (K(d)=0.4-0.5 nM) for human PDGFRβ and a 4-fold improvement in affinity (K(d)=6-7 nM) for murine PDGFRβ were isolated and characterized. Complete reversible folding after heating to 90 °C, as demonstrated by circular dichroism analysis, supports tolerance to labeling conditions for molecular imaging. The binders were highly specific, as verified by dot blot showing staining reactivity only with human and murine PDGFRβ, but not with human PDGFRα, or a panel of control proteins including 16 abundant human serum proteins. The final binder recognized the native conformation of PDGFRβ expressed in murine NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and human AU565 cells, and inhibited ligand-induced receptor phosphorylation in PDGFRβ-transfected porcine aortic endothelial cells. The PDGFRβ-specific Affibody molecule also accumulated around tumoral blood vessels in a model of spontaneous insulinoma, confirming a potential for in vivo targeting.

Inhibiting HER3-Mediated Tumor Cell Growth with Affibody Molecules Engineered to Low Picomolar Affinity by Position-Directed Error-Prone PCR-Like Diversification

The HER3 receptor is implicated in the progression of various cancers as well as in resistance to several currently used drugs, and is hence a potential target for development of new therapies. We have previously generated Affibody molecules that inhibit heregulin-induced signaling of the HER3 pathways. The aim of this study was to improve the affinity of the binders to hopefully increase receptor inhibition efficacy and enable a high receptor-mediated uptake in tumors. We explored a novel strategy for affinity maturation of Affibody molecules that is based on alanine scanning followed by design of library diversification to mimic the result from an error-prone PCR reaction, but with full control over mutated positions and thus less biases. Using bacterial surface display and flow-cytometric sorting of the maturation library, the affinity for HER3 was improved more than 30-fold down to 21 pM. The affinity is among the higher that has been reported for Affibody molecules and we believe that the maturation strategy should be generally applicable for improvement of affinity proteins. The new binders also demonstrated an improved thermal stability as well as complete refolding after denaturation. Moreover, inhibition of ligand-induced proliferation of HER3-positive breast cancer cells was improved more than two orders of magnitude compared to the previously best-performing clone. Radiolabeled Affibody molecules showed specific targeting of a number of HER3-positive cell lines in vitro as well as targeting of HER3 in in vivo mouse models and represent promising candidates for future development of targeted therapies and diagnostics.

Selection of affibody molecules to the ligand-binding site of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor

Affibody molecules binding to the site of hormone interaction in IGF‐1R (insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor) were successfully selected by phage‐display technology employing a competitive‐elution strategy during biopanning, whereby release of receptor‐bound phagemids was accomplished by competition with IGF‐1 (insulin‐like growth factor‐1). In non‐competitive selections, the elution of receptor‐bound phagemids was performed by imidazole or low‐pH incubation, which also resulted in the isolation of affibody molecules that could bind to the receptor. An ELISA‐based assay showed that the affibody molecules generated by IGF‐1 competition during elution, in addition to affibody molecules generated in the non‐competitive selections, could compete with IGF‐1 for binding to the receptor. The affinities of the isolated variants to IGF‐1R‐overexpressing MCF‐7 cells were determined and ranged from high nanomolar to 2.3 nM. The most promising variant, Z4:40, was shown to recognize IGF‐1R efficiently in several different contexts: in analyses based on flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and receptor pull‐down from cell extracts. In addition, when Z4:40 was added to the medium of MCF‐7 cells that were dependent on IGF‐1 for efficient growth, it was found to have a dose‐dependent growth‐inhibitory effect on the cells. Applications of affibody‐based reagents for quantitative and qualitative analyses of IGF‐1R status, as well as applications of affibody‐based reagents for therapy, are discussed.

Cellular Effects of HER3-Specific Affibody Molecules

Recent studies have led to the recognition of the epidermal growth factor receptor HER3 as a key player in cancer, and consequently this receptor has gained increased interest as a target for cancer therapy. We have previously generated several Affibody molecules with subnanomolar affinity for the HER3 receptor. Here, we investigate the effects of two of these HER3-specific Affibody molecules, Z05416 and Z05417, on different HER3-overexpressing cancer cell lines. Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, the Affibody molecules were shown to bind to HER3 on three different cell lines. Furthermore, the receptor binding of the natural ligand heregulin (HRG) was blocked by addition of Affibody molecules. In addition, both molecules suppressed HRG-induced HER3 and HER2 phosphorylation in MCF-7 cells, as well as HER3 phosphorylation in constantly HER2-activated SKBR-3 cells. Importantly, Western blot analysis also revealed that HRG-induced downstream signalling through the Ras-MAPK pathway as well as the PI3K-Akt pathway was blocked by the Affibody molecules. Finally, in an in vitro proliferation assay, the two Affibody molecules demonstrated complete inhibition of HRG-induced cancer cell growth. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that Z05416 and Z05417 exert an anti-proliferative effect on two breast cancer cell lines by inhibiting HRG-induced phosphorylation of HER3, suggesting that the Affibody molecules are promising candidates for future HER3-targeted cancer therapy.

Early Implementation of QbD in Biopharmaceutical Development: A Practical Example

In drug development, the “onus” of the low R&D efficiency has been put traditionally onto the drug discovery process (i.e., finding the right target or “binding” functionality). Here, we show that manufacturing is not only a central component of product success, but also that, by integrating manufacturing and discovery activities in a “holistic” interpretation of QbD methodologies, we could expect to increase the efficiency of the drug discovery process as a whole. In this new context, early risk assessment, using developability methodologies and computational methods in particular, can assist in reducing risks during development in a cost-effective way. We define specific areas of risk and how they can impact product quality in a broad sense, including essential aspects such as product efficacy and patient safety. Emerging industry practices around developability are introduced, including some specific examples of applications to biotherapeutics. Furthermore, we suggest some potential workflows to illustrate how developability strategies can be introduced in practical terms during early drug development in order to mitigate risks, reduce drug attrition and ultimately increase the robustness of the biopharmaceutical supply chain. Finally, we also discuss how the implementation of such methodologies could accelerate the access of new therapeutic treatments to patients in the clinic.

An engineered affibody molecule with pH-dependent binding to FcRn mediates extended circulatory half-life of a fusion protein.

Significance One of the central questions in biopharmaceutical development is how to extend circulation residence times of protein-based drugs to improve efficacy and patient comfort. Immunoglobulin G and serum albumin are rescued from lysosomal degradation by the pH-dependent binding to the neonatal Fc receptor and consequently have naturally long circulation half-lives. Here we describe the development and characterization of small affinity proteins (affibody molecules) that can hitchhike on the neonatal Fc receptor rescue system. We find that addition of the affibody molecules to an already half-life–extended recombinant protein leads to a nearly threefold longer circulation residence time in mice. Such affibody molecules may have a general use as fusion partners with biopharmaceuticals to extend their circulation residence times. Proteins endocytosed from serum are degraded in the lysosomes. However, serum albumin (SA) and IgG, through its Fc part, bind to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) at low pH in the endosome after endocytosis, and are transported back to the cellular surface, where they are released into the bloodstream, resulting in an extended serum circulation time. Association with Fc or SA has been used to prolong the in vivo half-life of biopharmaceuticals, using the interaction with FcRn to improve treatment regimens. This has been achieved either directly, by fusion or conjugation to Fc or SA, or indirectly, using SA-binding proteins. The present work takes this principle one step further, presenting small affinity proteins that bind directly to FcRn, mediating extension of the serum half-life of fused biomolecules. Phage display technology was used to select affibody molecules that can bind to FcRn in the pH-dependent manner required for rescue by FcRn. The biophysical and binding properties were characterized in vitro, and the affibody molecules were found to bind to FcRn more strongly at low pH than at neutral pH. Attachment of the affibody molecules to a recombinant protein, already engineered for increased half-life, resulted in a nearly threefold longer half-life in mice. These tags should have general use as fusion partners to biopharmaceuticals to extend their half-lives in vivo.

Imaging of CAIX-expressing xenografts in vivo using 99mTc-HEHEHE-ZCAIX : 1 Affibody molecule

Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a transmembrane enzyme involved in regulation of tissue pH balance. In cancer, CAIX expression is associated with tumor hypoxia. CAIX is also overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma and is a molecular target for the therapeutic antibody cG250 (girentuximab). Radionuclide imaging of CAIX expression might be used for identification of patients who may benefit from cG250 therapy and from treatment strategies for hypoxic tumors. Affibody molecules are small (7 kDa) scaffold proteins having a high potential as probes for radionuclide molecular imaging. The aim of the present study was to evaluate feasibility of in vivo imaging of CAIX-expression using radiolabeled Affibody molecules. A histidine-glutamate-histidine-glutamate-histidine-glutamate (HE)3-tag-containing CAIX-binding Affibody molecule (HE)3-ZCAIX:1 was labeled with [99mTc(CO)3]+. Its binding properties were evaluated in vitro using CAIX-expressing SK-RC-52 renal carcinoma cells. 99mTc-(HE)3-ZCAIX:1 was evaluated in NMRI nu/nu mice bearing SK-RC-52 xenografts. The in vivo specificity test confirmed CAIX-mediated tumor targeting. 99mTc-(HE)3-ZCAIX:1 cleared rapidly from blood and normal tissues except for kidneys. At optimal time-point (4 h p.i.), the tumor uptake was 9.7±0.7% ID/g, and tumor-to-blood ratio was 53±10. Experimental imaging of CAIX-expressing SK-RC-52 xenografts at 4 h p.i. provided high contrast images. The use of radioiodine label for ZCAIX:1 enabled the reduction of renal uptake, but resulted in significantly lower tumor uptake and tumor-to-blood ratio. Results of the present study suggest that radiolabeled Affibody molecules are promising probes for imaging of CAIX-expression in vivo.