1. |
- Bragina, Olga, et al.
(author)
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Phase I study of 99mTc-ADAPT6, a scaffold protein-based probe for visualization of HER2 expression in breast cancer
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Radionuclide molecular imaging of human epidermal growth factor (HER2) expression may be helpful to stratify breast and gastroesophageal cancer patients for HER2-targeting therapies. ADAPTs (albumin-binding domain derived affinity proteins) are a new type of small (46-59 amino acids) proteins useful as probes for molecular imaging. The aim of this first in-human study was to evaluate biodistribution, dosimetry, and safety of HER2-specific 99mTc-ADAPT6.METHODS. Twenty-two patients with HER2-positive (n=11) or HER2-negative (n=11) primary breast cancer were intravenously injected with 385125 MBq. The injected amount of protein was either 500 μg (n=11) or 1000 μg (n=11). Planar scintigraphy followed by SPECT imaging was performed after 2, 4, 6 and 24 h. An additional cohort received a dose of 250 μg, and the planar scintigraphy followed by SPECT imaging was performed after 2 h only.RESULTS. Injection of 99mTc-ADAPT6 was well tolerated for all doses evaluated in the study, and was not associated with any adverse effects. 99mTc-ADAPT6 cleared rapidly from the blood and the majority of tissues. The normal organs with the highest accumulation were kidney, liver and lung. The effective doses were determined to 0.0090.002 and 0.0100.003 mSv/MBq when injecting protein amounts of 500 and 1000 μg, respectively. Injection of 500 μg resulted in excellent discrimination between HER2-positive and HER2-negative tumors already 2 h after injection (tumor-to-contralateral breast ratio was 3719 vs 52, p < 0.01). The tumor-to-contralateral breast ratios for HER2-positive tumors were significantly (p < 0.5) higher for the injected mass of 500 μg than for both 250 and 1000 μg. In one patient, the imaging using 99mTc-ADAPT6 revealed three bone metastases, which were not found at the time of diagnosis by CT or 99mTcpyrophosphate bone scan. MRI imaging confirmed this finding.CONCLUSION. Injections of 99mTc-ADAPT6 are safe and associated with low absorbed and effective doses. A protein dose of 500 μg is preferable for discrimination between tumors with high and low expression of HER2. 99mTc-ADAPT6 is a promising imaging probe for the stratification of patients for HER2-targeting therapy.
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2. |
- Bragina, Olga, et al.
(author)
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Phase I study of 99mTc-ADAPT6, a scaffold protein-based probe for visualization of HER2 expression in breast cancer
- 2021
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In: Journal of Nuclear Medicine. - : Society of Nuclear Medicine. - 0161-5505 .- 1535-5667 .- 2159-662X. ; 62:4, s. 493-499
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Radionuclide molecular imaging of human epidermal growth factor (HER2) expression may be helpful to stratify breast and gastroesophageal cancer patients for HER2-targeting therapies. ADAPTs (albumin-binding domain derived affinity proteins) are a new type of small (46-59 amino acids) proteins useful as probes for molecular imaging. The aim of this first-in-human study was to evaluate biodistribution, dosimetry, and safety of the HER2-specific 99mTc-ADAPT6.METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with primary breast cancerwere included. In 22 patients with HER2-positive (n = 11) or HER2-negative (n = 11) histopathology an intravenous injection with 385±125 MBq 99mTc-ADAPT6 was performed, randomized to an injected protein mass of either 500 µg (n = 11) or 1000 µg (n = 11). Planar scintigraphy followed by SPECT imaging was performed after 2, 4, 6 and 24 h. An additional cohort (n = 7) was injected with 165±29 MBq (injected protein mass 250 µg) and imaging was performed after 2 h only.RESULTS: Injections of 99mTc-ADAPT6 at all injected mass levels were well tolerated and not associated with adverse effects. 99mTc-ADAPT6 cleared rapidly from blood and most other tissues. The normal organs with the highest accumulation were kidney, liver and lung. Effective doses were 0.009±0.002 and 0.010±0.003 mSv/MBq for injected protein masses of 500 and 1000 µg, respectively. Injection of 500 µg resulted in excellent discrimination between HER2-positive and HER2-negative tumors already 2 h after injection (tumor-to-contralateral breast ratio was 37±19 vs 5±2, p<0.01). The tumor-to-contralateral breast ratios for HER2-positive tumors were significantly (p<0.05) higher for injected mass of 500 µg than for both 250 and 1000 µg.CONCLUSION: Injections of 99mTc-ADAPT6 are safe and associated with low absorbed and effective doses. Protein dose of 500 µg is preferable for discrimination between tumors with high and low expression of HER2. Further studies are justified to evaluate if 99mTc-ADAPT6 can be used as an imaging probe for stratification of patients for HER2-targeting therapy in the areas where PET imaging is not readily available.
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4. |
- Garousi, Javad, et al.
(author)
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Comparative evaluation of dimeric and monomeric forms of ADAPT scaffold protein for targeting of HER2-expressing tumours
- 2019
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In: European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 0939-6411 .- 1873-3441. ; 134, s. 37-48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- ADAPTs are small engineered non-immunoglobulin scaffold proteins, which have demonstrated very promising features as vectors for radionuclide tumour targeting. Radionuclide imaging of human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) expression in vivo might be used for stratification of patients for HER2-targeting therapies. ADAPT6, which specifically binds to HER2, has earlier been shown to have very promising features for in vivo targeting of HER2 expressing tumours. In this study we tested the hypothesis that dimerization of ADAPT6 would increase the apparent affinity to HER2 and accordingly improve tumour targeting. To find an optimal molecular design of dimers, a series of ADAPT dimers with different linkers, -SSSG- (DiADAPT6L1), -(SSSG)(2)- (DiADAPT6L2), and -(SSSG)(3)- (DiADAPT6L3) was evaluated. Dimers in combination with optimal linker lengths demonstrated increased apparent affinity to HER2. The best variants, DiADAPT6L2 and DiADAPT6L3 were site-specifically labelled with In-111 and I-125, and compared with a monomeric ADAPT6 in mice bearing HER2-expressing tumours. Despite higher affinity, both dimers had lower tumour uptake and lower tumour-to-organ ratios compared to the monomer. We conclude that improved affinity of a dimeric form of ADAPT does not compensate the disadvantage of increased size. Therefore, increase of affinity should be obtained by affinity maturation and not by dimerization.
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5. |
- Garousi, Javad, et al.
(author)
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Radionuclide therapy using ABD-fused ADAPT scaffold protein : Proof of Principle
- 2021
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In: Biomaterials. - : Elsevier. - 0142-9612 .- 1878-5905. ; 266
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular recognition in targeted therapeutics is typically based on immunoglobulins. Development of engineered scaffold proteins (ESPs) has provided additional opportunities for the development of targeted therapies. ESPs offer inexpensive production in prokaryotic hosts, high stability and convenient approaches to modify their biodistribution. In this study, we demonstrated successful modification of the biodistribution of an ESP known as ADAPT (Albumin-binding domain Derived Affinity ProTein). ADAPTs are selected from a library based on the scaffold of ABD (Albumin Binding Domain) of protein G. A particular ADAPT, the ADAPT6, binds to human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) with high affinity. Preclinical and early clinical studies have demonstrated that radiolabeled ADAPT6 can image HER2-expression in tumors with high contrast. However, its rapid glomerular filtration and high renal reabsorption have prevented its use in radionuclide therapy. To modify the biodistribution, ADAPT6 was genetically fused to an ABD. The non-covalent binding to the host's albumin resulted in a 14-fold reduction of renal uptake and appreciable increase of tumor uptake for the best variant, 177Lu-DOTA-ADAPT6-ABD035. Experimental therapy in mice bearing HER2-expressing xenografts demonstrated more than two-fold increase of median survival even after a single injection of 18 MBq 177Lu-DOTA-ADAPT6-ABD035. Thus, a fusion with ABD and optimization of the molecular design provides ADAPT derivatives with attractive targeting properties for radionuclide therapy.
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6. |
- Garousi, Javad, et al.
(author)
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Radionuclide Therapy Using ABD-fused ADAPT Scaffold Protein: Proof of Principle
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The molecular recognition characteristics of targeted therapeutics is typically attributed to immunoglobulins. However, recent development of engineered scaffold proteins (ESPs) has provided additional opportunities for the improvement of these targeted therapies. ESPs offer inexpensive production in prokaryotic hosts and high molecular stability as well as convenient approaches to modify the biodistribution. In this study, we have demonstrated successful modification of the biodistribution of a particular ESP known as ADAPT (Albumin-binding domain Derived Affinity ProTein). These ADAPTs are generated through screening of combinatorial libraries based on the rigid scaffold of ABD (Albumin Binding Domain) of protein G. As one of these ADAPTs, ADAPT6 binds to human epidermal growth factor type 2 (HER2) with high affinity. Preclinical and early clinical studies have demonstrated that radiolabeled ADAPT6 can image HER2-expression in tumors with high contrast. However, its rapid glomerular filtration and high renal re-absorption have prevented its use in radionuclide therapy. To modify the biodistribution of ADAPT6 and allow for a therapeutic use, we present here an ADAPT6 genetically fused to ABD. The non-covalent binding of this fusion protein to the host albumin resulted in a 14-fold reduction of renal uptake and appreciable increase of tumor uptake for the best variant, 177Lu-DOTA-ADAPT6-ABD035. Experimental therapy in mice bearing HER2-expressing xenografts demonstrated more than two-fold increase of median survival even after a single injection of 18 MBq 177Lu-DOTA-ADAPT6-ABD035. The injections were not associated with any observable toxicity. Thus, a fusion with ABD and optimization of the molecular design provides ADAPT derivatives with attractive targeting properties for radionuclide therapy.
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8. |
- Garousi, Javad, et al.
(author)
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Targeting HER2 Expressing Tumors with a Potent Drug Conjugate Based on an Albumin Binding Domain-Derived Affinity Protein
- 2021
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In: Pharmaceutics. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4923. ; 13:11, s. 1847-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Albumin binding domain derived affinity proteins (ADAPTs) are a class of small and folded engineered scaffold proteins that holds great promise for targeting cancer tumors. Here, we have extended the in vivo half-life of an ADAPT, targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) by fusion with an albumin binding domain (ABD), and armed it with the highly cytotoxic payload mertansine (DM1) for an investigation of its properties in vitro and in vivo. The resulting drug conjugate, ADAPT6-ABD-mcDM1, retained binding to its intended targets, namely HER2 and serum albumins. Further, it was able to specifically bind to cells with high HER2 expression, get internalized, and showed potent toxicity, with IC50 values ranging from 5 to 80 nM. Conversely, no toxic effect was found for cells with low HER2 expression. In vivo, ADAPT6-ABD-mcDM1, radiolabeled with Tc-99m, was characterized by low uptake in most normal organs, and the main excretion route was shown to be through the kidneys. The tumor uptake was 5.5% ID/g after 24 h, which was higher than the uptake in all normal organs at this time point except for the kidneys. The uptake in the tumors was blockable by pre-injection of an excess of the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (having an overlapping epitope on the HER2 receptor). In conclusion, half-life extended drug conjugates based on the ADAPT platform of affinity proteins holds promise for further development towards targeted cancer therapy.
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10. |
- Kanje, Sara, 1986-, et al.
(author)
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Site-Specific Photolabeling of the IgG Fab Fragment Using a Small Protein G Derived Domain
- 2016
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In: Bioconjugate chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1043-1802 .- 1520-4812.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Antibodies are widely used reagents for recognition in both clinic and research laboratories all over the world. For many applications, antibodies are labeled through conjugation to different reporter molecules or therapeutic agents. Traditionally, antibodies are covalently conjugated to reporter molecules via primary amines on lysines or thiols on cysteines. While efficient, such labeling is variable and nonstoichiometric and may affect an antibody’s binding to its target. Moreover, an emerging field for therapeutics is antibody–drug conjugates, where a toxin or drug is conjugated to an antibody in order to increase or incorporate a therapeutic effect. It has been shown that homogeneity and controlled conjugation are crucial in these therapeutic applications. Here we present two novel protein domains developed from an IgG-binding domain of Streptococcal Protein G. These domains show obligate Fab binding and can be used for site-specific and covalent attachment exclusively to the constant part of the Fab fragment of an antibody. The two different domains can covalently label IgG of mouse and human descent. The labeled antibodies were shown to be functional in both an ELISA and in an NK-cell antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity assay. These engineered protein domains provide novel tools for controlled labeling of Fab fragments and full-length IgG.
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