Claims for Patent: 10,183,994

Summary for Patent: 10,183,994

Title:	Anti-TNF.alpha. antibodies with pH-dependent antigen binding for improved target clearence
Abstract:	The invention relates to anti-TNF.alpha. antibodies which are engineered to exhibit a pH-sensitive antigen binding. The invention is preferably directed to anti-TNF.alpha. antibody adalimumab (Humira.RTM.) or biologically active variants and fragments thereof, wherein the original adalimumab antibody or variant or fragment thereof is engineered by modifications of amino acid sequence within the variable regions. Specifically, the invention relates to adalimumab or biologically active variants or fragments thereof, wherein the CDR domains are modified by replacing one or more amino acid residues by histidine residues.
Inventor(s):	Guenther; Ralf (Griesheim, DE), Becker; Stefan (Darmstadt, DE), Rhiel; Laura (Frankfurt am Main, DE), Hock; Bjoern (Maintal, DE), Schroeter; Christian (Darmstadt, DE)
Assignee:	Merck Patent GmbH (Darmstadt, DE)
Application Number:	15/322,893
Patent Claims:	1. A human antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof with a pH dependent antigen binding, comprising: light and heavy chain variable regions of human antibody adalimumab or a variant thereof with the same or similar TNF-binding activity, wherein at least one of the CDR domains of the light chain variable region is mutated by replacement of from one to four amino acids within said CDR domains by a histidine residue and/or the CDR-H3 domain of the heavy chain variable region is mutated by replacement of one or two amino acids within said CDR domains by a histidine residue, thereby generating a mutated adalimumab or adalimumab variant eliciting a pH dependent antigen binding with an antigen dissociation rate (K.sub.dis) ratio pH 6/pH 7 measured by biolayer interferometry which is at least 5 fold higher compared to a respective K.sub.dis rate ratio of non-mutated adalimumab. 2. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, wherein the mutated antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof has a reduced antigen binding affinity, which is at least 1% of the binding affinity of the non-mutated adalimumab. 3. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising a CDR3 heavy chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: TABLE-US-00027 (SEQ ID NO: 12) VSYHSTASSLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 13) VSYLSTAHHLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 14) VSYHSTAHHLDY, and (SEQ ID NO: 31) VHYHSTASSLDY. 4. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising a CDR1 light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: TABLE-US-00028 (SEQ ID NO: 15) RASQGIRNHLA and (SEQ ID NO: 16) RASQGIRNHHA. 5. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising the CDR2 light chain amino acid sequence of: TABLE-US-00029 (SEQ ID NO: 32) AAHTLQS. 6. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising a CDR3 light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: TABLE-US-00030 (SEQ ID NO: 17) HHYHRAPYT, (SEQ ID NO: 18) QHYHRAPYH and (SEQ ID NO: 38) QRHNRAPYT. 7. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising: a CDR3 heavy chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00031 (SEQ ID NO: 12) VSYHSTASSLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 13) VSYLSTAHHLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 14) VSYHSTAHHLDY, and (SEQ ID NO: 31) VHYHSTASSLDY, and a CDR1 light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00032 (SEQ ID NO: 15) RASQGIRNHLA and (SEQ ID NO: 16) RASQGIRNHHA. 8. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising: a CDR3 heavy chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00033 (SEQ ID NO: 12) VSYHSTASSLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 13) VSYLSTAHHLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 14) VSYHSTAHHLDY, and (SEQ ID NO: 31) VHYHSTASSLDY, and a CDR3 light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00034 (SEQ ID NO: 17) HHYHRAPYT, (SEQ ID NO: 18) QHYHRAPYH, and (SEQ ID NO: 38) QRHNRAPYT. 9. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising: a CDR3 heavy chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00035 (SEQ ID NO: 12) VSYHSTASSLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 13) VSYLSTAHHLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 14) VSYHSTAHHLDY, and (SEQ ID NO: 31) VHYHSTASSLDY, the CDR2 light chain amino acid sequence AAHTLQS (SEQ ID NO: 32), and a CDR3 light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00036 (SEQ ID NO: 17) HHYHRAPYT, (SEQ ID NO: 18) QHYHRAPYH, and (SEQ ID NO: 38) QRHNRAPYT. 10. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising: a CDR3 heavy chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00037 (SEQ ID NO: 12) VSYHSTASSLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 13) VSYLSTAHHLDY, (SEQ ID NO: 14) VSYHSTAHHLDY, and (SEQ ID NO: 31) VHYHSTASSLDY, a CDR1 light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00038 (SEQ ID NO: 15) RASQGIRNHLA and (SEQ ID NO: 16) RASQGIRNHHA, a CDR3 light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of TABLE-US-00039 (SEQ ID NO: 17) HHYHRAPYT, (SEQ ID NO: 18) QHYHRAPYH, and (SEQ ID NO: 38) QRHNRAPYT. 11. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising a variable light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: TABLE-US-00040 (i) (SEQ ID NO: 28) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHHAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (ii) (SEQ ID NO: 29) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCHH YHRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (iii) (SEQ ID NO: 30) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQH YHRAPYHFGQ GTKVEIK, (iv) (SEQ ID NO: 33) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQH YHRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (v) (SEQ ID NO: 34) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNHAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (vi) (SEQ ID NO: 35) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (vii) (SEQ ID NO: 36) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR HNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, and (viii) (SEQ ID NO: 37) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA AHTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK. 12. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising a variable heavy chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: TABLE-US-00041 (i) (SEQ ID NO: 25) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVS YHSTASSLDY WGQGTLVTVS S; (ii) (SEQ ID NO: 26) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVS YLSTAHHLDY WGQGTLVTVS S; and (iii) (SEQ ID NO: 39) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVH YHSTASSLDY WGQGTLVTVS S. 13. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising: a variable light chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: TABLE-US-00042 (i) (SEQ ID NO: 28) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHHAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (ii) (SEQ ID NO: 29) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCHH YHRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (iii) (SEQ ID NO: 30) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQH YHRAPYHFGQ GTKVEIK, (iv) (SEQ ID NO: 33) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQH YHRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (v) (SEQ ID NO: 34) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNHAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (vi) (SEQ ID NO: 35) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, (vii) (SEQ ID NO: 36) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR HNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, and (viii) (SEQ ID NO: 37) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA AHTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, and a variable heavy chain amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: TABLE-US-00043 (i) (SEQ ID NO: 25) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVS YHSTASSLDY WGQGTLVTVS S; (ii) (SEQ ID NO: 26) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVS YLSTAHHLDY WGOGTLVTVS S; and (iii) (SEQ ID NO: 39) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVH YHSTASSLDY WGQGTLVTVS S. 14. A human antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof with a pH dependent antigen binding, comprising: light and heavy chain variable regions of a variant of human antibody adalimumab with the same or similar TNF-binding activity as human antibody adalimumab, wherein at least one of the CDR domains of the light chain variable region is mutated by replacing from one to four amino acids within said CDR domains by a histidine residue and/or the CDR-H3 domain of the heavy chain variable region is mutated by replacing one or more two amino acids within said CDR domains by a histidine residue, thereby generating a mutated adalimumab eliciting a significant pH dependent antigen binding, said mutated adalimumab comprising: the variable heavy chain amino acid sequence TABLE-US-00044 (SEQ ID NO: 25) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVS YHSTASSLDY WGQGTLVTVSS and the variable light chain amino acid sequence TABLE-US-00045 (SEQ ID NO: 27) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NHHAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQR YNRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK . 15. A human antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof with a pH dependent antigen binding, comprising: light and heavy chain variable regions of a variant of human antibody adalimumab with the same or similar TNF-binding activity as human antibody adalimumab, wherein at least one of the CDR domains of the light chain variable region is mutated by replacing from one to four amino acids within said CDR domains by a histidine residue and/or the CDR-H3 domain of the heavy chain variable region is mutated by replacing one or two amino acids within said CDR domains by a histidine residue, thereby generating a mutated adalimumab eliciting a pH dependent antigen binding, said mutated adalimumab comprising: the variable heavy chain amino acid sequence TABLE-US-00046 (SEQ ID NO: 26) EVQLVESGGG LVQPGRSLRL SCAASGFTFD DYAMHWVRQA PGKGLEWVSA ITWNSGHIDY ADSVEGRFTI SRDNAKNSLY LQMNSLRAED TAVYYCAKVS YLSTAHHLDY WGQGTLVTVS S and the variable light chain amino acid sequence TABLE-US-00047 (SEQ ID NO: 28) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCHH YHRAPYTFGQ GTKVEIK, or the variable light chain amino acid sequence TABLE-US-00048 (SEQ ID NO: 29) DIQMTQSPSS LSASVGDRVT ITCRASQGIR NYLAWYQQKP GKAPKLLIYA ASTLQSGVPS RFSGSGSGTD FTLTISSLQP EDVATYYCQH YHRAPYHFGQ GTKVEIK. 16. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, comprising the human heavy chain IgG1 constant region of SEQ ID NO: 11. 17. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 16, wherein a Fc portion of said IgG1 constant region is mutated at one or more amino acid positions resulting in a respective antibody with modified FcRn binding. 18. The human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 16, comprising a human kappa constant region. 19. An antibody-drug conjugate comprising the human antibody or an antibody fragment thereof of claim 1 linked directly or indirectly to a cytotoxic chemical drug or recombinantly fused to a cytokine. 20. A pharmaceutical composition suitable for treatment of an inflammatory, autoimmune or cancer disease, comprising: the human antibody or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1, or an antibody-drug conjugate comprising the antibody or the antibody fragment thereof of claim 1 linked directly or indirectly to a cytotoxic chemical drug or recombinantly fused to a cytokine together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient. 21. A method of treating a TNF.alpha. induced inflammatory, autoimmune or cancer disease, the method comprising: administering an effective amount of the human antibody, or the antigen binding fragment thereof of claim 1 or an antibody-drug conjugate comprising the antibody or an antibody fragment thereof of claim 1 linked directly or indirectly to a cytotoxic chemical drug or recombinantly fused to a cytokine, to a subject in need thereof. 22. A method for manufacture of a medicament for treating a TNF.alpha. induced inflammatory, autoimmune or cancer disease, the method comprising: mutating at least one of the CDR domains of the light chain variable region of human antibody adalimumab or a variant thereof having the same or similar TNF-binding activity by replacement of from one to four amino acids within the at least one of the CDR domains by a histidine residue and/or mutating the CDR-H3 domain of the heavy chain variable regions of human antibody adalimumab or a variant thereof having the same or similar TNF-binding activity by replacement of one or two amino acids within the CDR-H3 domain by a histidine residue, thereby generating a mutated adalimumab or adalimumab variant eliciting a pH dependent antigen binding with an antigen dissociation rate (K.sub.dis) ratio pH 6/pH 7 measured by biolayer interferometry which is at least 5 fold higher compared to a respective K.sub.dis rate ratio of non-mutated adalimumab.

Details for Patent 10,183,994

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Abbvie Inc.	HUMIRA	adalimumab	Injection	125057	12/31/2002		2034-06-30
Abbvie Inc.	HUMIRA	adalimumab	Injection	125057	02/21/2008		2034-06-30
Abbvie Inc.	HUMIRA	adalimumab	Injection	125057	04/24/2013		2034-06-30
Abbvie Inc.	HUMIRA	adalimumab	Injection	125057	09/23/2014		2034-06-30
Abbvie Inc.	HUMIRA	adalimumab	Injection	125057	11/23/2015		2034-06-30
Abbvie Inc.	HUMIRA	adalimumab	Injection	125057	03/09/2016		2034-06-30