Presentation of Annie De Groot, CEO of EpiVAx at the 9th Workshop on Monoclonal Antibodies, PDA...

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Computational Approaches to Assessing Safety of Host Cell Proteins and ‘Impurities’Or – how sequence-based information is integral toThe assessment of monoclonal antibodies and their ‘impurities‘

• PDA Europe • Workshop on Monoclonal Antibodies• Rome, 20-21 September 2016

• Annie De Groot MD• EpiVax, Inc.

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Disclaimer – I am CEO/CSO of EpiVaxThus there is an inherent COI in this presentation.I will do my best to present the work in an unbiased manner.

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Sequence-based Assessment of Monoclonal Development Risk

Pre-ClinicalAssessmentofImmunogenicitybasedonsequenceComparisontoexistingmonoclonalantibodydata(andimmunogenicitydata)Retrospectiveandprospectivevalidation(published)Currentlyinuseby9outof12largepharmaandmany,manysmallerbiotechcompanies

Applicationstobiologics/biosimilars:• Sequence-basedcharacterizationofrisk• Characterizationofimpurities(modifiedsequences– riskofimmunogenicity?)• CHOandotherHCPimmunogenicityriskassessment

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Sequence-based Assessment of Monoclonal Development Risk

Examples:

• ACHO(HCP)Proteinthatco-purifieswiththebiologic.Isitpotentiallyaproblem?

• Sequencesthatvary– e.g.peptidethathasslightlyvariantaminoacidsas‘impurities’

• Newmonoclonalantibodyderivativeswithunusualcomposition(Fabs,Dabsetc).

• Novelscaffoldproteins(alsobasedonhumanproteinsequences).

• Others?

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Computational Analysis as part of a Continuum (and part of ‘Quality by Design‘)

Non-HumanInVivo

InVitro&ExVivoInSilico

Modifysequencestoreduce

immunogenicity

Screenmultipletherapeuticcandidates

HumanSCIDmousemodel

HLA-transgenicmousemodel

Either

Examine:• Characteristics

ofTcellandAPCresponse

• EffectofHLAdonordiversity

• Effectofdonorpathologies

• Effectofformulationandpost-translationalmodifications

Rankforimmunogenicity

basedonpredictedepitopecontent

ProceedtoDrug

Development

Peptideandprotein

screening:EffectonT

cellpopulations

MemoryandnaïveTcells

HLAbindingstudies

Cell-basedassays

Wholeprotein

screening:ProcessingbypurifiedDCs

http://bit.ly/The_TCWP

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In vitro validation

Test articles:whole protein,

domains, peptides

• FluoroSpot (dual cytokines)• Flow cytometry• Peptide elution (in development)

Readout format

Assay(cell culture)

• Cytokine production• Cell proliferation• Cell phenotype – Teff vs. Treg

Endpoints

• Exposed blood• Fresh (active cells)• Re-stimulation (memory)

• Naïve blood• Long term culture (IVIP)

http://bit.ly/EpiLab

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ComputationalTools- Background

T Cell Activation B Cell ActivationWith T Cell Help – Drive Ab Response

NO T Cell Activation NO B Cell Activation

Without T Cell Help – Lose Ab Response

EpiVax

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Biologics, like Foreign Proteins, are processed by Immune system

EpiVax

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Biologics, like Foreign Proteins, are processed by Immune system

• T cell epitopes are drivers of immunogenicity• Sequence analysis enables T cell epitope identification• EpiVax uses EpiMatrix to predict epitopes

–matrix based prediction algorithm

–Full suite of HLA-based predictions are available; Class II usually used for biologics.

Mature APC

MHC II Pocket

Epitope

Protein

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Epitope Content Drives Immunogenicity

EpiVax - confidential 12

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ThrombopoietinErythropoietin

AlbuminIgG Fc Region

GM-CSF

Follitropin-Beta

Beta-2-Microglobulin

Interferon-Beta

Human Growth HormoneTetanus Toxin

Influenza Hemagglutinin

Immunogenic Antibodies*

Non-Immunogenic Antibodies†

Your Candidate A

Your Candidate B

* Average of antibodies known to induce anti-therapeutic responses in more than 5% of patients

† Average of antibodies known to induce anti-therapeutic responses in less than 5% of patients

All scores are adjusted for the presence of Tregitopes.

EpiMatrix Predicted Excess/Shortfall in Aggregate Immunogenicity Relative to a Random Peptide Standard

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Two types of T cell epitopes can be identified

Epitope can be either effector or regulatory but most algorithms cannot differentiate

this in silico

T regT eff

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Tregitopes = Treg epitopes found in Monoclonal Antibodies

• Discovered & patented by EpiVax

• Highly conserved peptide sequences in Fc and Fab regions of antibodies

• High affinity, promiscuous binders across HLA alleles

• Activate antigen-specific regulatory T cells

• Can be co-formulated or synthesized with therapeutic proteins or carriers

De Groot A.S., et al., Activation of Natural Regulatory T cells by IgG Fc-derived Peptide “Tregitopes”. Blood, 2008,112: 3303. http://tinyurl.com/ASDeGroot-Blood-2008 http://bit.ly/Treg1

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EpiMatrix Protein Detail ReportProvides detailed map of epitope content

Frame Frame DRB1*0101 DRB1*0301 DRB1*0401 DRB1*0701 DRB1*0801 DRB1*1101 DRB1*1301 DRB1*1501Start Stop Z-Score Z-Score Z-Score Z-Score Z-Score Z-Score Z-Score Z-Score

1 DIQMTQSPS 9 0.91 0.17 0.35 0.06 0.09 0.86 -0.08 -0.01 02 IQMTQSPSS 10 2.15 1.35 2.26 1.58 2.17 1.88 2.24 2.52 63 QMTQSPSSL 11 1.11 0.28 0.5 0.96 0.29 0.39 0.9 0.4 04 MTQSPSSLS 12 1.87 2.26 2.02 1.88 1.06 1.66 1.79 2.05 75 TQSPSSLSA 13 0.51 0.28 1.31 0.69 -0.04 0.54 1.09 1.05 0. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .

46 LLIYAASTL 54 1.41 1.08 0.99 2.16 1.54 0.85 2.28 2.3 347 LIYFASTLQ 55 1.91 1.85 2.46 2.07 1.79 1.08 1.79 2.1 748 IYFASTLQS 56 1.73 2.01 2.68 1.26 1.58 1.82 2.11 2.07 649 YFASTLQSG 57 0.64 1.6 0.59 0.32 1.42 1.28 0.04 1.09 0. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .

98 FGQGKTVEI 106 0.7 1.9 -0.02 0.2 0.93 0.34 1.41 1.12 199 GQGKTVEIK 107 -0.28 -0.84 0.31 0.01 0.03 -0.57 -0.47 -1.24 0

DRB1*0101 DRB1*0301 DRB1*0401 DRB1*0701 DRB1*0801 DRB1*1101 DRB1*1301 DRB1*1501 Total2.4 2.26 2.8 3.11 2.41 2.29 2.28 2.52 --

23.41 12.17 15.96 18.16 10.2 13.2 16.47 16.99 126.5612 6 7 9 5 7 8 8 62

Deviation from Expectation: 38.46 Deviation per 1000 AA: 48.56Adjusted for Regulatory Epitopes Deviation from Expectation: -21.24 Deviation per 1000 AA: -26.82

Total Assessments Performed: 792

EpiMatrix ReportAccession: YOUR_PROTEIN - Sequence: YOUR_PROTEIN

Maximum Single Z scoreSum of Significant Z scores

Count of Significant Z Scores

AA Sequence Hits

Summarized Results

Assessment

HitEpiBar

EpiMatrix Immunogenicity Score EpiMatrix Tregitope-adjusted Score

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EpiMatrix Predicted ADA Responses Relative to Observed ADA Responses in Known Antibodies

Slide TitleN

eo E

pito

pe C

onte

nt

Tregitope ContentHigh Low

Low Avastin (0%)

Herceptin (0%)

Mylotarg (3%)Simulect (1%)Synagis (1%)

Hig

h

Campath (45%) Remicade (26%)Rituxan (27%)

All scores are adjusted for the presence of Tregitopes.

mAb Trade Name (ADA%)

Your Antibody

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High Throughput

http://www.epivax.com/immunogenicity-screening/ht_report/

The High-Throughput Antibody Analysis tool allows users to compare a large number antibody candidates by ranking the immunogenicity of heavy and light chains.

EpiVax - confidential

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Tregitopes – in FDA guidelines

• FDA guidelines mention the importance of differentiating effector and regulatory epitope sequences

• Tregitope-conscious analysis results in more accurate analysis and the opportunity to introduce immunosuppressive sequences in the modified protein

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R² = 0.17

-5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

Obs

erve

d Im

mun

ogen

icity

(% A

DA)

Combined Variable Heavy and Light Chain EpiMatrix Scores

WITHOUT Tregitope-Adjusted Scores to Predict Immunogenicity:AVASTIN

BIVATUZUMABCAMPATH

HERCEPTIN

HUMICADE

HUJ591

HUMIRA

LEUKARRESTLUCENTIS

MYLOTARG

RAPTIVA

REMICADE

REOPRO

RITUXAN

SIMULECT

SOLIRIS

SYNAGIS

Antibody Immunogenicity PredictionsWithout Tregitope Adjustment

http://bit.ly/Treg1

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Slide Title

EpiVax - confidential 19

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

-70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30

Obs

erve

d Im

mun

ogen

icity

(% A

DA)

Combined Variable Heavy and Light Chain EpiMatrix Scores

Using Tregitope-Adjusted Scores to Predict Immunogenicity: AVASTINBIVATUZUMABCAMPATHHERCEPTINHUMICADEHUJ591HUMIRALEUKARRESTLUCENTISMYLOTARGRAPTIVAREMICADEREOPRORITUXANSIMULECTSOLIRISSYNAGISTYSABRIVECTIBIXVISILIZUMABXOLAIRZENAPAX

Failed in trials?

High ADA RiskFirst-Gen Chimerics

Low ADA Risk

MediumADA Risk

y = 0.0086x2 + 0.6727x + 13.32R2 = .76

http://bit.ly/Treg1

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New – Patent-derived ‘Failed in Trials‘ and pre-clinical Data

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Treg

sFu

nctio

ning

Non

-func

tioni

ng T

reg

DangerZone– ifTregs notfunctioning– ADA

HLA-specific Tregitope Mapping and Autoimmunity Twist

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ToolsforAnalyzingtheConservationbetweenBiologicandSelf

Dr. Pini: “Differences between sequences can drive immunogenicity” . . . and conservation with self can diminish immunogenicity

25MHC/HLA

TCR

• Identical T cell-facing residues• Same HLA allele and minimally different

MHC-facing residues

JanusMatrix

Moise, et al. The Two-Faced T cell Epitope: Examining the Host-Microbe Interface with JanusMatrix. Human Vaccines and Immunother. 2013 Apr 12;9(7). http://bit.ly/JanusMatrix.

EpiVax

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Peptide from Biologic

9-mers that bind HLAHuman Protein where

epitope is found

Visualizing T cell Epitope Relatedness to Human

9-mers with same TCR faceThat bind to same HLA

from Human Genome

Moise L, Beseme S, Tassone R, Liu R, Kibria F, Terry F, Martin W, De Groot AS. T cell epitope redundancy: cross-conservation of the TCR face between pathogens and self and its implications for vaccines and autoimmunity. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2016 May;15(5):607-17.

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Pathogens have figured this out

Source 9-mer epitope

Human protein with cross-conserved epitopes

Cross-conservedhuman 9-mer epitope

Source (pathogen) protein

27EpiVax - confidential

HCVVaccineepitopesexampleAllInduceTeffectorresponse

HCVepitopeInducedTregresponse

LosikoffPT,MishraS,TerryF,GutierrezA,Ardito MT,FastL,Nevola M,MartinWD,Bailey-KelloggC,DeGrootAS,GregorySH.HCVEpitope,HomologoustoMultipleHumanProteinSequences,InducesaRegulatoryTCellResponseinInfectedPatients. JHepatol.2014Aug22.pii:S0168-8278(14)00613-8.doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2014.08.026.

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Tregitope JanusMatrix using Cytoscape

HTREG_IGGC-289

HTREG_IGGC-167

hTregitope-167 hTregitope-289

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Other Examples of Treg epitopes – in Pathogens

HCV peptide HIV peptide

Source 9-mer epitope

Source human protein

TCR-conserved human 9-mer epitope

Source peptide

329/20/16

Moise L, Terry F, Gutierrez AH, Tassone R, Losikoff P, Gregory SH, Martin WD, De Groot AS. Smartervaccine design will circumvent regulatory T cell-mediated evasion in chronic HIV and HCV infection. In:Why vaccines to HIV, HCV and Malaria have so far failed - challenges to developing vaccines againstimmunoregulating pathogens. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2014. Editor (Gowans).http://bit.ly/Smarter_Vaccines_2014. (Open Access)

JanusMatrix Publications

309/20/16

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ToolsforAnalyzingtheConservationbetweenHCPandSelf:CHOPPI

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EpitopeContentMatters:ConservationwithHumanEpitopes

What is the impact of the cross-conservation between CHO and Human?

Human CHO

41EpiVax - confidential

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CHOPPI –Original Publication

Biotechnology and Bioengineering (2014)

Submit an amino acid sequence, name, or accession number into the search box

Review epitope information:• EpiMatrix Score• Total epitopes• Human cross-conserved• CHO-unique

Review results for homology with: • CHO transcriptome• CHO proteome• mouse secretome• validated CHOPs• predicted signal peptide

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Peptide from HCP

9-mers that bind HLAHuman Protein where

epitope is found

Cross-conservation analysisBetween HCP and Human Genome

9-mers with same TCR faceThat bind to same HLA

from Human Genome

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Ranking HCP by “HCP-specific epitope content“

HypotheticalHCP

The input HCP sequence has an above-averageCHO-unique epitope content compared to theremainder of the CHO K1 genome.

Of the 77 9-mer peptides which scored positivelyagainst at least one HLA allele, we found:

• 18 to be exactly preserved within the human genome.• 56 sharing TCR contacts with putative epitopes derived

from the human genome.• 21 sharing some homology with the human genome,

however the sequences with which they can bematched are not predicted to be epitopes, thus reducingthe potential for pre-exposed human T cell populations.These are the “CHO-Unique” epitopes.

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JanusMatrix for CHO Protein Prediction

Lysosomal protective protein:potentially immunogenic due to

dispersed CHO-unique epitopes

C-X-C motif chemokine 3:potentially tolerated due tofew CHO-unique epitopes

Lysosomal alpha-mannosidase:cluster of CHO-unique epitopes àpotentially immunogenic region

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Cross-conserved 9-mer epitope

Human protein with cross-conserved epitopes

Cross-conserved human 9-mer epitope

Source (pathogen) protein

CHO-unique 9-mer epitope

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CHOPPI ResultsInteractive Website Output

≥20:potentiallyimmunogenic

EpiVax - confidential

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Recent CHOPPI Application

39EpiVax - confidential

BioProcess International(Vol.13Issue4)

Report that the same HCP — phospholipase B-like 2 (PLBL2) — copurifies withmultiple Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-produced antibody therapeutics.

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Recent CHOPPI Application:Results

40EpiVax - confidential

Recent CHOPPI Application:Epitopes unique to CHO

42EpiVax - confidential

Cross-conserved 9-mer epitope

Human protein with cross-conserved epitopes

Cross-conserved human 9-mer epitope

Cross-conserved cluster

CHO-unique 9-mer epitope

Source protein

PLBL2:putative T cell epitopes

unique to CHO

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Recent CHOPPI Application:Conclusions

39EpiVax - confidential

• PLBL2 has an elevated immunogenicity score of 32.89, with 30epitopes that are unique to CHO– 5 of them are EpiBars– 20 are within Clusters

• PLBL2 is potentially immunogenic – but activity may be due to otherfeatures (potential to cause aggregation of IgG)

• Author comments:– “We have no reason to think that our observations are unique to Genentech CHO

cells or the Genentech production process. It is possible that PLBL2 is afrequent impurity in CHO-derived MAb biotherapeutics across the industry. It isalso possible that widely used commercial CHOP ELISAs do not detect thisimpurity, or they could significantly underreport its presence.”

– “We have instituted process changes to reduce PLBL2 levels in all our MAbproducts. As illustrated herein for one product, it is possible to reduce PLBL2 tolevels near or <1 ng/mg. We reduced patient risk with a combination of asensitive assay for PLBL2 and implementation of PLBL2-reducing processchanges.”

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Recent CHOPPI Application:Jawa V. et al. AAPS J 2016

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EvaluatingImmunogenicityRiskDuetoHostCellProteinImpuritiesinAntibody-BasedBiotherapeutics.Jawa Vetal.AAPSJ2016.SupplementalFigure1

PLBL2corroboratedinsecondlaboratory,amongotherHCPs

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Sequence-based Assessment of Monoclonal Development Risk

Pre-ClinicalAssessmentofImmunogenicitybasedonsequenceComparisontoexistingmonoclonalantibodydata(andimmunogenicitydata)Retrospectiveandprospectivevalidation(published)

Applicationstopreparationofdossiersforregulatoryreview:• Sequencebasedcharacterizationofrisk• Characterizationofimpurities(modifiedsequences?)• CHOandotherHCPimmunogenicityriskassessment

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ISPRI and CHOPPI Approach

A step-wise process for analyzing and reporting on immunogenicity risk

EpitopeMapping

ClusterAnalysis

ARB

NN-align

SMMalign

ReengineeringRankingMapping

EpiMatrix

ClustiMer /EpiBar

OptiMatrix

iTEM

ImmunogenicityScale

DeFT (OptiMatrix)

InVitro/InvivoAssays

JanusMatrix

JMX-AdjustedScore

TargetSelection

Tregitope Tolerization

Do-it-yourself approach

• Andres Gutierrez• Bill Martin• Frances Terry• Matt Ardito• Guilhem Richard

• Lenny Moise• Eduardo Guillen• Sandra Lelias• Christine Boyle

Acknowledgements

Thank you !

Science without fear.

www.epivax.com • info@epivax.com • 401.272.2123

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