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Immunogenicity of biological drugs

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Immunogenicity is one of the most important as well as most common adverse effects accompanying the application of biological drugs. Anti-drug antibodies can either affect metabolism and biological half-life of therapeutic proteins or compete with endogenous receptors for drug binding, thereby being responsible for the loss of efficacy over time. Factors contributing to immunogenicity are diverse and not fully understood. In the paper, current understanding of complex processes leading to induction of anti-drug antibodies is presented. Appropriate actions to mitigate immunogenicity of biological drugs are also discussed.
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      
 






Doc. dr. Tomaž Bratkovič, mag. farm.
Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za farmacijo,
Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana

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POVZETEK
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

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    

       



    

ABSTRACT
       


      

     
    
 






    






       



       







 
 
3




















  


     







        


 
        

    
  

       








 

     


 

     




  
     

        
 
3.2.2  





      
   
 


od limfocitov T odvisna aktivacija limfocitov B 





  
        

Slika 1: Dve poti proženja tvorbe protiteles proti proteinski učinkovini (prirejeno po (12)). A. Od limfocitov T odvisna aktivacija limfocitov B:
Antigen predstavitvena celica (APC) fagocitira protein [1], ga razgradi na krajše antigenske peptide, ki jih predstavi na svoji površini vezane na
poglavitni histokompatibilnostni kompleks razreda II (major histocompatibility complex class II, MHC II) [2]. Naivna T-celica pomagalka (Th) s
T-celičnim receptorjem (TCR) »prepozna« pripadajoči T-celični epitop in sočasno prejme še dodatne aktivacijske signale (posredovane s
CD80/86 na CD28), kar sproži aktivacijo in proliferacijo Th [3]. Naivni limfocit B »prepozna« B-celični epitop enakega antigena z B-celičnim
receptorjem (BCR), antigen internalizira [4], razgradi in predstavi T-celične epitope na MHC II [5]. Slednje »spoznajo« predhodno aktivirani
limfociti Th, ki spodbudijo proliferacijo specifičnih limfocitov B in njihovo diferenciacijo do plazmatk in dolgoživih spominskih limfocitov B.
Podobno kot pri aktivaciji Th tudi aktivacija limfocitov B zahteva dodatno stimulatorno signalizacijo (vezavo CD40L na CD40). B. Neposredna
(od limfocitov T neodvisna) aktivacija limfocitov B: Ponavljajoči epitopi na površini proteinskega agregata so odgovorni za združevanje BCR
na površini naivnih limfocitov B, kar sproži znotrajcelično signalizacijo, ki vodi v aktivacijo in diferenciacijo do plazmatk. Kostimulatorni signali v
obliki ligandov receptorjev TLR tudi prispevajo k aktivaciji, proliferaciji in diferenciaciji limfocitov B, podobno velja za nekatere citokine, ki jih
izločajo naravne celice ubijalke in limfociti T. LPS – lipopolisaharid.
Figure 1: Two pathways leading to anti-drug antibodies (adopted from (12)). A. T-cell dependent B-cell activation: Antigen-presenting cell
(APC) takes up a protein by phagocytosis, processes it and displays short antigenic peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex II
(MHC II). Naïve helper cell (Th) “recognizes” the cognate T-cell epitope via T-cell receptor (TCR). Concurrent stimulatory signals (conveyed by
CD80/86 binding to CD28) trigger activation and proliferation of Th lymphocytes. Naïve B-cell “recognizes” the B-cell epitope of the same
antigen via B-cell receptor (BCR), internalizes the antigen, processes it and displays T-cell epitopes bound to MHC II. These, in turn, are
“recognized” by previously activated Th-cells, responsible for proliferation of specific B-cells and inducing their differentiation into antibody-
producing plasma cells and long-lived memory B-cells. As with Th-cell activation, activation of B-cells requires additional stimulatory
signaling (binding of CD40L to CD40). B. Direct (T-cell independent) activation of B-cells: Epitope arrays on the surface of protein aggregates
induce clustering of BCRs on naïve B-cells, leading to intracellular signaling, resulting in activation and differentiation into plasma cells. Co-
stimulatory signals, such as TLR ligands, contribute to the activation, proliferation and differentiation of B-cells, as do cytokines secreted by
natural killer cells and T-cells. LPS – lipopolysaccharide.



      
   

Neposredna aktivacija limfocitov B 
       




 
pat-
tern-recognition receptorsToll-like
receptors









      

         
       


porušenja tolerance 






danger si-
gnals        


      
 






        













      




       
     




        

  



     
     

        




      





  


 

   
     
3.2.2

    
 


  

     


Chinese hamster ovary cells




Escherichia coli


E. coli
   


E. coli

  
Slika 2: Interakcije proteinskih agregatov z antigen predstavitvenimi celicami (APC) (prirejeno po (12)): Receptorji TLR vežejo agregate, ki
spominjajo na molekularne vzorce, povezane s patogeni (pathogen-associated molecular patterns, PAMP). Receptorji komplementa (CR)
prepoznavajo s komplementom opsonizirane (gliko)proteinske agregate. Na lektinske receptorje (LR) se vežejo glikoproteini s telesu tujimi
sladkorji. Agregati terapevtskih protiteles se lahko vežejo na receptorje za imunoglobulinsko regijo Fc (FcγR). Opisane interakcije so pogoj za
receptorsko posredovano fago- in endocitozo (ni prikazano) kot tudi proženje signalizacijskih poti, ki vodijo v aktivacijo antigen predstavitvenih
celic in s tem sproščanje citokinov ter povišano izražanje MHC II in ligandov kostimulatornih receptorjev (npr. CD80 in CD86). Ti procesi
prispevajo k aktivaciji naivnih limfocitov Th in posledični aktivaciji limfocitov B (glejte sliko 1).
Figure 2: Interactions of (glyco)protein aggregates with antigen-presenting cells (APC) (adopted from (12)): TLR receptors bind aggregates
mimicking pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP). Complement receptors (CR) interact with complement-opsonized aggregates.
Lectin receptors (LR) bind foreign saccharides. Aggregates of therapeutic antibodies are bound by Fc receptors (FcγR). In addition to
providing stimulatory signals via receptor binding, aggregates are taken up by receptor-mediated phago-/endocytosis (not shown). APC
activation results in cytokine secretion and upregulation of MHC II and co-stimulatory receptors (e.g., CD80 and CD86). The described
processes contribute to activation of naïve Th-cells and (indirectly) B-cells (see Figure 1).




3.2.2












   




 





      

   






  







     






3.2.3





      

4



    














 




in vitro 







  

HLA
 

 
  
 



      
3.2.4





















  

  

 
         










   


 
 



        



in silico
     in vitro  
  
          
in vitro

  
 






HLA 

Slika 3: Incidenca pojava protiteles, usmerjenih proti infliksimabu,
med 72-tedensko raziskavo pri pacientih s Crohnovo boleznijo, ki so
prejemali zdravilo občasno ali v rednih intervalih (tj. kontinuirano),
bodisi kot monoterapijo ali v kombinaciji z imunosupresivom ((33),
povzeto po (31)).
Figure 3. Incidence of anti-infliximab antibodies at any time during
72-week-trial in Crohn disease patients receiving the drug as
monotherapy or in combination with an immunosuppressive, either
episodically or continuously ((33), adopted from (31)).






       
 








 
      
 

      



baseline signal




  


 

      





     


     
 
  

      

      



 




  
      
        




 


 
      



 

     

  

      
      




   



    
       

spremem-
bah proizvodnega procesa 


    primerljiva    
 


Podobna biološka zdravila 
 





similarity exercise
podobno     

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  
avtomatična 

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
   


 


JAZMP pod-
pira uvajanje PBZ [podobnih bioloških zdravil], ker mora
biti podobnost oz. primerljivost PBZ v razmerju do zadevnih
referenčnih bioloških zdravil z vidika kakovosti, varnosti in
učinkovitosti dokazana v okviru postopka pridobitve dovo-
ljenja za promet za vsako PBZ. […] Odločitev o njihovi
uporabi oz. njihovo zamenjevanje (terapevtski preklop) lahko
poteka v le v kliničnem oz. ambulantnem okolju in mora
biti predmet medicinske obravnave vsakega posameznega
bolnika.



 


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ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
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Therapeutic proteins have a propensity for aggregation during manufacturing, shipping, and storage. The presence of aggregates in protein drug products can induce adverse immune responses in patients that may affect safety and efficacy, and so it is of concern to both manufacturers and regulatory agencies. In this vein, there is a lack of understanding of the physicochemical determinants of immunological responses and a lack of standardized analytical methods to survey the molecular properties of aggregates associated with immune activation. In this review, we provide an overview of the basic immune mechanisms in the context of interactions with protein aggregates. We then critically examine the literature with emphasis on the underlying immune mechanisms as they relate to aggregate properties. Finally, we highlight the gaps in our current understanding of this issue and offer recommendations for future research.
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The introduction of biologic therapy has revolutionized the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, like all therapeutic proteins, monoclonal antibodies have immunogenic potential which is influenced by multiple drug- and patient-related factors. The reported incidence of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) towards biologic drugs in IBD varies greatly in the literature and depends not only on differences in sensitization but also on the assay methodology and the timepoint of measurement. Sensitization with formation of ADAs is associated with an increased risk of infusion reactions, accelerated drug clearance, and a loss of response (LOR) to drug. Recently, a greater understanding of the pharmacokinetics of therapeutic antibodies has led to the development of new strategies to reduce immunogenicity and more efficient use of these drugs. These preventive strategies include regular scheduled dosing with maintenance of stable therapeutic trough drug concentrations, and co-administration of an immunosuppressive. Sub-therapeutic drug concentrations with low levels of ADAs can generally be overcome with dose escalation, whereas the presence of high concentrations of ADAs requires a switch to another therapeutic agent.
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Dear Editor, We read with great interest the manuscript by Ungar and colleagues describing the temporal evolution of antibodies to infliximab (ATI) in patients with IBD treated with infliximab (IFX).1 By prospectively following 125 patients with IBD, they showed that ATI formation is a dynamic process. Clinically relevant ATI were typically formed within the first 12 months but transient ATI, which are of little clinical significance, can be formed at any time during treatment. They furthermore demonstrated that the evolution of ATI correlates with clinical loss of response and that concomitant immunomodulator use prolonged ATI-free survival, which is in line with previous reports. Nevertheless, patient-related factors possibly influencing ATI formation weren't considered and haven't been studied extensively. We hypothesised that ATI formation may be triggered by HLA-DRB1 alleles, as was shown for immunogenicity to interferon-β therapy in multiple sclerosis.2 We retrospectively analysed 192 patients with IBD: 76 patients developed ATI during IFX maintenance treatment (=ATI+) (44 Crohn's disease (CD), 32 UC) and these were matched with 116 patients (64 CD, 52 UC) who never developed ATI (=ATI−). All patients were antitumour necrosis factor naïve before IFX … [Full text of this article]