SBIR-STTR Award

Retinal neovascular diseases including neovascular age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion are the most vision-threatening diseases among the working-age population in the developed world. Therapies targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) delay the development of neovascularization in some but not all patients, implicating additional factor(s) in retinal neovascular pathogenesis. In addition, these therapies require frequent intraocular injections representing a significant burden for both patients and physicians and entail a small risk of endophthalmitis, uveitis, vitreous hemorrhage and other complications. Thus, there is much needed a retinal neovascular disease treatment that can be delivered less frequently and yet provide the same or better vision protection than current anti-VEGF therapies. Abzyme Therapeutics LLC recently has isolated several potent single domain modular antibodies against VEGF and CD147, the latter being a potent angiogenic factor and an inducer of matrix metalloproteinase synthesis and also reported to be present at high levels in the vitreous humor of retinal neovascular patients. Using these antibodies in combination with a single domain antibody that binds to hyaluronan, a major macromolecular component of the eye's vitreous compartment, we propose to develop a novel long-acting multi-specific antibody capable of simultaneously inhibiting both VEGF and CD147 for retinal neovascular disease treatment. In Phase I, a panel of multi-specific antibodies will be produced, and their anti-angiogenic inhibition activity will be validated. In Phase II, the anti-neovascularization activity and in vivo half-life of selected antibody drug candidates will be characterized, validated in animal models and humanized in preparation for IND submission.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
NARRATIVE. As a result of this project, a novel multi-specific antibody for treatment of retinal neovascular diseases will be produced. Multi-target long-acting therapy will represent a major improvement in comparison with the current anti-VEGF monospecific treatment as it covers a broader spectrum of retinal neovascular disease patients with less frequent dosing.

Project Terms:
3-Dimensional; Address; Affinity; aging population; Angiogenesis Inhibition; Angiogenic Factor; Animal Model; Animals; Antibodies; Antibody Formation; Antibody Therapy; Ants; base; Binding; Biological; Biological Assay; Biotechnology; Businesses; Catalytic Antibodies; Cells; Cellular Assay; Choroidal Neovascularization; Clinical; commercialization; Development; diabetic; Disease; Dose; drug candidate; drug development; Endophthalmitis; Epitopes; Exudative age-related macular degeneration; Eye; Future; Half-Life; Healthcare; Human; Hyaluronan; Hyaluronic Acid; Hydrogels; Immunization; Immunotherapy; in vivo; Injections; interest; large scale production; Lasers; Lesion; Letters; Llama; Lucentis; macular edema; Matrix Metalloproteinases; Modeling; nanobodies; nanomolar; neovascular; neovascularization; neutralizing antibody; novel; Ophthalmology; Oryctolagus cuniculus; Pathogenesis; Patients; Pentas; periplasm; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Pharmacologic Substance; Phase; Physicians; Preparation; Production; Proteins; ranibizumab; Reporting; Retinal; Retinal Neovascularization; Retinal Vein Occlusion; Risk; System; targeted treatment; Testing; Therapeutic; TNF gene; Toxic effect; Treatment Efficacy; Uveitis; Validation; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; Vision; Vitreous Hemorrhage; Vitreous humor

Retinal neovascular diseases including neovascular age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion are the most vision-threatening diseases in the working-age population in the developed world. Therapies targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) delay the development of neovascularization in some, but not all, patients, implicating additional factor(s) in retinal neovascular pathogenesis. In addition, the frequent intraocular injection is a significant burden for both patients and physicians entailing a small risk of endophthalmitis, uveitis, vitreous hemorrhage and other complications. Thus, there is much needed retinal neovascular disease treatment that can be delivered less frequently and yet provide the same or better vision than current anti-VEGF therapies. Phase I has been completed. We have successfully obtained a panel of potent, single domain modular antibodies (nanobodies) against VEGF and CD147, the latter is a potent angiogenic factor and an inducer of matrix metalloproteinase synthesis and also reported to have high levels in the vitreous of retinal neovascular disease patients. The functional activities of VEGF and CD147 antibodies have been characterized in vitro including the assessment of their anti-angiogenic activities in tube formation assays. Using a 12-mer phage display peptide library we have isolated three unique peptides that binds to hyaluronan, a major macromolecular component of the eye' vitreous. Recombinant VHH antibodies (single variable domain on a heavy chain [VHH] antibodies, also referred to as nanobodies) fused with hyaluronan-binding peptides shown extended retainment in a 3-D hyaluronic gel. In addition to anti-VEGF and anti-CD147 nanobodies, we also successfully generated potent antibodies against three targets related to eye diseases. Phase II will be performed in collaboration with Dr. Rohrer's group at Medical University of South Carolina: the anti-neovascularization activity and in-vivo half-life of selected antibody drug candidates targeting VEGF and CD147 will be characterized, validated in animal models and humanized pursuing the IND application.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
NARRATIVE. Novel multi-specific antibodies for treatment of retinal neovascular diseases will be produced. Multi-target long-acting therapy will represent a major improvement in comparison with the current anti-VEGF monospecific treatment, as it covers a broader spectrum of retinal neovascular disease patients with less frequency of dosing. Terms: