U.S. patent application number 14/527545 was filed with the patent office on 2016-05-05 for human monoclonal antibody specific for the f protein of respiratory syncytial virus (rsv).
The applicant listed for this patent is Aridis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Invention is credited to Holger Koch, Michael P. Rudolf, Vu L. Truong, Simon Urwyler.
Application Number | 20160122418 14/527545 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55851920 |
Filed Date | 2016-05-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160122418 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Koch; Holger ; et
al. |
May 5, 2016 |
HUMAN MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY SPECIFIC FOR THE F PROTEIN OF RESPIRATORY
SYNCYTIAL VIRUS (RSV)
Abstract
This invention is directed to an antibody construct or fragment
thereof derived from an RSV-infected human, such that the antibody
construct binds with specificity to RSV fusion protein antigenic
region II/A with an affinity of greater than 1.times.10.sup.-9 M.
Preferably, the antibody construct is capable of neutralizing RSV
strains, including at least one RSV strain that is resistant to
palivizumab. The invention further relates to nucleic acids
encoding the antibody construct or portions thereof, and cell lines
expressing the antibody. This invention further relates to methods
for producing said antibody construct, and to the use of said
antibody construct for treating or preventing infection of a
patient by RSV having a normal or mutated version of F protein.
Inventors: |
Koch; Holger; (Zurich,
CH) ; Urwyler; Simon; (Bern, CH) ; Rudolf;
Michael P.; (Ittigen, CH) ; Truong; Vu L.;
(Campbell, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Aridis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
San Jose |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
55851920 |
Appl. No.: |
14/527545 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
424/142.1 ;
435/339; 435/419; 435/69.6; 530/388.15; 536/23.53 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C07K 2317/76 20130101;
C07K 16/1027 20130101; C07K 2317/21 20130101; C07K 2317/92
20130101 |
International
Class: |
C07K 16/10 20060101
C07K016/10 |
Claims
1. A method of producing an antibody construct or antibody
fragment, the method comprising culturing a cell under conditions
in which cDNA sequences are expressed; wherein the cell comprises a
first cDNA sequence which encodes a heavy chain variable region and
a second cDNA sequence which encodes a light chain variable region,
wherein the cell produces a human antibody construct or antibody
fragment comprising the heavy chain variable region and the light
chain variable region, wherein the heavy chain variable region
encoded by the first cDNA sequence comprises (a) a heavy chain
complementarity determining region (CDR)1 comprising the amino acid
sequence GASINLYD (SEQ ID NO.: 8), (b) a heavy chain CDR2
comprising the amino acid sequence GYISGST (SEQ ID NO.: 9), and (c)
a heavy chain CDR3 comprising the amino acid sequence
ARDVGWGPQYYYGLDV (SEQ ID NO.: 10); wherein the light chain variable
region encoded by the second cDNA sequence comprises (a) a light
chain CDR1 comprising the amino acid sequence HSVQSTS (SEQ ID NO.:
14), (b) a light chain CDR2 comprising the amino acid sequence GGS
(SEQ ID NO.: 15), and (c) a light chain CDR3 comprising the amino
acid sequence QQSDRSPPIT (SEQ ID NO.: 16), and wherein the antibody
construct or antibody fragment binds with specificity to RSV F
protein antigenic region II/A with an affinity of greater than
1.times.10.sup.-9 M.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the neutralization capacity of
the antibody construct or antibody fragment against at least one
RSV strain is at least two times greater than the neutralization
capacity of palivizumab.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is a plant cell or a
mammalian cell.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said heavy chain variable region
cDNA sequence is coupled to a third cDNA sequence which encodes a
constant region of human immunoglobulin.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the third cDNA sequence is from a
different patient than the first cDNA sequence and the second cDNA
sequence.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the human immunoglobulin is an
IgGl.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one expression vector is
stably transfected into the cell and adapted to provide expression
of the first cDNA sequence or the second cDNA sequence.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one expression vector is
transiently transfected into the cell and adapted to provide
expression of the first cDNA sequence or the second cDNA
sequence.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the heavy chain variable region
cDNA sequence comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.:
2.
10. The method claim 1, wherein the light chain variable region
cDNA sequence comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.:
4.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first cDNA sequence
comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ ID NO.: 6,
and/or SEQ ID NO.: 7, and further wherein the second cDNA sequence
comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.:
12, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 13.
12. (canceled)
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody comprises a heavy
chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 1.
14. (canceled)
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody construct or
antibody fragment comprises a light chain variable region
comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3.
16-17. (canceled)
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody construct or
antibody fragment recognizes the epitope of SEQ ID NO.: 23 and/or
SEQ ID NO.: 24.
19. (canceled)
20. A method for treating an RSV infected patient, the method
comprising administering a human antibody construct or antibody
fragment to the patient, thereby treating the patient; wherein the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises at least a heavy
chain variable region and a light chain variable region, wherein
the heavy chain variable region is encoded by a first cDNA sequence
comprising (a) a heavy chain complementarity determining region
(CDR)1 comprising the amino acid sequence GASINLYD (SEQ ID NO.: 8),
(b) a heavy chain CDR2 comprising the amino acid sequence GYISGST
(SEQ ID NO.: 9), and (c) a heavy chain CDR3 comprising the amino
acid sequence ARDVGWGPQYYYGLDV (SEQ ID NO.: 10), wherein the light
chain variable region is encoded by a second cDNA sequence
comprises (a) a light chain CDR1 comprising the amino acid sequence
HSVQSTS (SEQ ID NO.: 14), (b) a light chain CDR2 comprising the
amino acid sequence GGS (SEQ ID NO.: 15), and (c) a light chain
CDR3 comprising the amino acid sequence QQSDRSPPIT (SEQ ID NO.:
16), and wherein the antibody construct or antibody fragment binds
with specificity to RSV F protein antigenic region II/A with an
affinity of greater than 1.times.10.sup.-1 M.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the human antibody construct or
antibody fragment has a neutralization capacity against at least
one RSV strain that is at least two times greater than the
neutralization capacity of palivizumab.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the human antibody construct or
antibody fragment heavy chain variable region is coupled with a
constant region of human immunoglobulin, provided that said
constant region is not obtained from the same human from which the
heavy chain CDR region was obtained.
23. The method of claim 20, wherein the human antibody construct or
antibody fragment heavy chain variable region comprises the amino
acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1, and further wherein the light chain
variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:
3.
24-26. (canceled)
27. The method of claim 20, wherein the human antibody construct or
antibody fragment is administered with a pharmaceutically
acceptable carrier, diluent, or excipient.
28-47. (canceled)
48. A method for preventing RSV infection in a patient at risk of
infection with RSV, the method comprising administering an antibody
construct or antibody fragment to the patient, thereby preventing
the infection; wherein the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises at least a heavy chain variable region and a light chain
variable region, wherein the heavy chain variable region is encoded
by a first cDNA sequence comprising (a) a heavy chain
complementarity determining region (CDR)1 comprising the amino acid
sequence GASINLYD (SEQ ID NO.: 8), (b) a heavy chain CDR2
comprising the amino acid sequence GYISGST (SEQ ID NO.: 9), and (c)
a heavy chain CDR3 comprising the amino acid sequence
ARDVGWGPQYYYGLDV (SEQ ID NO.: 10), wherein the light chain variable
region is encoded by a second cDNA sequence comprises (a) a light
chain CDR1 comprising the amino acid sequence HSVQSTS (SEQ ID NO.:
14), (b) a light chain CDR2 comprising the amino acid sequence GGS
(SEQ ID NO.: 15), and (c) a light chain CDR3 comprising the amino
acid sequence QQSDRSPPIT (SEQ ID NO.: 16), and wherein the antibody
construct or antibody fragment binds with specificity to RSV F
protein antigenic region II/A with an affinity of greater than
1.times.10.sup.-9 M.
49. (canceled)
50. The method of claim 1, wherein the light chain and heavy chain
are from different antibodies produced by the patient.
51. The method of claim 4, wherein the constant region is from
other than the human producing the antibodies to RSV.
52. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell comprises one or more
expression vectors, wherein the one or more expression vectors
comprise the first cDNA sequence or comprise the second cDNA
sequence.
53. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell produces an antibody
fragment.
54. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody construct or
antibody fragment neutralizes at least one RSV strain that is
resistant to palivizumab.
55. The method of claim 20, wherein the antibody construct or
antibody fragment neutralizes at least one RSV strain that is
resistant to palivizumab.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to an monoclonal antibody construct
or antibody fragment specific for the fusion protein (F protein) of
respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), nucleic acids encoding the
antibody construct or fragment, and cell lines expressing the
antibody construct or fragment. This invention further relates to
methods for producing said monoclonal antibody construct or
antibody fragment and to the use of said monoclonal antibody
construct or antibody fragment for treating or preventing infection
by RSV having a normal or mutated version of F protein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0002] Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common
causes of respiratory infections in humans, and is the leading
cause of infant hospitalization and a leading viral cause of death
in infants. RSV epidemics recur annually during the winter season.
The severity of outbreaks may vary from year to year due to
co-circulation of 2 main RSV strains, group A and B. During a given
annual epidemic, a large portion of the population develops RSV
upper and/or lower respiratory tract infections.
[0003] Approximately two thirds of all infants are infected with
RSV during their first year of life. Peak incidence of occurrence
is observed at age 2-8 months; by 2 years of age 99% of children
have been infected with RSV at least once, and 36% have had at
least two infections. Most of these RSV infections cause minor
upper respiratory illness and cold-like symptoms. Overall, 4 to 5
million children under 4 years of age acquire an RSV infection, and
more than 120,000 children are hospitalized annually in the United
States because of this infection.
[0004] Attempts at developing an effective vaccine have thus far
been unsuccessful. Even upon repeated vaccinations, the human
immune system is incapable of raising a sufficiently protective
antibody-based immune response Annually recurring infections are
common even among previously infected individuals with normal
immune functions, albeit few hospitalizations are seen among older
children and adults with intact immune systems. The reasons for the
absence of a protective immunity after vaccination or repeated
infections are presently unknown. Currently, few treatment options
are available for lower respiratory infections with RSV, and
treatment must be initiated promptly at the onset of the infection
to inhibit the replicating virus effectively. In 1986, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ribavirin, a
broad-spectrum antiviral agent, for treatment of children with
severe RSV disease.
[0005] F protein mediates fusion of the viral membrane with the
target cell membrane and thus mediates virus genome entry into the
target cell. F protein embedded into the membrane of infected cells
mediates fusion between infected cells and their neighbors, leading
to the syncytia formation characteristic of RSV infection. F
protein is a type I fusion protein that rearranges from a
metastable pre-fusion conformation to a highly stable post-fusion
structure. This structural change in the protein is necessary for
membrane fusion. A specific antibody binding to antigenic site II/A
may interfere with this structural change, thus preventing
infection of the target cell as well as the fusion of infected
cells with neighboring cells and the subsequent formation of
syncytia.
[0006] Inhibition of the fusion mechanism prevents infection in
vitro and in vivo, effectively neutralizing the virus. Previous
experiments in animals indicated that protection against RSV
infection is conferred mainly by neutralizing antibodies, in
particular antibodies towards the F protein on the surface of the
RSV particle. Rodent-derived monoclonal antibodies, such as MED-493
(also known as palivizumab) were subsequently developed for use in
humans at risk for RSV infections (Boeckh, M et al., 2001).
Palivizumab was approved by the FDA in 1998 for use in high risk
patients, and so far is the only monoclonal antibody directed
against RSV that is approved for human use.
[0007] A detailed topological and operational map of epitopes
involved in neutralization and fusion was constructed using
rodent-derived neutralizing antibodies specific for F protein of
RSV A2 strain. Three non-overlapping antigenic sites (A, B, and C)
and one bridge site (AB) were identified. The commercially
available anti-RSV monoclonal antibody, palivizumab, binds to a
highly conserved region on the extracellular domain of mature F
protein, referred to as antigenic site II or site A (antigenic site
II/A), which encompasses amino acids 262 to 275.
[0008] The safety and efficacy of palivizumab validate the
antigenic site II/A as a crucial and effective target for a
monoclonal antibody for use as a prophylactic measure to prevent
infections. Nonetheless, a subset of RSV strains are resistant to
palivizumab, and use of palivizumab can select for such resistant
strains.
[0009] A second-generation antibody, motavizumab, was generated by
manipulating individual amino acids within the six complementarity
determining regions (CDRs) of palivizumab. Amino acids in these
regions were individually substituted with any amino acid, and the
best combinations for improved potency over palivizumab without
changing specificity for the defined epitope were selected.
Motavizumab is approximately ten-fold more potent than its
predecessor, palivizumab, due to a higher affinity for the F
protein. However, motavizumab does not provide significant
improvement in protection against RSV infection in patients at high
risk for contracting lower respiratory infections and has a higher
risk of unwanted side effects, in particular allergic reactions.
The FDA did not approve motavizumab for use in humans. As
demonstrated by the clinical results, manipulation of a few amino
acids in the sequence of an existing antibody can increase the
risks for serious side effects in humans.
[0010] Therefore, there exists a significant need for novel
antibodies that target a broad range of RSV strains, including
palivizumab-resistant strains. Furthermore, antibodies that have a
lower risk of adverse reactions in humans are of interest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] This invention is predicated, in part, on the discovery that
fully human antibody constructs that recognize the F protein of RSV
are able to neutralize both palivizumab-resistant and
palivizumab-sensitive RSV strains.
[0012] All RSV strains that exhibit resistance to palivizumab have
been shown to contain amino acid changes within a specific region
in the antigenic region II/A on the F protein (Zhao, X et al.,
2004). As an example, palivizumab-resistant RSV strains selected in
vitro had mutations at position 272 of the fusion protein, from
lysine to asparagine, methionine, threonine, glutamine, or
glutamate. Variants containing mutations at positions 272 and 275
were detected in breakthrough patients.
[0013] The suitability of the F protein antigenic region II/A as a
target for preventing RSV infection, including lower respiratory
tract infection, has been confirmed by the efficacy of palivizumab.
Although it was previously reported that most epitopes within the
antigenic region II/A were constant among subgroup A viruses,
several epitopes in site II/A are highly variable among subgroup B
viruses. The antigenic site II/A on F protein, and in particular
the epitope covered by palivizumab and motavizumab (amino acid
positions 262 to 275) is subject to mutations at a frequency of 1
in 20 of all clinical isolates tested. Palivizumab is ineffective
at preventing lower respiratory tract infections by these mutant
strains. Thus, antibodies targeting the same antigenic region might
exhibit improved efficacy as compared to palivizumab and
motavizumab in cases where mutations are found in these amino acid
positions. Therefore, an urgent need exists to develop novel
monoclonal antibodies that bind to the antigenic region II/A of RSV
F protein with higher affinity than palivizumab and that are
capable of preventing and/or treating infection by
palivizumab-resistant RSV strains.
[0014] Severe allergic reactions are common side effects of
antibody-based preventive and/or therapeutic interventions,
significantly limiting the use of such antibodies. Severe allergic
side effects have been observed during the clinical testing of
motavizumab. For example, an increased frequency of
hypersensitivity reactions, including cases suggestive of
anaphylaxis, was observed in clinical testing. Several patients
treated with multiple doses of motavizumab developed anti-drug
antibodies (ADA) and had severe allergic reactions due to ADA. Both
palivizumab and motavizumab are mouse derived and not of human
origin. Motavizumab's de novo-designed amino acid structure at the
CDRs and its residual murine sequences are possible reasons for
adverse reactions in late stage clinical studies, and motavizumab
was ultimately deemed not safe for human use.
[0015] Antibodies generated by the human immune system against
pathogens such as RSV inherently exhibit lower propensity to react
with human self-antigens. In a preferred embodiment, the novel
antibody constructs or antibody fragments targeting RSV described
herein are entirely constructed from human origin.
[0016] Palivizumab is not sufficient to prevent infection by every
RSV isolate. Therefore, a fully human, high-affinity antibody
construct or antibody fragment with specificity to an RSV antigenic
region (such as II/A) is highly desired. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment preferably recognizes both
palivizumab-sensitive and palivizumab-resistant RSV strains. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment preferably
has an affinity constant of greater than about 10.sup.-9 M, and
preferably greater than about 10.sup.-10 M, or greater than about
10.sup.-11 M. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment recognizes and neutralizes human RSV strains of type A and
B. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
recognizes and neutralizes more than one RSV strain, and preferably
at least one palivizumab-resistant RSV strain.
[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, a fully human
antibody construct or fragment thereof with specificity to RSV
antigenic region II/A and an affinity constant of at least
10.sup.-9 M, and preferably greater than 10.sup.-10 M, is
described. In another embodiment, the fully human antibody
construct or fragment thereof is capable of neutralizing RSV virus
strains of type A and B. In one embodiment, the antibody is capable
of inhibiting binding by palivizumab. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment neutralizes at least one
palivizumab-resistant strain.
[0018] In one embodiment, the invention relates to a cell
comprising one or more cDNA sequences which encode a heavy chain
variable region and/or a light chain variable region, wherein each
cDNA sequence is constructed from an RSV-infected human, which cell
produces an antibody construct or antibody fragment comprising the
heavy chain variable region and/or the light chain variable region,
such that the antibody construct or fragment thereof binds to RSV
antigenic region II/A. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment binds to RSV antigenic region II/A
with an affinity of greater than 1.times.10.sup.-9 M. In one
embodiment, the cell is a eukaryotic cell. In one embodiment, the
cell is a mammalian cell. In one embodiment, the cell is a plant
cell. In one embodiment, the cell is a HEK293T cell. In one
embodiment, the cell is a tobacco cell.
[0019] In one embodiment, the heavy chain variable region cDNA
sequence is coupled to a cDNA sequence which encodes a constant
region of human immunoglobulin. In a preferred embodiment, the
constant region cDNA sequence is from a different patient than the
heavy chain variable region and/or the light chain variable region.
In one embodiment, the human immunoglobulin is from IgG1.
[0020] In one embodiment, the heavy chain variable region cDNA
sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90%
sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.:2. In
one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding a complementarity
determining region (CDR)1 of the heavy chain of the antibody
construct or antibody fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence
having at least 90% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of
SEQ ID NO.: 5. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding
CDR2 of the heavy chain of the antibody construct or antibody
fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90%
sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 6. In
one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding CDR3 of the heavy
chain of the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises a
nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 7.
[0021] In one embodiment, the light chain variable region cDNA
sequence is coupled to a cDNA sequence which encodes a light chain
constant region of human immunoglobulin. In a preferred embodiment,
the constant region cDNA sequence is from a different patient than
the light chain variable region and/or the heavy chain variable
region. In one embodiment, the human immunoglobulin is from
IgG1.
[0022] In one embodiment, the light chain variable region cDNA
sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90%
sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.:4. In
one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding CDR1 of the light
chain of the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises a
nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 11. In one embodiment, the
nucleotide sequence encoding CDR2 of the light chain of the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises a nucleotide
sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to the nucleotide
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 12. In one embodiment, the nucleotide
sequence encoding CDR3 of the light chain of the antibody construct
or antibody fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence having at
least 90% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 13.
[0023] In one embodiment, this invention relates to a cDNA sequence
as described herein. In one embodiment, this invention relates to
an RNA molecule encoded by a cDNA sequence as described herein.
[0024] In one embodiment, this invention is directed to an antibody
construct or antibody fragment that binds to RSV antigenic region
II/A. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment binds to RSV antigenic region II/A with an affinity of
greater than 1.times.10.sup.-9. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment is capable of neutralizing at least
one RSV strain. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody construct
or antibody fragment is capable of neutralizing at least one RSV
strain that is resistant to palivizumab. In one embodiment, the
neutralization capacity of the antibody construct or antibody
fragment against at least one RSV strain is at least 2 times
greater than the neutralization capacity of palivizumab. In one
embodiment, the neutralization capacity of the antibody construct
or antibody fragment against at least one RSV strain is at least 3
times greater than the neutralization capacity of palivizumab. In
one embodiment, the neutralization capacity of the antibody
construct or antibody fragment against at least one RSV strain is
at least 4 times greater than the neutralization capacity of
palivizumab. In one embodiment, the neutralization capacity of the
antibody construct or antibody fragment against at least one RSV
strain is at least 5 times greater than the neutralization capacity
of palivizumab. In one embodiment, the neutralization capacity of
the antibody construct or antibody fragment against at least one
RSV strain is at least 10 times greater than the neutralization
capacity of palivizumab. In one embodiment, the neutralization
capacity of the antibody construct or antibody fragment against at
least one RSV strain is at least 15 times greater than the
neutralization capacity of palivizumab.
[0025] In one embodiment, the heavy chain variable region of the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid
sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1. In one embodiment, the amino acid
sequence of CDR1 of the heavy chain of the antibody construct or
antibody fragment comprises an amino acid sequence having at least
90% sequence homology to GASINLYD (SEQ ID NO.:8). In one
embodiment, the amino acid sequence of CDR2 of the heavy chain of
the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid
sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to GYISGST (SEQ ID
NO.:9). In one embodiment, the amino acid sequence of CDR3 of the
heavy chain of the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence
homology to ARDVGWGPQYYYGLDV (SEQ ID NO.:10).
[0026] In one embodiment, the light chain variable region of the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid
sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3. In one embodiment, the amino acid
sequence of CDR1 of the light chain of the antibody construct or
antibody fragment comprises an amino acid sequence having at least
90% sequence homology to HSVQSTS (SEQ ID NO.:14). In one
embodiment, the amino acid sequence of CDR2 of the light chain of
the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid
sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to GGS (SEQ ID
NO.:15). In one embodiment, the amino acid sequence of CDR3 of the
light chain of the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence
homology to QQSDRSPPIT (SEQ ID NO.:16).
[0027] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment recognizes an epitope on the F protein of RSV. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment recognizes
an epitope within the antigenic region II/A of the RSV F protein.
In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
recognizes an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence
homology to the epitope of SEQ ID NO.:23 and/or SEQ ID NO.: 24.
[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the antibody construct or
fragment is fully human. In one embodiment, the antibody construct
or antibody fragment is chimeric. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment is humanized.
[0029] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment comprises (a) a heavy chain complementarity determining
region (CDR)1 comprising the amino acid sequence GASINLYD (SEQ ID
NO.:8); (b) a heavy chain CDR2 comprising the amino acid sequence
GYISGST (SEQ ID NO.:9); (c) a heavy chain CDR3 comprising the amino
acid sequence ARDVGWGPQYYYGLDV (SEQ ID NO.:10); (d) a light chain
CDR1 comprising the amino acid sequence HSVQSTS (SEQ ID NO.:14),
(e) a light chain CDR2 comprising the amino acid sequence GGS (SEQ
ID NO.:15), and (f) a light chain CDR3 comprising the amino acid
sequence QQSDRSPPIT (SEQ ID NO.:16).
[0030] In one embodiment, this invention relates to a
pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody construct or
antibody fragment as described herein and a pharmaceutically
acceptable carrier, diluent, or excipient. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment is lyophilized. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment is in an
aqueous solution. In one embodiment, this invention relates to a
bag for intravenous therapy, comprising the antibody construct or
antibody fragment as described herein and a pharmaceutically
acceptable carrier, diluent, or excipient.
[0031] In one embodiment, this invention relates to a method of
producing an antibody construct or functional part thereof, the
method comprising culturing a cell as described above under
conditions in which the cDNA sequences are expressed, thereby
producing an antibody construct or fragment that binds with
specificity to RSV antigenic region II/A. In a preferred
embodiment, the antibody or a fragment thereof bind to RSV
antigenic region II/A with an affinity of greater than
1.times.10.sup.-9. In a further preferred embodiment, the antibody
or fragment thereof is capable of neutralizing at least one RSV
strain. In an especially preferred embodiment, the antibody or
fragment thereof is capable of neutralizing at least one RSV strain
that is resistant to palivizumab.
[0032] In one embodiment, this invention relates to a
chromatography column or membrane comprising an antibody construct
or antibody fragment as described herein, wherein the antibody
construct or antibody fragment is bound to the chromatography
column or membrane. In one embodiment, the chromatography column or
membrane comprises Protein A, e.g. a Protein A resin. In one
embodiment, the chromatography column or membrane comprises an ion
exchange resin. In one embodiment, the chromatography column or
membrane comprises a hydrophobic charge induction chromatography
column.
[0033] In one aspect, this invention relates to a method for
treating a patient infected with RSV by administering an antibody
construct or antibody fragment as described herein to the patient.
In one aspect, this invention relates to a method for preventing
infection by RSV in a patient at risk for RSV infection by
administering an antibody construct or antibody fragment as
described herein to the patient. Administration may be by any
suitable method, as determined by a skilled clinician. In a
preferred embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
is administered by intramuscular or intravenous administration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic of the process used to isolate an
antibody specific for RSV F protein from selected and cultured
human lymphocytes.
[0035] FIG. 2 describes the complete nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID
NO.: 1) and the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO.: 2) of the variable
region of the heavy chain of AR201.
[0036] FIG. 3 describes the complete nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID
NO.: 3) and the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO.: 4) of the variable
region of the kappa light chain of AR201.
[0037] FIG. 4 describes the complete nucleotide sequences (SEQ ID
NO.: 5; SEQ ID NO.: 6; SEQ ID NO.: 7) and the amino acid sequences
(SEQ ID NO.: 8; SEQ ID NO.: 9; SEQ ID NO.: 10) of the CDR regions
of the variable region of the heavy chain of AR201.
[0038] FIG. 5 describes the complete nucleotide sequences (SEQ ID
NO.: 11; SEQ ID NO.: 12; SEQ ID NO.: 13) and the amino acid
sequences (SEQ ID NO.: 14; SEQ ID NO.: 15; SEQ ID NO.: 16) of the
CDR regions of the variable region of the light chain of AR201.
[0039] FIG. 6 describes the binding of purified AR201 ( ) and human
non-specific monoclonal IgG1 (.tangle-solidup.) to RSV-EIA antigen
over a broad range of concentrations.
[0040] FIG. 7 describes the recognition and binding of reference
strains of RSV-A and RSV-B by AR201.
[0041] FIGS. 8A and 8B compares the recognition of clinical
isolates of RSV by AR201 (black bars) and palivizumab (white
bars).
[0042] FIG. 8C indicates the ratio of binding of AR201 and
palivizumab to clinical isolates of RSV. Black bars indicate a
binding ratio of greater than 5 for the binding of AR201 over
palivizumab to the respective clinical RSV isolate, indicative of
resistance of the clinical isolate towards palivizumab.
[0043] FIG. 9A provides the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO.: 17) of
the F protein of a clinical isolate that is resistant to
palivizumab.
[0044] FIG. 9B describes the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO.: 18)
of the F protein of one clinical isolate resistant to
palivizumab.
[0045] FIG. 10 provides the amino acid sequence of the palivizumab
epitope (SEQ ID NO.: 23), and the corresponding amino acid sequence
of the F protein of a palivizumab-resistant strain (SEQ ID NO.: 24)
that is recognized by AR201.
[0046] FIG. 11 provides the predicted peptides (SEQ ID NO.: 25 and
SEQ ID NO.: 26) resulting from Asp-N digestion of RSV F protein
that contain fragments of the palivizumab epitope.
[0047] FIG. 12 describes Asp-N cleavage of RSV F protein that is
bound by AR201 (black bars) or palivizumab (white bars).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0048] It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to
particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It
is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for
the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not
intended to be limiting, since the scope of this invention will be
limited only by the appended claims.
[0049] The detailed description of the invention is divided into
various sections only for the reader's convenience and disclosure
found in any section may be combined with that in another section.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used
herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.
[0050] It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended
claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural
referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for
example, reference to "a compound" includes a plurality of
compounds.
I. Definitions
[0051] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms
used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. As used
herein the following terms have the following meanings.
[0052] The term "about" when used before a numerical designation,
e.g., temperature, time, amount, concentration, and such other,
including a range, indicates approximations which may vary by (+)
or (-) 10%, 5% or 1%.
[0053] "Comprising" or "comprises" is intended to mean that the
compositions and methods include the recited elements, but not
excluding others. "Consisting essentially of" when used to define
compositions and methods, shall mean excluding other elements of
any essential significance to the combination for the stated
purpose. Thus, a composition consisting essentially of the elements
as defined herein would not exclude other materials or steps that
do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of
the claimed invention. "Consisting of" shall mean excluding more
than trace elements of other ingredients and substantial method
steps. Embodiments defined by each of these transition terms are
within the scope of this invention.
[0054] "Pharmaceutically acceptable composition" refers to a
composition that is suitable for administration to a human. Such
compositions include various excipients, diluents, carriers, and
such other inactive agents well known to the skilled artisan.
[0055] "Therapeutically effective amount" or "therapeutic amount"
refers to an amount of a drug or an agent that, when administered
to a patient suffering from a condition, will have the intended
therapeutic effect, e.g., alleviation, amelioration, palliation or
elimination of one or more manifestations of the condition in the
patient. The therapeutically effective amount will vary depending
upon the patient and the condition being treated, the weight and
age of the subject, the severity of the condition, the salt,
solvate, or derivative of the active drug portion chosen, the
particular composition or excipient chosen, the dosing regimen to
be followed, timing of administration, the manner of administration
and the like, all of which can be determined readily by one of
ordinary skill in the art. The full therapeutic effect does not
necessarily occur by administration of one dose, and may occur only
after administration of a series of doses. Thus, a therapeutically
effective amount may be administered in one or more
administrations.
[0056] "Treatment," "treating," and "treat" are defined as acting
upon a disease, disorder, or condition with an agent to reduce or
ameliorate harmful or any other undesired effects of the disease,
disorder, or condition and/or its symptoms. "Treatment," as used
herein, covers the treatment of a patient, and includes: (a)
reducing the risk of occurrence of the condition in a patient
determined to be predisposed to the condition but not yet diagnosed
as having the condition, (b) impeding the development of the
condition, and/or (c) relieving the condition, i.e., causing
regression of the condition and/or relieving one or more symptoms
of the condition. "Treating" or "treatment of" a condition or
patient refers to taking steps to obtain beneficial or desired
results, including clinical results such as the reduction of
symptoms. For purposes of this invention, beneficial or desired
clinical results include, but are not limited to: preventing
infection of a patient at risk of RSV infection; or reducing the
severity of infection by RSV, e.g., by reducing one or more
symptoms, reducing the length of time of infection, etc.
[0057] As used herein, the term "patient" refers to a mammal. In a
preferred embodiment, the patient is a human.
[0058] As used herein, the term "strain" or "RSV strain" refers to
any RSV. Strains include, but are not limited to, clinical
isolates, variants, mutants, and the like. Strains may be
palivizumab-resistant or palivizumab-sensitive. Strains may be of
either RSV type, A or B. general, strains are distinguishable by
one or more genetic mutations, even if such mutation does not
confer a different characteristic to the virus.
[0059] As used herein, the term "antibody construct" refers to an
antibody wherein at least a portion of the antibody is derived from
an antibody from a human patient who had been exposed to the
antigen of interest. An antibody construct may be an entire
antibody or a fragment or portion thereof, provided the antibody,
fragment, or portion has the recited affinity for F protein. An
antibody construct may be fully human, humanized, or chimeric. An
antibody construct may comprise amino acid sequences derived from a
single patient, multiple patients, and/or known antibody sequences
(e.g., a consensus constant region sequence).
[0060] As used herein, the term "antibody fragment" refers to any
portion of the antibody that recognizes an epitope. Antibody
fragments may be glycosylated. By way of non-limiting example, the
antibody fragment may be a Fab fragment, a Fab' fragment, a F(ab')2
fragment, a Fv fragment, a r IgG fragment, a functional antibody
fragment, single chain recombinant forms of the foregoing, and the
like. F(ab')2, Fab, Fab' and Fv are antigen-binding fragments that
can be generated from the variable region of IgG and IgM. They vary
in size, valency, and Fc content. The fragments may be generated by
any method, including expression of the constituents (e.g., heavy
and light chain portions) by a cell or cell line, or multiple cells
or cell lines.
[0061] "F(ab')2" fragments contain two antigen-binding regions
joined at the hinge through disulfide linkages and lack most of the
Fc region. "Fab'" fragments are derived from F(ab')2 but include
only one antigen binding region. They may contain a small portion
of Fc.
[0062] "Fab" fragments are monovalent fragments produced from IgG
and IgM, consisting of the variable heavy chain, constant heavy
chain, and variable light chain, constant light chain regions,
linked by an intramolecular disulfide bond.
[0063] "Fv" is the smallest fragment produced from IgG and IgM that
contains a complete antigen-binding site. Fv comprises a portion of
the variable heavy and light chains, held together by non-covalent
interactions. These chains tend to dissociate upon dilution, but
can be cross-linked, for example using glutaraldehyde,
intermolecular disulfides or a peptide linker. Fv fragments have
the same binding properties and similar three-dimensional binding
characteristics as Fab.
[0064] "rIgG" refers to reduced IgG or half-IgG, containing one
heavy chain and one light chain. rIgG can be produced by
selectively reducing the hinge-region disulfide bonds.
[0065] As used herein, the term "fully human antibody" refers to an
antibody, antibody construct, or antibody fragment consisting
entirely of human amino acid sequence. That is, the amino acid
sequence of the human monoclonal antibody construct is derived from
a human cell. This may be obtained in different ways. For example,
the human monoclonal antibody construct consisting of human amino
acid sequence can be obtained from a cell engineered to express the
variable region heavy and light chains and/or CDRs from an antibody
derived from a human patient (e.g., a patient who had been exposed
to RSV and/or RSV F protein). Alternatively, the human monoclonal
antibody construct can be obtained from a hybridoma, wherein the
B-cell is a human B-cell. Alternatively, the human monoclonal
antibody construct may be obtained by CDR grafting of the CDR
regions, for example those indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5, onto
available human monoclonal antibodies, thereby producing a human
monoclonal antibody construct in accordance with the present
invention. The entirely human amino acid sequence of the human
monoclonal antibody construct prevents the occurrence of undesired
adverse effects such as rejection reactions or anaphylactic
shock.
[0066] The term "neutralizing" or "neutralizing capacity" as used
herein refers to the ability of the antibody construct to attenuate
infectivity by the virus. For example, the antibody construct may
render the viral fusion protein ineffective such that the fusion
between the virus and a cell, and/or between infected cells, is
blocked or attenuated. An antibody having at least twice the
neutralizing capacity of palivizumab is set forth herein, as shown
in Example 6 (as determined by infectivity assay).
Monoclonal Antibody Constructs and Fragments Thereof
[0067] The current invention relates to a monoclonal antibody
construct or antibody fragment that specifically binds the RSV F
protein. Preferably, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
specifically binds to the F protein antigenic region II/A.
[0068] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment binds to F protein with an affinity of greater than
1.times.10.sup.-9 M. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or
antibody fragment binds to F protein with an affinity of greater
than 1.times.10.sup.-10 M. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment binds to F protein with an affinity
of greater than 5.times.10.sup.-10 M. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment binds to F protein with an
affinity of greater than 1.times.10.sup.-11 M. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct or antibody fragment binds to F protein with
an affinity of greater than 1.times.10.sup.-12 M. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment binds to F
protein with an affinity of greater than 5.times.10.sup.-12 M.
[0069] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment binds to F protein with a higher affinity than
palivizumab. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment binds to F protein with an affinity of between about 2:1
and about 500:1 versus palivizumab. In a preferred embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment binds to F protein with an
affinity of between about 20:1 and about 200:1 versus palivizumab.
It is to be understood that the ratio can be ranges between any two
of these values, or any value there between (including endpoints).
In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
binds to F protein with an affinity of at least about 2:1 versus
palivizumab. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment binds to F protein with an affinity of at least about 5:1
versus palivizumab. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or
antibody fragment binds to F protein with an affinity of at least
about 10:1 versus palivizumab. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment binds to F protein with an affinity
of at least about 50:1 versus palivizumab. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment binds to F protein with an
affinity of at least about 100:1 versus palivizumab. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment binds to F
protein with an affinity of at least about 200:1 versus
palivizumab. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment binds to F protein with an affinity of at least about
300:1 versus palivizumab. In one embodiment, the antibody construct
or antibody fragment binds to F protein with an affinity of at
least about 400:1 versus palivizumab. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment binds to F protein with an
affinity of at least about 500:1 versus palivizumab.
[0070] In one aspect, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
is capable of neutralizing RSV virus strains. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct or antibody fragment is capable of
neutralizing at least one RSV strain. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment is capable of neutralizing
at least one RSV type A strain. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment is capable of neutralizing at least
one RSV type B strain. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment is capable of neutralizing at least
one RSV type A strain and at least one type B strain. In an
especially preferred embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment is capable of neutralizing at least one strain that is
resistant to palivizumab.
[0071] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment is capable of neutralizing at least one RSV strain with a
greater neutralization capacity than palivizumab. In one
embodiment, the neutralization capacity of the antibody construct
or antibody fragment against at least one RSV strain is at least
two times greater than the neutralization capacity of palivizumab.
In one embodiment, the neutralization capacity of the antibody
construct or antibody fragment against at least one RSV strain is
at least five times greater than the neutralization capacity of
palivizumab. In one embodiment, the neutralization capacity of the
antibody construct or antibody fragment against at least one RSV
strain is at least ten times greater than the neutralization
capacity of palivizumab. In one embodiment, the neutralization
capacity of the antibody construct or antibody fragment against at
least one RSV strain is at least fifteen times greater than the
neutralization capacity of palivizumab.
[0072] In one aspect, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence
homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises
an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to the
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid
sequence having at least 95% sequence homology to the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid sequence
having at least 96% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO.: 1. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or
antibody fragment comprises an amino acid sequence having at least
97% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1.
In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 98% sequence
homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises
an amino acid sequence having at least 99% sequence homology to the
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1. In a preferred embodiment, the heavy
chain variable region of the antibody construct or antibody
fragment comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1.
[0073] In one aspect, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid sequence having at
least 85% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.: 9, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises at least one
CDR with an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence
homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.:
9, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In one embodiment, the antibody construct
or antibody fragment comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid
sequence having at least 95% sequence homology to the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.: 9, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In
one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid sequence having at
least 96% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.: 9, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises at least one
CDR with an amino acid sequence having at least 97% sequence
homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.:
9, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In one embodiment, the antibody construct
or antibody fragment comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid
sequence having at least 98% sequence homology to the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.: 9, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In
one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid sequence having at
least 99% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.: 9, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises at least one
CDR with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 8, SEQ ID NO.: 9,
and/or SEQ ID NO.: 10. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment comprises a heavy chain CDR1 with
the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 8, a heavy chain CDR2 with
the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 9, and a heavy chain CDR3
with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 10.
[0074] In one aspect, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence
homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises
an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence homology to the
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid
sequence having at least 95% sequence homology to the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment comprises an amino acid sequence
having at least 96% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO.: 3. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or
antibody fragment comprises an amino acid sequence having at least
97% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3.
In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 98% sequence
homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises
an amino acid sequence having at least 99% sequence homology to the
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3. In a preferred embodiment, the light
chain variable region of the antibody construct or antibody
fragment comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3.
[0075] In one aspect, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid sequence having at
least 85% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 14, SEQ ID NO.: 15, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 16. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises at least one
CDR with an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence
homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 14, SEQ ID NO.:
15, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 16. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment comprises at least one CDR with an
amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence homology to the
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 14, SEQ ID NO.: 15, and/or SEQ
ID NO.: 16. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid sequence
having at least 96% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO.: 14, SEQ ID NO.: 15, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 16. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises
at least one CDR with an amino acid sequence having at least 97%
sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 14, SEQ
ID NO.: 15, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 16. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment comprises at least one CDR with an
amino acid sequence having at least 98% sequence homology to the
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 14, SEQ ID NO.: 15, and/or SEQ
ID NO.: 16. In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment comprises at least one CDR with an amino acid sequence
having at least 99% sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO.: 14, SEQ ID NO.: 15, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 16. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises
at least one CDR with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 14,
SEQ ID NO.: 15, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 16. In a preferred embodiment,
the antibody construct or antibody fragment comprises a light chain
CDR1 with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 14, a light chain
CDR2 with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 15, and a light
chain CDR3 with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 16.
[0076] The invention further relates to derivatives of the antibody
construct or antibody fragment described herein. The term
"derivative" encompasses any mutants of the antibody construct
differing by the addition, deletion, and/or substitution of at
least one amino acid. Preferably, the derivative is a mutant of the
antibody construct that carries at least one conservative
substitution in any of the CDRs in the heavy chain and/or light
chain as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5. More preferably, the mutant
has not more than 5, not more than 4, preferably not more than 3,
particularly preferred not more than 2 conservative substitutions.
The capacity of the fragment or derivative of the antibody to bind
to the epitope can be determined by direct ELISA, for example, as
described in the Examples section below.
[0077] In accordance with the present invention, the term
"conservative substitution" means a replacement of one amino acid
belonging to a particular physico-chemical group with an amino acid
belonging to the same physico-chemical group. The physico-chemical
groups are defned as follows: The group of non-polar amino acids
comprises: glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine,
methionine, proline, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. The group of
amino acids having uncharged polar side chains comprises
asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine, cysteine, and cysteine. The
physico-chemical group of amino acids having a positively charged
polar side chain comprises lysine, arginine, and histidine. The
physico-chemical group of amino acids having a negatively charged
polar side chain comprises aspartic acid and glutamic acid, also
referred to as aspartate and glutamate.
[0078] In one embodiment, the light chain of the antibody construct
or antibody fragment according to the present invention is of the
kappa or lambda type. In a preferred embodiment, the light chain is
of the kappa type. The light chain may be either a naturally
occurring chain including a naturally rearranged, a genetically
modified or synthetic type of light chain. According to a further
embodiment, the heavy chain of the antibody of the present
invention is selected from all human isotypes, namely IgM, IgA, or
IgG. The light chain and heavy chain may either be covalently
linked as a single-chain antibody (e. g. bivalent scFv,
bifunctional scFv and bispecific scFv) or non-covalently linked
with each other.
[0079] In one aspect, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
recognizes an epitope on the F protein of RSV. In one embodiment,
the epitope is within antigenic region II/A. In one embodiment, the
antibody construct recognizes an epitope within antigenic region
II/A having at least 85% sequence homology to a portion of the
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 23 or SEQ ID NO.: 24. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct recognizes an epitope within
antigenic region II/A having at least 90% sequence homology to a
portion of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 23 or SEQ ID NO.:
24. In one embodiment, the antibody construct recognizes an epitope
within antigenic region II/A having at least 95% sequence homology
to a portion of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 23 or SEQ ID
NO.: 24. In one embodiment, the antibody construct recognizes an
epitope within antigenic region II/A having at least sequence 96%
homology to a portion of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 23
or SEQ ID NO.: 24. In one embodiment, the antibody construct
recognizes an epitope within antigenic region II/A having at least
97% sequence homology to a portion of the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO.: 23 or SEQ ID NO.: 24. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct recognizes an epitope within antigenic region II/A having
at least 98% sequence homology to a portion of the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 23 or SEQ ID NO.: 24. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct recognizes an epitope within antigenic
region II/A having at least 99% sequence homology to a portion of
the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 23 or SEQ ID NO.: 24.
[0080] In one embodiment, the antibody construct recognizes an
epitope within antigenic region II/A having at least 85% sequence
homology to a portion of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 25
or SEQ ID NO.: 26. In one embodiment, the antibody construct
recognizes an epitope within antigenic region II/A having at least
90% sequence homology to a portion of the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO.: 25 or SEQ ID NO.: 26. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct recognizes an epitope within antigenic region II/A having
at least 95% sequence homology to a portion of the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 25 or SEQ ID NO.: 26. In one embodiment,
the antibody construct recognizes an epitope within antigenic
region II/A having at least sequence 96% homology to a portion of
the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 25 or SEQ ID NO.: 26. In one
embodiment, the antibody construct recognizes an epitope within
antigenic region II/A having at least 97% sequence homology to a
portion of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 25 or SEQ ID NO.:
26. In one embodiment, the antibody construct recognizes an epitope
within antigenic region II/A having at least 98% sequence homology
to a portion of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 25 or SEQ ID
NO.: 26. In one embodiment, the antibody construct recognizes an
epitope within antigenic region II/A having at least 99% sequence
homology to a portion of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 26
or SEQ ID NO.: 26.
[0081] The present invention further relates to nucleotide
sequences encoding the antibody construct or antibody fragment, or
portions thereof. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence
comprises a cDNA sequence. In one embodiment, the nucleotide
sequence comprises a cDNA sequence encoding for the heavy chain
variable region. In one embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for
the heavy chain variable region has at least 85% sequence homology
to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 2. In one embodiment, the
cDNA sequence encoding for the heavy chain variable region has at
least 90% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 2. In one embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for the heavy
chain variable region has at least 95% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 2. In one embodiment, the cDNA
sequence encoding for the heavy chain variable region has at least
96% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 2.
In one embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for the heavy chain
variable region has at least 97% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 2. In one embodiment, the cDNA
sequence encoding for the heavy chain variable region has at least
98% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 2.
In one embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for the heavy chain
variable region has at least 99% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 2.
[0082] In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence comprises a cDNA
sequence encoding for the light chain variable region. In one
embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for the light chain variable
region has at least 85% sequence homology to the nucleotide
sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 4. In one embodiment, the cDNA sequence
encoding for the light chain variable region has at least 90%
sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 4. In
one embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for the light chain
variable region has at least 95% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 4. In one embodiment, the cDNA
sequence encoding for the light chain variable region has at least
96% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 4.
In one embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for the light chain
variable region has at least 97% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 4. In one embodiment, the cDNA
sequence encoding for the light chain variable region has at least
98% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 4.
In one embodiment, the cDNA sequence encoding for the light chain
variable region has at least 99% sequence homology to the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 4.
[0083] In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encodes for one
or more CDRs. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding
for one or more CDRs comprises a nucleotide with at least 85%
sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ
ID NO.: 6, SEQ ID NO.: 7, SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.: 12, and/or
SEQ ID NO.: 13. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding
for one or more CDRs comprises a nucleotide with at least 90%
sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ
ID NO.: 6, SEQ ID NO.: 7, SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.: 12, and/or
SEQ ID NO.: 13. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence encoding
for one or more CDRs comprises a nucleotide with at least 96%, 97%,
98%, or 99% sequence homology to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 5, SEQ ID NO.: 6, SEQ ID NO.: 7, SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.:
12, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 13. In a preferred embodiment, the
nucleotide sequence encoding for one or more CDRs comprises the
nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ ID NO.: 6, SEQ ID NO.: 7,
SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.: 12, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 13. In an
especially preferred embodiment, the nucleotide sequence comprising
the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ ID NO.: 6, and/or SEQ
ID NO.: 7 encodes for a CDR of the heavy chain variable region of
the antibody construct or antibody fragment. In one embodiment, the
nucleotide sequence comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID
NO.: 5, SEQ ID NO.: 6, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 7 encodes for a CDR of
the light chain variable region of the antibody construct or
antibody fragment. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence
comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.:
12, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 13 encodes for a CDR of the heavy chain
variable region of the antibody construct or antibody fragment. In
an especially preferred embodiment, the nucleotide sequence
comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.:
12, and/or SEQ ID NO.: 13 encodes for a CDR of the light chain
variable region of the antibody construct or antibody fragment.
[0084] In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence is a cDNA
sequence. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence is an RNA
molecule encoded by a nucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ ID
NO.: 6, SEQ ID NO.: 7, SEQ ID NO.: 11, SEQ ID NO.: 12, and/or SEQ
ID NO.: 13. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence is an RNA
molecule encoded by a nucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO.: 2. In one
embodiment, the nucleotide sequence is an RNA molecule encoded by a
nucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO.: 4.
[0085] The present invention further provides vectors comprising at
least one nucleic acid encoding the light chain of the antibody
construct or antibody fragment of the present invention and/or at
least one nucleic acid encoding the heavy chain of the antibody
construct or antibody fragment of the present invention. The
nucleic acids may be either present in the same vector or may be
present in the form of binary vectors. The vector preferably
comprises the promoter operatively linked to the nucleic acid in
order to facilitate expression of the nucleic acid encoding the
light and/or heavy chain. Preferably, the vector also includes an
origin for replication and maintenance in a host cell. The vector
may also comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence
located 5' of the nucleic acid encoding the light chain and/or
heavy chain. The signal sequence may facilitate secretion of the
encoded chain into the medium. The vector may further comprise a
His-tag coding nucleotide sequence resulting in the expression of a
construct for producing a fusion product with a His-tag at the
N-terminus of the light and/or heavy chain of the antibody
construct or antibody fragment, which facilitates purification of
the protein.
[0086] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment according to the present invention is modified. The
modifications include the di-, oligo-, or polymerization of the
monomeric form e. g. by cross-linking using
dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The di-, oligo-, or polymers can be
separated from each other by gel filtration. Further modifications
include side chain modifications, e. g. modifications of
.epsilon.-amino-lysine residues, or amino and carboxy-terminal
modifications, respectively. Further modifications include
post-translational modifications, e.g. glycosylation and/or partial
or complete deglycosylation of the protein, and disulfide bond
formation. The antibody construct or fragment may also be
conjugated to a label, such as an enzymatic, fluorescent or
radioactive label.
[0087] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment is a chimeric antibody. In one embodiment, the antibody
construct or antibody fragment is a humanized antibody. In a
preferred embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment
is a human antibody. In an especially preferred embodiment, the
antibody construct or antibody fragment is a fully human
antibody.
[0088] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment is lyophilized.
[0089] In one aspect, this invention relates to a pharmaceutical
composition comprising the antibody construct or antibody fragment
as described herein. Such compositions include various excipients,
diluents, carriers, and such other inactive agents well known to
the skilled artisan. In one embodiment, the pharmaceutical
composition comprises the antibody construct or antibody fragment
and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent, or
excipient.
Methods of Making Antibody Constructs and Fragments Thereof
[0090] This invention further relates to methods and composition
for making the antibody construct or antibody fragment as described
herein.
[0091] In one embodiment, human B-cells are obtained from patients
who have been exposed to RSV and/or RSV F protein (e.g.,
convalescing patients or patients immunized with F protein or a
fragment thereof). Blood samples can be taken from the patients and
human B-cells can be isolated in a known manner (e.g., Current
Protocols in Immunology. Chapter 7.1. Isolation of whole
mononuclear cells from peripheral blood and cord blood. Published
by Wiley & Sons, Eds: J C Coligan et al.). In one embodiment,
the human B-cell may be fused to a myeloma or heteromyeloma to
produce a hybridoma in accordance with known techniques according
to the classical Kohler and Milstein approach, as described by Lang
et al. "Prophylaxis and therapy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection
in cystic fibrosis and immunocompromised patients" Vaccine, 22:
S44-S48 (2004), which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety. In a preferred embodiment, the B cell is cultured and the
cDNA sequence of a heavy chain variable region, light chain
variable region, and/or one or more CDRs is isolated therefrom. The
cDNA sequences can be used to generate one or more vectors. Methods
of producing fully human antibodies are described, for example, in
Beerli et al. "Isolation of Human Monoclonal Antibodies by
Mammalian Cell Display," PNAS 105(38): 14336-14341 (2008), which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0092] The vector(s) can be introduced into a cell such that the
cell produces the antibody construct, antibody fragment, or portion
thereof. The cell may be a prokaryotic cell or a eukaryotic cell.
In a preferred embodiment, the cell is a plant cell or a mammalian
cell. In one embodiment, the cell is a human cell. In one
embodiment, the cell is a HEK293 cell. In one embodiment, the cell
is a PerC6 cell, a CHO cell, a COS cell, or a HELA cell.
[0093] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment described herein is produced in a plant cell. Methods of
producing antibodies in plant cells are described, for example, in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,119,406 and 8,513,397, each of which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In a preferred
embodiment, the cell is from a tobacco plant (e.g., genus
Nicotiana).
[0094] Preferably, the host cell comprises at least one nucleic
acid encoding the light chain and at least one nucleic acid
encoding the heavy chain and is capable of assembling the antibody
construct such that a 3-dimensional structure is generated which is
equivalent to the 3-dimensional structure of a human antibody
produced by a human B-cell. If the light chain is produced
separately from the heavy chain, then both chains may be purified
and subsequently be assembled to produce an antibody having
essentially the 3-dimensional structure of a human antibody as
produced by a human B-cell. Alternatively, the host cell comprises
at least one nucleic acid encoding at least the antigen-binding
portion of the light chain and at least one nucleic acid encoding
at least the antigen-binding portion of the heavy chain, and is
capable of assembling the antibody construct or fragment such that
the antibody construct or fragment is capable of binding the
antigen.
[0095] The antibody construct or antibody fragment may also be
obtained by recombinant expression of the encoded light and/or
heavy chain (or portion thereof), wherein the nucleic acid is
produced by isolating a nucleic acid encoding a human antibody and
grafting of the nucleic acid sequence encoding the CDRs as defined
in the figures onto the isolated nucleic acid.
[0096] Antibodies or antibody fragments can be purified, for
example from cell culture supernatant, by any method. Exemplary
methods of antibody purification are described in Liu et al.,
"Recovery and purification process development for monoclonal
antibody production," mAbs 2(5): 480-499 (2010), which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0097] In one aspect, this invention relates to a chromatography
column or membrane comprising an antibody construct or antibody
fragment as described herein, wherein the antibody construct or
antibody fragment is bound to the chromatography column or
membrane. In one embodiment, the chromatography column or membrane
comprises Protein A, e.g. a Protein A resin. In one embodiment, the
chromatography column or membrane comprises an ion exchange resin.
In one embodiment, the chromatography column or membrane comprises
a hydrophobic charge induction chromatography column.
[0098] Although the descriptions and examples herein are directed
to production of the antibody construct or fragment within a single
cell or cell line, it is contemplated that one or more portions of
the antibody construct or fragment may be produced by separate
cells or cell lines and then combined to form a functional antibody
construct or fragment. For example, the heavy chain (or portion
thereof) may be produced by one cell, and the light chain (or
portion thereof) may be produced by a second cell. The components
may be isolated or purified, e.g. from the cell culture
supernatant, and covalently or non-covalently linked by routine
methods.
[0099] In one embodiment, this invention relates to a method for
determining the potency of a putative antibody to strains of RSV
that are resistant to commercially available antibodies, e.g.,
palivizumab. The binding affinity, neutralizing capacity,
antigenicity, or any other measure of the usefulness of the
putative antibody against at least one RSV strain may be compared
to the antibody construct of the current invention. In one
embodiment, a putative antibody that is determined to bind with an
affinity equal to or greater than, have a neutralization capacity
equal to or greater than, and/or exhibit equal or less antigenicity
than, an antibody construct as described herein is further tested
for effectiveness against RSV.
Methods of Treatment
[0100] This invention further relates to methods of treatment using
the antibody construct or antibody fragment as described
herein.
[0101] In one aspect, this invention relates to methods of
preventing RSV infection in a patient at risk of infection by RSV.
In one embodiment, upper respiratory infection is prevented. In one
aspect, lower respiratory infection is prevented. In one aspect,
both upper and lower respiratory infection is prevented.
[0102] In one aspect, this invention relates to methods of treating
RSV infection in a patient. In one embodiment, upper respiratory
infection is treated. In one aspect, lower respiratory infection is
treated. In one aspect, both upper and lower respiratory infection
is treated.
[0103] In one embodiment, the patient is a human. In a preferred
embodiment, the patient is an infant (e.g., under 12 months of
age). In one embodiment, the patient is a human having a condition
that increases the risk of RSV infection. Conditions that increase
the risk of RSV infection include, but are not limited to, being
under 6 months of age; being under 12 months of age and born
prematurely (e.g., before 40 weeks gestational age); lung disease;
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; congenital heart disease;
congestive heart failure; weakened immune system; asthma;
immunodeficiency (e.g., transplanted organ, leukemia,
HIV/AIDS).
[0104] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody
fragment is administered to a patient at risk of infection by RSV.
In one embodiment, the antibody construct or antibody fragment is
administered to a patient having or believed to have an infection
by RSV. In one embodiment, a therapeutically effective amount of
the antibody construct or antibody fragment is administered. In one
embodiment, the therapeutically effective amount is between about 1
mg per kg body weight and about 1000 mg per kg body weight. In a
preferred embodiment, the therapeutically effective amount is
between about 1 mg per kg body weight and about 100 mg per kg body
weight. In a more preferred embodiment, the therapeutically
effective amount is between about 5 mg per kg body weight and about
50 mg per kg body weight. It is to be understood that the amount
can be a range between any two of these values, or any value there
between (including endpoints).
[0105] The antibody construct or antibody fragment may be
administered by any appropriate route. The compositions, provided
herein or known, suitable for administration in accordance with the
methods provide herein, can be suitable for a variety of delivery
modes including, without limitation, intramuscular and intravenous
delivery. Compositions suitable for internal, pulmonary, rectal,
nasal, vaginal, lingual, intraarterial, intraperitoneal,
intracutaneous and subcutaneous routes may also be used. Sustained
release dosage forms may also be used. All dosage forms may be
prepared using methods that are standard in the art (see e.g.,
Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 16th ed., A. Oslo editor,
Easton Pa. 1980).
[0106] In one embodiment, the antibody construct or fragment is
administered once. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody
construct or fragment is administered multiple times. In a more
preferred embodiment, the antibody construct or fragment is
administered once a month during RSV season. RSV season is
generally November through April (in the Northern Hemisphere), but
can be longer depending on the area and other factors (e.g., the
primary strains that are circulating in a given year).
[0107] In one embodiment, the invention relates to a bag for
intravenous delivery, comprising an IV bag containing the antibody
construct or antibody fragment and a pharmaceutically acceptable
excipient.
EXAMPLES
[0108] Unless stated otherwise, the abbreviations used throughout
the specification have the following meanings [0109]
cDNA=complimentary deoxyribonucleic acid [0110] CDR
=complementarity determining region [0111] ELISA=enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay [0112] FCS=fetal calf serum [0113] g=gram
[0114] HC=heavy chain [0115] HRP=horseradish peroxidase [0116]
Ig=immunoglobulin [0117] KD=dissociation constant [0118]
kg=kilogram [0119] LC=light chain [0120] M=molar [0121]
mAb=monoclonal antibody [0122] mg=milligram [0123] min=minute
[0124] mL=milliliter [0125] mM=millimolar [0126] ng nanogram [0127]
nM=nanomolar [0128] PBS=phosphate buffer saline [0129]
PCR=polymerase chain reaction [0130] pM=picomolar [0131]
RNA=ribonucleic acid [0132] RSV=respiratory syncytial virus [0133]
RT-PCR=reverse transcription PCR [0134] .mu.g=microgram [0135]
.mu.L=microliter [0136] .mu.M=micromolar [0137] .degree. C.=degree
Celsius
[0138] These one-letter symbols have the following meaning when
representing amino acids: [0139] A=Alanine [0140] R=Arginine [0141]
N=Asparagine [0142] D=Aspartic acid [0143] C=Cysteine [0144]
E=Glutamic acid [0145] Q=Glutamine [0146] G=Glycine [0147]
H=Histidine [0148] I=Isoleucine [0149] L=Leucine [0150] K=Lysine
[0151] M=Methionine [0152] F=Phenylalanine [0153] P=Proline [0154]
S=Serine [0155] T=Threonine [0156] W=Tryptophan [0157] Y=Tyrosine
[0158] V=Valine
[0159] When representing nucleic acids, A=Adenine; T=Thymine;
C=Cytosine; G=Guanine; U=Uracil, N=any nucleic acid.
[0160] The following Examples are intended to further illustrate
certain embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit
its scope.
Example 1
Selection of Human B-Cells Specific for RSV
[0161] For the generation of an antibody construct specific for the
RSV F protein, human lymphocytes from recently resected tonsils of
human infants were isolated by mechanical disruption and passaging
through a cell strainer. Isolated lymphocytes were depleted in
parallel from monocytes by plastic adhesion in cell culture flasks,
and subsequently RSV specific B cells were enriched by incubation
of lymphocytes with immobilized total RSV antigen. For this
purpose, 6-well plates were coated with total RSV antigen
(EIA-antigen) at 10 .mu.g/mL in phosphate buffer saline (PBS)
overnight. After coating, the wells were blocked by incubation with
10% fetal calf serum (FCS) in PBS. Between one and ten million
monocyte-depleted cells were incubated per one well of the coated
six-well plate. Following incubation for one hour, the wells were
washed and bound cells were harvested by trypsinization. The cells
were added to plates containing cell culture medium containing 10%
FCS and 10% conditioned supernatant with 20,000 EL-4B5 feeder cells
(kind gift from the Geneva University Hospital, Geneva,
Switzerland) that had been irradiated at 5000 cGy by a Gammacell 40
Research Irradiator. Conditioned supernatant was generated by
stimulating isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes with
phytohaemagglutinin (PHA, 5 .mu.g/mL) and phorbol myristate acetate
(PMA, 10 ng/mL) for 36 hours, followed by removal of cells and
debris prior to cryopreservation. The conditioned supernatant was
thawed prior to addition to the RSV-EIA selected lymphocytes. After
up to ten days, small aliquots of the cell culture supernatants
were analyzed for specific antibodies by RSV EIA ELISA.
[0162] ELISA plates were coated with RSV-EIA antigen or purified
RSV F protein (Human RSV (A2) Fusion glycoprotein RSV F protein,
Sino Biological Inc., Beijing, China) at 0.5 pg/mL overnight at
4.degree. C., then blocked with 0.5% BSA in PBS. Cell culture
supernatants were diluted with PBS containing 0.05% Tween
(PBS-Tween) and aliquoted into wells. After incubation and
subsequent washing with PBS-Tween, horseradish peroxidase-(HRP)
labeled goat anti-human IgG was used to detect human IgG bound to
the antigen. Positive wells were identified by colorimetric
measurement, and cells from positive wells were expanded at low
density in the presence of irradiated feeder cells and cell culture
medium containing 10% FCS and 10% conditioned supernatant (as
described above) over a period of several days. After retesting
supernatants for specificity to RSV F protein, cells from positive
wells were collected and processed for RNA isolation.
Example 2
Generation of Human Monoclonal Antibody to RSV
[0163] The method for isolating the specific antibody is summarized
in FIG. 1. Specifically, RNA from selected B-cells was used to
generate 5'RACE cDNA, followed by isotype specific RT-PCR to
identify the variable region of the heavy chain (HC) and light
chain (LC) as described by Welschof et al. "Amino acid sequence
based PCR primers for amplification of rearranged human heavy and
light chain immunoglobulin" Journal of immunological methods
179(2): 203-214 (1995). The variable region of the HC was combined
by PCR with the constant region of an IgG1 which is essentially in
accordance with the IMGT reference sequence Y14737 (Lefranc, M.-P.
et al., 2001 The Immunoglobulin Facts Book Academic Press, London,
UK) and cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.3-Topo
(Invitrogen, USA). The whole coding region of the LC was amplified
by RT-PCR and cloned into the expression vector. Subsequently, the
vectors were transiently transfected into HEK293T cells [ATCC
#CRL-11268 (American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), Manassas, Va.
20110 USA)]. Four to five days after transfection, supernatants
were tested by ELISA for presence of antigen-binding antibodies as
described above. The most promising candidate, AR201 (also called
KBRV201), was selected for sequencing of the variable regions of
the heavy and light chains. The final vectors were amplified and
analyzed by Sanger sequencing.
[0164] The nucleotide and corresponding amino acid sequences are
provided in FIGS. 2 (heavy chain, SEQ ID NO.: 1 and 2) and 3 (light
chain, SEQ ID NO.: 3 and 4). The nucleotide and corresponding amino
acid sequences of individual CDR regions are provided in FIGS. 4
(heavy chain: CDR1, SEQ ID NO.: 5 and 8; CDR2, SEQ ID NO.: 6 and 9;
CDR3, SEQ ID NO.: 7 and 10) and 5 (light chain: CDR1, SEQ ID NO.:
11 and 14; CDR2, SEQ ID NO.: 12 and 15; CDR3, SEQ ID NO.: 13 and
16).
Example 3
Binding of Human Monoclonal Antibody to RSV F Protein Antigen
[0165] The isolated and sequenced human antibody AR201 was tested
for binding characteristics to RSV F protein, as shown in FIG. 6.
Hek293T cells were seeded at 300,000 cells per well of a six-well
plate and cultivated overnight. After one day, medium was
exchanged, and a freshly prepared solution of expression plasmids
was added carefully to the cells. Cells were incubated for another
24 hours and medium was exchanged again for Pro293a-CDM medium.
After three to five days, the resulting supernatant containing
recombinant antibody was collected and antibody was purified by
affinity chromatography with a HiTrap Protein A sepharose affinity
column (GE Healthcare Life Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA).
Resulting antibody was stored at -20.degree. C. until use. For
binding experiments, ELISA plates were coated as described above,
and serial dilutions of purified AR201 or an unrelated fully human
monoclonal IgG1 antibody (control) were added. After careful
washing, bound antibodies were detected with anti-human IgG-HRP
labeled secondary antibody. EC50 values were calculated based on
colorimetric measurement of the bound antibody applying a variable
slope-four parameter equation (GraphPad Prism Software V5.02,
GraphPad Software Inc. San Diego, Calif., US). The EC50 value of
AR201 was calculated as 0.1031 nM. No EC50 value could be
calculated for the control monoclonal human IgG1 antibody.
Example 4
Affinity Measurement of AR201
[0166] Kinetic characterization of the interaction of AR201 versus
a commercially available antibody specific for RSV F protein
(palivizumab) was conducted by surface plasmon resonance (Biaffin
GmbH, Kassel, Germany). AR201 was produced and purified as
described above. Recombinant human RSV F protein was covalently
immobilized via amine coupling to a CM5 sensor chip for kinetic
characterization of the interaction with the antibodies using
surface plasmon resonance on a Biacore 2000 instrument (GE
Healthcare, Biacore AB, Uppsala, Sweden). For the kinetic analysis
of the antibody AR201, dilutions of AR201 antibody were prepared
starting at 100 nM and ending at 49 pM after twelve 1:1 dilutions
in running buffer. Samples were injected for an association time of
two min, and dissociation was monitored upon switching to running
buffer for 30 min at a flow rate of 30 pL/min. Bound antibody was
removed after each injection by surface regeneration using 100 mM
HCl (3.times.10 sec). Data evaluation was performed by global
fitting of the binding curves assuming a Langmuir 1:1 binding model
using the Biacore Evaluation software version 4.1. The determined
dissociation constant (KD) for AR201 is 58.+-.6 pM. In comparison,
palivizumab has a significantly lower KD value of 960 pM
(www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Scientifi-
c_Discussion/human/000257/WC500056731.pdf). Results are provided in
Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Association and dissociation constants for
AR201. Analyte k.sub.diss in s.sup.-1 k.sub.ass in M.sup.-1
s.sup.-1 K.sub.D in M AR201 (2.7 .+-. 0.1) .times. 10.sup.-5 (4.7
.+-. 0.5) .times. 10.sup.5 (5.8 .+-. 0.6) .times. 10.sup.-11
Example 5
Binding of AR201 to RSV Reference Strains
[0167] The binding of AR201 to RSV reference strains was tested by
ELISA assay. The RSV reference strains RSV-A Long (ATCC VR-26),
RSV-B (ATCC VR 1580) and RSV-A2 (ATCC VR-1540) were all purchased
from LCG (LGC Standards S.a.r.1., Molsheim, France) and amplified
in Vero cells. Subsequently, the supernatant of positive wells was
cryopreserved at -80.degree. C. until further use. For the ELISA,
assay plates were coated with a polyclonal anti-RSV antibody at 500
ng/ml. Meanwhile, 10 .mu.g/ml AR201 or human monoclonal IgG1
isotype control antibody were incubated with RSV at a 1:10 dilution
of the frozen amplified RSV strains. After 1 hour, the immune
complexes were transferred to the coated ELISA plates and a
secondary anti-human IgG-HRP labeled antibody was added. Bound
human IgG was detected by colorimetric measurement. As shown in
FIG. 7, all three reference strains are recognized by AR201.
Example 6
Neutralization of Reference Strains by AR201
[0168] The neutralization of RSV reference strains by AR201 and
palivizumab was tested in an infectivity assay. Virus stock (25-250
pfu/well) of the reference strains RSV-A Long (ATCC VR-26) and
RSV-B (ATCC VR 1580) was incubated with a two-fold dilution series
of antibody solution, and then added to Vero cells that had been
seeded in 24-well plates the day before. After four hours, the
inoculum was replaced by a semi-solid agarose overlay and incubated
for another three days. Subsequently, cells were fixed and stained
by immunohistochemistry for the presence of RSV-specific plaques.
The percentage of neutralization for each concentration of the
RSV-specific antibodies was calculated based on the number of
plaques per well. Based on the concentration of the antibody stock,
the minimal neutralizing antibody concentration achieving >50%
virus neutralization was calculated. As shown in Table 2, AR201 was
at least twice as efficient in neutralizing viral particles of
either strain and preventing the formation of syncytia indicative
of an active, reproductive infection, as compared to palivizumab.
An IgG isotype human monoclonal control antibody had no effect on
the prevention of infections of Vero cells with either of the RSV
reference strains.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Estimated half-maximal effective antibody
concentration (ng/mL). Isotype Ratio Palivizumab AR201 control
Palivizumab/AR201 RSV-A/Long 100 ng/ml 40 ng/ml >1000 2.5 RSV-B
200 ng/ml 100 ng/ml >1000 2
Example 7
Binding of AR201 to Clinical Isolates of RSV
[0169] The recognition of fresh isolated clinical RSV isolates by
AR201 was tested by ELISA assay. Clinical RSV isolates (21 separate
isolates) were collected from nasopharyngeal mucus from patients
testing positive for RSV. The collected mucus was cultured by
incubation on Vero cells, and supernatant of positive wells (as
identified by formation of syncytia) were serially passaged twice
onto fresh Vero cells. Supernatant of positive wells was
cryopreserved at -80.degree. C. until further use. For binding
analysis, ELISA plates were coated with individual RSV isolates
(diluted 1:10), and subsequently incubated with AR201, palivizumab,
or a human monoclonal IgG isotype control antibody, at 1 .mu.g/mL.
A secondary anti-human IgG-HRP labeled antibody was added to each
well. Bound human IgG was detected by colorimetric measurement. The
background absorbance, as determined by the signal of the control
IgG monoclonal antibody, was deducted twice from the signal
detected with AR201 or palivizumab and any absorbance value greater
than 0.1 was considered a positive signal. The experiment was
repeated three times; a representative experiment is shown in FIGS.
8A and 8B. AR201 recognized all 21 clinical isolates to varying
extent, whereas palivizumab always showed a lesser signal
intensity. In order to identify palivizumab-resistant strains, the
ratio of the binding signal of AR201 over palivizumab was analyzed.
Any clinical isolate with a binding signal ratio of 5 or greater of
AR201 over palivizumab was considered a palivizumab-resistant
isolate.
[0170] The results of the analysis are shown in FIG. 8C and Table
3. Palivizumab failed to recognize 4 of the 21 isolates, notably
the clinical isolates #6, #9, #12 and #20. Clinical isolate #20 had
a ratio just above 5.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Recognition of clinical RSV isolates.
Monoclonal Antibody Recognition of clinical isolate AR201 21/21
Palivizumab 17/21 Human IgG control mAb 0/21
Example 8
Neutralization of Clinical Isolates by AR201
[0171] The neutralization of two clinical RSV isolates (isolate #1
and #20) by AR201 and palivizumab was tested in an infectivity
assay. The two RSV isolates were amplified on Vero cells and
supernatant cryopreserved until further use. The dilution of the
stock solution achieving a 50% infectivity rate in a tissue culture
(TCID) was calculated based on the Spearman and Karber algorithm
(Hierholzer J C et al., 1996, in Virology Methods Manual, edited by
BMJ Mahy and HO Kangro, London: Academic Press, p. 47).Virus stock
were thawed and diluted to 10.times. TCID50, and incubated with
serial dilutions of antibodies AR201, palivizumab, or IgG1 isotype
human control monoclonal antibody. The mixture was added to
confluent Hep2 cells (ATCC CCL-23) in 96-well plates and incubated
for four days. Cells were fixed and infected cells were detected
with an anti-RSV mouse monoclonal antibody clone 631 (Milan
Analytica AG, Switzerland). The rate of infection and IC50 values
were calculated based on colorimetric measurement of the bound
antibody by applying a variable slope-four parameter equation
(GraphPad Prism Software V5.02, GraphPad Software Inc. San Diego,
Calif., US). The IC50 served as measure of the neutralization
activity. IC50 is the antibody concentration (g/mL) that
neutralizes the infectivity capacity of an RSV infective dose by
50%.
[0172] Results are shown in Table 4. AR201 had an IC50 that was 18
times lower than palivizumab for isolate #1. For isolate #20, no
neutralization capacity was observed for palivizumab, confirming
that palivizumab does not bind to clinical isolate #20, whereas
AR201 showed a similar IC50 on isolate #20 as seen with isolate
#1.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 IC50 of AR201 and palivizumab for clinical
isolates #1 and#20. IC50 microM RSV-Isolate 1 RSV-Isolate 20 AR201
1.702 1.706 Palivizumab 30.601 >1000 IgG1 Isotype control
>1000 >1000 Ratio palivizumab/AR201 18.0 n/a
Example 9
Sequencing of F Protein Sequence of the Palivizumab-Resistant
Clinical Isolate #20
[0173] The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the F protein of
clinical isolate #20 were determined. RNA was isolated from
amplified clinical isolate #20 and cDNA was generated with F
protein specific primers (Primer RSV-A F protein:
GAAATTAAACCTGGGGCAAATAACC [SEQ ID NO.: 19]; Primer RSV-B F protein:
ACAAAATMAACTCTGGGGCAAATAAC [SEQ ID NO.: 20]). The resulting
fragment (expected size: 1935 bp) was amplified using specific
primers (RSV-7607: CTTCGYGACATATTTGCCCCAG [SEQ ID NO.: 21]; ZhaoF:
GGGGCAMTMCMTGGAGTTGC [SEQ ID NO.: 22]). Amplified DNA was sequenced
by Sanger sequencing at Microsynth (Balgach, Switzerland).
[0174] The nucleotide sequence of the coding region for the F
protein of clinical isolate #20 (SEQ ID NO.: 17) is provided in
FIG. 9A. The corresponding amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO.: 18) is
provided in FIG. 9B.
[0175] Comparison to the published sequence of the postulated
epitope of palivizumab (McLellan J S. et al., 2010), identified as
the sequence of amino acids 254 to 277 of the RSV F protein A2
strain, revealed a mutation of lysine at the position 272 to
asparagine (K272N) for the clinical isolate #20, as shown in FIG.
10. A mutation at position 272 from lysine to another amino acid
was described earlier as critical for loss of binding of
palivizumab to the F protein (Zhu, et al., 2011; Adams et al.,
2010), confirming the inability of palivizumab to bind to clinical
isolate #20.
Example 10
Cross Inhibition on RSV Clinical Isolates with AR201 and
Palivizumab
[0176] Palivizumab is the only anti-RSV monoclonal antibody that
has been approved by the FDA to date for the prevention of RSV
infection in infants and neonates. Palivizumab binds to antigenic
region A on the F protein of RSV and inhibits fusion events of RSV
with human lung epithelial cells.
[0177] Efficient cross-inhibition of binding of two independent
monoclonal antibodies can only occur if both antibodies recognize
the same epitope, or epitopes in close proximity, such that one
antibody when bound to its epitope exerts steric hindrance for
binding of the other antibody.
[0178] Intact RSV particles were pre-incubated with competitor
antibody (palivizumab, AR201, or control at 20 .mu.g/mL) for one
hour and subsequently added to polystyrene ELISA plates that had
been coated with either palivizumab or AR201. After incubation for
one hour at 4.degree. C., plates were washed and polyclonal
rabbit-anti-RSV-HRP labeled antisera was added to each well. Bound
viral particles were detected by colorimetric measurement. Maximum
binding of RSV to the immobilized antibody in the presence of the
competitor antibody was determined relative to binding in the
presence of the monoclonal human IgG control antibody.
[0179] Results are provided in Table 5. Pre-incubation of RSV viral
particles with AR201 reduced binding to AR201 coated plates to
22.5%, whereas pre-incubation with palivizumab affected binding to
AR201 coated plates less and reduced the signal to only 29.2% of
the control value. Vice versa, pre-incubation of RSV viral
particles with AR201 reduced binding of RSV to palivizumab-coated
plates to 40.8%, whereas pre-incubation with palivizumab reduced
binding to palivizumab-coated plates at a slightly lower level,
35.3%.
[0180] These results indicate that AR201 targets the identical
antigenic region on RSV F protein as palivizumab. Nevertheless, the
difference in cross-inhibition indicates that AR201 recognizes an
epitope very similar to or close to the epitope of palivizumab, but
not the identical epitope.
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Cross-inhibition of AR201 or palivizumab for
binding of RSV to antibody-coated plates Coating mAb Inhibiting mAb
palivizumab AR201 AR201 40.8% 22.5% palivizumab 35.3% 29.2% control
IgG mAb 100.0% 100.0%
Example 11
Protease Digestion of F Protein
[0181] Asp-N is an endoprotease which selectively cleaves peptide
bonds N-terminal to aspartic acid residues. Asp-N digestion of the
RSV F protein will cut the postulated palivizumab epitope
N-terminal of amino acid positions 263 and 269, generating two
protein fragments of 62 amino acids and 40 amino acids in length.
Each peptide contains only a portion of the intact epitope for
palivizumab, as shown in FIG. 11.
[0182] Purified recombinant F protein was incubated for 5 hours
with Asp-N (Promega, Madison, Wis., US) at 37.degree. C., according
to manufacturer's instructions, in the presence of dithiothreitol
(DTT) and iodacetamide, and subsequently coated onto ELISA plates.
Antibody (AR201 or palivizumab) was added to the plate at two
different concentrations, followed by addition of a polyclonal
anti-human IgG-HRP labeled antibody. Bound antibody was detected
based on colorimetric measurement.
[0183] Palivizumab did not recognize any of the fragments of the
complete digest of the RSV F protein, whereas AR201 still bound to
as shown in FIG. 12. This demonstrates that the two antibodies do
not share the same epitope, and AR201 recognizes an epitope
distinct from amino acid sequence 254-277 of the RSV F protein.
[0184] All of the references described herein are incorporated by
reference in their entireties.
Sequence CWU 1
1
261122PRTHomo sapiens 1Leu Val Gln Leu Arg Glu Ser Gly Pro Gly Leu
Val Lys Pro Ser Gln 1 5 10 15 Thr Leu Ser Leu Thr Cys Ser Val Ser
Gly Ala Ser Ile Asn Leu Tyr 20 25 30 Asp Tyr Phe Trp Gly Trp Ile
Arg Gln Ala Pro Gly Arg Gly Pro Glu 35 40 45 Trp Ile Gly Tyr Ile
Ser Gly Ser Thr Tyr Tyr Asn Pro Ser Leu Lys 50 55 60 Arg Arg Ala
Thr Ile Ser Val Asp Thr Ser Lys Ser Gln Phe Phe Leu 65 70 75 80 Glu
Leu Thr Ser Val Thr Ala Ala Asp Thr Ala Val Tyr Tyr Cys Ala 85 90
95 Arg Asp Val Gly Trp Gly Pro Gln Tyr Tyr Tyr Gly Leu Asp Val Trp
100 105 110 Gly Gln Gly Thr Thr Val Thr Val Ser Ser 115 120
2366DNAHomo sapiensCDS(1)..(366) 2ctg gtg cag ctg cgg gag tcg ggc
cca gga ctg gtg aag cct tca cag 48Leu Val Gln Leu Arg Glu Ser Gly
Pro Gly Leu Val Lys Pro Ser Gln 1 5 10 15 acc ctg tcc ctc acc tgc
agt gtc tct gga gcc tcc atc aac ctc tat 96Thr Leu Ser Leu Thr Cys
Ser Val Ser Gly Ala Ser Ile Asn Leu Tyr 20 25 30 gat tac ttc tgg
ggt tgg atc cgt cag gcc cca ggg agg ggc cca gaa 144Asp Tyr Phe Trp
Gly Trp Ile Arg Gln Ala Pro Gly Arg Gly Pro Glu 35 40 45 tgg att
ggg tac atc agt ggg agc acc tac tac aac ccg tcc ctc aag 192Trp Ile
Gly Tyr Ile Ser Gly Ser Thr Tyr Tyr Asn Pro Ser Leu Lys 50 55 60
aga cgc gct acc atc tcg gtt gac acg tcc aag agc cag ttc ttc ctg
240Arg Arg Ala Thr Ile Ser Val Asp Thr Ser Lys Ser Gln Phe Phe Leu
65 70 75 80 gag ctg acc tct gtc act gcc gca gac acg gcc gtg tat tac
tgt gcc 288Glu Leu Thr Ser Val Thr Ala Ala Asp Thr Ala Val Tyr Tyr
Cys Ala 85 90 95 aga gat gtg ggg tgg ggc ccc cag tac tac tac ggt
ctg gac gtc tgg 336Arg Asp Val Gly Trp Gly Pro Gln Tyr Tyr Tyr Gly
Leu Asp Val Trp 100 105 110 ggc caa ggg acc acg gtc acc gtc tcc tca
366Gly Gln Gly Thr Thr Val Thr Val Ser Ser 115 120 3109PRTHomo
sapiens 3Asp Leu Val Leu Thr Gln Ser Pro Gly Thr Leu Ser Leu Ser
Pro Gly 1 5 10 15 Glu Arg Ala Thr Leu Ser Cys Arg Ala Ser His Ser
Val Gln Ser Thr 20 25 30 Ser Leu Ala Trp Tyr Gln Gln Lys Arg Gly
Gln Ala Pro Arg Leu Leu 35 40 45 Ile Tyr Gly Gly Ser Ser Arg Val
Thr Gly Ile Pro Asp Arg Phe Ser 50 55 60 Gly Ser Gly Ser Gly Thr
Asp Phe Thr Leu Thr Ile Ser Arg Leu Glu 65 70 75 80 Pro Glu Asp Phe
Ala Val Tyr Tyr Cys Gln Gln Ser Asp Arg Ser Pro 85 90 95 Pro Ile
Thr Phe Gly Gln Gly Thr Arg Leu Glu Met Lys 100 105 4328DNAHomo
sapiensCDS(1)..(327) 4gac ctt gtg ttg acg cag tct cca ggc acc ctg
tct ttg tct cca ggg 48Asp Leu Val Leu Thr Gln Ser Pro Gly Thr Leu
Ser Leu Ser Pro Gly 1 5 10 15 gaa agg gcc acc ctc tcc tgc agg gcc
agt cac agt gtt caa agc acc 96Glu Arg Ala Thr Leu Ser Cys Arg Ala
Ser His Ser Val Gln Ser Thr 20 25 30 tcc cta gcc tgg tac cag cag
aaa cgt ggc cag gct ccc aga ctc ctc 144Ser Leu Ala Trp Tyr Gln Gln
Lys Arg Gly Gln Ala Pro Arg Leu Leu 35 40 45 atc tat ggt gga tcc
agc agg gtc act ggc atc cca gac agg ttc agt 192Ile Tyr Gly Gly Ser
Ser Arg Val Thr Gly Ile Pro Asp Arg Phe Ser 50 55 60 ggc agt ggg
tct ggg aca gac ttc act ctc acc atc agc aga ctg gag 240Gly Ser Gly
Ser Gly Thr Asp Phe Thr Leu Thr Ile Ser Arg Leu Glu 65 70 75 80 cct
gaa gat ttt gca gtg tat tac tgt cag cag tct gat agg tcg ccc 288Pro
Glu Asp Phe Ala Val Tyr Tyr Cys Gln Gln Ser Asp Arg Ser Pro 85 90
95 ccg atc acc ttc ggc caa ggg aca cga ctg gag atg aaa c 328Pro Ile
Thr Phe Gly Gln Gly Thr Arg Leu Glu Met Lys 100 105 524DNAHomo
sapiens 5ggagcctcca tcaacctcta tgat 24621DNAHomo sapiens
6gggtacatca gtgggagcac c 21748DNAHomo sapiens 7gccagagatg
tggggtgggg cccccagtac tactacggtc tggacgtc 4888PRTHomo sapiens 8Gly
Ala Ser Ile Asn Leu Tyr Asp 1 5 97PRTHomo sapiens 9Gly Tyr Ile Ser
Gly Ser Thr 1 5 1016PRTHomo sapiens 10Ala Arg Asp Val Gly Trp Gly
Pro Gln Tyr Tyr Tyr Gly Leu Asp Val 1 5 10 15 1121DNAHomo sapiens
11cacagtgttc aaagcacctc c 21129DNAHomo sapiens 12ggtggatcc
91330DNAHomo sapiens 13cagcagtctg ataggtcgcc cccgatcacc
30147PRTHomo sapiens 14His Ser Val Gln Ser Thr Ser 1 5 153PRTHomo
sapiens 15Gly Gly Ser 1 1610PRTHomo sapiens 16Gln Gln Ser Asp Arg
Ser Pro Pro Ile Thr 1 5 10 171722DNARespiratory syncytial virus
17atggagttgc caatcctcaa aacaaatgca attaccacaa tccttgctgc agtcttactc
60tgtttcgctt ccagtcaaaa catcactgaa gaattttatc aatcaacatg cagtgcagtt
120agcaaaggct atcttagtgc tttaagaact ggttggtata ctagtgttat
aactatagaa 180ttaagtaata tcaaggaaaa taagtgtaat ggaacagacg
ctaaggcaaa attgataaaa 240caagaattag ataaatataa aaatgctgta
acagaattgc agttgctcat gcaaagcaca 300ccagcagcca acaatcgagc
cagaagagaa ctaccaaggt ttatgaatta tacactcaac 360aataccaaaa
ataacaatgt aacattaagc aagaaaagga aaagaagatt tcttggcttt
420ttgttaggtg ttggatctgc aatcgccagt ggcattgctg tatctaaagt
cctgcaccta 480gaaggggaag tgaacaaaat aaaaagtgct ctactatcca
caaacaaggc tgtagtcagc 540ttatcaaatg gagttagtgt cttaaccagc
aaagtgttag acctcaaaaa ctatatagat 600aaacagttgt tacccattgt
gaacaagcaa agctgcagca tatcaaacat tgaaactgtg 660atagaattcc
aacaaaagaa caacagacta ctagagatta ccagggaatt cagtgttaat
720gcaggtgtaa ctacacctgt aagcacttac atgttaacaa atagtgaatt
attatcatta 780atcaatgata tgcctataac aaatgatcag aaaaatttaa
tgtctaacaa tgttcaaata 840gttagacagc aaagttactc tatcatgtcc
ataataaagg aggaagtctt agcatatgta 900gtacaattac cactatatgg
tgtaatagat acaccttgtt ggaaattaca cacatcccct 960ctatgcacaa
ccaacacaaa ggaagggtcc aacatctgtt taacaagaac cgacagagga
1020tggtactgtg acaatgcagg atcagtttct ttcttcccac aagctgaaac
atgcaaagtt 1080caatcgaatc gagtattttg tgacacaatg aacagtttaa
cattaccaag tgaagtaaac 1140ctctgcaaca ttgacatatt caaccctaaa
tatgattgca aaattatgac ttcaaaaaca 1200gatgtaagca gctccgttat
cacatctcta ggagccattg tgtcatgcta tggcaaaact 1260aaatgtacag
catccaataa aaatcgtgga atcataaaga cattttctaa cgggtgtgat
1320tatgtatcaa ataagggggt ggacactgta tctgtaggta atacattata
ttatgtaaat 1380aagcaagaag gaaaaagtct ctatgtaaaa ggtgaaccaa
taataaattt ctatgaccca 1440ttagtgttcc cttctgatga atttgatgca
tcaatatctc aagtcaatga gaagattaac 1500cagagcctag catttattcg
taaatccgat gaattattac ataatgtaaa tgttggtaaa 1560tccaccacaa
atatcatgat aactactata attatagtga ttatagtaat attgttatta
1620ttaattgcag ttgggctgtt cctatactgc aaggccagaa gcacaccagt
cacactaagc 1680aaggatcaac tgagtggtat aaataatatt gcatttagta ac
172218574PRTRespiratory syncytial virus 18Met Glu Leu Pro Ile Leu
Lys Thr Asn Ala Ile Thr Thr Ile Leu Ala 1 5 10 15 Ala Val Leu Leu
Cys Phe Ala Ser Ser Gln Asn Ile Thr Glu Glu Phe 20 25 30 Tyr Gln
Ser Thr Cys Ser Ala Val Ser Lys Gly Tyr Leu Ser Ala Leu 35 40 45
Arg Thr Gly Trp Tyr Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Ile Glu Leu Ser Asn Ile 50
55 60 Lys Glu Asn Lys Cys Asn Gly Thr Asp Ala Lys Ala Lys Leu Ile
Lys 65 70 75 80 Gln Glu Leu Asp Lys Tyr Lys Asn Ala Val Thr Glu Leu
Gln Leu Leu 85 90 95 Met Gln Ser Thr Pro Ala Ala Asn Asn Arg Ala
Arg Arg Glu Leu Pro 100 105 110 Arg Phe Met Asn Tyr Thr Leu Asn Asn
Thr Lys Asn Asn Asn Val Thr 115 120 125 Leu Ser Lys Lys Arg Lys Arg
Arg Phe Leu Gly Phe Leu Leu Gly Val 130 135 140 Gly Ser Ala Ile Ala
Ser Gly Ile Ala Val Ser Lys Val Leu His Leu 145 150 155 160 Glu Gly
Glu Val Asn Lys Ile Lys Ser Ala Leu Leu Ser Thr Asn Lys 165 170 175
Ala Val Val Ser Leu Ser Asn Gly Val Ser Val Leu Thr Ser Lys Val 180
185 190 Leu Asp Leu Lys Asn Tyr Ile Asp Lys Gln Leu Leu Pro Ile Val
Asn 195 200 205 Lys Gln Ser Cys Ser Ile Ser Asn Ile Glu Thr Val Ile
Glu Phe Gln 210 215 220 Gln Lys Asn Asn Arg Leu Leu Glu Ile Thr Arg
Glu Phe Ser Val Asn 225 230 235 240 Ala Gly Val Thr Thr Pro Val Ser
Thr Tyr Met Leu Thr Asn Ser Glu 245 250 255 Leu Leu Ser Leu Ile Asn
Asp Met Pro Ile Thr Asn Asp Gln Lys Asn 260 265 270 Leu Met Ser Asn
Asn Val Gln Ile Val Arg Gln Gln Ser Tyr Ser Ile 275 280 285 Met Ser
Ile Ile Lys Glu Glu Val Leu Ala Tyr Val Val Gln Leu Pro 290 295 300
Leu Tyr Gly Val Ile Asp Thr Pro Cys Trp Lys Leu His Thr Ser Pro 305
310 315 320 Leu Cys Thr Thr Asn Thr Lys Glu Gly Ser Asn Ile Cys Leu
Thr Arg 325 330 335 Thr Asp Arg Gly Trp Tyr Cys Asp Asn Ala Gly Ser
Val Ser Phe Phe 340 345 350 Pro Gln Ala Glu Thr Cys Lys Val Gln Ser
Asn Arg Val Phe Cys Asp 355 360 365 Thr Met Asn Ser Leu Thr Leu Pro
Ser Glu Val Asn Leu Cys Asn Ile 370 375 380 Asp Ile Phe Asn Pro Lys
Tyr Asp Cys Lys Ile Met Thr Ser Lys Thr 385 390 395 400 Asp Val Ser
Ser Ser Val Ile Thr Ser Leu Gly Ala Ile Val Ser Cys 405 410 415 Tyr
Gly Lys Thr Lys Cys Thr Ala Ser Asn Lys Asn Arg Gly Ile Ile 420 425
430 Lys Thr Phe Ser Asn Gly Cys Asp Tyr Val Ser Asn Lys Gly Val Asp
435 440 445 Thr Val Ser Val Gly Asn Thr Leu Tyr Tyr Val Asn Lys Gln
Glu Gly 450 455 460 Lys Ser Leu Tyr Val Lys Gly Glu Pro Ile Ile Asn
Phe Tyr Asp Pro 465 470 475 480 Leu Val Phe Pro Ser Asp Glu Phe Asp
Ala Ser Ile Ser Gln Val Asn 485 490 495 Glu Lys Ile Asn Gln Ser Leu
Ala Phe Ile Arg Lys Ser Asp Glu Leu 500 505 510 Leu His Asn Val Asn
Val Gly Lys Ser Thr Thr Asn Ile Met Ile Thr 515 520 525 Thr Ile Ile
Ile Val Ile Ile Val Ile Leu Leu Leu Leu Ile Ala Val 530 535 540 Gly
Leu Phe Leu Tyr Cys Lys Ala Arg Ser Thr Pro Val Thr Leu Ser 545 550
555 560 Lys Asp Gln Leu Ser Gly Ile Asn Asn Ile Ala Phe Ser Asn 565
570 1925DNAArtificial SequenceDescription of Artificial Sequence
Synthetic primer 19gaaattaaac ctggggcaaa taacc 252026DNAArtificial
SequenceDescription of Artificial Sequence Synthetic primer
20acaaaatmaa ctctggggca aataac 262122DNAArtificial
SequenceDescription of Artificial Sequence Synthetic primer
21cttcgygaca tatttgcccc ag 222220DNAArtificial SequenceDescription
of Artificial Sequence Synthetic primer 22ggggcamtmc mtggagttgc
202340PRTRespiratory syncytial virus 23Ala Gly Val Thr Thr Pro Val
Ser Thr Tyr Met Leu Thr Asn Ser Glu 1 5 10 15 Leu Leu Ser Leu Ile
Asn Asp Met Pro Ile Thr Asn Asp Gln Lys Lys 20 25 30 Leu Met Ser
Asn Asn Val Gln Ile 35 40 2440PRTRespiratory syncytial virus 24Ala
Gly Val Thr Thr Pro Val Ser Thr Tyr Met Leu Thr Asn Ser Glu 1 5 10
15 Leu Leu Ser Leu Ile Asn Asp Met Pro Ile Thr Asn Asp Gln Lys Asn
20 25 30 Leu Met Ser Asn Asn Val Gln Ile 35 40 2562PRTRespiratory
syncytial virus 25Asp Lys Gln Leu Leu Pro Ile Val Asn Lys Gln Ser
Cys Ser Ile Ser 1 5 10 15 Asn Ile Glu Thr Val Ile Glu Phe Gln Gln
Lys Asn Asn Arg Leu Leu 20 25 30 Glu Ile Thr Arg Glu Phe Ser Val
Asn Ala Gly Val Thr Thr Pro Val 35 40 45 Ser Thr Tyr Met Leu Thr
Asn Ser Glu Leu Leu Ser Leu Ile 50 55 60 2641PRTRespiratory
syncytial virus 26Asp Gln Lys Lys Leu Met Ser Asn Asn Val Gln Ile
Val Arg Gln Gln 1 5 10 15 Ser Tyr Ser Ile Met Ser Ile Ile Lys Glu
Glu Val Leu Ala Tyr Val 20 25 30 Val Gln Leu Pro Leu Tyr Gly Val
Ile 35 40
* * * * *