FULLY HUMAN ANTI-VEGF ANTIBODIES AND METHODS OF USING

• US 20110076279A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schering Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.), Xoma Technology Ltd. (Xoma Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Schering Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.), Xoma Technology Ltd. (Xoma Corp.)
• Inventors: Huang, Chao Bai, Ramachandra, Sumant, Bishop, Walter Robert, Masat, Linda
• Application Number:
  US12/446,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20110076279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/158.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/00 Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/06 Antiasthmatics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/00 Drugs for dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/06 Antipsoriatics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/02 for joint disorders, e.g. arthritis, arthrosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/10 for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/22 against growth factors ; against growth regulators
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/21 from primates, e.g. man
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/622 Single chain antibody (scFv)
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/73 Inducing cell death, e.g. apoptosis, necrosis or inhibition of cell proliferation
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/76 Antagonist effect on antigen, e.g. neutralization or inhibition of binding
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/92 Affinity (KD), association rate (Ka), dissociation rate (Kd) or EC50 value

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) overexpression is associated with a variety of conditions involving aberrant angiogenesis. Disclosed herein are fully human antibodies that specifically bind human VEGF and inhibit VEGF binding to VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2, and therefore inhibit VEGF signaling Based on their ability to inhibit VEGF signaling, the antibodies disclosed herein may be used to treat angiogenesis and conditions associated with angiogenesis both in vivo and in vitro.

Claims

1. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprising,a heavy chain variable region which comprises the following heavy chain CDR amino acid sequences:

SEQ ID NO;

6, SEQ ID NO;

7 and SEQ ID NO;

8, and/or

2) a light chain variable region which comprises the following light chain CDR amino acid sequences (a) SEQ ID NO;

9, SEQ ID NO;

10 and SEQ ID NO;

11, or (b) SEQ ID NO;

12, SEQ ID NO;

13 and SEQ ID NO;

14.

2. The antibody of antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1 wherein the heavy chain variable region comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

2.

3. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1 wherein the heavy chain variable region comprises an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

4.

4. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1 wherein the light chain variable region comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

3.

5. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1 wherein the light chain variable region comprises an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

5.

6. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5 further comprising an IgG2 constant region.

7. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5, wherein said antibody binds hVEGF₁₆₅ with a K_D of ≦

2.0 nM.

8. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5, wherein said antibody binds to an epitope on hVEGF₁₆₅ that overlaps with the epitope bound by Bevacizumab.

9. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5, wherein said antibody blocks binding of hVEGF₁₆₅ to VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2.

10. A method of inhibiting angiogenesis in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5.

11. A method of treating a disease associated with aberrant angiogenesis in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5.

12. A method of treating an inflammatory disease associated with VEGF signaling in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said disease is selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, scleroderma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma.

14. A method of treating wet acute macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5.

15. A method of treating a cancer associated with increased VEGF signaling in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 1.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof further comprises a conjugate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said conjugate is selected from the group consisting of a toxin, a cytokine, and a chemotherapeutic agent.

18. A kit comprising the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5.

33. The antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5 which is a full antibody.

34. The antibody of claim 33 which is a monoclonal antibody.

35. The antibody of claim 33 which is a polyclonal antibody.

36. The antibody of claim 33 which is a recombinant antibody.

37. The antibody of claim 33 which is a bispecific antibody

38. The antibody of claim 33 which is a humanized antibody.

39. The antibody of claim 33 which is a chimeric antibody.

40. The antibody of claim 33 which is a fully human antibody.

45. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof as in any of claims 1-5 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

19. An isolated polynucleotide encoding the amino acid sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NOs:

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14.

20. An isolated vector comprising a polynucleotide of claim 19.

21. An isolated host cell comprising a vector of claim 20.

22. A fully human antibody wherein the antibody comprises one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

(1) binding to hVEGF₁₆₅ with a K_D no less than 10-fold lower than the K_D with which the antibody binds mVEGF_165;

(2) binding to hVEGF₁₆₅ with a K_D of ≦

2.0 nM;

(3) binding to an epitope on hVEGF₁₆₅ that overlaps with the epitope bound by Bevacizumab;

(4) blocking binding of hVEGF₁₆₅ to a VEGF receptor;

or

(5) inhibiting hVEGF₁₆₅-induced phosphorylation of a VEGF receptor.

23. The fully human antibody of claim 22 wherein the antibody binds to hVEGF₁₆₅ with a K_D of ≦

2.0 nM.

24. The fully human antibody of claim 22 wherein the antibody binds to an epitope on hVEGF₁₆₅ that overlaps with the epitope bound by Bevacizumab.

25. The fully human antibody of claim 22 wherein the antibody blocks binding of hVEGF₁₆₅ to a VEGF receptor.

26. The fully human antibody of claim 25 wherein the VEGF receptor is VEGF-R1 or VEGF-R2.

27. The fully human antibody of claim 22 wherein the antibody inhibits hVEGF₁₆₅-induced phosphorylation of a VEGF receptor.

28. The fully human antibody of claim 22 wherein the antibody comprising a heavy chain variable region which comprises the following heavy chain CDR amino acid sequences:

SEQ ID NO;

6, SEQ ID NO;

7 and SEQ ID NO;

8.

29. The fully human antibody of claim 28 further comprises a light chain variable region which comprises the following light chain CDR amino acid sequences:

SEQ ID NO;

9, SEQ ID NO;

10 and SEQ ID NO;

11.

30. The fully human antibody of claim 29 wherein the heavy chain variable region comprises an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

2 and the light chain variable region comprises an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO;

3.

31. The fully human antibody of claim 28 further comprises a light chain variable region which comprises the following light chain CDR amino acid sequences:

SEQ ID NO;

12, SEQ ID NO;

13 and SEQ ID NO;

14.

32. The fully human antibody of claim 31 wherein the heavy chain variable region comprises an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

4 and the light chain variable region comprises an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO;

5.

41. An isolated human antibody comprising a light chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

3 and a heavy chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO;

2.

43. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody of claim 41 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

42. An isolated human antibody comprising a light chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

5 and a heavy chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO;

4.

44. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody of claim 42 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

46. An isolated antibody or an antigen fragment thereof comprising at least one heavy chain complementarity determining region of XPA.10.064 or XPA.10.072 and at least one light chain complementarity determining region of XPA.10.064 or XPA.10.072.

47. The isolated antibody or the antigen fragment there of of claim 46 wherein the heavy chain complementarity determining region is selected from the group consisting of HCDR1, HCDR1, HCDR3, and combination thereof of XPA.10.064 or XPA.10.072.

48. The isolated antibody or the antigen fragment there of of claim 46 wherein the light chain complementarity determining region is selected from the group consisting of LCDR1, LCDR1, LCDR3, and combination thereof of XPA.10.064 or XPA.10.072.