Issue 29, 2024

Macrophage-engaging peptidic bispecific antibodies (pBsAbs) for immunotherapy via a facile bioconjugation strategy

Abstract

Bispecific antibodies are artificial molecules that fuse two different antigen-binding sites of monoclonal antibodies into one single entity. They have emerged as a promising next-generation anticancer treatment. Despite the fascinating applications of bispecific antibodies, the design and production of bispecific antibodies remain tedious and challenging, leading to a long R&D process and high production costs. We herein report an unprecedented strategy to cyclise and conjugate tumour-targeting peptides on the surface of a monoclonal antibody to form a novel type of bispecific antibody, namely the peptidic bispecific antibody (pBsAb). Such design combines the merits of highly specific monoclonal antibodies and serum-stable cyclic peptides that endows an additional tumour-targeting ability to the monoclonal antibody for binding with two different antigens. Our results show that the novel pBsAb, which comprises EGFR-binding cyclic peptides and an anti-SIRP-α monoclonal antibody, could serve as a macrophage-engaging bispecific antibody to initiate enhanced macrophage–cancer cell interaction and block the “don't eat me” signal between CD47-SIRP-α, as well as promoting antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis and 3D cell spheroid infiltration. These findings give rise to a new type of bispecific antibody and a new platform for the rapid generation of new bispecific antibodies for research and potential therapeutic uses.

Graphical abstract: Macrophage-engaging peptidic bispecific antibodies (pBsAbs) for immunotherapy via a facile bioconjugation strategy

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Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
06 Feb 2024
Accepted
29 Apr 2024
First published
30 Apr 2024
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2024,15, 11272-11278

Macrophage-engaging peptidic bispecific antibodies (pBsAbs) for immunotherapy via a facile bioconjugation strategy

C. Shao, B. Tang, J. C. H. Chu, K. M. Lau, W. Wong, C. Che, W. C. S. Tai, W. Wong and C. T. T. Wong, Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 11272 DOI: 10.1039/D4SC00851K

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