title: Preclinical antilymphoma activity of a humanized anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody, SGN-40.
abstract: SGN-40 is a humanized IgG1 antihuman CD40 that is currently in a phase I clinical trial for the treatment of multiple myeloma. As surface CD40 expression on B-lineage cells is maintained from pro-B cells to plasma cells, SGN-40 may be applicable to treatment of other B-cell neoplasias, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this study, we examined potential in vitro and in vivo anti-B-lineage lymphoma activity of SGN-40. Recombinant SGN-40 was expressed and purified from Chinese hamster ovary cells and characterized based on binding affinity, specificity, and normal B-cell stimulation. The ability of SGN-40 to target neoplastic B cells was examined in vitro by proliferation inhibition, cytotoxicity, and antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity assays and in vivo by human lymphoma xenograft models. Recombinant SGN-40 showed high affinity, Kd of approximately 1 nmol/L, and specific binding to CD40. Whereas SGN-40 was a weak agonist in stimulating normal B-cell proliferation in the absence of IL-4 and CD40L, it delivered potent proliferation inhibitory and apoptotic signals to, and mediated antibody-dependent cytotoxicity against, a panel of high-grade B-lymphoma lines. These in vitro antilymphoma effects were extended to disseminated and s.c. xenograft CD40 tumor models. In these xenograft models, the antitumor activity of SGN-40 was comparable with that of rituximab. The preclinical in vitro and in vivo antilymphoma activity of SGN-40 observed in this study provides a rationale for the clinical testing of SGN-40 in the treatment of CD40+ B-lineage lymphomas.
authors.affiliation: Seattle Genetics, Inc., Bothell, Washington 98021, USA. claw@seagen.com
authors.forename: Che-Leung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Kristine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klussman
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McEarchern
authors.forename: Charles G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Cerveny
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Mixan
authors.forename: Wyne P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Zhonghau
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.forename: Alan F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Wahl
authors.forename: Iqbal S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Grewal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases