Immunoconjugates with an intracellularly-cleavable linkage

Abstract

The present invention relates to therapeutic conjugates with improved ability to target various diseased cells containing a targeting moiety (such as an antibody or antibody fragment), a linker and a therapeutic moiety, and further relates to processes for making and using the conjugates.

We claim: 
     
       1. An immunoconjugate having a structural formula selected from the group consisting of MAb-CL2A-SN-38, MAb-CL6-SN-38, MAb-CL7-SN-38, MAb-CLX-SN-38, and MAb-CLY-SN-38, with a structure represented by: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where R is hydrogen or C1 to C10 alkyl group and AA is selected from any one of the following L-amino acids: alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where R and R′ can be independently hydrogen or methyl; and when R═R′=methyl, the structure is referred to as MAb-CL2E-SN-38, 
         wherein the MAb is a chimeric, humanized, or human monoclonal antibody. 
       
     
     
       2. The immunoconjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the MAb is a murine, chimeric, humanized, or human monoclonal antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof. 
     
     
       3. The immunoconjugate of  claim 2 , wherein said fragment is selected from the group consisting of Fab, Fab′, F(ab) 2 , F(ab′) 2  and scFv. 
     
     
       4. The immunoconjugate of claim  2  1, wherein the MAb has constant domains and a hinge domain of a human IgG1 or a human IgG4 antibody. 
     
     
       5. The immunoconjugate of  claim 4 , wherein the MAb has constant domains and a hinge domain of a human IgG4 antibody, wherein serine 228 of the hinge is replaced with proline. 
     
     
       6. The immunoconjugate of  claim 4 , wherein the antibody has constant domains, and a hinge domain of a human IgG1 antibody and wherein one or more Fc amino acids are mutated to increase the half-life of the antibody in the blood, or wherein one or more sugar moieties of the Fc have been deleted, or one or more sugar moieties added to increase the blood half-life of the antibody. 
     
     
       7. The immunoconjugate of  claim 1 , wherein said MAb is selected from the group consisting of hLL1, hLL2, RFB4, hA19, hA20, hRS7, hPAM4, hMN-3, hMN-14, hMu-9, hL243, hMN-15 and hImmu-31. 
     
     
       8. The immunoconjugate of  claim 1 , wherein said MAb binds to an antigen selected from the group consisting of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), EGP-1, TNF-α, IL-2R, IL-2, CD3, CD4, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD25, CD40L, CD52, CD74, CEACAM-5, CEACAM-6, CSAp, HLA-DR, IGF-1R, PSMA and macrophage migration-inhibitory factor (MIF). 
     
     
       9. A An immunoconjugate having a structural formula selected from the group consisting of MAb-CL2A-SN-38, MAb-CL6-SN-38, MAb-CL7-SN-38 and MAb-CLX-SN-38, with a structure represented by: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where R is hydrogen or C1 to C10 alkyl group and AA is selected from any one of the following L-amino acids: alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, 
         wherein the 10-hydroxy position of SN-38 in MAb-CL2A-SN-38 or MAb-CL6-SN-38 or MAb-CL7-SN-38 or MAb-CLX-SN-38 is a 10-O-ester or 10-O-carbonate derivative using a ‘COR’ moiety where the R group is a substituted alkyl residue “N(CH 3 ) 2 —(CH 2 ) n -”, where n is 2-10 and wherein the terminal amino group is optionally in the form of a quaternary salt for enhanced aqueous solubility, or an alkyl residue “CH 3 —(CH 2 ) n —” where n is 0-10, or an alkoxy residue “CH 3 —(CH 2 )n-O—” “CH 3 —(CH 2 ) n —O—” where n is 0-10, or “N(CH 3 ) 2 —(CH 2 ) n —O—” where n is 2-10, or “R 1 O—(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) n —CH 2 —CH 2 —O—” where R 1  is ethyl or methyl and n is an integer with values of 0-10, 
         wherein the MAb is a chimeric, humanized, or human monoclonal antibody. 
       
     
     
       10. The immunoconjugate of  claim 9 , wherein said MAb binds to an antigen selected from the group consisting of carbonic anhydrase IX, B7, CCL19, CCL21, CSAp, HER-2/neu, BrE3, CD1, CD1a, CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8, CD11A, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD18, CD19, CD20, CD21, CD22, CD23, CD25, CD29, CD30, CD32b, CD33, CD37, CD38, CD40, CD40L, CD44, CD45, CD46, CD52, CD54, CD55, CD59, CD64, CD67, CD70, CD74, CD79a, CD80, CD83, CD95, CD126, CD133, CD138, CD147, CD154, CEACAM-5, CEACAM-6, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), VEGF, ED-B fibronectin, EGP-1, EGP-2, EGF receptor (ErbB1), ErbB2, ErbB3, Factor H, FHL-1, Flt-3, folate receptor, Ga 733, GRO-β, HMGB-1, hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), HM1.24, HER-2/neu, insulin-like growth factor (ILGF), IFN-γ, IFN-α, IFN-β, IL-2R, IL-4R, TL-6R IL-6R, IL-13R, IL-15R, IL-17R, IL-18R, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-15, IL-17, IL-18, IL-25, IGF-1R, Ia, HM1.24, gangliosides, HCG, HLA-DR, CD66a-d, MAGE, mCRP, MCP-1, MIP-1B, macrophage migration-inhibitory factor (MIF), MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC4, MUC5, placental growth factor (PlGF), PSA (prostate-specific antigen), PSMA, PSMA dimer, PAM4 antigen, NCA-95, NCA-90, A3, A33, Ep-CAM, KS-1, Le(y), mesothelin, 5100 S100, tenascin, TAC, Tn antigen, Thomas-Friedenreich antigens, tumor necrosis antigens, tumor angiogenesis antigens, TNF-α, TRAIL receptor (R1 and R2), VEGFR, RANTES, T101, cancer stem cell antigens, complement factors C3, C3a, C3b, C5a, C5, and an oncogene product. 
     
     
       11. The immunoconjugate of  claim 9 , wherein said MAb binds to an antigen selected from the group consisting of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), EGP-1, TNF-α, IL-2R, IL-2, CD3, CD4, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD25, CD40L, CD52, CD74, CEACAM-5, CEACAM-6, CSAp, HLA-DR, IGF-1R, PSMA and macrophage migration-inhibitory factor (MIF). 
     
     
       12. The immunoconjugate of  claim 9 , wherein said MAb is selected from the group consisting of hLL1, hLL2, RFB4, hA19, hA20, hRS7, hPAM4, hMN-14, hMu-9, hL243, hMN-15 and hImmu-31. 
     
     
       13. The immunoconjugate of  claim 1 , wherein said MAb is multispecific, with multiple binding arms to target at least two different antigens or epitopes contained on a target cell, and one or more targeting arms are conjugated to CPT. 
     
     
       14. The immunoconjugate of  claim 13 , wherein said multispecific MAb is a bispecific and/or bivalent antibody construct comprising one or more antibodies selected from the group consisting of hLL1, hLL2, RFB4, hA19, hA20, hRS7, hPAM4, hMN-3, hMN-14, hMu-9, hR1, CC49, hL243, D2/B and hImmu-31. 
     
     
       15. The immunoconjugate of  claim 13 , wherein said multispecific antibody binds to two or more antigens selected from the group consisting of carbonic anhydrase IX, B7, CCCL19, CCCL21, CSAp, HER-2/neu, BrE3, CD1, CD1a, CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8, CD11A, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD18, CD19, CD20, CD21, CD22, CD23, CD25, CD29, CD30, CD32b, CD33, CD37, CD38, CD40, CD40L, CD44, CD45, CD46, CD52, CD54, CD55, CD59, CD64, CD67, CD70, CD74, CD79a, CD80, CD83, CD95, CD126, CD133, CD138, CD147, CD154, CEACAM-5, CEACAM-6, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), VEGF, ED-B fibronectin, EGP-1, EGP-2, EGF receptor (ErbB1), ErbB2, ErbB3, Factor H, FHL-1, Flt-3, folate receptor, Ga 733, GROB, HMGB-1, hypoxia inducible factor (Hit), HM1.24, HER-2/neu, insulin-like growth factor (ILGF), IFN-.gamma., IFN-.alpha., IFN-.beta., IL-2R, IL-4R, IL-6R, IL-13R, IL-15R, IL-17R, IL-18R, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-15, IL-17, IL-18, IL-25, IP-10, IGF-1R, Ia, HM1.24, gangliosides, HCG, HLA-DR, CD66a-d, MAGE, mCRP, MCP-1, MIP-1A, MIP-1B, macrophage migration-inhibitory factor (MIF), MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC4, MUC5, placental growth factor (PlGF), PSA (prostate-specific antigen), PSMA, PSMA dimer, PAM4 antigen, NCA-95, NCA-90, A3, A33, Ep-CAM, KS-1, Le(y), mesothelin, 5100, tenascin, TAC, Tn antigen, Thomas-Friedenreich antigens, tumor necrosis antigens, tumor angiogenesis antigens, TNF-.alpha., TRAIL receptor (R1 and R2), VEGFR, RANTES, T101, cancer stem cell antigens, complement factors C3, C3a, C3b, C5a, C5, and an oncogene product. 
     
     
       16. A immunoconjugate having a structural formula of MAb-CLY-SN-38; with a structure represented by: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where R and R′ are independently hydrogen or methyl; and when R═R′=methyl, the structure is referred to as MAb-CL2E-SN-38.