Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Model of a Masked, Tumor-Activated Antibody

Abstract

PROBODY therapeutics (Pb-Tx) are protease-activatable prodrugs of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) designed to target tumors where protease activity is elevated while avoiding normal tissue. They are composed of a parental mAb, a mask that inhibits antibody binding to target, and a protease-cleavable substrate between the mask and the mAb. We report a quantitative systems pharmacology model for the rational design and clinical translation of Pb-Tx. The model adequately described monkey pharmacokinetic data following the administration of six anti-CD166 Pb-Tx of varying mask strength and substrate cleavability and captured the trend of decreasing Pb-Tx systemic clearance with increasing mask strength. Projections to humans suggested both higher levels of Pb-Tx in tumor relative to parental mAb and an optimal mask strength for maximizing tumor receptor–mediated uptake. Simulations further suggested the majority of circulating species in humans would be intact/masked Pb-Tx, with no significant flux of cleaved/activated species from tumor to the systemic compartment.