Antibody molecules

Abstract

The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising second-generation molecules that are superior than TOCILIZUMAB, by altering the amino acid sequences of the variable and constant regions of TOCILIZUMAB, which is a humanized anti-IL-6 receptor IgG1 antibody, to enhance the antigen-neutralizing ability and increase the pharmacokinetics, so that the therapeutic effect is exerted with a less frequency of administration, and the immunogenicity, safety and physicochemical properties (stability and homogeneity) are improved. The present invention also provides methods for producing these pharmaceutical compositions.The present inventors have successfully generated second-generation molecules that are superior to TOCILIZUMAB by appropriately combining amino acid sequence alterations in the CDR domains, variable regions, and constant regions.

1 . A polypeptide of any one of:
 (a) a polypeptide that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (CDR1 of VH4-M73), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 (CDR2 of VH4-M73), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 (CDR3 of VH4-M73);   (b) a polypeptide that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 (CDR1 of VH3-M73), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 (CDR2 of VH3-M73), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 (CDR3 of VH3-M73);   (c) a polypeptide that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 (CDR1 of VH5-M83), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 (CDR2 of VH5-M83), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9 (CDR3 of VH5-M83);   (d) a polypeptide that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 (CDR1 of VL1), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 (CDR2 of VL1), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 (CDR3 of VL1);   (e) a polypeptide that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 (CDR1 of VL3), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 (CDR2 of VL3), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 (CDR3 of VL3); and   (f) a polypeptide that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 (CDR1 of VL5), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17 (CDR2 of VL5), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18 (CDR3 of VL5).   
     
     
         2 . An antibody of any one of:
 (a) an antibody which comprises a heavy chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (CDR1 of VH4-M73), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 (CDR2 of VH4-M73), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 (CDR3 of VH4-M73), and a light chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 (CDR1 of VL1), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 (CDR2 of VL1), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 (CDR3 of VL1);   (b) an antibody which comprises a heavy chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 (CDR1 of VH3-M73), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 (CDR2 of VH3-M73), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 (CDR3 of VH3-M73), and a light chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 (CDR1 of VL3), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 (CDR2 of VL3), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 (CDR3 of VL3); and   (c) an antibody which comprises a heavy chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 (CDR1 of VH5-M83), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 (CDR2 of VH5-M83), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9 (CDR3 of VH5-M83), and a light chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 (CDR1 of VL5), CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17 (CDR2 of VL5), and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18 (CDR3 of VL5).   
     
     
         3 . A variable region of any one of:
 (a) a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 (variable region of VH4-M73);   (b) a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20 (variable region of VH3-M73);   (c) a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21 (variable region of VH5-M83);   (d) a light chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22 (variable region of VL1);   (e) a light chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23 (variable region of VL3); and   (f) a light chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 24 (variable region of VL5).   
     
     
         4 . An antibody of any one of:
 (a) an antibody that comprises a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 (variable region of VH4-M73) and a light chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22 (variable region of VL1);   (b) an antibody that comprises a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20 (variable region of VH3-M73) and a light chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23 (variable region of VL3); and   (c) an antibody that comprises a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21 (variable region of VH5-M83) and a light chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 24 (variable region of VL5).   
     
     
         5 . A heavy chain or light chain of any one of:
 (a) a heavy chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25 (VH4-M73);   (b) a heavy chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 26 (VH3-M73);   (c) a heavy chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27 (VH5-M83);   (d) a light chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 (VL1);   (e) a light chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 29 (VL3); and   (f) a light chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30 (VL5).   
     
     
         6 . An antibody of any one of:
 (a) an antibody that comprises a heavy chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25 (VH4-M73) and a light chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 (VL1);   (b) an antibody that comprises a heavy chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 26 (VH3-M73) and a light chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 29 (VL3); and   (c) an antibody that comprises a heavy chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27 (VH5-M83) and a light chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30 (VL5).   
     
     
         7 . A gene encoding the polypeptide of any one of  claims 1  to  6 . 
     
     
         8 . A vector carrying the gene of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         9 . A host cell carrying the vector of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         10 . A method for producing the polypeptide of any one of  claims 1  to  6  by culturing the host cell of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         11 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide of any one of  claims 1  to  6  or a polypeptide produced by the method of  claim 10 .