sPD-1 VARIANT – FC FUSION PROTEINS

Abstract

The invention is directed to novel sPD-1 variant-Fc fusion proteins.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An sPD-1 variant-Fc fusion protein comprising:
 a) a soluble PD-1 (sPD-1) variant domain comprising an amino acid substitution as compared to SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said amino acid substitution is at a position number selected from the group consisting of 42, 67, 69, 96, 104, 107, 112 and 120;   b) an optional linker; and   c) an Fc domain.   
     
     
         2 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said sPD-1 variant domain comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:72, SEQ ID NO:73, SEQ ID NO:74, SEQ ID NO:75, SEQ ID NO:76, SEQ ID NO:77, SEQ ID NO:78, SEQ ID NO:79, SEQ ID NO:80, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:82, SEQ ID NO:83, SEQ ID NO:84, SEQ ID NO:85, SEQ ID NO:86, SEQ ID NO:87, SEQ ID NO:88, SEQ ID NO:89, SEQ ID NO:90, SEQ ID NO:91, SEQ ID NO:92, SEQ ID NO:93, SEQ ID NO:94, SEQ ID NO:95, SEQ ID NO:96, SEQ ID NO:97, SEQ ID NO:98, SEQ ID NO:99, SEQ ID NO:100, SEQ ID NO:101, SEQ ID NO:102, SEQ ID NO:103, SEQ ID NO:104, SEQ ID NO: 105, SEQ ID NO:106, SEQ ID NO:107, SEQ ID NO:108, SEQ ID NO:109, SEQ ID NO:111, SEQ ID NO:112, SEQ ID NO:113, SEQ ID NO:114, SEQ ID NO:115, SEQ ID NO:116, SEQ ID NO:117, SEQ ID NO:118, SEQ ID NO:119, SEQ ID NO:120, SEQ ID NO:121, SEQ ID NO:122, SEQ ID NO:123, SEQ ID NO:124, SEQ ID NO:125, SEQ ID NO:126, SEQ ID NO:127, SEQ ID NO:128, SEQ ID NO:129, SEQ ID NO:132, SEQ ID NO:133, SEQ ID NO:134, SEQ ID NO:135, SEQ ID NO:136, SEQ ID NO:137, and SEQ ID NO:139. 
     
     
         3 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said Fc fusion protein comprises, from N- to C-terminal:
 a) said sPD-1 variant domain;   b) said optional linker; and   c) said Fc domain.   
     
     
         4 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said Fc fusion protein comprises, from N- to C-terminal:
 a) said Fc domain;   b) said optional linker; and   c) said sPD-1 variant domain.   
     
     
         5 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said sPD-1 variant domain exhibits at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         6 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said Fc domain is a human IgG Fc domain or a variant human IgG Fc domain. 
     
     
         7 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 6 , wherein said human IgG Fc domain comprises the hinge-CH2-CH3 of human IgG4. 
     
     
         8 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 6 , wherein said Fc domain is a variant human IgG Fc domain. 
     
     
         9 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 8 , wherein said variant human IgG Fc domain comprises the hinge-CH2-CH3 of human IgG4 with a S228P amino acid substitution. 
     
     
         10 . The Fc fusion protein according  claim 1 , wherein said linker is selected from the group consisting of (GS)n, (GSGGS)n, (GGGGS)n, and (GGGS)n, wherein n is selected from the group consisting of 1, 2 and 3. 
     
     
         11 . The Fc fusion protein according to  claim 10 , wherein said linker is GGGGS. 
     
     
         12 . A nucleic acid encoding said Fc fusion protein according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . An expression vector comprising said nucleic acid of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         14 . A host cell comprising said nucleic acid of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         15 . A method of making an sPD-1 variant-Fc fusion protein comprising:
 a) culturing said host cell of  claim 14  under conditions wherein said Fc fusion protein is expressed; and b) recovering said Fc fusion protein.   
     
     
         16 . A method of treating, reducing, or preventing metastasis or invasion of a tumor in a subject with cancer, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of one or more said Fc fusion proteins of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cancer is selected from the group consisting of melanoma, glioma, lymphoma, myeloma, head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, gallbladder cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, and any other solid tumor cancer. 
     
     
         18 . A method of treating a subject with an infection, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of one or more said Fc fusion proteins of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the infection is a fungal infection, bacterial infection or viral infection. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the viral infection is selected from the group consisting of a hepatitis B virus infection, hepatitis C virus infection, human papilloma virus infection, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, human T-lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) infection, Epstein-Barr virus infection, herpes virus infection, cytomegalovirus infection, and any other chronic viral infection. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the effective dose of the one or more Fc fusion proteins inhibits, reduces, or modulates signal transduction mediated by the wild-type PD-1 in the subject. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the effective dose of the one or more Fc fusion proteins increases a T cell response in the subject. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the effective dose of the one or more Fc fusion proteins inhibits, reduces, or modulates signal transduction mediated by the wild-type PD-1 in the subject. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the effective dose of the one or more Fc fusion proteins increases a T cell response in the subject.