A human antibody selective for transthyretin amyloid removes cardiac amyloid through phagocytic immune cells

Nat Commun. 2021 May 25;12(1):3142. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23274-x.

Abstract

Transthyretin amyloid (ATTR) cardiomyopathy is a debilitating disease leading to heart failure and death. It is characterized by the deposition of extracellular ATTR fibrils in the myocardium. Reducing myocardial ATTR load is a therapeutic goal anticipated to translate into restored cardiac function and improved patient survival. For this purpose, we developed the selective anti-ATTR antibody NI301A, a recombinant human monoclonal immunoglobulin G1. NI301A was cloned following comprehensive analyses of memory B cell repertoires derived from healthy elderly subjects. NI301A binds selectively with high affinity to the disease-associated ATTR aggregates of either wild-type or variant ATTR related to sporadic or hereditary disease, respectively. It does not bind physiological transthyretin. NI301A removes ATTR deposits ex vivo from patient-derived myocardium by macrophages, as well as in vivo from mice grafted with patient-derived ATTR fibrils in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The biological activity of ATTR removal involves antibody-mediated activation of phagocytic immune cells including macrophages. These data support the evaluation of safety and tolerability of NI301A in an ongoing phase 1 clinical trial in patients with ATTR cardiomyopathy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Amyloid Neuropathies, Familial / drug therapy*
  • Amyloid Neuropathies, Familial / genetics
  • Amyloid Neuropathies, Familial / pathology
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Cardiomyopathies / drug therapy*
  • Cardiomyopathies / pathology
  • Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Phagocytosis / drug effects
  • Phagocytosis / immunology
  • Prealbumin / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Prealbumin / genetics
  • Prealbumin / metabolism
  • Protein Aggregates / drug effects
  • Protein Aggregates / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Transplantation, Heterologous

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Prealbumin
  • Protein Aggregates
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • TTR protein, human

Supplementary concepts

  • Amyloidosis, Hereditary, Transthyretin-Related