IP Library Granted Patent US 11,897,957
Granted Patent B2
US 11,897,957 · App. 17/338,597 · Granted Feb 13, 2024

Anti-ILT4 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments

Inventors: Milan Blanusa (Jena, DE); Barbara Joyce-Shaikh (San Jose, CA); Andrea Claudia Schuster (Jena, DE); Kornelia Schultze (Jena, DE); Luis A. Zuniga (Mountain View, CA)
Assignees: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC; Agenus Inc.
C07K16/2803A61P35/00C07K16/2818C07K16/2896A61K2039/505C07K2317/21C07K2317/33C07K2317/56C07K2317/565C07K2317/76C07K2317/92
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,897,957
App. No.
17/338,597
Granted
Feb 13, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof that bind to ILT4 (immunoglobulin-like transcript 4) and combinations thereof, e.g., with an anti-PD1 antibody. Also provided are methods of use thereof, for example, for treating or preventing cancer in a subject; and methods of making such antibodies and fragments.

Claims (21)

1. A method of treating a cancer in a human subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the human subject an effective amount of an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds human ILT4, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-H1 having an amino acid sequence of GYYWS (SEQ ID NO: 16), a CDR-H2 having an amino acid sequence of EINHSGSTNYNPSLKS (SEQ ID NO: 47) or EINHAGSTNYNPSLKS (SEQ ID NO: 48), and a CDR-H3 having an amino acid sequence of LPTRWVTTRYFDL (SEQ ID NO: 18); and a light chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-L1 having an amino acid sequence of TGSSSNIGAGYDVH (SEQ ID NO: 19), a CDR-L2 having an amino acid sequence of GNSNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 49), GQSNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 50), GESNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 51), GDSNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 52), GNANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 53), GQANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 54), GEANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 55), or GDANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 56), and a CDR-L3 having an amino acid sequence of QSFDNSLSAYV (SEQ ID NO: 21).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable domain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58, 70, 71, 72, 73, or 77, and a heavy chain variable domain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57, 63, or 69.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58, 70, 71, 72, 73, or 77, and a heavy chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57, 63, or 69.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 45, and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 2, 79, 80, or 81.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 45, and a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 2, 79, 80, or 81.

6. A method of treating a cancer in a human subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the human subject an effective amount of an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds human ILT4, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-H1 having an amino acid sequence of GYYWS (SEQ ID NO: 16), a CDR-H2 having an amino acid sequence of EINHAGSTNYNPSLKS (SEQ ID NO: 48), and a CDR-H3 having an amino acid sequence of LPTRWVTTRYFDL (SEQ ID NO: 18); and a light chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-L1 having an amino acid sequence of TGSSSNIGAGYDVH (SEQ ID NO: 19), a CDR-L2 having an amino acid sequence of GDSNRPS (SEQ ID NO: 52), and a CDR-L3 having an amino acid sequence of QSFDNSLSAYV (SEQ ID NO: 21).

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable domain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58, and a heavy chain variable domain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58 and a heavy chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 and a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 and a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:80.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising administering a therapeutic agent to the human subject.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the therapeutic agent is an anti-PD-1 antibody.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anti-PD-1 antibody is pembrolizumab.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anti-PD-1 antibody is nivolumab.

16. The method of claim 6 , wherein the cancer is anaplastic astrocytoma, astrocytoma, bladder cancer, bone cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, carcinoid cancer, cervical cancer, chondrosarcoma, choroid plexus papilloma, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, ependymoma, esophagus cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, gall bladder cancer, gastric cancer, glioblastoma, head and neck cancer, hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, idiopathic myelfibrosis, kidney cancer, leukemia, liver cancer, lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, lymphoma, medulloblastoma, melanoma, meningioma, Merkel cell cancer, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, neuroblastoma, oligodendroglioma, osteosarcoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, polycythemia vera, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, prostate cancer, renal cell cancer, renal transitional cell cancer, retinoblastoma, rhabdoid tumor of the kidney, rhabdomyosarcoma, salivary gland cancer, sarcoma, small intestine cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, synovial sarcoma, thrombocythemia, thyroid cancer, uterine cancer, vestibular schwannoma, or Wilm's tumor.

17. A method for blocking binding of ILT4 to HLA-G, HLA-A, HLA-B and/or HLA-F in a human subject in need thereof comprising administering to the human subject an effective amount of an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds human ILT4, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-H1 having an amino acid sequence of GYYWS (SEQ ID NO: 16), a CDR-H2 having an amino acid sequence of EINHSGSTNYNPSLKS (SEQ ID NO: 47) or EINHAGSTNYNPSLKS (SEQ ID NO: 48), and a CDR-H3 having an amino acid sequence of LPTRWVTTRYFDL (SEQ ID NO: 18); and a light chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-L1 having an amino acid sequence of TGSSSNIGAGYDVH (SEQ ID NO: 19), a CDR-L2 having an amino acid sequence of GNSNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 49), GQSNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 50), GESNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 51), GDSNRPS(SEQ ID NO: 52), GNANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 53), GQANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 54), GEANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 55), or GDANRPS(SEQ ID NO: 56), and a CDR-L3 having an amino acid sequence of QSFDNSLSAYV (SEQ ID NO: 21).

18. The method of 17 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-H1 having an amino acid sequence of GYYWS (SEQ ID NO: 16), a CDR-H2 having an amino acid sequence of EINHAGSTNYNPSLKS (SEQ ID NO: 48), and a CDR-H3 having an amino acid sequence of LPTRWVTTRYFDL (SEQ ID NO: 18); and a light chain variable domain comprising: a CDR-L1 having an amino acid sequence of TGSSSNIGAGYDVH (SEQ ID NO: 19), a CDR-L2 having an amino acid sequence of GDSNRPS (SEQ ID NO: 52), and a CDR-L3 having an amino acid sequence of QSFDNSLSAYV (SEQ ID NO: 21).

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58 and a heavy chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 and a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 and a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:80.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Aug 8, 2022
From: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME LLC
Reel/Frame 061102/0145 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: BLANUSA, MILAN; SCHUSTER, ANDREA CLAUDIA; SCHULTZE, KORNELIA
To: AGENUS SWITZERLAND INC.
Reel/Frame 056439/0192 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: BLANUSA, MILAN; SCHUSTER, ANDREA CLAUDIA; SCHULTZE, KORNELIA
To: AGENUS SWITZERLAND INC.
Reel/Frame 056439/0654 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: AGENUS SWITZERLAND INC.
To: AGENUS INC.
Reel/Frame 056439/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: ZUNIGA, LUIS A.; JOYCE-SHAIKH, BARBARA
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
Reel/Frame 056439/0927 →
Continuity (3)
Division 15945779 · Apr 5, 2018
Provisional Application 62483019 · Apr 7, 2017
Related Publication 20220033496A1 · Feb 3, 2022