An engineered IL-2 reprogrammed for anti-tumor therapy using a semi-synthetic organism

Jerod L. Ptacin (), Carolina E. Caffaro, Lina Ma, Kristine M. San Jose Gall, Hans R. Aerni, Nicole V. Acuff, Rob W. Herman, Yelena Pavlova, Michael J. Pena, David B. Chen, Lilia K. Koriazova, Laura K. Shawver, Ingrid B. Joseph and Marcos E. Milla ()
Additional contact information
Jerod L. Ptacin: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Carolina E. Caffaro: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Lina Ma: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Kristine M. San Jose Gall: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Hans R. Aerni: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Nicole V. Acuff: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Rob W. Herman: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Yelena Pavlova: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Michael J. Pena: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
David B. Chen: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Lilia K. Koriazova: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Laura K. Shawver: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Ingrid B. Joseph: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company
Marcos E. Milla: Synthorx, Inc., a Sanofi Company

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract The implementation of applied engineering principles to create synthetic biological systems promises to revolutionize medicine, but application of fundamentally redesigned organisms has thus far not impacted practical drug development. Here we utilize an engineered microbial organism with a six-letter semi-synthetic DNA code to generate a library of site-specific, click chemistry compatible amino acid substitutions in the human cytokine IL-2. Targeted covalent modification of IL-2 variants with PEG polymers and screening identifies compounds with distinct IL-2 receptor specificities and improved pharmacological properties. One variant, termed THOR-707, selectively engages the IL-2 receptor beta/gamma complex without engagement of the IL-2 receptor alpha. In mice, administration of THOR-707 results in large-scale activation and amplification of CD8+ T cells and NK cells, without Treg expansion characteristic of IL-2. In syngeneic B16-F10 tumor-bearing mice, THOR-707 enhances drug accumulation in the tumor tissue, stimulates tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T and NK cells, and leads to a dose-dependent reduction of tumor growth. These results support further characterization of the immune modulatory, anti-tumor properties of THOR-707 and represent a fundamental advance in the application of synthetic biology to medicine, leveraging engineered semi-synthetic organisms as cellular factories to facilitate discovery and production of differentiated classes of chemically modified biologics.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24987-9

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