The goal of this mini-review is to summarize the collective experience of the authors for how modeling and simulation approaches have been used to inform various decision points from discovery to ...First-In-Human clinical trials. The article is divided into a high-level overview of the types of problems that are being aided by modeling and simulation approaches, followed by detailed case studies around drug design (Nektar Therapeutics, Genentech), feasibility analysis (Novartis Pharmaceuticals), improvement of preclinical drug design (Pfizer), and preclinical to clinical extrapolation (Merck, Takeda, and Amgen).
SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations were initially shown to substantially reduce risk of severe disease and death. However, pharmacokinetic (PK) waning and rapid viral evolution degrade neutralizing antibody ...(nAb) binding titers, causing loss of vaccinal protection. Additionally, there is inter-individual heterogeneity in the strength and durability of the vaccinal nAb response. Here, we propose a personalized booster strategy as a potential solution to this problem. Our model-based approach incorporates inter-individual heterogeneity in nAb response to primary SARS-CoV-2 vaccination into a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model to project population-level heterogeneity in vaccinal protection. We further examine the impact of evolutionary immune evasion on vaccinal protection over time based on variant fold reduction in nAb potency. Our findings suggest viral evolution will decrease the effectiveness of vaccinal protection against severe disease, especially for individuals with a less durable immune response. More frequent boosting may restore vaccinal protection for individuals with a weaker immune response. Our analysis shows that the ECLIA RBD binding assay strongly predicts neutralization of sequence-matched pseudoviruses. This may be a useful tool for rapidly assessing individual immune protection. Our work suggests vaccinal protection against severe disease is not assured and identifies a potential path forward for reducing risk to immunologically vulnerable individuals.
How nematode sperm crawl Bottino, Dean; Mogilner, Alexander; Roberts, Tom ...
Journal of cell science,
2002-Jan-15, Letnik:
115, Številka:
Pt 2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Sperm of the nematode, Ascaris suum, crawl using lamellipodial protrusion, adhesion and retraction, a process analogous to the amoeboid motility of other eukaryotic cells. However, rather than ...employing an actin cytoskeleton to generate locomotion, nematode sperm use the major sperm protein (MSP). Moreover, nematode sperm lack detectable molecular motors or the battery of actin-binding proteins that characterize actin-based motility. The Ascaris system provides a simple 'stripped down' version of a crawling cell in which to examine the basic mechanism of cell locomotion independently of other cellular functions that involve the cytoskeleton. Here we present a mechanochemical analysis of crawling in Ascaris sperm. We construct a finite element model wherein (a) localized filament polymerization and bundling generate the force for lamellipodial extension and (b) energy stored in the gel formed from the filament bundles at the leading edge is subsequently used to produce the contraction that pulls the rear of the cell forward. The model reproduces the major features of crawling sperm and provides a framework in which amoeboid cell motility can be analyzed. Although the model refers primarily to the locomotion of nematode sperm, it has important implications for the mechanics of actin-based cell motility.
BackgroundTAK-573, a humanized, anti-CD38, IgG4, monoclonal antibody genetically fused to two attenuated IFNα2b molecules, was designed for targeted delivery of attenuated IFNα2b to CD38 expressing ...(CD38+) cells, utilizing a unique epitope of CD38 that does not compete with current anti-CD38 therapies. Preclinical evaluation of TAK-573 confirmed activation of type I IFN signaling in CD38+ cells inducing direct anti-proliferative effects on multiple myeloma (MM) cells and direct and indirect immune cell activation. Here we provide the preliminary analyses of the pharmacodynamic data currently available from the ongoing Ph I/II TAK-573-1501 clinical study in patients with relapsed/refractory MM (NCT03215030).MethodsPeripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) aspirates were collected from patients at pre- and post-dose time points for exploratory biomarker analyses. CD38 receptor occupancy (RO) and receptor density (RD) were determined using a 9-color flow cytometry assay. Whole transcriptome sequencing of bulk RNA was performed and analyzed to assess the type I IFN gene signature. Serum samples were analyzed using Olink’s Proximity Extension Assay Immuno-Oncology panel to measure changes in cytokine levels. Mass cytometry-based immunophenotyping was utilized to characterize changes in immune cell prevalence and activation status of cryopreserved cells.ResultsAdministration of TAK-573 resulted in a dose dependent increase in CD38 RO of PB-derived immune cells with saturation detected 4 hours after the end of infusion (EOI) at doses ≥ 0.2 mg/kg. The duration of saturation was dose dependent with doses ≥ 0.75 mg/kg saturating CD38 RO through 24 hours. All dose levels tested resulted in increases in the type I IFN gene signature at 24 hours. Consistent with CD38 being an IFN stimulated gene, TAK-573 treatment resulted in CD38 RD increases most notably on NK cells, but also on other CD38+ cells including MM cells. Circulating levels of IFN-associated cytokines were also elevated, with maximal induction 4 hours after the EOI. CD8+ T-cells in BM showed increased CD69 expression in 7 of 9 patients analyzed, 3 of whom also showed increases in both IFNγ and granzyme B positivity suggesting TAK-573 treatment results in increased BM cytolytic CD8+ T-cells, in a subset of patients.Abstract 357 Figure 1Proposed Mechanism of Action of TAK-573ConclusionsThese preliminary biomarker data indicate that TAK-573 is a pharmacologically active molecule that mediates its effect through IFNAR pathway modulation. Additional data are being collected to further refine the mechanism of action (Image 1), which will inform the recommended phase 2 dose and optimal schedule of administration for the development of TAK-573.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials. gov: NCT03215030Ethics ApprovalThe TAK-573-1501 study is approved by WIRB-Copernicus Group, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Advarra IRBs.
Purpose
Despite encouraging preclinical results, mechanisms of CNS drug delivery following intranasal dosing of nanoemulsions remain incompletely understood. Herein, the transport characteristics of ...intranasally administered nanoemulsions are investigated using mathematical modeling and simulation.
Methods
A compartmental model was developed to describe systemic and brain pharmacokinetics of drug solutions following intranasal dosing in rodents. The association between transport processes and CNS drug delivery was predicted using sensitivity analysis. Published pharmacokinetic data for four drugs; dosed as a nanoemulsion and aqueous solution were modeled to characterize differences in transport processes across formulations.
Results
The intranasal model structure performed in a drug agnostic fashion. Sensitivity analysis suggested that though the extent of CNS drug delivery depends on nasal bioavailability, the CNS targeting efficiency is only sensitive to changes in drug permeability across the nasal epithelium. Modeling results indicated that nanoemulsions primarily improve nasal bioavailability and drug permeability across the olfactory epithelium, with minimal effect on drug permeability across the non-olfactory epithelium.
Conclusions
Using mathematical modeling we outlined dominant transport pathways following intranasal dosing, predicted the association between transport pathways and CNS drug delivery, predicted human CNS delivery after accounting for inter-species differences in nasal anatomy, and quantified the CNS delivery potential of different formulations in rodents.
Purpose
Despite extensive preclinical investigations,
in-vivo
properties and formulation characteristics that improve CNS drug delivery following systemic dosing of nanoemulsions remain incompletely ...understood.
Methods
The CNS targeting potential of systemically administered nanoemulsions was evaluated by formulating rapamycin containing fish oil nanoemulsions, and testing the combined effect of formulation characteristics such as the circulation half-life and particle size distribution, on CNS delivery of rapamycin containing fish oil nanoemulsions in mice.
Results
Results generated with rapamycin nanoemulsions suggested that circulation half-life and particle size distribution did not impact the brain targeting efficiency of rapamycin containing fish oil nanoemulsions. Further, in the absence of any improvement in the systemic exposures of rapamycin, nanoemulsions did not outperform their aqueous counterpart with respect to the extent of CNS drug delivery.
Conclusions
Our findings confirm that BBB penetration, which primarily depends on intrinsic drug-related properties, may not be significantly improved following encapsulation of drugs in nanoemulsions.
Graphical Abstract
The CNS targeting potential of systemically administered nanoemulsions was investigated by formulating various rapamycin containing fish oil nanoemulsions associated with different formulation characteristics such as the circulation half-life and particle size distribution. The targeting efficiency (TE) defined as the ratio of the brain exposures to the accompanying systemic exposures of rapamycin was estimated for each formulation following IV dosing in mice.
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are cancer drugs composed of a humanized antibody linked to a cytotoxic payload, allowing preferential release of payload in cancer cells expressing the ...antibody-targeted antigen. Here, a systems pharmacology model is used to simulate ADC transport from blood to tumor tissue and ADC uptake by tumor cells. The model includes effects of spatial gradients in drug concentration in a three-dimensional network of tumor blood vessels with realistic geometry and accounts for diffusion of ADC in the tumor extracellular space, binding to antigen, internalization, intracellular processing, and payload efflux from cells. Cells that process an internalized ADC-antigen complex may release payload that can be taken up by other “bystander” cells. Such bystander effects are included in the model. The model is used to simulate conditions in previous experiments, showing good agreement with experimental results. Simulations are used to analyze the relationship of bystander effects to payload properties and single-dose administrations. The model indicates that exposure of payload to cells distant from vessels is sensitive to the free payload diffusivity in the extracellular space. When antigen expression is heterogeneous, the model indicates that the amount of payload accumulating in non-antigen-expressing cells increases linearly with dose but depends only weakly on the percentage of antigen-expressing cells. The model provides an integrated mechanistic framework for understanding the effects of spatial gradients on drug distribution using ADCs and for designing ADCs to achieve more effective payload distribution in solid tumors, thereby increasing the therapeutic index of the ADC.
We seek to characterize how faster tumour shrinkage rate (k) can lead to paradoxically shorter Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) time to progression (‘TTP20’ – tumour size ...exceeding its minimum by 5 mm and 20%) 1 and, therefore, progression-free survival (PFS). Specifically, we investigate under what conditions this paradoxical behaviour occurs, what fraction of patients satisfy these conditions, whether this phenomenon can invert population-level PFS hazard ratio, and consistency of an alternative time-to-event benefit metric with k.
We use a mathematical model treating tumour burden as decreasing drug-sensitive and increasing drug-resistant cell subpopulations. We fit this model to data from several clinical trials with different indications 2. We simulated a more effective treatment and recorded whether patients' TTP20 increased or decreased. We performed a study-level analysis to compare the relationship of speed and depth of response with TTP20 for both the administered ‘control’ and simulated ‘more effective’ drug. We propose and test an alternative benefit metric: the model-projected time that tumour size reaches 120% of baseline (TTB120).
Depending on indication, 3–27% of patients are estimated to have a paradoxically inverse relationship between k and TTP20. Simulated head-to-head studies show that TTP20-based PFS can favour the less effective drug. In contrast, TTB120 always favours the more effective drug.
We demonstrate the paradoxical behaviour of RECIST TTP20 – as an exemplar of percent-change-from-nadir based cancer progression criterion – both in theory and in observed patient data at the individual and trial level. We propose an alternative tumour size–based criterion (TTB120) that is directionally consistent with tumour shrinkage rate.
•A Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) time to progression (TTP) criterion is tumour size exceeding 120% of its minimum.•A simple mathematical model well describes tumour response and relapse in treated patients.•Increasing tumour shrinkage rate in this model often leads to paradoxically shorter TTP.•This effect is large and frequent enough to invert population-level TTP-based outcomes.•We propose an alternative time to event metric that is consistent with shrinkage rate.
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