Techniques: Conjugation of glycophorin A (GYPA)-binding peptides to protein drugs to reduce anti-drug immunity

A GYPA-binding peptide that targets therapeutic proteins to erythrocytes could help prevent immune responses to the drugs. In normal mice, injection of asparaginase conjugated to a peptide that binds GYPA on erythrocytes decreased titers of anti-asparaginase antibodies by over 1,000-fold and increased drug circulating times compared with injection of unconjugated asparaginase. Next steps include conjugating the GYPA-binding peptide to other protein drugs and testing the conjugates' immune tolerance in non-human primates.

The bacteria-derived enzyme asparaginase is marketed as a generic to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)...