Techniques: Rapamycin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles to prevent anti-drug antibodies

Rapamycin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles could prevent immunogenicity caused by protein-based and other therapeutics. In mice and cynomolgus monkeys, the highly immunogenic antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) plus PLGA nanoparticles loaded with the immune modulator rapamycin, decreased the formation of anti-KLH antibodies compared with KLH alone or KLH plus free rapamycin. In mouse models of gout or inflammatory arthritis, co-administration of rapamycin-loaded nanoparticles plus pegsiticase or Humira adalimumab, respectively, prevented formation of anti-drug antibodies and decreased disease symptoms compared with pegsiticase or Humira alone. Next steps by Selecta Biosciences Inc. include testing the particles with gene therapies, cancer therapies and other immunogenic compounds (see "Selecta Spreads Tolerance," page 6).

AbbVie Inc. and Eisai Co. Ltd. market Humira, an anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) mAb, to treat several autoimmune diseases...