Bispecifics improve targeting of liposomal drugs; plus method to interpret GWAS findings and more

Maria Kavallaris and colleagues from  University of New South Wales Sydney generated bispecific antibodies with dual binding to a leukemic cell receptor, such as CD19, CD20, CD22, or CD38, and methoxy polyethylene glycol (PEG) to deliver PEGylated liposomal drugs specifically to leukemia cells.

The authors of the Science Translational Medicine paper showed the bispecific antibodies improved the targeting and cytotoxic activity of a PEGylated liposomal formulation of doxorubicin, Caelyx, marketed by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). In patient-derived xenograft mouse models of high-risk childhood leukemia, delivery of Caelyx using the bispecifics enhanced leukemia suppression and extended overall survival while reducing drug accumulation in the heart and kidneys...