Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale

Universitéde Strasbourg

Institut Hospitalier Universitaire De Strasbourg

Chu Strasbourg, Les Hôpitaux Universitaires De Strasbourg

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Hospitalier Universitaire De Strasbourg

Inserm

Genovac

Thomas Baumert

Mirjam Zeisel

Rajeevkumar Tawar

Eric Robinet

Yujin Hoshida

Fritz Grunert

Joachim Lupberger

Catherine Schuster

John Thompson

The present invention relates to humanized anti-claudin-1 antibodies and uses thereof. Hepatitis C virus infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and a major indication for liver transplantation. For clinical development, the inventors have humanized a rat anti-CLDN1 antibody produced by genetic immunization that prevent HCV infection and also cure chronically infected human liver chimeric mice. The lead humanized anti-CLDN1 antibody (H3L3) pan-genotypically inhibited HCV pseudoparticle infection of primary human hepatocytes (PHH) without detectable escape. H3L3 efficiently inhibited infection by diverse HCV genotype 3 strains and exhibited marked synergy with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Thus, the present invention relates to humanized anti-claudin-1 antibodies and uses thereof, in particular for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C virus infection, virus-induced liver diseases, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Humanized anti-claudin-1 antibodies and uses thereof

The present invention provides a simple and robust human liver cell-based system in which persistent hepatitis C infection, persistent hepatitis B infection or ethanol exposure induces a clinical Prognostic Liver Signature (PLS) high-risk gene signature. The cellular model system for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)/cirrhosis development and progression may be used in the screening of compounds useful in the treatment and/or prevention of cirrhosis and/or HCC as well as in the identification biomarkers for the prediction of liver disease (especially cirrhosis) progression and HCC. The present invention also relates to specific compounds that have been identified, using such screening methods, as useful in the treatment and/or the prevention of HCC/cirrhosis.

Clinical gene signature-based human cell culture model and uses thereof

Use of anti-Claudin 1 monoclonal antibodies and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, for the prevention and/or treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients suffering from liver disease, in particular liver disease that is not associated with HCV infection or in patients who have been cured from HCV infection. Methods of preventing and/or treating hepatocellular carcinoma by administration of such a monoclonal antibody, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof, are also described. Experimental results with the hepatocarcinoma cell line HuH-7.5.1 are given.

Anti-claudin 1 monoclonal antibodies for the prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

The present invention relates to humanized anti-claudin-1 antibodies and uses thereof. Hepatitis C virus infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and a major indication for liver transplantation. The tight junction protein claudin-1 (CLDN1) is an essential entry factor for HCV and a promising target for therapy. For clinical development, the inventors have humanized a rat anti-CLDN1 antibody produced by genetic immunization that prevent HCV infection and also cure chronically infected human liver chimeric mice. The lead humanized anti-CLDN1 antibody (H3L3) pan-genotypically inhibited HCV pseudoparticle infection of primary human hepatocytes (PHH) without detectable escape. H3L3 efficiently inhibited infection by diverse HCV genotype 3 strains and exhibited marked synergy with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The inventors also demonstrate that anti-CLDN1 H3L3 cures persistent HCV infection in human-liver chimeric uPA-SCID mice in monotherapy. Thus, the present invention relates to humanized anti-claudin-1 antibodies and uses thereof, in particular for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C virus infection, virus-induced liver diseases, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The present invention provides several networks of cellular protein kinases as potential targets for medical intervention against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and HCV-related diseases and disorders in mammals, including humans. The invention relates to therapeutic protocols and pharmaceutical compositions designed to inhibit the activity of one or more of these protein kinases for the prevention and/or treatment of infections and diseases caused by HCV. The invention also relates to methods for the identification of kinase inhibitors that may be used to treat and/or prevent HCV infections and HCV-related diseases.

Host cell kinases as targets for antiviral therapies against HCV infection

The present invention provides monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to the extracellular domain of human Claudin-1 on the cell surface, thereby inhibiting HCV entry into susceptible cells and preventing HCV infection of these cells; and hybridoma cell lines which produce such monoclonal antibodies. Also provided are reagents that comprise such antibodies, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such antibodies. Methods of treating or preventing HCV infection by administration of an inventive monoclonal antibody, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof are also described.

Growing community of inventors

Strasbourg, France

Thomas Baumert