Disparities between Antibody Occupancy, Orientation, and Cytotoxicity in Immunotherapy

We report fusion proteins designed to bind spatially distinct epitopes on the extracellular portion of HER2, a breast cancer biomarker and established therapeutic target, and recruit IgG (either anti‐His6 or serum IgG) to the cell surface. When the proteins were incubated with anti‐His6 antibody and various concentrations of a single HER2‐binding protein His6 fusion, we observed interference and a decrease in antibody recruitment at HER2‐binding protein concentrations exceeding ∼30 nM. In contrast, concomitant treatment with two or three distinct HER2‐binding protein His6 fusions, and anti‐His6, results in increased antibody recruitment, even at relatively high HER2‐binding protein concentration. In some instances, increased antibody recruitment leads to increased antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity. While a fusion protein consisting of a HER2‐binding nanobody and Sac7d, a protein evolved to recognize the Fc domain of IgG, binds IgG from serum, antibody recruitment does not lead to ADCC activity. Rationales for these disparities are provided. Collectively, our findings have implications for the design of efficacious targeted immunotherapeutic biologics, and ensembles thereof. Getting in your own way. We report fusion proteins consisting of a HER2 binding domain and antibody‐binding domain. Concomitant treatment with a mixture of fusions increased antibody recruitment and antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) for some mixtures. For a fusion containing a Sac7d IgG‐recruiting domain, IgG recruitment is observed, but not ADCC, likely due to inhibition of CD16 binding.