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Develop pan-specific antibody against mutant glycyl-tRNA synthetase for treating CMT2D

Award Number: R33NS116211
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2024

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Develop pan-specific antibody against mutant glycyl-tRNA synthetase for treating CMT2D - Abstract Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease type 2D is caused by dominant mutations in GARS, encoding glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS). CMT is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous collection of disorders in which peripheral motor and sensory axons degenerate. The diseases specifically affect the peripheral nervous system and are characterized by progressive motor neuron degeneration, muscle atrophy, and sensory loss. None of the CMT disease subtypes have a targeted treatment, thus CMT remains an unmet medical need. The genetic heterogeneity makes it unlikely that a single therapy will be effective for all forms of CMT. Although gene therapies have emerged strongly for monogenic diseases such as CMT, the large number of different mutations involved, and the small number of patients affected by each mutation render classic gene therapy onerous for CMT2D. Identifying a causal treatment strategy applicable to different mutations in GARS would therefore be the most attractive therapeutic approach for CMT2D. Also, being able to directly engage with the GlyRS protein itself is key to CMT2D remediation. Our previous work has established that a major source of the toxicity of the CMT-causing mutant GlyRS is originated from the extracellular space, where mutant proteins aberrantly interact with Neuropilin 1 (Nrp1) receptor and antagonize a signaling pathway important for motor neuron maintenance. We designed a novel strategy based on our structural insight of the GlyRS mutants. We found that different CMT2D mutations caused a shared conformational change in GlyRS that exposes new protein surfaces at the dimer interface to solution. By using two different peptides from the dimer interface of GlyRS as antigens for immunization, we have successfully obtained two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (one for each peptide) from mouse hybridomas that can block the pathological Nrp1 interaction and exhibit promising pan-mutant selectivity. These two mAb candidates will be characterized for their biophysical properties, and used for conducting pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and in vivo efficacy studies in a mouse model of the human disease to evaluate whether they have sufficient biological activity to warrant further development to treat CMT2D.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2023	SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE	10550 N TORREY PINES RD	LA JOLLA	CA	92037	SAN DIEGO	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	8/7/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $443,750 )
2023	2023	SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE	10550 NORTH TORREY PINES RD	LA JOLLA	CA	92037	SAN DIEGO	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	3	1/30/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$44,374
2023	2023	SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE	10550 NORTH TORREY PINES RD	LA JOLLA	CA	92037	SAN DIEGO	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	1/13/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$399,376
														Subtotal = $443,750

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $443,750 )
2022	2022	SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE	10550 NORTH TORREY PINES RD	LA JOLLA	CA	92037	SAN DIEGO	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	12/30/2021	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$443,750
														Subtotal = $443,750

Grand Total All Awards = $887,500

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Develop pan-specific antibody against mutant glycyl-tRNA synthetase for treating CMT2D

Award Number: R33NS116211

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2024

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