Effect of production method on the systemic clearance rate of a human monoclonal antibody in the rat.

Pharmacologic studies of human immunoglobulins (IgM) in non-primate animal models, whether directed toward efficacy or toxicity, rely on pharmacokinetic parameters to achieve optimal doses and schedules. In rodents, human IgMs have an effective circulatory half-life of 11 h and a plasma clearance rate of 0.044 ml/min/kg. Studies of a new group of human monoclonal antibodies (hMAb) specific for Gram-negative bacteria and endotoxin revealed an IgM molecule, hMAb-10058, which, when purified from tissue culture medium, exhibited a suprisingly short circulatory lifetime in rodents. Investigations into possible explanations for this short circulatory half-life resulted in the development of a simple and efficient method for producing hMAbs in the immunodeficient NIH-3 mouse (bg x nu x XID). This method of production of hMAb-10058 had dramatic effects on its half-life. Whereas hMAb-10058 produced in serum-free, defined medium had a clearance rate of 14.4 ml/min/kg and an effective half-life of 0.12 h, the same hMAb-10058 raised in mouse ascites had a decreased clearance rate of 0.092 ml/min/kg and an increased effective half-life of 12 h. This 100-fold enhancement of the hMAb's half-life was not affected by the purification process. Some potential molecular structures involved in the circulatory half-life of this hMAb are discussed.