Efpeglenatide, a Long-Acting Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist—Immunogenicity Profile Based on Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Once-weekly (QW), subcutaneous efpeglenatide (efpeg) is a long-acting glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, with glucose- and weight-lowering effects, in development for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Efpeg is based on a single amino acid-modified exendin analog coupled to a fragment crystallizable (Fc) fragment of the human immunoglobulin G molecule for slow clearance that permits QW dosing. As immunogenicity may hamper pharmacological effects, the incidence of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) was assessed in efpeg studies. In a cynomolgus monkey study, no primate developed ADAs (Table). In clinical dose-finding studies (efpeg exposure in vitro neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) were detected. Primary and immunogenicity endpoints from efpeg QW clinical studies (>3 months) are shown (Table). In patients with T2D or obesity, efpeg QW led to significant reductions in glycated hemoglobin and body weight, respectively, with low immunogenicity ( Disclosure S. Del Prato: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline plc., Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk A/S, Servier, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.. Research Support; Self; Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., AstraZeneca. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.. Advisory Panel; Self; Janssen Biotech, Inc., Abbott. I. Choi: Employee; Self; Hanmi Pharmaceutical. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Hanmi Pharmaceutical. J. Kang: Employee; Self; Hanmi Pharmaceutical. M.E. Trautmann: Consultant; Self; ProSciento. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Consultant; Self; Hanmi Pharmaceutical, CeQur Corporation, Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Servier. K. Yoon: None. C.H. Sorli: Employee; Self; Sanofi.