Language selection

Search

Patent 2205373 Summary

Third-party information liability

Some of the information on this Web page has been provided by external sources. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information. Content provided by external sources is not subject to official languages, privacy and accessibility requirements.

Claims and Abstract availability

Any discrepancies in the text and image of the Claims and Abstract are due to differing posting times. Text of the Claims and Abstract are posted:

  • At the time the application is open to public inspection;
  • At the time of issue of the patent (grant).
(12) Patent Application: (11) CA 2205373
(54) English Title: PHOSPHATASE ACTIVATED CROSSLINKING, CONJUGATING AND REDUCING AGENTS; METHODS OF USING SUCH AGENTS; AND REAGENTS COMPRISING PHOSPHATASE ACTIVATED CROSSLINKING AND CONJUGATING AGENTS
(54) French Title: AGENTS DE RETICULATION, CONJUGAISON ET REDUCTION ACTIVES PAR LA PHOSPHATASE; PROCEDES D'UTILISATION DE CES AGENTS; ET REACTIFS COMPRENANT CES AGENTS
Status: Dead
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • C07F 9/165 (2006.01)
  • C08B 33/04 (2006.01)
  • C08B 37/02 (2006.01)
  • C08F 8/40 (2006.01)
  • C08G 69/48 (2006.01)
  • G01N 33/532 (2006.01)
  • G01N 33/543 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • BIENIARZ, CHRISTOPHER (United States of America)
  • HUSAIN, MAZHAR (United States of America)
  • YOUNG, DOUGLAS F. (United States of America)
  • SKRZYPCZYNSKI, ZBIGNIEW (United States of America)
  • CORNWELL, MICHAEL J. (United States of America)
(73) Owners :
  • ABBOTT LABORATORIES (United States of America)
  • ABBOTT LABORATORIES (United States of America)
(71) Applicants :
  • ABBOTT LABORATORIES (United States of America)
(74) Agent: NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT CANADA LLP/S.E.N.C.R.L., S.R.L.
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued:
(86) PCT Filing Date: 1995-11-30
(87) Open to Public Inspection: 1996-06-13
Examination requested: 2002-11-28
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): Yes
(86) PCT Filing Number: PCT/US1995/015586
(87) International Publication Number: WO1996/017580
(85) National Entry: 1997-05-14

(30) Application Priority Data:
Application No. Country/Territory Date
08/349,167 United States of America 1994-12-02

Abstracts

English Abstract




The present invention provides crosslinking, conjugating and reducing agents
which are functional with at least one phosphorothioate monoester group (-SPO3-
2). Crosslinking and conjugation methods as well as solid phase reagents and
conjugates which are useful in immunoassays are also provided. Crosslinking
and conjugating agents of the invention generally comprise a compound
corresponding to the formula (I): Q-(S-PO3-2)n, wherein n is at least 1 and Q
is a straight or branched monomer, polymer or oligomer having an average
molecular weight between about 200 and about 1,000,000. Additionally, when n
is 1, Q comprises at least 1 additional reactive functionality. The reducing
agents that are provided conform to a compound of formula (Y) wherein (A) and
(Z) can be independently selected from C1-C5 alkyl and CONH(CH2)p wherein p is
an integer between 1 and 5.


French Abstract

La présente invention se rapporte à des agents de réticulation, conjugaison et réduction qui sont fonctionnels avec au moins un groupe phosphorothioate monoester (-SPO¿3??-2¿), ainsi qu'à des procédés de réticulation et de conjugaison, et à des réactifs et des conjugués en phase solide qui sont utilisés dans des dosages immunologiques. Les agents de réticulation et de conjugaison de l'invention comprennent généralement un composé correspondant à la formule (I) Q-(S-PO¿3??-2¿)¿n?, dans laquelle n vaut au moins 1 et Q représente un monomère, polymère ou oligomère à chaîne droite ou ramifiée dont le poids moléculaire moyen est compris entre environ 200 et environ 1.000.000. De plus, lorsque n vaut 1, Q comprend au moins une fonctionalité réactive supplémentaire. Les agents de réduction selon cette invention sont conformes à un composé de la formule (Y) indiquée ci-dessous, dans laquelle (A) et (Z) peuvent être indépendamment sélectionnés à partir d'alkyle en C¿1?-C¿5? et CONH(CH¿2?)¿p? où p est un nombre entier compris entre 1 et 5.

Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.




-47-
Claims

What is claimed is:
1. A crosslinking and conjugating agent comprising a compound
corresponding to the formula (I):
(I)
Q-(S-PO3-2)n
wherein n is at least 1 and Q is a straight or branched monomer, polymer or
oligomer having an average molecular weight between about 200 and about
1,000,000 and wherein when n is 1, Q comprises at least 1 reactive
functionality.

2. The crosslinking and conjugating agent of claim 1 wherein said
monomer, polymer or oligomer is selected from the group consisting of:
polystyrenes, polysaccharides, polyacrylamides, polypeptides, C5-C100,000
straight or branched alkyl chains, C5-C100,000 straight or branched alkyl chainshaving heteroatoms within said chains, and C10-C75,000 cycloalkyl.

3. The compound of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of:
carboxymethylamylose poly(phosphorothioate), poly(acrylamide)
poly[acryloyl(2-(2-phosphorothioethyl)aminoethyl] hydrazide, poly(glutamic
acid) poly(phosphorothioate), poly(styrene) poly(phosphorothioate),
poly(acrylamide) poly(phosphorothioate), dextran poly(phosphorothioate),
N-hydroxysuccinimidyl cysteamidophosphorothioate 4,5-dithioheptyl
1-carboxylate, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl cysteamidophosphorothioate 3-oxybutyl
1-carboxylate, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl
1-carboxylate, cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-hydrazide,
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-(aminoethyl)carboxamide, and
p-nitrophenyl cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-carboxylate.

4. A method of crosslinking and conjugating compounds
comprising the steps of:
(a) activating a compound corresponding to the formula (I):
(I)
Q-(S-PO3-2)n



-48-
wherein n is at least 1 and Q is a straight or
branched monomer, polymer or oligomer having
an average molecular weight between about 200
and about 1,000,000 and wherein when n is 1, Q
comprises at least 1 reactive functionality,
and
(b) contacting said activated compound (I) with at least one
compound that displays an electrophilic group.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said compound (I) is selected
from the group consisting of: carboxymethylamylose poly(phosphorothioate),
poly(acrylamide) poly[acryloyl(2-(2-phosphorothioethyl)aminoethyl] hydrazide,
poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate), poly(styrene)
poly(phosphorothioate), poly(acrylamide) poly(phosphorothioate), dextran
poly(phosphorothioate), N-hydroxysuccinimidyl cysteamidophosphorothioate
4,5-dithioheptyl 1-carboxylate, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl
cysteamidophosphorothioate 3-oxybutyl 1-carboxylate, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl 1-carboxylate,
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl 1-hydrazide,
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl 1-(aminoethyl)carboxamide, and
p-nitrophenyl cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl 1-carboxylate.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein activating said compound
corresponding to the formula (I) comprises contacting said compound with a
member of the group consisting of: a hydrogen ion concentration between about
pH 4.0 and about 5.5, and a phosphatase enzyme.

7. A conjugate comprising: at least one binding member and at least
one detectable moiety bound to the residue of a compound corresponding to the
formula (I):
(I)
Q-(S-PO3-2)n
wherein n at least 1 and Q is a straight or branched monomer, polymer or
oligomer having an average molecular weight between about 200 and about
1,000,000 and wherein when n is 1, Q comprises at least 1 reactive
functionality.





-49-

8. The conjugate of claim 7 wherein said detectable moiety is
stabilized by said compound corresponding to the formula (I).

9. A solid phase reagent comprising: a solid phase and at least one
binding member bound to the residue of a compound corresponding to the
formula (I):
(I)
Q-(S-PO3-)n
wherein n at least 1 and Q is a straight or branched monomer, polymer or
oligomer having an average molecular weight between about 200 and about
1,000,000 and wherein when n is 1, Q comprises at least 1 reactive
functionality.

10. A reducing agent comprising a compound of the formula (Y)
(Y)
Image

wherein (A) and (Z) can be independently selected from C1-C5 alkyl and
CONH(CH2)p wherein p is an integer between 1 and 5.

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
wo 96/17580 PCT/USg5/15586



PHOSPHATASE ACTIVATED CROSSLINKING,
CONJUGATING AND REDUCING AGENTS; METHODS OF
USING SUCH AGENTS; AND REAGENTS COMPRISING
PHOSPHATASE ACTIVATED CROSSLINKING AND
5CONJUGATING AGENTS

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cros~linking, conjugating and reducing
agents and, in particular, relates to phosphorothioate monoester functional
1 0 cros~linking, conjugating and reducing agents.

Background of the Invention
Tmmllnn~says have become a useful diagnostic tool for detecting the
presence or amount of an analyte in a test sample. Various forms of
1 5 immunoassays, as well as the reagents and procedures necessary to pt;~ n
such assays, are well known in the art.
One form of a conventional solid-phase immunoassay is a "sandwich
assay" which involves cont~cting a test sample suspected of cont~ining an
analyte with a subst~nti~lly solid inert plastic, latex or glass bead or
2 0 microparticle, or other support m~teri~l which has been coated with a protein or
another substance capable of binding the analyte to the surface of the support.
The analyte and the protein or substance capable of binding the analyte are
commonly referred to as a "binding pair" or individually known as "binding
members", and a support m~tori~l coated with a binding member is variably
2 5 refe.r.red f~o as a "sol d phase rezger.t". Af~.er ~e ar.al~.e is bour.d to .he support
m~t~ori~l the rr.. l -~ il lg test sample is removed from the support and the analyte
bound support m~t~ori~l is treated with a second binding member. The second
binding member can be conjugated to a signal generating group such as an
enzyme, a fluorophore or a ch~omill~min~oscent label and collectively, the binding
3 0 member/signal generating group complex is variably referred to as a "conjugate"
or "inrlio~tor reagent". The conjugate becomes bound to the analyte which is
bound on the support and the solid support, having the first binding member, theanalyte and conjugate bound thereon is separated from any unbound conjugate,
typically with one or more wash steps. In the case of an enzyme immunoassay,
3 5 an indicator substance, for example, a chromogenic substrate, is added whichreacts with the enzyme to produce a color change. The color change can be

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
WO 96/17S80 PCT/US95/15586


observed visually, or more preferably by an in~ nt, to in~lic~te the presence
or amount of an analyte in the test sample. For solid phase fluorescence or
chPmilnminescence immlmo~es~ys~ fluorescent labeled binding members can be
mnnitored using excit~tion at an ~p~lupliate wavelength, while
5 ch~-.milnmin~.sc~nt labeled binding members can be monitored after a reaction
which chtq.mi~lly activates the cht~.mil--min~sc~.nt label and gen.or~tes light which
can be detected by photometric means.
Tmmllno~c~y reagents such as a solid phase reagent or a conjugate are
typicaUy m~nllf~ctured in buLlc and small amounts of the buL~ reagents are used
1 0 to perform individual assays. Rem~ining buLk reagents are then stored for
subsequent assays. The stability of these reagents is paramount to providing
analytical methods which exhibit precision and ullirOl~ y among individual
assays. Instability of such reagents provides for unreproducible assay results as
well as an increase in the costs of m~lic~l services because unstable bulk
1 5 reagents must be discarded.
Various methods have been used to increase the stability of immllno~c~y
reagents by preserving the integrity and/or activity of the compounds that
comprise the reagents. Some methods of preserving immunoassay reagents
involve placing additives such as proteins or carbohydrates into solutions that
2 0 contain the reagents. Another method of preserving assay reagents includes
adding redllcing agents (variously referred to as "anti-oxidants") to lyophili7ed
assay reagents. Unfortunately, over time, recln~ing agents are themselves
oxidized and consequently provide only short term reagent protection. Chemical
cro~linking has also become accepted as a method for stabilizing
2 5 macromolecules and thereby preserving their integrity and activity.
Chemical cros~linking can effectively be accomplich~cl by int~rmnlecular
cro.~linking or intramolecular crosslinking wherein molecules having a greater
degree of cro~.~linking are generally more stable than molecules having a lesserdegree of cro~linking. Intramolecular cros~linking refers to covalent bonds or
3 0 cro~link~ that are formed within a single rmlltim~.ri~ or monomeric chemicalentity. Hence, disulphide bonds occurring within an antibody are exemplary of
intramolecular cros~linking On the other hand, intermolecular cro.c~linking
refers to covalent bonds or crosslinks that are formed between more than one
distinct ch~-mi~l entity such as the bonds which are formed when one compound
3 5 is conjugated to another. Accordingly, an immunoassay's indicator reagent
comprising, for example, an antibody attached or conjugated to an enzyme, is

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
.~
WO 96117580 PCT/US95/15S86



exemrl~ry of int~-.rmoiecular cro.~.~linking. Additionally, an immunoassay's solid
phase reagent or an affinity chromatography gel comprising an antibody bound
to a cl~o",atographic gel are further ~x~mples of intermolecular cro.s.~linking.While intermolecular cros.slinkin.~, as exemrlifie~l above, is an effective means
5 of conjugating one ch~mi~l entity to another, generally, the degree of
crosslinking is minim~l and the stability of compounds conjugated in this manneris seldom enhanced.
Cros~linking a ch~mi~l entity t~hrough multipoint int~rm~lecular
cro~linking, however, can greatly enhance the compound's stability.
1 0 Multipoint int~-rmnlt-cular cros.~linking typically results in the formation of a
plurality of bonds between a cro.~slinkin.~ agent and the compound which is
cros~link~. Such cros~linking is most commonly associated with the bonds
formed between a soluble entity such as, for example, a polymer and a protein
such as, for example, an enzyme.
1 5 F.x~mples of intr~molecular and int.ormolecular cro.~slinking have
previously been described. For example, Wong et al., Enzyme Microb.
Technol., vol 14, pg 866-874 (1992); generally outlines techniques and reagents
for intramolecularly and intçrmolP.cularly crosslinking compounds.
Additionally, U.S. Patent No. 4,652,524 and U.S. Patent No. 4,657,853
2 0 disclose the cro~.clinking of mllltiple enzymes to a polymer, and further
cro~slinking the polymeric enzyme to a binding member. European Patent
Application No. 0 049 475 discloses a method for multipoint intermolecular
crosslinking an enzyme with a soluble polymer. Unfortunately, however, the
~o~ ioned methods require harsh con~lition.~ to effect cros.slinking, lack
2 5 control over the cros.~linking process, and/or result in randomly polym--.ri7ed
protein aggregates which are often non-soluble. Moreover the biological
performance of the cros~linked entity is often negatively affected as manifestedby, for example, lower binding ~ffinities, ~limini.chçd enzymatic turnover,
recognition impairment by specific lig~ntl.~, and the l~e.

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17~80 PCT/US95/15586


S--mm~ry of the Invention
The present invention provides cros~linking, conjugating and reducing
agents which are functional with at least one phosphorothioate monoester group
(-SPo3-2). Agents of the inv~ntion can be activated by deprotecting or
hydrolyzing the phosphate group(s) compri~ing the phosphorothioate
monoester(s). Upon activation, the agents herein provided display an
nucleophilic thiol group which can be used in cros~linking, reducing and/or
conjugating c~pacitit-s The crosslinking, conjugating and redllcing agents
herein provided can, for ex~mrle, be activated in a suitable pH environment but
1 0 the phosphate group(s) can also be hydrolyzed with a phosphate hydrolyzing
enzyme. Advantageously, through enzymatic activation, innocuous phosphate
ions and activated agent are the major activation reaction products.
Cros~linking and conjugating agents of the invention generally comprise
a compound corresponding to the formula (I), shown below, wherein n is at
1 5 least 1 and Q is a straight or branched monomer, polymer or oligomer having an
average molecular weight between about 200 and about 1,000,000.
Ad~litit n~lly, when n is 1, Q comprises at least 1 additional reactive
functionality.
(I)
2 0 Q-(S-PO3-2)n
A method for cro~linking and conjugating compounds which is provided herein
comprises activating a compound corresponding to the formula a) to form an
activated agent and contacting the activated agent with at least one compound
which is functional with an electrophilic group. Preferably, the compound of the2 5 formula (I) is activated with a pH of between about 4.0 and about 5.5 or with a
phosphatase enzyme.
Conjugates and solid phase reagents are also provided herein. A
conjugate as taught herein will generally comprise at least one binding member
and at least one detect~hle moiety bound to the residue of a compound
3 0 corresponding to the formula (I). On the other hand, a solid phase reagent will
generally comprise at least one binding member and a solid phase attached to theresidue of a compound having the formula (I).
Reducing agents are also provided which generally conform to a
compound of the formula (Y), shown below, wherein (A) and (Z) can be
3 5 independently selected from Cl-Cs alkyl and CONH(CH2)p wherein p is an
integer between 1 and 5.
-


CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586



(Y)
~OH
,C C~,z

spo3-2 SPO3

Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure l(a)-(f) illustrate cros~linking and conjugation agents.
Figure 2(a)-(e) illustrate a method of st~bili7ing a compound.
Figure 3(a)-(f~ illustrate heterobifunctional conjugation agents.
Figure 4(a)-(d) illustrate a method of conjugating two distinct chlomiç~l
entities.
1 0 Figure S(a)-(d) illustrate a method of conjugating a st~bili7t-d compound
and a second compound.
Figure 6(a)-(d) illustrates site specific conjugation of a st~hili7ed
compound with the Fc region of an antibody.
Figure 7(a)-(b) illustrate stable reducing agents.
1 5 Figure 8-13 graphically illustrate the various property improvements
displayed by st~bili7e-1 compounds.
Figure 14(a)-(e) illustrate the conjugation of two ch~mic~l entities using a
heterobifunctional conjugation agent.
Figure lS illustrates the effect stoichiometric manipulation has on the size
2 0 of the products produced in cros~linking reaction.

Detailed Description of the Invention
I. Definitions
The following clefiniti(lns are applicable to the invention:
2 5 The term "analyte", as used herein, refers to the compound or
composition to be detected or measured and which has at least one epitope or
binding site. The analyte can be any substance for which there exists a naturally
occurring binding member or for which a binding mt-mh~r can be prepared.
Analytes include, but are not intended to be limited to, toxins, organic
3 0 compounds, proteins, peptides, microorganisms, amino acids, carbohydrates,
nucleic acids, hormones, steroids, vitamins, drugs (inclu-ling those ~iminictered
for therapeutic purposes as well as those ~minictered for illicit purposes), virus
particles and metabolites of or antibodies to any of the above substances. For

CA 0220~373 l997-0~-l4
r
WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15~86


example, such analytes include, but are not intended to be limited to, ferritin;cre~tinin~ kinase MB (CK-MB); digoxin; phenytoin; phenobarbitol;
carbanla;Gcyi,le; vancomy~l; gcll~lllycill; theophylline; valproic acid; qllini~ine;
lc~ g hormone (LH); follicle stimnl~ting hormone (FSH); estradiol,
progesterone; IgE antibodies; vitamin B2 micro-globulin; glycated h~moglnbin
(Gly. Hb); cortisol; digitoxin; N-acetylproc~in~mi(le (NAPA); proc~in~mitle;
antibodies to rubella, such as rube~la-IgG and rubella-IgM; antibodies to
toxoplasmosis, such as toxoplasmosis IgG (Toxo-IgG) and toxoplasmosis IgM
(Toxo-IgM); testosterone; salicylates; ~cet~minophen; hepatitis B virus surface
1 0 antigen (HBsAg); antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen, such as anti hepatitis B
core antigen IgG and IgM (Anti-HBC); human immune deficiency virus 1 and 2
(HTLV); hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg); antibodies to hepatitis B e antigen (Anti-
HBe); thyroid stim~ ting hormone (TSH); thyroxine (T4); total triiodothyronine
(Total T3); free triiodothyronine (Free T3); carcinoembryoic antigen (CEA); and
1 5 alpha fetal protein (AFP); and drugs of abuse and controlled substances,
inclll-ling but not inten-ler7 to be limited to, amph~t~minto; methamph~l~"~h-e;b~bi~ulalcs such as amobarbital, secobarbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, andbarbital; benzodiazepines such as librium and valium; c~nn~hinoids such as
hashish and nla ijuana; cocaine; fentanyl; LSD; opiates such as heroin,
2 0 morphine, codeine, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, methadone, oxycodone,
oxymorphone and opium; phencyclidine; and propoxyphene as well as
metabolites of the above drugs of abuse and controlled substances. The term
"analyte" also in~ des any antigenic substances, haptens, antibodies,
macromolecules and comhin~*nns thereof.
2 5 "Binding member", as used herein, means a member of a binding pair,
i.e., two dirrclcn~ molecules where one of the molecules through chemical or
physical means specifically binds to the other molecule. In addition to antigen
and antibody specific binding pairs, other specific binding pairs include, but are
not intt-n~iecl to be limited to, avidin and biotin, carbohydrates and lectins,
3 0 complementary nucleotide sequences, complemPnt~ry peptide sequences,
effector and receptor molecules, an enzyme cofactor or substrate and an enzyme,
an enzyme inhihitor and an enzyme, a peptide sequence and an antibody specific
for the sequence or the entire protein, polymeric acids and bases, dyes and
protein binders, peptides and specific protein binders (e. g., ribonuclease, S-
3 5 peptide and ribonuclease S-protein),and the like. Furthermore, binding pairs can
include members that are analogs of the original binding member, for example,

CA 0220~373 l997-0~-l4

WO 96/17580 PCTtUS95/lS586


an analyte-analog or a binding member made by recombinant techniques or
molecular ~nginçering If the binding member is an immunoreactant it can be,
for ex~mplt-., a monoclonal or polyclonal antibody, a recomhin~nt protein or
recombinant antibody, a chimtoric antibody, a ll~ e(S) or fragment(s) of the
foregoing, as well as a preparation of such antibodies, peptides and nucleotidesfor which snit~hility for use as binding members is well known to those skilled
in the art.
The term "detectable moiety", as used herein, refers to any compound or
conventi~n~l detectable chemic~l group having a detectable physical or chemical
1 0 property and which can be used to label a binding member to form a conjugate
therewith. Such detectable chçmic ~1 group can be, but is not int~ndetl to be
limited to, ellzyma~ically active groups such as enzymes, enzyme substrates,
prosthetic groups or coenzymes; spin labels; fluorescent molecules such as
fluorophores and fluorogens; chromophores and chromogens; luminescent
1 5 molecules such as luminophores, cht~milllminophores and biolnminophores;
phosphorescent molecules; specifically binll~hl~ ligands such as biotin and
avidin; electroactive species; radioisotopes; toxins; drugs; haptens; DNA; RNA;
polys~cch~rides; polypeptides; liposomes; colored particles and colored
microparticles and the like.
2 0 A "solid phase", as used kerein, refers to any m~teri~l which is
s~lkst,.nti~.lly insoluble. Tke solid phase can be chosen for its intrin~ic ability to
attract and immobilize a binding member to form a capture reagent.
~lt~rn~tively, the solid phase can retain an additional receptor which has the
ability to attract and immobilize a binding member to form a capture reagent.
2 5 The ~ ition~l receptor can include a charged subst~nce that is oppositely
charged with respect to a binding member or to a charged sllbst~nce conjugated
to a binding member. As yet another ,.ltern,.tive, the receptor molecule can be
any specific binding member which is ~tt~chç~ to the solid phase and wkich has
the ability to immobilize another binding mPmher through a specific binding
3 0 reactinn The receptor mol~cllle enables the indirect binding of a binding
member to a solid phase m~t~ri:~l before the ~e~ lance of the assay or during
the performance of the assay. The solid phase thus can be a latex, plastic,
- derivatized plastic, m~gnçtic or non-magnetic metal, glass or silicon surface or
surfaces of test tubes, microtiter wells, sheets, beads, microparticles, chips, and
3 5 other configurations known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US9~i115586


It is contemplated and within the scope of the invention that the solid
phase also can comprise any suitable porous m~tt-ri~l with sufficient porosity to
allow access by in~ic~tor reagents. Microporous structures are generally
p~rt;lled, but m~tt~ri~lc with gel structure in the hydrated state may be used as
5 well. Such useful solid supports incllllAe natural polymeric carbohydrates andtheir synthetically modi~led, cros~link~l or ~ub~tiluled derivatives, such as agar,
agarose, cross-linked alginic acid, substituted and cross-lilLked guar gums,
cellulose esters, especially with nitric acid and carboxylic acids, mixed cellulose
esters, and cellulose ethers; natural polymers cont~inin~ nitrogen, such as
1 0 proteins and derivatives, including cross-linked or modified gelatins; natural
hydrocarbon polymers, such as latex and rubber; synthetic polymers which may
be prepared with suitably porous structures, such as vinyl polymers, including
polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylacetate
and its partially hydrolyzed derivatives, polyacrylamides, polym~th~crylates,
1 5 copolymers and terpolymers of the above polyconllen~tes, such as polyesters,poly~mitles, and other polymers, such as polyurethanes or polyepoxides; porous
inorganic m~teri~lc such as sulfates or carbonates of ~lk~lin~ earth metals and
m~gne~illm, including barium sulfate, c~lcinm sulfate, calcium carbonate,
,tes of aL~ali and ~lk~lintq earth metals, ~l-.,..i-.-.l-- and m~gne~illm; and
2 0 ~ll.,~,i,,l,,,, or silicon oxides or hydrates, such as clays, alumina, talc, kaolin,
zeolite, silica gel, or glass (these m:3t~ri~1~ may be used as filters with the above
polymeric m~t~ri~lc); and mixtures or copolymers or the above classes, such as
graft copolymers obtained by initi~li7ing polym~-ri7~tinn of synthetic polymers
on a pre-existing natural polymer. All of these m~t~ri~ may be used in suitable
2 5 shapes, such as films, sheets, or plates, or they may be coated onto or bonded or
l~min~tecl to a~plopliate inert carriers, such as paper, glass, plastic ~llms, or
fabrics.
The porous structure of nitrocellulose has excellent absorption and
adsorption qualities for a wide variety of reagents in~lnAing monoclonal
3 0 antibodies. Nylon also possesses similar characteristics and also is sllit~hle
The term "solid phase reagent", as used herein, means a solid phase to
which a binding member has been immobilized. Those skilled in the art will
recognize that a binding member can be immobilized to a solid phase through
numerous known methods including, for ex~mI-le, any chemic~l means and/or
3 5 physical means that does not destroy the specific binding properties of the
specific binding member.

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96tl7580 PCT/US95/15586


As used herein, the term "stable" as well as forms thereof, means that a
ch~mi~l entity such as, for example, a binding member is efficacious in its
environment of use and therefore has or retains at least the chemical and/or
biological attributes or activity relevant for its intended use. Thus, for e~mple,
5 if a stabilized compound is a binding member used in an immunoassay, it will
have the capacity to bind its cornplement~ry binding member to form a binding
pair; if a st~hili7eA compound is an enzyme, it will have its ell~ylllatic activity; if
the st~hili7eA compound is a Aetect~hlt- moiety, it will have its detect~hle
property. It will be understood, of course, that it is not necessary that a
1 0 st~hili7e~1 compound have or retain every chemical attribute as long as the
chemical attribute that is not retained is not relevant for its intended use.
Additionally, a st~hili7eA compound, as compared to an unst~hili7eA compound,
generally resists the loss of its relevant chemic~l attributes when exposed to
environment~l stresses such as, for example, temperature extremes, pH extremes
1 5 and organic solvents. Accordingly, a stabilized compound, as conl~al~d to anun~t~bili7eA compound, generally retains its relevant chemi~l attributes for
longer periods of time.
The term "test sample", as used herein, refers to a m~t~.ri~l suspected of
cont~ining the analyte. The test sample can be used directly as obtained from the
2 0 source or following a pre-tre~tm~-nt to modify the character of the sample. The
test sample can be derived from any biological source, such as a physiological
fluid, including, blood, saliva, ocular lens fluid, cerebral spinal fluid, sweat,
urine, miLk, ascites fluid, mucous, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid
and the like, and fermentation broths, cell cultures, and chemical reaction
2 5 mi~Lules and the lilce. The test sample can be p~ ealed prior to use, such as
preparing plasma from blood, diluting viscous fluids, and the like. Methods of
tre~tment can involve filtration, Ai~till~tion, extraction, concentration,
inactivation of interfering components, and the addition of reagents. In addition
to biological or physiological fluids, other liquid samples can be used such as
3 0 water, food products and the like for the perfnrm~nre of environm.ontAl or food
production assays. In addition, a solid m~t~riAl suspected of cont~ining the
analyte can be used as the test sample. In some instances, it may be ben~ficizll to
modify a solid test sample to form a liquid meflillm or to release the analyte.

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95115586


-10-
II. Pbosphatase Activatable Phosphorothioate Monoester A~ents
The present invention provides novel compounds which display at least
one phosphorothioate monoester group (-S-Po3-2). It has been discovered that
these compounds have utility as (i) cros.clinking agents, (ii) conjugation agents,
and (iii) redllçing agents. Prior to the present invention, compounds were
typically crosslinked or conjugated under harsh chemic~l cr)ntlitionc.
Ul.ru~ulla~t;ly, such conditions can damage the chemical and/or biological
l~ropti lies associated with the crocclinkPd or conjugated compounds. The agentsherein provided can be activated and thereafter employed to reduce, crosslilLk
1 0 and/or conjugate compounds under gentle conditions. Moreover, the by-
products of such reactions are relatively innocuous. Accordingly, a crosclinkP~
compound, for example, does not require purification from the by-products of a
croc.clinking reaction. Consequently, compounds that are crocclinkP~l,
conjugated or reduced, as taught herein, do not run the risk of damage caused by1 5 harsh chemir.~l conditions.

A. Crosslinking and Conjugating Agents
Crosclinking and conjugating agents of the present invention generally
compri.ce a mnnnmPr, polymer or oligomer backbone that is functional with at
2 0 least two reactive moieties and at least one of the two reactive mniehes comprises
a phosphorothioate monoester. The cros.clinking agents herein provided have
the formula (I), shown below, wherein Q is a straight or branched monomer,
polymer or oligomer and n is at least one.
(I)
2 5 Q-(S-P03~2)n
As previously mentioned, cro.c.clinking and conjugating agents of the present
invention will have at least two reactive moieties. Accordingly, when n is one,
the monomer, polymer or oligomer backbone will comprice at least one other
reactive moiety in addition to the phosphorothioate monoester. Such reactive
3 0 moieties can include electrophilic and nucleophilic groups such as, for example,
haloalkyls, epoxides, hy~r~7.i~1es, hydrazines, thiolates, hydroxyls, and the like,
preferably active esters, amines and carboxylic acids.
While the crosslinking and conjugating agents will comprise at least one
phosphorothioate monoester group, it is plc~f~lled that such agents comprise
3 5 between about 2 and about SO phosphorothioate monoester groups, more
preferably between about S and about 40 phosphorothioate monoester groups

CA 0220~373 l997-0~-l4

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586



and most preferably between about 10 and about 30 phosphorothioate monoester
groups.
The cro.cslinking and conjugating agents herein provided are preferably
hydrophilic and display a net negative charge which allows for adequate
5 solnbili7~tion of such agents. Accordingly, it is pler~ -~d that a crosslinking and
conjugating agent's backbone is neutral or has a net negative charge.
~tlrlition~lly, it is preferable that the solubility of such agents is at least lx10-8 M
at 25C, more preferably at least lx10-7 M at 25C, and most preferably at leastlx10-6 M at 2~C.
1 0 The size of the backbone monomer, polymer or oligomer which
compri~es a cro.~slinking and conjugating agent is largely a matter of choice
based upon the compound or compounds which are to be cros.~link~-l or
conjugated. Preferably the backbone will have an average molecular weight of
between about 200 and about 1,000,000, more preferably between about 1,000
1 5 and about 850,000, and most preferably between about 2,000 and about
750,000. As it will be nn(l~-r.~tood, of course, the backbone will comprise at
least one monomer that is suitable for deriv~ti7.~tir)n with at least one
phosphorothioate monoester group. The backbone can be directly functional
with the phosphorothioate monoester or the backbone may comprise a
2 0 phosphorothioate monoester which is pendent from a polymeric side chain or
side chains. When present, side chains which may be pendant from the
backbone polymer preferably comprise aliphatic chains from 1 to 40 carbon
atoms which are optiGnally substituted with heteroatoms such as, for example,
nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and sulfur (S).
2 5 Several monomeric, polymeric or oligomeric backbones have been found
to be especially suitable for forming the cro.c.~linking and conjugating agents
herein provided. For example, suitable backbones include, but are not intenrle(lto be limited to straight or branched polypeptides comprising natural or synthetic
amino acid residues such as, for example, polylysine, poly~mides, polygluL~Iluc
3 0 acid, and polyaspartic acid; oligonucleotides such as, for example, DNA andRNA; polycarbohydrates or polysacch~ri~les such as, for example, polyamylose,
polyfuranosides, polypyranosides, carboxymethylamylose, and dextrans;
polystyrenes such as, for example, chloromethylated poly~Lylc;ne and
bromomethylated polystyrene; polyacrylarnides such as, for example,
3 5 polyacrylarnide hydrazide; polyacids such as, for exarnple, polyacrylic acid;
polyols such as, for example, polyvinyl alcohol; polyvinyls such as, for

CA 0220S373 1997-05-14

W O96/17580 PCTrUS95/15~86

-12-
~Y~mple, polyvinyI chl-)ri(le and polyvinyl bromide; polyesters; polyure.th~nç.~;
polyolefins; polyethers; C5-Cloo,ooo monomeric or polymeric straight or
branched alkyl chains which may optionally contain, within such chains,
he~loato,l,s which may comprise groups such as for example, amines,
~lisll~fi~les, thioethers, active esters, carbamates and the like; C10-C750,000
cycloalkyl chains; and the like as well as other monomeric, polymeric or
oligomeric m~t~ri~ CO~ g reactive functional groups along the length of
their chain which can be substitut~l with a phosphorothioate monoester group.
Synthesis of the cro.s~linking and conjugating agents can generally be
1 0 accomplished by filnchon~li7ing a monomer, polymer or oligomer with a
phosphorothioate monoester functionality using methodologies which are well
known to those skilled in the art. Backbones having, for example, carboxylate
functionalities or hydroxyl functionalities such as, for example, polyglllt~miç
acid, polyacryIic acids, carboxymethyl amylose and the like, can be
1 5 functionalized with phosphorothioate monoester by (i) activating carboxylàte or
hydroxyl functionalities with a suitable electrophilic activator such as, for
e~mrl~ ethyl 3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDAC) or
bromoacetic acid followed by EDAC and (ii) reacting the so-formed activated
esters with cycte~rnin~o-s-phosphate~ Backbone polymers having haloaLkyl
2 0 styrene residues can be function~li7.efl with a phosphorothioate monoester by
reacting a para or ortho phenyl alkyl halide with sodium thiophosphate
(Na3SP03) as shown below in Scheme I. As it will be understood, of course,
any halogenated monom~or, polymer or oligomer cont~ining~ or which has been
mo-lifi~d to contain, a halide may be activated by reacting such polymer with
2 5 Na3SP03 in aqueous dimethyl r~, . . .~. . ,i.le according to Scheme I.

Scheme I
R--X f Na3SPO3 ~ R - SPO3

3 0 Scheme I generally depicts a method disclosed by Bieniarz C., Cornwell
M.J., Tetrahedron Lett., 34, 939-942, (1993), for converting a primary or
secondaly halide to a phosphorothioate monoester. According to Scheme I, the
compound of the formula 1, which represents a primary or secondary halide
wherein X is a halide, is converted to the corresponding phosphorothioate

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


monoester of the formula 2 using sodium thiophosphate tribasic dodecahydrate
or anhydrous sodium thiophosphate in a suitable solvent.

B. Chemical Crosslinking
The cros~linkin~ and conjugating agents of the present invention (which
will be referred to as cro~.~linking agents in this section) can be used to crosslink
compounds by activating the cro~slinking agent and cont~eting the activated
agent with at least one compound which displays electrophilic and/or
nucleophilic groups. According to cros~linking emboAiment.c, multiple covalent
1 0 bonds are preferably formed between the cro.~.slinking agent and the compound
which is cro.~slinkt-A As a result, a cros~linktoA compound is st~kili7.eA
A group of particularly plcfcllcd cro.~linking agents is shown in Figure
1. Figure l(a) represents poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) wherein m
is an integer between about 1 and about 50 and n is an integer between about 1
1 5 and about 500; Figure l(b) represents carboxymethyl amylose
poly(phosphorothioate) wherein m is integer between about 1 and about 500 and
n is an integer between about 1 and about 500; Figure l(c) represents
poly(acrylic acid) poly(hydræide) poly(phosphorothioate) wherein k is integer
between about 1 and about 500, 1 is an integer between about O and about SOO,
2 0 m is integer between about O and about 500 and n is an integer between about 1
and about SOO; Figure l(d) represents bromomethylated poly(styrene)
poly(phosphorothioate) wherein m is integer between about 1 and about 500 and
n is an integer be~weell about 1 and about 100; Figure l(e) represents
poly(acrylamide) poly(phosphorothioate) wherein m is integer between about 1
2 5 and about SOO and n is an integer between about 1 and about SOO; and Figure
l(f) lc~,cs~;n~ dextran poly(phosphorothioate)wherein n is an integer be~wt;en
about 1 and about SOO.
Cros.~linking agents of the present invention can be activated by
deprotecting the thiol group comprising the phosphorothioate monoester.
3 0 D~utcc~ion generally involves hydrolysis of the phosphate group from the
phosphorothioate monoester to expose the nucleophilic thiol group. For
example, the thiol group of the phosphorothioate monoester can be dc~lo~ec~cd
- under low pH conAition.~ Preferably, deprotection in this manner takes place at
a pH in the range of between about ~.0 and about S.S, more preferably in the
3 5 range of between about 4.5 and about 5Ø

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
wo 96/17580 PCT/US9~/15586


In a particularly plt;rellc;d embodiment, a phosphate hydrolyzing enzyme
(or phosph~t~e enzyme) is employed to hydrolyze the phosphate protecting
group from the phosphorothioate monoester. Because enzymes have very
specific catalytic activity, typically, a phosphatase enzyme will only hydrolyze5 phosphate groups and therefore only react with the cros~linking agent. Hence,
compounds that are being cros~link~l are not exposed to d~ 1 chemical
conditions. Enzym~*c~lly ac*vating a cros~linking agent is typically performed
with a catalytic amount of phosph~t~e enzyme preferably in an amount between
about 1x10-4 M and about 1x10-14 M, more preferably be~ween about 1x10-6 M
1 0 and about 1X10-12 M and most preferably between about 1x10-8 M and about
lxlO-l M. Fx~mples of phosphatase enzymes include but are not inten~e l to
be limited to na*ve and recombinant forms of ~lk~line phosphatase, acid
phosphatase and the l~ke.
Upon activation of the cro~linking agent, the highly nucleophilic thiolate
1 5 groups can react with electrophilic groups displayed by compounds which willbe cro~link~A It has been discovered, that by controlling the stoichiometry of
the cro.~linking agent and the compounds to be cros~link~d, efflcient
cros~linking can be achieved. Surprisingly, reaction conditions can be adjusted
so that monomeric, dimeric or trimeric crosslirLked compounds are generated and
2 0 uncontrolled polym~ri7~tion is substantially miti~tell The ratio of cros.~linking
agent to compound to be cros~linkt~rl is preferably between about 2:1 and about
8:1, and more preferably between about 2:1 and about 4:1.
Generally, proteins (which will be used hereinafter as representative of
compounds that can be cros~linkecl or conjugated) can be function~li7e~1 with
2 5 electrophilic groups through che~nic~l reaction with reactive groups naturally
found on proteins such as, for example, -NH2, -SH and the like. Means, G.E.
and Feeny, R.E., Bioconju~ate Chemistry. 1: 2-12 (199Q) provides a ~UIlUll~y
of methodologies for electrophilic addition. Electrophilic groups that can be
used to function~li7e proteins include, but are not intencle~ to be limited to
3 0 hett;lobirulluLional linkers such as m-m~ imitlobGll~oyl-N-hydroxy~ucculu~ide
ester (MBS), sulfosuccinimidyl 4-(p-maleimidophenyl) but-yrate (S-SMPB), m-
m~ imitlobenzoylsulfosuccinimide ester (S-MBS) and N-~-
maleimidobutyryloxysuccinimi(le ester (GMBS), succinimidyl 4-[N-maleimido-
methyl] cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC), and 4-[(N-
3 5 m~ imi(1omethyl)tncaproamido]-cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (STCM described
in U.S. Patent No. 4,994,385); haloacetyl groups such as iodoacetyl,

CA 0220=7373 1997-0=7-14
wo 96117580 . PCT/US95/15586



bromoacetyl, and chloroacetyl; acrylate groups such as methacrylates, quinone
groups, and epoxide groups; thiopyridyl groups; as well as other protected
disulfides such as, for example, cystamine; transition metal complexes or
transition metals in various oxidation states or in colloidal forms which are
5 known to form stable coordinate bonds with thiols such as, for example iron,
cobalt, nickel, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, p~ linm, silver, osmium, iriclillm,
pl~tinllm, gold, c~lmillm and mercury; and the like. Preferably, m~leimide
groups are used to electrophilically functionalize a protein and most preferablyCl-C3 aLkyl carboxylic acid active ester m~leimi~les and aryl carboxylic acid
1 0 active ester m~leimi~es having between about 6 and about 30 atoms between the
two terminal functional groups. It will be understood, of course, that a proteinmay have functionalities that are suitable for reaction with non-phosphorothioate
monoester functionalities that are present on the cros~linking agent.
Preferably, a cro.s.~linke-l protein is "wrapped" or "stitched" by the
1 5 cro.~linking agent as a result of multiple crosslinks which form between thecro.c~linking agent and the protein. Once wrapped by the polymer, a protein has
less conro~ a~ional freedom and is therefore less l~kely to undergo structural
distortion and in some cases denaturation. Consequently, a cro~.~linked protein
is st~bili~e-l. Additionally, a reaction between a nucleophilic group on the
2 0 cro.~linking agent and an electrophilic group on a protein results in the form~hon
of a "lilLking arm" which spans the distance between a cros~linking agent's
backbone and the protein. Preferably, this distance is kept to a ,-,i~-ill,ll.-- to limit
a cro.~.~linked compounds conroll,lational freedom.
It is worthy of note that enzymatic activation of a cros~linkin.~ agent can
2 5 be employed in a "self catalyzing reaction." Speci~lcally, the enzyme which
catalyzes the activation of the cros~linking agent can be the compound which is
to be cros~link-~l According to this mech~ni.~m, the enzyme can deprotect a
crosslinking agent's thiol group or thiol groups which in turn react(s) with theenzyme which unm~ked the thiol group or thiol groups. Preferably, the amount
3 0 of enzyme employed in a self catalyzing reaction is between about 10-2 M and about 10-6M.
Figure 2 generally illustrates cro.c~linking a protein according to the
instant invention. As e~cemrlified by Figure 2, the protein of Figure 2(a), which
is functional with a plurality of amine groups, can be derivatized with
3 5 heterobifunctional linkers, such as SMCC, to yield the protein of Figure 2(b).
The cros.~linking agent of the instant invention, represented by Figure 2(c), can

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


-16-
be activated with, for example, alkaline phosphatase enzyme to yield the
activated cros~linking agent represented by Figure 2(d). Once activated, the
cro~linkin~ agent readily reacts with the electrophilic groups on the protein ofFigure 2(b) to yield the stitched protein of Figure 2(e).
After a crosilinking reaction is s-lffici~ntly complete, the reaction may
inherendy ttqrmin~t~o because there are no further groups capable of re~ction, or
the reaction may be stopped. A cros~linking reaction can be stopped by capping
the exposed thiol groups through the addition of any of the well known thiol
capping groups such as, for e~r~mple, N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), iodo~cet~mifle,
1 0 iodoacetic acid and the like. ~ltern~tively, one of the reactants can be removed
by, for ex~mrle, passing the reaction mixture over a sizing column. After a
st~hili7erl protein is removed from a reaction mixture, unreacted thiol groups, if
any, can be capped. As it will be understood, of course, a st~hili7ed protein asrepresented by Figure 2(e) can be conjugated to other proteins using unreacted
1 5 thiolates.
Proteins which are cro.~link~l as taught herein display an increased
stability which can be manifested by, for example, a residual activity that lasts
longer than the activity associated with an unst~bili7ed protein and/or a capacity
to with~t~n-l environm~nt~l stress better than an unstabilized protein. For
2 0 example, a stabilized enzyme may m~int~in its activity when temperature stressed
such as, for example, when the enzyme is stored for 7 days at 45C or stored at
25C for 30 days. A st~bili7~1 enzyme may retain its activity at pHs where the
n~t~hili7ed enzyme does not have activity. Other potential effects of
stabili7~tion may include stability of a protien in an organic solvent which would
2 5 ordinarily denature an unstabilized protein and enhancement of a binding
member's ability to specifically bind and thereby form a binding pair.

C. Conjugating Compounds
The crosslinking and conjugating agents of the present invention can also
3 0 be employed to conjugate compounds. In this section such agents will be
referred to as conjugating agents. According to conjugation embo-1iment.~, at
least two distinct ch~mic~l entities are bound or otherwise immobilized to a
conjugating agent. For example, using a conjugating agent, detectable moieties
can be immobilized to a binding member to form an indicator reagent, binding
3 5 members can be immobilized to a chromatographic gel to form affinity

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


-17-
chromatographic gels, and binding members can be immobilized to a solid phase
to thereby form a solid phase reagent.
While the compounds illustrated in Figure 1 can be employed as
conjugating agents, formnl~e of heterobifunctional conjugating agents according
5 to the present invention include, but are not limited to, those found in Figure 3.
Figure 3(a) represents N-hycllo~y~uccinimidyl ~iy~le~ ophosphorothioate 4,5-
tlithioheptyl l-carboxylate, Figure 3(b) represents N-hydroxysuccinimi-lyl
~;y~ lophosphorothioate 3-oxybutyl l-carboxylate, Figure 3(c) represents
N-hydl:u~y~uccinimidyl cyste~mi-lophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-carboxylate,
1 0 Figure 3(d) represents cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-hydrazide,
Figure 3(e) represents cy~Lea~ dophosphorothioate heptanoyl 1-
(aminoethyl)carboxamide, and Figure 3(f) represents p-nitrophenyl
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-carboxylate.
Two or more proteins can be conjugated to each other with the
1 5 conjugation agent herein provided using the same reaction mech~ni~m previously
outlined for cros~linking compounds. Specifically, a conjugating agent can be
activated under suitable pH conditions or preferably with a phosphatase enzyme.
The activated conjugating agent can then be contacted with the proteins to be
cros~link~A. The nucleophilic thiol groups of an activated conjugating agent
2 0 react with electrophilic groups present on the compounds to be conjugated tothereby conjugate the compounds. It will be understood, of course, that
advantage may be taken of other non-phosphorothioate reactive functionalities
displayed by a conjugating agent to conjugate proteins. It will also be
understood that compounds may be modified with electrophilic groups, as
2 5 above, in order to allow them to react with the conjugating agent.
The ratio of re~ct~nt~ in a conjugation reaction are largely dependent
upon the final product desired. Thus, for example, if an in~lic~tor reagent
compri~ing multiple detectable moieties were desired, the amount of detectable
moiety employed in a conjugation reaction would be greater than the amount of
3 0 either the binding member or conjugation agent employed. Typically, however,- the molar ratio of conjugation agent in a conjugation reaction designed to
immobilize two compounds is 1:1:1.
- The conjugation agent can also be employed in a self catalyzing reaction.
For example, in cases where a phosphate hydrolyzing enzyme is being
3 5 conjugated, such an enzyme could serve as the activating agent for its own
conjugation. Specifically, such an enzyme could hydrolyze the phosphate

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
WO 96/17580 PCT/US95115~86



protecting group from the conjugation agent's phosphorothioate monoester and
thereby allow a reaction between the conjugating agent and an electrophilically
derivatized enzyme as well as any other electrophilic group functional compound
being conjugated.
Figure 4 generally illu~L-~es the conjugation of mllltiplto compounds
using the conjugation agent as a template. As shown by Figure 4, two proteins
which have been functi-~n~li7~d with a maleimide linking group are represented
by Figures 4(a) and 4(b). The conjugation agent is represented by Figure 4(c).
Upon activation with, for example, a phosphatase enzyme, the thiol groups of
1 0 the conjugation agent react with the maleimides to form a structure of Figure
4(d). Hence, the proteins represented by Figures 4(a) and 4(b) are conjugated.
As an ~ltt~rn~tive conjugation, a protein that has been crosslinked can be
conjugated with other proteins using the cro~clinking agent as a conjugation
agent as well. For example, Figure S shows the conjugation of a st~bili7ecl
1 5 protein to an antibody. As shown by Figure 5, an antibody depicted by Figure
5(a) can be modified to display a reactive region by, for example, (i) tre~tmt-.nt
with periodate and (ii) tre~ nt with ~;y~L~u~ e and sodium cyanoborohydride
to yield an antibody displaying ~ llphi~le bridges in the Fc region as depicted by
Figure 5(b). The nucleophilic antibody can then be conjugated to a crosslinked
2 0 protein, such as that represented by Figure 5(c), to yield the antibody/stabilized
protein conjugate depicted by Figure 5(d).
Similarly, site specific conjugation of an antibody and a st~bili7P~1 protein
can be performed acccording to Figure 6 Wht:;lC;ill n is less than the number ofcarbohydrate functionalities present in the Fc region of an antibody. For
2 5 example, the Fc region of an antibody represented by Figure 6(a), can be
oxidized by periodate and exposed to 4-~-m~leimi(lomethyl)cyclnh~x~ne-1-
carboxyl hydrazide (M2C2H) to yield the the antibody represented by Figure
6(b). A stabilized protein represented by Figure 6(c) can then be reacted with the
deri~ atized antibody to site speçific~lly add the stabilized protein to the Fc region
3 0 of the antibody and yield the conjugate of Figure 6(d).
Heterobifunctional conjugating agents such as those represented in
Figure 3(a) through 3(f) can also be employed to conjugate compounds. For
example, as shown in Figure 14, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-carboxylate ~ ;sell~d by Figure
3 5 14(a) is reacted under conditions well known to those skilled in the art with an
amine functional protein depicted by Figure 14(b) to yield the protein of Figure

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96117580 PCT/US95/15586


-19-
14(c). A maleimide functional protein shown by Figure 14(d) is then reacted
with the protein of Figure 14(c) in the presence of, for example, a catalytic
amount of ~lk~line phosphatase. The ~lk~lin~ phosph~t~e hydrolyzes the
phosphate groups from the heterobifunctional linker which allows a reaction
between the nucleophilic thiol group and the electron rich region of the
m~ imi~le to yield the conjugated proteins of Figure 14(e).

D. ReducingAgents
The invention also provides a st~bili7e 1 retln~ing agent generally
1 0 represented by the compound of the formula (Y), shown below, wherein (A)
and (Z) can be indepen(lt-ntly selected from Cl-Cs aL~yl and CONH(CH2)p
wherein p is an integer between 1 and 5.

(~ ~OH
C C

SPO3 SPO3
1 5 Particularly plertllt;d stable re~ncing agents are shown in Figure 7 where the
compound ~le~ignz~te-l 7(a) represents dithiothreitol disphosphate and the
compound designated 7(b) represents 1,4-bisphosphorothioylethyl ~L~ ide.
The protected rerl~lcing agents herein provided can generally be
synthesi7ed using methodologies previously described. For ~x~mple, according
2 0 to Scheme I, shown above, any primary or secondary halide such as, for
example, 1,4-dibromo-2,3 ~t~nrliol can be converted to a st~bili7~d reclucing
agent. As a further ~x~mple, carboxy functional compounds can be converted to
stable reducing agents as previously taught. For in~t~n~e, tartaIic acid can be
converted to a stable re~ cing agent by (i) activating the carboxylates with a
2 5 suitable electrophilic activator and (ii) reacting the so-formed activated esters
with ~;y~le~lille-S-phosphate to yield the st~bili7~d re-ln~in~ agent.
Similarly to the conjugation and crosslinking agents, the thiol groups
displayed by the reducing agents are protected and can be activated upon
hydrolysis of the phosphate group. Hence, the reducing agents are useful in, for- 3 0 example, containers of liquid or lyophilized immunoassay reagents which
require redllcing conditions at the time of use. When such a reducing
environment is required, the reducing agents can be activated with, for example,a phosphate hydrolyzing enzyme or an appl opliate pH environment. After the

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


-20-
phosphate groups are hydrolyzed from the phosphorothioate monoester
function~lities, a reducing environrnent results because the thiol groups are nolonger protected.

5 m. Examples
The following examples are provided to further ill~ tP. emborlim~-nt~ of
the invention and should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the
invention. The m~tPri~l~ employed in the P"c~mples are co~ ially available or
readily synthesi7~1 A general comr)il~tinn of m:~teri~l~ and their source can be1 0 found in Table 1 below.
Table 1

Material Obtained From
Source Source LocationSource
Amicon Beverly, MDC~ ),~)-30-Con~Pntr~tor~
Centricon-30-concenLla~ur
Bio-Rad Hercules, CAEcono Column, Biû-Sil SEC-400
column, BIO-REX MSZ 501(D)
resin
Pharmacia LKB Piscataway, NJPharmacia Phastgel System
Spectrum Houston, TXAlldialysistubing
Hitachi Naperville~ ILHitachi F-4010 Fluorescence
Spectropho~u",~;~l
Abbott Laboratories Abbott Park, IL Abbott VP Biocllluma~ic Analyzer,
horse radish peroxidase (HRPO),
3,5-dichloro-2-
hydlu~y~ c..~P.sul~onic acid
sodium salt (HDCBS), 4-
amino~,li~,ylil,e (~AAP)
Boehringer Tn~ n~polis, IN bovine alkaline phosphatase (ALP),
~l~nnhP.im glucose oxidase (GOD)

CA 02205373 1997-05-14
WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


Table 1 (cont.)
SourceSource Location Material Obtained From
Source
Yamasa Shoyo Tokyo, Japan ~lllt~m~t~ oxidase (GlOX)

Molecular Probes Eugene, OR R-phycoelyllllill (R-PE), amino dextran
Pierce Rockford, IL 3,3'-dithiopropionic acid bis-active
ester, SMCC linker, M2C2H linker,
diglycolic acid bis-active ester, bis-
active ester of suberic acid
Sigma St. Louis, MO Sephadex G-25,N-ethylm~l~imi~le
(NEM), succinimidyl bromoacetate,
sodium thiophosphate, poly-L-
glllt~mic acid, ~;y~ erS-
phosphate, EDAC,
carboxymethylamylose, sodium m-
periodate, sodium
cyanoborohydride, glucose,
polyacrylamide hydrazide, p-
nitrophenyl phosphate (PNPP),
bovine serum albumin,
ethyl~.ntoAi~minet~traacetic acid
(EDTA)
Seradyne Tn~ n~polis, IN ~min~3t~d microparticles
Aldrich Milwaukee, WI hydrazine monohydrate,
ethylen~i~minç, poly(acrylamide-
co-acrylic acid), 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-
nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB),
glyceraldehyde, kathon, 1,4-
dibromo-2,3-butanediol, silver
nitrate, p~~ o~henol,
dithiothreitol (DTT)

CA 0220~373 l997-0~-l4
WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/lSS86


Example 1
Synthesis of Poly(phosphorothioate) Functionalized Polymers
(a) Poly(glllt~mic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate)
Poly-L-glllt~mi~ acid MW ~70,000 (1.0 g 14 ,~Lmol) and ~;y~Le~ S-
phosphate (0.26 g, 1.4 mmol) were dissolved in 40 ml of deionized water.
EDAC (1.00 g, 5.2 mmol) was added in 100 mg lots every 30 minlltes for 5
hours. The polymer product was purified with a Centriprep-30-conce~ alu
against d~-ioni7ed water and then lyophilized.

1 0 (b) PhosphorothioateAnalysis
To 1.0 ml of a 5.0 ,uM solution of poly(glutamic acid)
poly(phosphorothioate) in 0.1 M Tris buffer 1.0 mM MgC12, 0.1 mM ZnC12,
pH 7.5 (Buffer A) was added 30 ~1 of DTNB (10 mM in buffer A). The
solution was incubated for 5 minutes and the absorbance at 412 nm was
1 5 recorded. No free thiol was detected. ALP (10 ~1 of a 10 mg/ml solution) was
added and the solution was incubated until no further increase in 412 nm
absorbance was detected (~30 minutes). The concentration of free thiol (0.12
rnM) was calculated from the final 412 nm absorbance (1.54 AU) and the
extinction coefficient of 2-nitro-5-thiobenzoic acid (13,000 M-lcm- 1 at pH 7.5).
2 0 There were found to be 24 moles of phosphorothioate per mole of polymer.

(c) Carboxymethylamylose Polyphosphorothioate
Carboxymethylamylose MW ~60 000 (0.15 g, 2.5 llmol) and
~;y~ Le~ -S-phosphate were dissolved in 10 ml of deionized water. EDAC
2 5 (0.125 g, 0.65 mmol) was added in 25 mg lots every hour for 5 hours. The
carbohydrate product was purified on a C~ ~-30-Conce"lla~ul against
~leit~ni7e~ water and then lyophilized. Phosphorothioate analysis (performed as
described above) revealed 1 phosphorothioate per carboxymethylamylose
polymer chain.
(d) Poly(acrylamide) Poly[acryloyl(2-(2-phosphorothioethyl)aminoethyl]
Hydrazide
Polyacrylamide hydrazide MW ~180,000 (0.050 g, 0.28 ~mol) was
dissolved in 20 ml of 0.05 M sodium acetate buffer pH 4.5 (buffer B).
3 5 Glyceraldehyde (0.080 g 0.89 rr rnol) and sodium cyanoborohydride (0.056 g,0.89 mmol) were added and the solution was stirred for 20 hours. The polydiol

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96tl7580 PCT/US95/lS586


-23-
product was purified on a Centriprep-30-ConcenLI~lol against buffer B. Sodium
periodate (0.095 g, 4.4 mmol) in 10 ml of buffer B was added to the polydiol
and the ll~Lule was stirred for 1 hour in an ice-bath, allowed to warm to room
temperature, and stirred again for another hour. The polyaldehyde product was
5 puri~led on a C~,Ir;l)~-30-Concentrator against 0.1 M sodium phosphate
buffer pH 5.5.
To the polyaldehyde was added cyste~ine-S-phosphate (0.079 g, 0.44
mmol) and sodium cyanoborohydride (0.028 g, 0.44 mmol) and the ~ Lule
was stirred overnight. The polyphosphorothioate product was purified on a
1 0 (~ç~ , ~-30-Concen~ldtor against deionized water and then lyophilized.
Phosphorothioate analysis (performed as described above) revealed 66
phosphorothioates per poly.ner.

(e) Poly(amino)dextran Poly(phosphorothioate)
1 5 Amino dextran (MW ~ 70,000, approximately 30 amines/polymer) is
dissolved in deionized water. 20 equivalents of succinimidyl bromoacetate is
dissolved in dim~;lhylr -~ I"~" ,ir~e (DMF) and a volume of this solution which is
greater than 10% of the amino dextran solution is added to the amino dextran
solution to form a reaction mixture. The reaction n~b~Lult; is stirred for 3 hours at
2 0 room temperature and the resulting bromoacetylated polymer is purified against
deionized water with a C~"I, ip, ~-30-Concentrator. 50 equivalents of sodium
thiophosphate in clei~ni7çd water is then added to the purified polymer and the
resulting ll~ulC; is stirred for 2 hours at room temperature. The resulting
phosphorothio~ted amino dextran is purified, as above, with a (~Ç~ c~-30-
2 5 Conct;nLId~ol and lyophili7~A

(f) Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate)
Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) MW~200,000 (1.0 g, 5 ~mol) and
cy~ e-S-phosphate (0.09g, O.5mmol) are dissolved in 40 ml of deionized
3 0 water. EDAC (0.5 g, 2.6 mmol) is added in 50 mg lots every 30 minutçs for 5hours. The polymer product is purified on a Cellllipl~-30-conce~ " against
deionized water and then lyophilized.

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96117580 PCTIUS95/15586


-24-
Example 2
Polv(~lutamiç acid) Poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslinkin~ of Bovine ALkaline
Phosphatase (ALP)
(a) Crosslinking of AL~aline Phosphatase
To 0.75 ml of 10 mg/ml (50 nmol) ALP was added 1.25 ml of 0.1 M
sodium phosphate, 0.1 M NaCl, 1.0 mM MgC12, 0.1 mM ZnCl2, pH 7.0
(buffer C). The enzyme was concentrated to approximately 0.2 ml using a
Centricon-30-Concentrator. The concentrate was rediluted to 2.0 ml with buffer
C, then reconcto~ ~l to 0.2 ml. This concentration/dilution procedure was
1 0 repeated three times. The volume of the enzyme solution was made up to 1.5 ml
with buffer C and placed in a vial. To 75 ,ul of DMF was added 0.62 mg (1.87
,umol) of SMCC. This solution was added to 1.46 ml of 4.8 mg/ml (46.7 nmol)
washed aLkaline phosphatase and allowed to react for one hour at room
temperature while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator. Coarse Sephadex G-
1 5 25 thathad been previously rehydrated with 0.1 M sodium phosphate, 0.1 M
NaCl, 0.05% azide, pH 7.0 (buffer D) was poured to a bed height of 45 cm in a
1 x 50 cm Econo column. The column was equilibrated with three column
volumes of buffer C. Following the incubation, the SMCC derivatized alk~lin~
phosphatase was applied to the G-25 column to remove unreacted SMCC. The
2 0 column was eluted with buffer C and 0.75 ml fractions were collected.
Fractions with A280 greater than 0.5 AU were pooled and the A280 of the pool
was used to calculate the enzyme concentration of the SMCC derivatiæd ~lk~line
phosphatase. To 300 ~11 of buffer C was added 2.43 mg (34.7 nmol) of 70,000
MW poly(~ t~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) (26 SPO3/PGA). This solution
2 5 was added to 1.86 ml of 1.40 mg/rnl (17.4 nmol) SMCC derivatized ~lk~line
phosphatase and allowed to react overnight at 5C while rotating at 100 rpm on arotary agitator.

(b) Characterization of Cro.~link~cl ALP
3 0 Poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) cros~link~l ALP was
evaluated by size exclusion chromatography using a Bio-Sil SEC-400 column.
Detection was at 280 nm. The mobile phase was 0.1 M sodium phosphate, 0.1
M NaCl, pH 7.0 (buffer E) running at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/minute. Results of
this evaluation showed that the primary population generated had a ret~o.ntion time
3 5 corresponding to singlet cros~link~ enzyme with very little polymPri7~tion
occurring. The cro~clinked ~lk~Tine phosphatase was also evaluated by SDS-

CA 02205373 1997-05-14
.
WO 96/17580 . PCTIUS95/15586


PAGE using a Phastgel system. Gradient gels of 7%-10% polyacrylamide were
run under non-reducing and reducing conditions. Results from the non-reducing
conditions showed that the primary population generated was singlet cro.c.~link~en_yme with very little polymP,ri7~tif~n occurring. Results from the reducing
5 conditions showed that the cros~link~ ALP was not reduced under conditions
that were snfficiçnt to fully reduce the native ALP into monom--.rs. The residual
enzyme activity of the cro~.clink~,d ALP was evaluated and compared to the
activity of the native ALP at the same concentration. To 1.0 ml of 7 mM PNPP
in 0.5 M diethanol~mine, 1.0 mM MgC12, 0.1 mM ZnC12, pH 10.2 buffer
1 0 (buffer F) was added 20 111 of 10 ~g/ml ALP. The rate (AU/second) of changein the 412 nm absorbance was calculated over a 14 second interval. The rate
generated by the cro.~linkP,d ALP ~lc~ Lions was divided by the rate generated
by the native ALP to calculate the percent residual enzyme activity for the
cro.~linked preparations. The results of this evaluation showed that the
1 5 cro.~linked ALP had retained 80% of the initial enzyme activity.

(c) Thermal Stability Ev~ tion of Cr~ s.slink~ ALP
The thermal stability of poly(gl~ mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
cro.~.~link~,d ALP was evaluated at 45C and compared to native ALP under the
2 0 same conditions. Both the native enzyme and the cro.s~link~l enzyme were
diluted to 10 llg/ml with buffer A. These dilutions were stored in a 45C
incubator for the duration of the study. At day 0 and various time points along
the course of the study the activity of the dilutions was ev~ln~terl To separate1.0 ml volumes of 7 mM PNPP in buffer F was added 20 ,ul of the 10 ~lg/ml
2 5 ALP dilutions. The rate of change in the 412 nm absorbance was calculated over
a 14 second interval. The rate generated by the enzyme p~ Lions at the
various time points was divided by the rate generated by the same enzyme
pl~;~al~ion at day 0 to calculate the percent residual enzyme activity for the
stressed plc;~ ions. The results of this evaluation are shown in Figure 8.
Example 3
Poly(,~lutamic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate) Cro~linkin~ of Glucose Oxidase
(GOD) (Asper~eillus ni~er)
(a) Cro.~linking GOD
3 5 To 200 mg (1.25 ,umol) of GOD was added 20 ml of buffer E. The
enzyme was concentrated to a~lo~ lately 2 rnl using a Centriprep-30-

CA 02205373 1997-05-14
wo 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586

-26-
Concen~tol with a MW cutoff of 30,000. The concentrate was re~ t~fl to 20
ml using buffer E then reconcentrated to 2 ml. This concentrationldilution
procedure was repeated three times. The volume of the enzyme solution was
made up to 6 ml with buffer E and placed in a vial. To 500 ,ul of DMF was
added 9.39 mg (28.1 llmol) of SMCC. This solution was added to a 977 ul
aliquot of 30.7 mg/ml (187 nmol) washed GOD and allowed to react for one
hour at room temperature while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator. A
Sephadex G-25 was prepared as above with buffer E, and following the
incubation, the SMCC derivatized GOD was applied to the G-25 column to
1 0 remove the unreacted SMCC. The column was eluted with buffer E and 0.75 ml
fractions were collected. Practions with an A280 greater than 0.5 AU were
pooled and the A280 of the pool used to calculate the enzyme concentration of the
SMCC derivatized GOD. To 1.5 ml of buffer C was added 56.3 mg (938 nmol)
of 60,000 MW poly(glllt~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) (19 SPO3/PGA).
1 5 To this solution was added 50 ,ul of 10 mg/ml (3.33 nmol) ALP to deprotect the
phosphorothioate. This deprotection was allowed to proceed for three hours at
room ~~ d~u~c; while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary ~agitator. Following the
incubation a 300 ~1 (188 nmol) aliquot of this solution was added to 1.26 ml of
7.95 mg/ml (62.6 nrnol) SMCC derivatized GOD and allowed to react overnight
2 0 at 5C while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator.

(b) ~h~ractt-ri7~tion of Cr cslink~ GOD
Poly(~ t~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) crosslinked GOD was
evaluated by size exclusion chromatography using a Bio-Sil SE(:~-400 column.
2 5 Detection was at 280 nm. The mobile phase was buffer E running at a flow rate
of 1.0 mVminute. Results of this evaluation showed that the primary population
generated had a retention time corresponding to singlet cro.s~linkt d enzyme with
very little polym~ri7ation occurring. The residual enzyme activity of the
cros~linkt-A GOD was also evaluated and compared to the activity of the native
3 0 GOD at the same concentration. To 260 ~l of 2 mM 4-aminoantipyrine (~
AAP), 8 mM 2-hydroxy-3,5 dichlorobenzene acid (HDCBS), 1 U/ml
horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) and 100 mM glucose, in buffer E was added 10
~11 of 2,ug/ml GOD in buffer E. The rate (AU/minute) of change in the 550 nm
absorbance was calculated over a 2 minute interval. The rate generated by the
3 5 crosslinked GOD preparations was divided by the rate generated by the native
GOD to calculate the percent residual enzyme activity for the cros~linked

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


~l~ar~ions. The results of this evaluation showed that the cros~link~ GOD
had retained 85% of the initial enzyme activity.

(c) Thermal Stability Evaluation of Crosslink~d GOD at pH 7.4
The thermal stability of poly(glllt~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
croc~link~d GOD was evaluated at 37C and compared to native GOD under the
same conditions. Both the native enzyme and the cros~link~c{ enzyme were
diluted to 500 ,ug/ml with 0.1 M sodium phosphate, 1.0 mM EDTA, 0.1 M
NaCl, 0.05% Kathon, pH 7.4 buffer (buffer G). These dilutions were stored in
1 0 a 37C incubator for the duration of the study. At day 0 and various time points
along the course of the study the activity of both plc~alaLions was ev~ te(l
Prior to evaluation, the stressed enzyme preparations were diluted to 2 llg/ml
using buffer E. To 260 111 of 2 mM 4-AAP, 8 mM HDCBS, 1 U/ml HRPO,
100 mM glucose in buffer E was added 10 ~1 of each of the 2 ~g/ml glucose
1 5 oxidase in buffer E dilutions. The rate (AU/minute) of change in the 550 nmabsorbance was calculated over a 2 minute interval. The rate generated by the
enzyrne ~ Lions at the various tirne points was divided by the rate generated
by the same enzyme ~r~ ;on at day 0 to calculate the percent residual ellzyl.-e
activity for the stressed preparations. The results of this evaluation are shown in
2 0 Figure 9.

(d) Thermal Stability Evaluation of Cro~link~A GOD at pH 9.0
The thermal stability of poly(~lllt~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
crosslinked GOD was evaluated at 37C and compared to native GOD under the
2 5 same conditions. Both the native enzyme and the cros~link~d enzyme were
diluted to 500 ~g/ml with 0.1 M sodium phosphate, 1.0 mM EDTA, 0.1 M
NaCl, 0.05% Kathon, pH 9.0 buffer (buffer H). These dilutions were stored in
a 37C incubator for the duration of the study. At day 0 and various time pointsalong the course of the study the activity of both preparations was eval~ teA
3 0 Prior to ev~lu~tion the stressed enzyme ~,l~alations were diluted to 2 ,ug/rnl
using buffer E. To 260 111 of 2 mM 4-AAP, 8 mM HDCBS, 1 U/ml HRPO,
100 rnM glucose in buffer E was added 10 ~1 of each of the 2 ~lg/ml GOD
dilutions. The rate (AU/minute) of change in the 550 nm absorbance was
calculated over a 2 minute interval. The rate generated by the enzyme
3 5 preparations at the various time points was divided by the rate generated by the
same enzyme preparation at day 0 to calculate the percent residual enzyme

CA 02205373 1997-0~-14

W O96/17580 PCTrUS95/15586

-28-
activity for the stressed p~ ;ons. The results of this evaluation are shown in
Figure 10.

Example 4
Poly(~lutamic acid) polv(phosphorothioate) Crosslinkin~ of Glutamate Oxidase
(GlOX) (Streptomvces Sp. X119-6)
(a) Crosslinking of GIOX
To 100 mg (714 nmol) of GlOX was added 20 ml of buffer E. This
solution was conce~ tc;d to approximately 2 ml using a Ct;~ )r~-30-
1 0 Concentrator with a MW cutoff of 30,000. The concentrate was re lilnte~l to 20
ml with buffer E then reconcentr~t~--cl to 2 ml. This concentration/dilution
procedure was repeated three times. The volume of the enzyme solution was
made up to 3 ml with buffer E and placed in a vial. To 800 ,ul of DMP was
added 4.18 mg (12.5 ~mol) of SMCC. This solution was added to a 1.25 ml
1 5 aliquot of 28.0 mg/ml (250 nmol) washed GlOX and allowed to react for one
hour at room temperature while rotating at 10n rpm on a rotary agitator. A
Sephadex G-25 column was prepared as above using buffer E, and following
the incubation, the SMCC derivatized GlOX was applied to the G-25 column to
remove the unreacted SMCC. The column was eluted with buffer E and 0.75 rnl
2 0 fractions were collected. Practions with an A410 greater than 1.0 AU were
pooled and the A410 of the pool was from used to calculate the enzyme
concentration of the SMCC derivatized GlOX. To 2.5 ml of buffer C was added
100 mg (1.67 ~mol) of 60,000 MW poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
(18 SPO3/PGA). To this solution was added 50 ~l of 10 mg/ml (3.33 nmol)
2 5 ALP to deprotect the phosphorothioate. The deprotection was allowed to
proceed for three hours at room temperature while rotating at 100 rpm on a
rotary agitator. Following the incubation, a 524 !11 (343 nrnol) aliquot of thissolution was added to 1.74 ml of 6.88 mg/ml (85.5 nmol) SMCC derivatized
GlOX and allowed to react overnight at 5C while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotaly3 0 agitator.

(b) Characterization of Cro.c~link~ GlOX
Poly(glut~mir, acid) poly(phosphorothioate) cro~link~,cl GlOX was
evaluated by size exclusion chromatography using a Bio-Sil SEC-400 column.
3 5 Detection was at 410 nm. The mobile phase was buffer E running at a flow rate
of 1.0 ml/minute. Results of this evaluation showed that the primary population

CA 02205373 1997-05-14
wo 96/17580 PCT/USg5/15586

-29-
generated had a retention time corresponding to doublet and triplet cros.slinkt~.d
enzyme with very little poly" Ir.l ;~:11 ion occurring. The residual enzyme activity
of the crosslinkeA GlOX was also evaluated and compared to the activity of the
native GlOX at the same concentration. Activity measurements were performed
using a VP bicl~ol~a~ic analyzer. The activity generated by the cros.slink~A
GlOX prepar~tiQns was divided by the activity of the native GlOX to calculate
the percent residual enzyme activity for the cro.sslink~-l preparations. The results
of this ev~ tinn showed that the crosslink~l GlOX had retained 81% of the
initial enzyme activity.
1 0
(c) Thermal Stability Evaluation of Cro.s.slinkto.d GlOX
The thermal stability of poly(,~lutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
cros.slink~d GlOX was evaluated at 37C and compared to native GlOX under
the same conrlititn.s. Both the native enzyme and the crosslink~d enzyme were
1 5 diluted to 500 ,ug/ml with buffer G. These dilutions were stored in a 37C
incubator for the clllratiQn of the study. At day 0 and various time points along
the course of the study the activity of both yleyalaLions was ev~ln~teA Prior toevaluation, the stressed enzyme ylcy~dLions were diluted to 6 ,ug/ml using
buffer E. Activity measurements were performed using the VP bichlul,-aLic
2 0 analyzer. The activity generated by the enzyme yl~;yal~Lions at the various time
points was divided by the activity generated by the same enzyme yl~L)ald~ion at
day 0 to calculate the percent residual enzyme activity for the stressed
preparations. The results of this evaluation are shown in Figure 11.

2 5 Example 5
Poly(~lutamic acid) Polv(phosphorothioate) Cro.sslinkin,~ of R-phycoerythrin
(R-PE) (Porphvra tenera)
(a) Cro.sslinking of R-PE
To 2.5 ml of 10 mg/rnI R-PE from was added 2 ml of buffer E. This
3 0 solution was transferred to Spectrapore-2 dialysis tubing with a MVV cutoff of
12,000-14,000 and dialyzed for 24 hours each against three 4 liter changes of
buffer E. To 200 111 of DMF was added 0.49 mg (1.47 ~Lmol) of SMCC. This
solution was added to a 1.21 ml aliquot of 5.80 mg/ml (29.2 nmol) dialyzed R-
PE and allowed to react for one hour at room temperature while rotating at 100
3 5 rpm on a rotary agitator. A Sephadex G-25 column was prepared as above withbuffer E, and following the incubation, the SMCC derivatized R-PE was applied

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586

-30-
to the G-25 column to remove unreacted SMCC. The column was eluted with
buffer E and 0.75 ml fractions were collected. Fractions with an As66 greater
than 1.0 AU were pooled and the As66 of the pool was used to calculate the
enzyme concentr~ti-~n of the SMCC derivatized R-PE. To 1 ml of buffer C was
added 10 mg (167 nmol) of 60,000 MW poly(glllt~mic acid)
poly(phosphorothioate) (18 SPO3/PGA). To this solution was added 25 111 of
10 mg/ml (1.67 nmol) ALP to deprotect the phosphorothioate. This de~rot~.;Lion
was allowed to proceed for three hours at room temperature while rotating at 100rpm on a rotary agitator. Following the incubation~ a 71 ~11 (11.5 nmol) aliquot1 0 of this solution was added to 1.91 ml of 1.44 mg/ml (11.5 nmol) SMCC
derivatized R-PE and allowed to react overnight at 5C while rotating at 100 rpmon a rotary agitator.

(b) Characterization of Crosslinked R-PE
1 5 Poly(gll-t~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) crocclink~ R-PE was
evaluated by size exclusion chromatography using a Bio-Sil SEC-400 column.
Detection was at 280 nm. The mobile phase was buffer E running at a flow rate
of 1.0 mVminute. Results of this evaluation showed that the primary population
g~ner~tefl had a retention time corresponding to singlet and doublet croc.clink~2 0 protein with very lit~e polymPri7~tion occulTing. The residual fluorescent
intensity of the crosslinked R-PEwas also evaluated and con~ya ed to the
fluorescence of the native R-PE at the same concentration. ~luorescent intensitymeasurements were performed using an F-4010 fluorescence spectrophotometer.
The fluorescence generated by the crosclink~1 R-PE preparations was divided by
2 5 the fluorescence of the native R-PE to c~lc~ te the percent residual fluorescence
for the crosclink~l ~r~ions. The results of this evaluation showed that the
crosslinked R-PE had retained 92% of the initial fluorescent intensity.

(c) Thermal Stability Evaluation of Crosclink~ R-PE Fluorescence
3 0 The thermal stability of poly(~lut~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
crocclink~cl R-PE was evaluated at 45C and compared to native R-PE under the
same conditions. Both the native protein and the crocclinked protein were
diluted to 100 llg/ml with buffer E. These dilutions were stored in a 45C
incubator for the dllr~tion of the study. At day 0 and various time points along3 5 the course of the study the fluorescence intensity of both preparations wasevaluated. Prior to evaluation, the stressed protein preparations were diluted to

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


1 ,ug/ml using buffer E. Fluorescence intensity measurements were performed
using an F-4010 fluorescence spectrophotometer. The fluorescence by the R-PE
preparations at the various time points was divided by the fluorescence by the
same preparation at day 0 to calculate the percent residual fluorescence intensity
5 for the stressed ~ tions. The results of this evaluation are shown in Figure
12.

(d) Thermal Stability Evaluation of Cro~slinkecl R-PE by Size
The thermal stability of poly(glllt~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
1 0 cros~link~l R-PE was evaluated at 45C and compared to native R-PE under the same conditions. A Bio-Sil SEC-400 column was used to follow the
decomposition of the stressed R-PE into smaller subunit components. Detection
was at 280 nm. The mobile phase was buffer E running at a flow rate of 1.0
ml~minute. Both the native protein and the cros~linkecl protein were diluted to
1 5 100 ~g/ml with buffer E. These dilutions were stored in a 45C incubator for
the duration of the study. At day 0 and various time points along the course of
the study the percentage of the total 280 nm absorbance which was due to the
small components was ev~lu~tt-A The results of this evaluation are shown in
Figure 13.
Example 6
Poly(glutamic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslinked
Bovine ALkaline Phosphatase (ALP)/Anti-TSH I~G Conju,eate
(a) Deriv~ti7~ti~ n of Anti-TSH Antibody
2 5 To 1 ml of 6.6 mg/ml anti-TSH IgG was added 1 ml of buffer C. The
antibody was conce~ teA to a~lo~ lately 0.2 ml using a Centricon-30-
ConcenL~lol with a MW cutoff of 30,000. The concentrate was reAilllteA to 2
ml using buffer C, then reconcel~ d to 0.2 ml. This concentration/dilution
procedure was repeated three times. The volume of the antibody solution was
3 0 made up to 1 ml with buffer C and placed in a vial. To 50 ~1 of DMF was added
0.56 mg (831 nmol) of succinimidyl (trica~luall~ido cyclohexylmethyl) N-
m~leimi~le (STCM) linker. The linker was prepared as described in United
States Patent No. 4,994,385 which is herein incorporated by reference. This
solution was added to 0.47 ml of 5.30 mg/ml (16.6 nmol) washed antibody and
3 5 allowed to react for one hour at room lemL)~l~ture while rotating at 100 rpm on a
rotary agitator. A Sephadex G-25 was prepared as above with buffer C and

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


following the incllb~tion, the derivatized antibody was applied to the G-25
column to remove unreacted linker. The column was eluted with buffer C and
0.75 ml fractions were collected. Fractions with an A280 greater than 0.5 AU
were pooled and the A280 of the pool used to calculate the concentration of the
5 linker derivatized antibody. The antibody pool was stored on ice until
conjugated.

(b) Conjugation of Linker Derivatiæd Anti-TSH IgG to Poly(gl-lt~mic acid)
Poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslinked ALP
1 0 To a 0.72 ml aliquot of 0.83 mg/ml (4 nmol) linker derivatized anti-TSH
IgG was added 0.69 ml of 1.30 mg/ml (6 nmol) poly(glutarnic acid)
poly(phosphorothioate) cros~linke,-l ALP (prepared in accordance with Exarnple
2). The resulting mixture was allowed to react overnight at 5C while rotating at
100 rpm on a rotar,y agitator.
1 5
Example 7
Poly(~lutamic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslinked R-phvcot;lylh
PE)/anti-CD8 I~G Conju~ate
(a) Deriv:~ti7~tinn of Anti-CD8 Antibody.
2 0 To 1 ml of 4.1 mg/ml anti-CD8 IgG was added 1 ml of buffer E. The
antibody was conct-ntTated to ~p,o~ lately 0.2 ml using a Centricon-30-
Concent~dlul with a MW cutoff of 30,000. The concentrate was rediluted to 2
ml using buffer E then reconcentrated to 0.2 ml. This concentration/dilution
procedure was repeated three times. The volume of the antibody solution was
2 5 made up to 1 ml with buffer E and placed in a vial. To 150 ~1 of DMF was
added 0.15 mg (223 nmol) of STCM linker (as prepared in e~mrl~,6). This
solution was added to 0.50 ml of 4.39 mg/ml (14.6 nmol) washed antibody and
allowed to react for one hour at room temperature while rotating at 100 rpm on arotary agitator. A Sephadex G-25 column was prepared as above with buffer E
3 0 and following the incubation, the derivatized antibody was applied to the G-25
column to remove unreacted linker. The column was eluted with buffer E and
0.75 ml fractions were collected. Fractions with an A280 greater than 0.5 AU
were pooled and the A280 of the pool used to calculate the concentration of the
linker derivatized antibody. The antibody pool was stored on ice until
3 5 conjugated.

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586

-33-
(b) Conjugation of Linker Derivatized Anti-CD8 IgG to Poly(~lnt~mic acid)
Poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslink~l R-PE
To a 0.53 ml aliquot of 1.71 mg/ml (6 nmol) linker derivatized anti-CD8
IgG was added 0.68 ml of 2.11 mg/ml (6 nmol~ poly(~lllt~mic acid)
5 poly(phosphorothioate) crosslinked R-PE (prepared in accordance with Example
5). The resulting ~ ulc was allowed to react overnight at 5C while rotating at
100 rpm on a rotary agitator.

Example 8
1 0 F~ ion of Goat Anti-alpha hCG Antibody/Bovine Alkaline Phosphatase
(ALP) Conju~ate Usin~ Poly( lutamic acid) Polv(phosphorothioate) as a
Template
(a) Derivatization of Goat Anti-Alpha hCG Antibody
A 1 ml aliquot of goat anti-alpha hCG antibody co~ i"g 2.8 mg (18.7
1 5 nmoV was diluted with 1 ml buffer E. The antibody was concenLl~lcd to
apprnxim~tely 0.2 rnl by centrifugation at 5000 x g using a Centricon-30-
ConcenL~Lur which contains a membrane sized to pass m~t-qri~l having a nulllbc
average molecular weight of up to about 30,000. The conc~l~L dLt; was diluted to2 ml with buffer E and reconcentrated to approximately 0.2 ml. This
2 0 conce.ntr~ti- n and dilution procedure was repeated two more times. Next, the
volume was made up to 1 ml with buffer E and the antibody solution was placed
into a vial. To the antibody solution was added 0.19 mg (280 nmol) of STCM
linker (~ d as in Example 6) dissolved in 100 ,ul of DMF. The resulting
reaction n~ulc was gently stirred on a rotary agitator for one hour at ambient
2 5 tel"~ d~Ulc. The derivatized antibody was purified by size exclusion
chl~.",alography using a 1 x 45 cm column of Sephadex G25. The column was
eqnilihr~teA and eluted with buffer E. Fractions of about 1 ml each were
collected during elution and the absorbance at 280 nm was determined. The
peak fractions were pooled and the concentration of the antibody in the pool was3 0 calculated from its absorbance at 280 nm using an extinction coefflcito.nt
(Elcml%) of 13.9. The antibody pool was stored on ice until conjugation.

(b) Derivatization of ALP
A 0.7 ml aliquot cont~ining 7 mg (46.6 nmol) ALP was diluted to 2 ml
3 5 with buffer C, and concentrated to approximately 0.2 ml by centrifuging at 5000
x g using a Centricon-30-Concentrator. The concentrated enzyme was diluted

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
wo 96/17580 Pcr/uss5lls586

-34-
again to 2 ml with buffer C and reconcentrated to about 0.2 ml. The volume was
made up to 1 ml with buffer C and the enzyme solution was placed into a vial.
To the enzyme solution was added 0.63 mg (935 nmole) of STCM (prepared as
in Example 6) dissolved in 200 ,ul of DMF. The resulting reaction ~ was
gendy stirred on a rotary agitator for 30 minutes at ambient Lel.lp~ u.e and thederivatized enzyme was purified by siæ exclusion ch.olllatography using a 1 x
45 cm column of Sephadex G-25. The column was equilibrated and eluted with
buffer C. Fractions of about 1 ml each were collected during elution and the
absorbance at 280 nm was determined. The peak fractions were pooled and the
1 0 concentration of the enzyme in the pool was calculated from its absorbance at
280 nm using an extinction coefficient (Elcml%) of 10.

(c) Conjugation of Derivati~ed Enzyme and Antibody with Poly(C~ t~mic
Acid) Poly(Phosphorothioate) as a Template
1 5 Three conjugates were prepared, with varying molar ratios of
antibody:enzyme:poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate), as follows:
Conjugate 1:
Antibody:Enzyme:Poly(Glutamic Acid) Poly(Phosphorothioate) (1:1:1)
1.0 ml aliquot (0.7 mg or 4.6 nmol) of the derivatized anti-alpha hCG
2 0 antibody was mixed with 0.45 ml (0.7 mg or 4.7 nmol) of the derivatized ALP,
and 0.32 ml (0.32 mg or 4.6 nmol) of an aqueous solution of poly(~ t~mic
acid) poly(phosphorothioate). The resnl~ing ~ u~t; was gently stirred on a
rotary agitator overnight at 2-8C.
Conjugate 2:
2 5 Antibody:Enzyme:Poly(Glutamic Acid) Poly(Phosphorothioate) (1:3:1)
0.68 ml (0.5 mg or 3.3 nmol) of the solution of derivatized anti-alpha
hCG antibody, was mixed with 0.96 ml (1.5 mg or 10 nmol) of the derivatized
ALP, and 0.23 ml (0.23 mg or 3.3 nmol) of an aqueous solution of
poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate). The resulting mixture was gently
3 0 stirred on a rotary agitator overnight at 2-8C.
Conjugate 3:
Antibody:Enzyme:Poly(Glutamic Acid) Poly(Phosphorothioate) (1~
1.0 rr~ (0.7 mg or 4.6 nmol) of the solution of derivatized anti-alpha
hCG antibody was mixed with 0.45 ml (0.7 mg or 4.6 nmol) of the derivatized
3 5 ALP and 0.17 ml (0.17 mg or 2.4 nmol) of an aqueous solution of

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


poly(glllt~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate). The resulting ~ Lule was gently
stirred on a rotary agitator overnight at 2-8C.
AM three conjugates were evaluated by size exclusion HPLC. No
residual antibody or enzyme were detected in conjugates 1 and 3. Conjugate 2,
5 however, contained about 20% residual starting m~tçri~l, pres~-m~bly enzyme.
The unreacted thiol groups on conjugated or any free poly(glut~mic acid)
poly(phosphorothioate) were capped by treatment with N-ethylm~leimi(le, (NEM)
for a period of 1 hour at ambient temperature. Aliquots of a 5 mM solution were
added to the conjugate so that the final concentration of NEM in the conjugate
1 0 was about 0.3 mM.

Example 9
Preparation of Anti-pancreatic Thread Protein Antibody/Bovine Alkaline
Phosphatase (ALP) Conju~ate Usin~ PolY(~elutamic acid)
1 5 Polv(phosphorothioate) as a Template
(a) Derivatization of Anti-Pancreatic Thread Protein Antibody
4.0 ml of 1 mg/ml solution of anti-pancreatic thread protein antibody was
concentr~tt-,-l to a~ ;" ,~te.ly 0.2 ml by centrifuging at 5000 x g using a
Centricon-30-Conce~ ul and the concentrate was diluted to 2 ml with the
2 0 buffer E and reconcentrated to approximately 0.2 ml. The concentr~ti-m and
dilution procedure was repeated two more times after which the volume was
made up to 1 ml with buffer E. The antibody solution was placed into a vial and
0.27 mg of STCM linker (prepared as in Example 6) dissolved in 100 ~1 of
DMF was added. The resulting reaction n~L~Lulc was gently stirred on a rotary
2 5 agitator for one hour at ~mhiçnt temperature. The derivatized antibody was
purified by cl.lolllalography on a 1 x 45 cm column of Sephadex G-25. The
column was eqnilihr~tecl and eluted with buffer E. Fractions of about 1 ml each
were c-~llecteA during elution and the absorbance at 280 nm was det.o,rrnineA
The peak fractions were pooled and the concentration of the antibody in the pool3 0 was calculated from its absorbance at 280 nm using an extinction coe,fficient
(Elcml%) of 13.9. The antibody pool was stored on ice until used in the
conjugation reaction.

(b) Derivatization of ALP
3 5 A 0.7 ml aliquot of lO mg/ml (46.6 nmole) ALP was diluted to 2 ml with
buffer C and concentrated to approximately 0.2 ml by centrifuging at 5000 x g

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17S80 PCTIUS95/15586

-36-
using a Centricon-30-Concentrator. The concentr~tl cl enzyme was diluted again
to 2 ml and reconcentrated to about 0.2 ml. The volume was made up to 1 ml
with buffer C and the enzyme solution was placed into a vial. To the enzyme
solution was added 0.63 mg (935 nmol) of STCM (prepared as in Example 6)
dissolved in 200 ul of DMF. The resulting reaction ~ e was gendy stirred
on a rotary agitator for 30 minutes at ~mhit~.nt ~~ c; and the derivatized
enzyme was purified by chromatography on a 1 x 45 cm column of Sephadex G-
25. The colurnn was equilibrated and eluted with buffer C. Fractions of about 1
ml each were collected during elution and the absorbance at 280 nm was
1 0 clet~rmin~l The peak fractions were pooled and the concentration of the enzyme
in the pool was calculated from its absorbance at 280 nm using an extinction
coefficient (Elcml%) of 10.

(c) Conjugation of Derivatized Enzyme and Antibody with Poly(Glutamic
1 5 Acid) Poly(Phosphorothioate) as a TP.mpl~te
Two conjugates were prepared, with varying molar ratios of
antibody:enzyme:poly(glutamic acid)poly(phosphorothioate), as follows:
Conjugate 1:
Ant~body:Enzyme:Poly(Glutamic Acid) Poly(Phosphorothioate) (1:1:1)
2 0 1.25 rnl (0.7 mg or 4.7 nmol) of the derivatized anti-pancreatic threadprotein antibody was rnixed with 0.45 ml (0.7 mg or 4.7) of the derivatized
ALP, and 0.32 ml (0.32 mg or 4.6 nmol) of an aqueous solution of
poly(~ t~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate). The resulting ~ e was gently
stirred on a rotary agitator overnight at 2-8C.
2 5 Conjugate 2:
Antibody:Enzyme:Poly(Glutamic Acid) Poly(Phosphorothioate) (1:3:1)
0.89 ml (0.5 mg or 3.3 nmol) of the solution of derivatized anti-
pancreatic thread protein antibody was mixed with 0.96 ml (1.5 mg or 10 nmol)
of the derivatized ALP and 0.23 ml (0.23 mg or ~.3 nmol) of an aqueous
3 0 solution of poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate). The resulting mixture
was gently stirred on a rotary agitator overnight at 2-8C.
The two conjugates were evaluated by size exclusion HPLC. No
residual antibody or enzyme were detected in conjugates 1. Conjugate 2,
however, contained about 20% residual starting m~tP.n~l, presumably enzyme.

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586

-37-
The unreacted thiol groups on conjugated or any free poly(glutamic acid)
poly(phosphorothioate) were capped by tre~tment with NEM for a period of 1
hour at ~mhit~,nt temperature as m~,ntioned in F.~mp1e 8c.

Example 10
Acid Deprotection of Cy~ int-,-S-phosphate
Three 5 ,ul aliquots of 8.2 mM aqueous solution of cyste~minP-S-
phosphate were placed into three separate vials. The three samples were diluted
to 1 rnl with 0.1 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 4Ø The final pH of the samples
1 0 was found to be 4Ø The samples were left at ambient temperature and
neutralized either at 1, 3, or 19 hours by addition of 50 lul of a~l,ro~illlately 5 M
sodium hydroxide and 2 ml of 0.1 M sodium phosphate, pH 8.5. The thiol
groups generated were quantified colorimetrically after addition of 20 111 of lOmM solution of DTNB, The absorbance was read within S minutes of the
1 5 ~ lition of DTNB at 412 nm against a reagent blank with no cyste~mine-S-
phosphate. The experim~,nt~lly determined molar extinction coefficient of
13,000 was used in thiol quantification. The results are sllmm~*7ed below in
Table 2.
The expt~,rim-o,nt was repeated exactly as described above but with three
2 0 times higher concentration of ~;y~al~ e-S-phosphate. For controls, same
amounts of cy~ e-S-phosphate were taken up in 0.1 M sodium phosphate
buffer, pH 7.0, and subjected to thiol qll~ntification after appropriate intervals.
The results are !;ul "",~, ;7~d below in Table 3.

2 5 Table 2
Cy~le~llline-S-Phosphate pH 4.0 Exposure
1 hour 3 hours 19 hours
Thiols Generated (nmol) 8.2 19.2 29.3
% Thiol D~lo~ec~ion20 46.8 71.5

Table 3
Cysteamine-S-Phosphate pH 4.0 Exposure
- 1 hour 3 hours 19 hours
Thiols Generated (nmol) 32.8 51.6 77.5
% Thiol Deprotection 26.7 42.0 63.0

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96/17S80 PCT/US95/15586

-38-

The extent of acid catalyzed deprotection was found to be time
dependent. A l~inPIeell hour incubation resulted in 63 to 71.5 % deprotection ofthe thiophosphate groups.




Example 11
Immobilization of Anti-TSH Antibody to Amino Microparticles
(a) Function~1i7~tion of the Antibody
An aliquot of anti-TSH antibody cont~ining 5 mg (33 nmol) is
1 0 extensively dialyæd against buffer E and placed in a vial. To the antibody
solution is added 0.22 mg (660 nmol) of SMCC dissolved in 100 ul of DMF and
the res-llting lli~Y,LLIle iS gently sti~red for 30 minutes at ~mhient temperature. The
activated antibody is recovered by chromatography over a 1 x 45 cm colurnn of
Sephadex G-25. The column is equilibrated and eluted with buffer E. Fractions
1 5 of about 1 rnl each are collected during elution and absorbance at 280 nm is
~letPrminerl The peak fractions are pooled and the concentration of the antibodyin the pool is calculated from its absorbance at 280 nm using an extinction
coefficient (Elcml%) of 13.9.
To the activated antibody pool (4 mg or 26.7 nmol) is added 20 ~1 (0.2
2 0 mg or 1.3 nmol) of a solution of ALP and 8 mg (133 nmol) of poly(glutamic
acid) poly(phosphorothioate) (MW = 60,000; 25 phosphorothioate
groups/poly(~ t~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) dissolved in 0.8 rnl of buffer
E. The resulting mixture is gently stirred overnight at 2-8C. The poly(glutarnic
acid) poly(phosphorothioate) functionalized antibody is stored on ice until
2 5 coupling to rnicroparticles.

(b) Activation of Amino Microparticles
One milliliter of arnino microparticles (diameter = 0.25 ,um, % solids =
10) is suspended in 3 rnl of distilled water followed by addition of 2 g of the
3 0 anion exchange resin, BIO-REX MSZ 501 (D). The resin/microparticle ~ Lult;
is rotated end over end for 1 hour at ~mhient temperature and then poured into acourse sintered glass funnel. The microparticles are pulled through the funnel
under low vacuum and centrifuged at 18,000 rpm for 30 minlltes The
sup~rn~t~nt is ~lec~nts~ carefully and the rnicroparticles are washed with 10 rnl of
3 5 water, and centrifuged. The supernatant is clecanted and the washed
rnicroparticles are suspended in 4 ml of buffer E. 8 mg of STCM (prepared in

CA 02205373 1997-05-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586

-39-
accordance with Fx~mrle 6) is dissolved in 4 ml of DMF and added to the
rnicroparticle suspension. The ~ is rotated end over end for one hour at
~mhi~-nt temperature and then poured into a centrifuge tube. Buffer E is added to
final volume of 32 ml and the microparticles are centrifuged at 15,000 rpm for
30 minlltes. The sup~rn~t~nt is ~ec~nt~d and microparticles are resuspended in
30 rnl of buffer E. The washing with buffer E is repeated two more times and
the washed microparticles are finally resuspended in 4 ml of buffer E.

(c) Coupling of Antibody to Microparticles
1 0 The poly(glnt~mi~ acid) poly(phosphorothioate) filnc~ion~li7eA antibody
pool (3 ml colll~i,-;,,g 4 mg) is combined with the activated microparticles andthe resulting suspension is rotated end over end overnight at 2-8C. The
rnicroparticles are poured into a centrifuge tube and buffer E cont~ining 1 mg/ml
bovine serum albumin (BSA) is added to 35 ml. The microparticles are
1 5 centrifugçd and resuspended in 35 ml buffer E cont~inin~ BSA, after the
supt~rn~t~nt has been dec~ntçd. The particles are washed two more times to
ensure removal of any free antibody and then resuspended in an a~pl~lialt;
storage buffer and stored at 2-8C.

2 0 Example 12
Polv(~lutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslinked Bovine Alkaline
Phosphatase (ALP) Site-Specificallv Conju~eated with Anti-Hepatitis B Surface
Antigen I~G
(a) Derivatization of Anti-hep~titi~ B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) Antibody
2 5 To 10 ml of l. 1 mg/ml anti-Hepatitis B surface antigen IgG was added
lOml of O.l M triethanol~mine (TEA), 0.16 M NaCl, pH 8.0 buffer (buffer I).
The antibody was concçntr~t~ to ~pro~ ately 1.5 ml using a Ct;l-L-ipl~-30-
ConcenLlalo, with a MW cutoff of 30,000. The concentrate was redillltçd to 20
ml using buffer I then recon~tit~lted to 1.5 ml. This concentration/dilution
3 0 procedure was repeated three tirnes. The volume of the final conce .~ ed
antibody solution was diluted to 2 ml with buffer I and placed in an amber vial.
To 1.71 rnl of the 4.68 mg/ml (53.3 nmol) washed IgG was added 160 ,ul of
200 mM (320 nmol) sodium m-periodate dissolved in buffer I. This ~
was allowed to react for one hour at room temperature while rotating on a rotary3 5 agitator. Following the incubation, the above reaction mixture, which contained
oxidized antibody, was applied to the equilibrated G-25 colurnn which had been

CA 02205373 1997-05-14
wo96/17580 Pcr/uS95/15586

-40-
prepared as above using buffer E. The column was eluted with buffer E and
0.75 ml fractions were collected. Frac~ons with an A280 greater than 0.3 AU
were pooled. The antibody pool was concentrated to 1 ml using a Centricon-30-
Concç~ lol with a MW cutoff of 30,000. To the concentrated antibody pool
was added 250 ~Ll of 0.75M (188 ~mol) cy~.la~ e dihydrochloride dissolved in
buffer E. Following a 15 rninute incubation at room temperature with gentle
stirring, 63 ,ul of 0.3M (18.9 ,umol) sodium cyanoborohydride dissolved in
buffer E was added and the resl-lting mixture was allowed to react at room
ture overnight. After the overnight incubation, the reaction mix lule was
1 0 applied to a Sephadex G-25 column that had been prepared as above using 0.1M sodium phosphate, 0.1 M NaCl, 2 mM EDTA, pH 7.0 buffer (buffer J).
The colurnn was eluted with buffer J and 0.75 rnl fractions were collected.
Fractions with an A280 greater than 0.3 AU were pooled. The antibody pool
was concentrated to 1.5 rnl using a Centricon-30-Concentrator with a MW cutoff
1 5 of 30,000. To the concentrated antibody pool was added 75 ~1 of 40 mM (30
nmol) DTT dissolved in buffer J. This Il~ib~lule was allowed to react for 15
minntes at room le~ ,ture while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator. After
the reaction, the ~ lu-t;; was applied to a Sephadex G-25 column that had been
prepared as above using buffer J. The column was eluted with buffer J and 0.75
2 0 ml fractions were collected. Fractions with an A280 greater than 0.3 AU were
pooled. The res-llting Fc-functionalized antibody with free thiols in the Fc
region was stored on ice until conjugated.

(b) Derivatization of Poly(glut~mic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate)
2 5 Crosslin_ed ALP
To a 2.27 ml aliquot of 2.64 mg/ml (40 nmol) poly(glllt~mic acid) poly
(phosphorothioate) cros~link--d ALP (prepared in accordance with Example 2)
was added 100 ,ul of 0.16 M NEM (16,umol). The resulting llli~Lule was
allowed to incubate for one hour while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator.3 To 50 ,ul of DMF was added 0.54 mg (831 nmol) of STCM linker which was
prepared as described in Example 6. This linker solution was added to 1.18 ml
of 2.53 mg/ml (20 nmol) NEM capped croc~link~l ALP and allowed to react for
one hour at room temperature while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator.
After the reaction was complete, the mixture was applied to a Sephadex G-25
3 5 column which had been prepared as above except that the column was
equilibrated with three column volumes buffer C. The column was eluted with

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


-41 -
buffer C and 0.75 ml fractions were collected. Fractions with an A280 greater
than 0.3 AU were pooled. The linker functionalized crosslink~A ALP was
stored on ice until conjugated.

5 (c) Conjugation of Fc Derivatized Anti-hepatitis B Surface Antigen IgG to
Poly(ghlt~mic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate) Cros~linked ALP
To a 0.52 ml aliquot of 0.97 mg/ml (3.5 nmol) Fc derivatized anti-
Hepatitis B surface antigen IgG was added 1.30 ml of 0.77 mg/ml (7 nmol)
STCM lilLker derivatiæd NEM capped poly(glutamic acid)
1 0 poly(phosphorothioate) cros~linkP-l ALP. The resulting ~ e was allowed to
react overnight at 5C while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator to yield the
conjugated product.
Example 13
1 5 Poly(~lutamic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslinked Bovine Alkaline
Phosphatase (ALP)/Fc Site-Specifically Derivatized Anti-hCG IgG Conjugate
(a) Derivatization of Anti-hCG Antibody.
To 8 ml of 1.1 mg/ml anti-hCG IgG was added 10 ml of buffer I and the
antibody was conct;llLLa~ed to approxim~tely 1.5 ml using a Ce~ ~-30-
2 0 Conce~ ol. The concentr~t~- was rediluted to 20 ml using buffer I then
reconcentrated to 1.5 ml. This concentration/dilution procedure was repeated
three times. The volume of the antibody solution was made up to 2 ml with
buffer I and placed in an amber vial. To 2 ml of 4.0mg/ml (53.3 nmol) washed
IgG was added 220 ml of 200 mM (440 nmol) sodium m-periodate dissolved in
2 5 buffer I. This l~ wc was allowed to react for one hour at room tenl~ldlule
while rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator. Following the incubation, the
above reaction n~L~lult;, which contained the oxidized antibody, was applied to a
G-25 column as prepared above using buffer E. The column was eluted with
buffer E and 0.75 ml fractions were collected. Fractions with an A280 greater
3 0 than 0.3 AU were pooled. The antibody pool was concentrated to 1 ml using an Amicon Centricon-30-Concentrator. To the concentrated antibody pool was
added 300 ml of 15 mM (4.81 mmol) 4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane-I-
carboxyl hydrazide (M2C2H) linker dissolved in buffer E. This mi~lult; was
allowed to react for three hours at room ~ lp~ld~ while rotating at 100 rpm on
3 5 a rotary agitator. Following the incubation, the above reaction ~ lule was
applied to a G-25 column as prepared above except 0.1 M sodium acetate, 0.1 M

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14

WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586

-42-
NaCl, pH 6.0 (buffer K) was employed to remove unreacted linker. The
column was eluted with buffer K and 0.75 ml fractions were collected.
Fractions with an A280 greater than 0.3 AU were pooled. The Fc-functionalized
antibody with maleimides in the Fc region was stored on ice until conjugated.




(b) Conjugation of Fc Derivatized Anti-hCG IgG to Poly(glllt~nic acid)
Poly(phosphorothioate) Crosslinked ALP
To a 1 ml aliquot of 2 mg/ml (13.3 nmol) Fc derivatized anti-hCG IgG is
added 1 ml of 4 mg/ml (26.6 nmol) poly(gh~t~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)
1 0 cros~linkt-d ALP (prepared in accordance with the technique described in
Example 2). The resulting ~ ure is allowed to react overnight at 5C while
rotating at 100 rpm on a rotary agitator to yield the conjugated product.

Example 14
1 5 Synthesis of Dithiothreitol Diphosphate
A solution of 1,4-dibromo-2,3-butanediol (1.0 g, 4.0 mmol) in 5 ml
DMF is added to sodium thiophosphate dodecahydrate (3.8 gm, 10.1 mmol) in
20 ml H20. The ~ ; is stirred overnight at room temperature. A 5% silver
nitrate solution is added to precipitate excess sodium thiophosphate. The
2 0 precipitate is filtered out and the filtrate dried under high vacuum. The solid
residue is ~ d~d with methanol and filtered to yield 1.8 g (3.8 mmol) of
threitol bis-phosphorothioate tetrahydrate.

Example 15
2 5 Dithiothreitol Diphosphate Deprotection
When phosphorothioate deprotection of the bis-phosphorothioate threitol
is desired, to activate its reducing ability, the cleavage of the phosphate bonds is
accomplished by addition of 1 IlM solution of ALP. Due to the chelating nature
of dithiothreitol, zinc and magnesium are added to the reaction meAillm to
3 0 ~the catalytic activity of the ALP.

CA 0220 7373 1997 - OF7 - 14
wo 96/17580 PCT/USg5/15586

-43-
Example 16
Svnthesis of Phosphorothioate Heterobifunctional A~ents
(a) N-hydroxy,~ucrinimi(lyl Cyste~mi~ophosphorothioate 4,5-Dithioheptyl
l-Carboxylate
48.2 mg (269 llmol) of ~;y~le~ e-S-phosphate was dissolved in 2.5 ml
of dto,ioni7e-1 water and the res-llting solution was added to a solution of 330 mg
(816 llmol) of 3,3'-dithiopropionic acid bis-active ester in 2.5 ml of DMF. The
two solutions were comhine(l while stirring atroom temperature and the stirring
was continlleci for an additional 3 minutes after the solutions were combined.
1 0 After the 3 minute mixing period the solution was evaporated under reduced
pressure for 18 minutes at room temperature. 20 ml of chloroform was added to
the resulting white residue and the ~,~i,~Lur~ was stirred for 10 minutes. A white
precipitate formed which was separated from the supern~t~nt liquid and dried
under reduced pressure to yield the powder product N-hydroxysuccinimidyl
1 5 cysteamidophosphorothioate 4,5-dithioheptyl l-carboxylate.
FAB(-) mass ~e~iLl ulll data in(li~ated t,he presence of m~t~-,ri~l of m/e -1 =
445, the expected rn/e of the desired product is 446. FAB (+) spectrum data alsoinriirate~l the presence of the ~r~ iate ion (mJe+ Na+).

2 0 (b) N-hydroxysuccinimidyl Cysteami~lophosphorothioate 3-Oxybutyl 1-
Carboxylate
50 mg (279 ~mol) of cysteamine-S-phosphate was dissolved in
deionized water and the resulting solution was added to a solution of 370 mg
(1.12 ~mol) of diglycolic acid bis-active ester dissolved in DMF. The solutions
2 5 were mixed at room temperature during the addition and the stirring was
continued for an additional 3 minutes after the addtion was complete. After the
stirring period was cnmp1ete, the reaction .,-,x lur~ was evaporated under reduced
pressure at room temperature for 20 minutes. 35 ml of tetrahydrofuran (THF)
was added to the resulting white residue and the resulting llli~Llllt; was stirred for
3 0 10 minutes. A white precipitate formed and was separated from the sup~,rn~t~nt
- liquid and dried under reduced pressure to yield the product N-
hydroxysuccinimidyl cysteamidophosphorothioate 3-oxybutyl l-carboxylate as a
white powder.
FAB(-) mass spectrum data indicated the presence of m~teri~l of m-le -1 =
3 5 369, the expected mle of the desired product is 370. FAB (+) spectrum data also

CA 02205373 1997-05-14
wo 96/l7sxo PCT/USg5/15586

-44-
inr~ ted the presence of the a~ iate ion (m/e+ Na+) however, the presence
of large amounts of sodium ions produced a strong background.

(c) N-hy~u~y~uccinimidyl Cyste~miclophosphorothioate Heptanoyl 1-
5 Carboxylate
50 mg (279 ~lmol) of cy~ llir~ S-phosphate sodium salt was dissolved
in 3 ml of deionized water and added to a solution of 400 mg (1.086 ,umol) of
the bis-active ester of suberic acid dissolved in 3 ml of DMF. The ~l(iition wasp~,rform~d over the course of 1 minute at 5C. The resulting reaction n i~ul~;
1 0 was stirred at room tempOEature for 1 hour and 45 minutes. The reaction ll~i~ G
was then evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure at room temperature for
18 minntes and the resulting solid residue was treated with 10 ml of THF. A
white preciI it~t~o formed and was collected and treated again with 10 ml of THF.
A white precipitate was again collected and dried under reduced pressure to yield
15 theproductN-hydlo~y~uccinimidylcy~ "~idnphosphorothioateheptanoyl 1-
carboxylate.
FAB(-) mass spectrometry in~ tecl the presence of the molecular ion
m/e-l = 409 which corresponds to the m/e of the desired m~tP,ri~l of m/e = 410.

2 0 (d) Cysteamidophosphorothioate Heptanoyl l-Hydrazide
0.10 gm (250 ,umol) of N-hydroxysuccinimidyl
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-carboxylate is dissolved in 2 ml of a
1:1 solution of DMF in deionized water and the resulting solution is added to a
solution of 1 mmol of hydrazine monohydrate dissolved in 2 ml of a 1:1 solution
2 5 of DMF in deionized water. The resulting reaction ll~Lx.Lul`e iS incubated while
stirring for 10 minllt~s at 0C. After the incubation the reaction n~ U1G iS
evaporated until dry under reduced pressure. The solid residue is then washed
three times with 10 ml of THF per wash. Precipitate formed after the last wash
is then dried under reduced pressure.
(e) Cyste~mi(lophosphorothioate Heptanoyl l-(Aminoethyl)carbox~mi-le
0.1 gm (250 ,~Lmol) of N-hydroxysuccinimidyl
cysteamidophosphorothioate heptanoyl l-carboxylate is dissolved in a 1.1
solution of DMF in deionized water and the res-llting solution is added to a
3 5 solution of 1 mrnol of ethylene~ mine dissolved in 2 ml of a 1:1 solution ofDMF in deionized water. The resulting reaction n~ixture is incubated while

CA 0220~373 1997-0~-14
WO 96/17580 PCT/US95/15586


-45-
stirring for 10 minutes at 0C. After the incubation the reaction mi~lul~ is
evaporated until dry under reduced pressure. The solid residue is then washed
three times with 10 ml of THF per wash. Precipitate formed after the last wash
is then dried under reduced ~lr,s~ulc;.




(f) p-NitrophenylCy~lr,~ idophosphorothioateHeptanoyl 1-Carboxylate
250 ~lmol of N-hyd~o~y~uccinimidyl cyste~mitlophosphorothioate
heptanoyl 1-carboxylate [from Example l 6(c)] is dissolved in 3 ml of deionized
water. l mmol of p-nitrophenol is dissolved in 3 ml of DMF and added to the
1 0 N-hydroxysuccinimidyl cyste~mi-lophosphorothioate heptanoyl 1-carboxylate
solution. The resulting reaction nfi~ule is stirred at room temperature for 2
hours and then evaporated until dry under reduced pressure. The solid residue isthen washed three times with 10 ml of THF per wash. Precipitate formed after
the last wash is then dried under reduced pressure.
1 5
Example 17
Stoichiometric Control of the Size of Poly(glutamic acid)
Polv(phosphorothioate) Crosslinked Bovine Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
, (a) ~l~a.dlion of Poly(glnt~mic acid) Poly(phosphorothioate) Cro~sslinkecl
2 0 ALP
A number of poly(glut~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) crosslink~-l ALP
preparations were produced over a range of poly(glnt~mic acid)
poly(phosphorothioate) to ALP ratios. Using the crosclinking techniques set
forth in Example 2, poly(gl~lt~mic acid) poly(phosphorothioate)to ALP ratios of
1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and 6:1 were employed to crosslink ALP. Theproducts of
the crosslinking reactions were evaluated in order to detlo,rmine the effect of
varying the molar ratio of reactants had on controlling the size of the crosslink~1
ALP.

3 0 b) Charact~ri7~tion of Crosslink~,d ALP
Poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) cro~slinkt-d ALP was
evaluated by size exclusion chromatography using a Bio-Sil SEC-400 column.
Detection was at 280nm. The mobile phase was buffer E running at a flow rate
of 1.0 ml/minute. From the HPLC chromatograms, the percentage of product
3 5 with a retention time corresponding to singlet crosslink~d ALP was calculated.
The result~s of this evaluation are shown in Figure 15. As shown by Figure 15,

-
CA 02205373 1997-05-14
W O 96/17580 PCT~US95/15586


-46-
the amount of monomeric crosslinked ALP produced per cros~linking reaction
increased as a function of increasing the amount of poly(gl~lt~mic acid)
poly(phosphorothioate). Additionally, the amount of mnltimt-rs produced
decreased when the amount poly(glutamic acid) poly(phosphorothioate) was
5 increased. Hence, through stoichiometric manipulation, modulation of the size
of the crosslinked ALP was possible.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to
specific embodirnents thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
1 0 various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereo Additionally, all references to patents or
publications in this specification are incorporated herein by reference.

Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

For a clearer understanding of the status of the application/patent presented on this page, the site Disclaimer , as well as the definitions for Patent , Administrative Status , Maintenance Fee  and Payment History  should be consulted.

Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date Unavailable
(86) PCT Filing Date 1995-11-30
(87) PCT Publication Date 1996-06-13
(85) National Entry 1997-05-14
Examination Requested 2002-11-28
Dead Application 2004-11-30

Abandonment History

Abandonment Date Reason Reinstatement Date
2003-12-01 FAILURE TO PAY APPLICATION MAINTENANCE FEE

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 1997-05-14
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 1997-05-14
Application Fee $300.00 1997-05-14
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 2 1997-12-01 $100.00 1997-09-29
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 3 1998-11-30 $100.00 1998-10-23
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 4 1999-11-30 $100.00 1999-09-29
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 5 2000-11-30 $150.00 2000-10-27
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 6 2001-11-30 $150.00 2001-10-09
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 7 2002-12-02 $150.00 2002-11-01
Request for Examination $400.00 2002-11-28
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
ABBOTT LABORATORIES
ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Past Owners on Record
BIENIARZ, CHRISTOPHER
CORNWELL, MICHAEL J.
HUSAIN, MAZHAR
SKRZYPCZYNSKI, ZBIGNIEW
YOUNG, DOUGLAS F.
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
Documents

To view selected files, please enter reCAPTCHA code :



To view images, click a link in the Document Description column. To download the documents, select one or more checkboxes in the first column and then click the "Download Selected in PDF format (Zip Archive)" or the "Download Selected as Single PDF" button.

List of published and non-published patent-specific documents on the CPD .

If you have any difficulty accessing content, you can call the Client Service Centre at 1-866-997-1936 or send them an e-mail at CIPO Client Service Centre.


Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Representative Drawing 1997-07-31 2 24
Description 1997-05-14 46 2,560
Cover Page 1997-07-31 2 70
Claims 1997-05-14 3 109
Drawings 1997-05-14 18 292
Abstract 1996-06-13 1 57
Assignment 1997-05-14 7 310
PCT 1997-05-14 5 167
Prosecution-Amendment 1997-05-14 1 17
Correspondence 1997-07-11 1 27
PCT 1997-05-12 5 142
Prosecution-Amendment 2002-11-28 2 48
Prosecution-Amendment 2002-11-28 4 122
PCT 1997-05-14 1 57