Solid-phase bioconjugation of heterobifunctional adaptors for versatile assembly of bispecific targeting ligands

High-throughput generation of bispecific molecules promises to expedite the discovery of new molecular therapeutics and guide engineering of novel multifunctional constructs. However, high synthesis complexity and cost have hampered the discovery of bispecific molecules in drug development and biomedical research. Herein we describe a simple solid-phase bioconjugation procedure for preparation of Protein A(G,L)-PEG-Streptavidin heterobifunctional adaptors (with 1:1:1 stoichiometry), which enable self-assembly of unmodified antibodies and biotinylated molecules into bispecific targeting ligands in a versatile mix-and-use manner. Utility of such adaptors is demonstrated by assembly of anti-CD3 and anti-Her2 antibodies into bispecific CD3xHer2 targeting ligands, which efficiently drive T-cell-mediated lysis of Her2-positive cancer cells. In comparison to bioconjugation in solution, the solid-phase procedure described here offers precise stoichiometry control, ease of purification, and high yield of functional conjugates. Simplicity and versatility should prove this methodology instrumental for preparation of bispecific ligands, as well as for high-throughput screening of bispecific combinations, before proceeding to synthesis of lead candidates via recombinant engineering or chemical cross-linking.