Göttingen pigs as a potential model for natalizumab pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity evaluation

Natalizumab is a recombinant, humanized form of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD49d. The presented study was conducted to explore the suitability of Göttingen pigs as a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model in the preclinical phase of biosimilar natalizumab development. The minipigs were treated with 1.286 or 3.0 mg of natalizumab (Tysabri®) per kg of body weight by a single 1-hour intravenous infusion. Six days before (baseline) and 30 days after administration of the single dose of natalizumab, blood samples were taken for analysis. No signs of local or general intolerance were observed. The pharmacokinetics plot shows a biphasic profile dependent on anti-drug antibody (ADA) levels. A dose-related increase in the CD49d saturation was observed immediately after the end of the infusion. The soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM) concentrations of the female animals were moderately decreased immediately after the end of infusion compared to the predose levels. The soluble mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (sMAdCAM) concentrations were slightly decreased compared to the predose levels starting immediately after the end of infusion and lasting for the next 30 days. All animals treated appeared to produce ADA. The concentrations of the ADA ranged from 15.8 to 16,748 ng/mL Göttingen pigs represent a suitable model for pharmacokinetic analysis and mechanism of action evaluation related to saturation of CD49d.