Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Immunogenicity, Safety, and Tolerability of JNJ‐61178104, a Novel Tumor Necrosis Factor‐Alpha and Interleukin‐17A Bispecific Antibody, in Healthy Subjects

Abstract The safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity of JNJ‑61178104, a novel anti–tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNFα) and anti–interleukin‐17A (IL‑17A) bispecific antibody, were investigated in a placebo‐controlled, first‐in‐human study. Healthy subjects (n = 54) received a single dose of JNJ‐61178104 by either intravenous infusion (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, and 10 mg/kg) or subcutaneous injection (1 mg/kg). Blood samples for measurement of serum JNJ‐61178104 concentrations, total IL‐17A, total TNFα, and detection of antidrug antibodies were collected for up to 16 weeks after dosing and assessed using electrochemiluminescence immunoassays. PK parameters were calculated by noncompartmental analysis and estimated by nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling. JNJ‐61178104 was generally well tolerated in healthy subjects. For the intravenous cohorts, mean maximum concentration, and area under the concentration‐time curve values increased in a dose‐proportional manner. Mean clearance ranged from 6.73 to 9.99 mL/day/kg, mean volume of distribution at terminal phase after intravenous administration ranged from 51.0 to 91.9 mL/kg, and mean half‐life ranged from 4.3 to 9.7 days following intravenous administration. After a single subcutaneous dose of 1 mg/kg, median time to maximum concentration was 4.0 days, mean bioavailability was 52.0% and mean half‐life was 5.3 days. A linear 2‐compartment population model with first‐order elimination adequately characterized the pharmacokinetics with parameters consistent with noncompartmental analysis estimates. Body weight and antidrug antibodies were significant covariates on JNJ‐61178104 clearance. The time to reach mean maximum serum total TNFα and total IL‐17A concentrations appeared to be dose dependent across the 0.1 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg IV dose groups. All subjects who received active treatment were antidrug antibody positive after dosing with JNJ‐61178104.