US 12,134,635 B1
Interleukin 18 (IL-18) variants and fusion proteins comprising same
John K. Cini, Blairstown, NJ (US); and Susan J. Dexter, Rye, NH (US)
Assigned to Sonnet BioTherapeutics, Inc., Princeton, NJ (US)
Filed by Sonnet BioTherapeutics, Inc., Princeton, NJ (US)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/740,390.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/658,322, filed on Jun. 10, 2024.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/616,148, filed on Dec. 29, 2023.
Int. Cl. C07K 14/54 (2006.01); C07K 16/18 (2006.01); C12N 15/64 (2006.01)
CPC C07K 14/54 (2013.01) [C07K 14/5434 (2013.01); C07K 16/18 (2013.01); C12N 15/64 (2013.01); C07K 2317/622 (2013.01); C07K 2319/00 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
 
1. An IL-18/IL-12 albumin binding domain fusion protein comprising:
a) a human IL-18 (hIL-18), wherein the hIL-18 protein is a variant hIL-18 protein that comprises a substitution at one or more of the following amino acid positions: Y1, M51, M60, S105, and/or D110, relative to human wild-type IL-18 (SEQ ID NO:2);
b) a human IL-12 (hIL-12); and
c) a human albumin binding domain (hABD),
wherein the human albumin binding domain is an scFv that comprises an antibody heavy chain variable domain (VH), an antibody light chain variable domain (VL), and an scFv linker that attaches the VH to the VL, wherein the VH comprises an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:5, and the VL comprises an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:9, and
wherein the hIL-18 is attached to the human albumin binding domain by a first peptide linker, and the hIL-12 is attached to the human albumin binding domain by a second peptide linker.