NZ619092B2 - Anti-angptl3 antibodies and uses thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an isolated human antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds human angiopoietin-like protein 3 (hANGPTL3) of SEQ ID NO:161 and neutralizes, reduces, or interferes with, at least one activity of hANGPTL3, and wherein the antibody binds amino acids 36-68 of AngPTL3, and wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment comprises a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, 18, 34, 50, 66, 82, 98, 114, 130, 146 and 180; and a light chain variable region (LCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:10, 26, 42, 58, 74, 90, 106, 122, 138, 154 and 188. L3, and wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment comprises a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, 18, 34, 50, 66, 82, 98, 114, 130, 146 and 180; and a light chain variable region (LCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:10, 26, 42, 58, 74, 90, 106, 122, 138, 154 and 188.

Description

ANTI-ANGPTL3 ANTIBODIES AND USES THEREOF FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is related to human antibodies and antigen-binding fragments of human antibodies that specifically bind human angiopoietin-like protein 3 (hANGPTL3), and therapeutic methods of using those antibodies.

BACKGROUND The angiopoietin—like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) gene was identified from the EST database based on signal ces and amphipathic helices, and a full-length ANGPTL3 cDNA was subsequently ed from a human fetal liver/spleen cDNA library (Conklin et al., 1999, Genomics 62: 477-482). The deduced 460-amino acid hANGPTL3 protein shares 76% amino acid ce identity with mouse ANGPTL3 and has the characteristic structure of angiopoietins; i.e., a signal peptide, an extended helical domain predicted to form c or trimeric coiled-coils, a short linker peptide, and a globular fibrinogen homology domain (FD) (Conklin et al., 1999, supra). ANGPTL3 contains the 4 conserved cysteine es implicated in the olecuiar disulfide bonds within the FD; however, ANGPTL3 contains neither the two additional cysteines nor the characteristic calcium-binding motif found in the FDs of oietins (ANGs; i.e., ANG1, ANGZ and ANG4) (Conklin et al., 1999, supra), which are protein growth factors that promote angiogenesis. in addition, unlike ANGs, ANGPTL3 does not bind to Tie2; r, it may also induce angiogenesis by binding to integrin qv[33 via its C— al FD (Camenisch et al., 2002, J Biol Chem 277:17281-17290). [0003} Comprehensive in vivo data were obtained from the outbred KK mouse model, which is moderately obese with abnormally high levels of plasma insulin, glucose, and lipids, resembling type 2 diabetes mellitus in humans (Koishi et al., 2002, Nature Genetics 302151-157). One sub— strain of mouse, the KK/San, however, was found to t abnormally low plasma lipid levels (hypolipidemia), which were inherited as a Mendelian recessive. The loci was mapped to chromosome 4 and eventually identified to be the gene encoding 3, which contained a 4—bp nucleotide sequence insertion in exon 6 (Koishi et al., 2002, supra). Conversely, plasma lipid levels increase after adenovirus-mediated transfer of ANGPTL3 gene, or after administration of recombinant human ANGPTL3 in KK/San mice. This effect was not mediated by changes in genes involved in cholesterol synthesis, lipoprotein clearance or NEFA oxidation i et al., 2002, supra). r, in vitro analysis of inant n showed that ANGPTL3 directly inhibits lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, indicating that it is a lipid metabolism modulator that regulates very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride levels through the inhibition of LPL activity (Shimizugawa et al., 2002, J Biol Chem 277(37):33742—33748). It has been shown that the N-terminal coiled—coil domain, especially the N—terminal region residues 17- 165, and not the C-terminal FD, of ANGPTL3, is required for its activity of increasing plasma triglyceride levels in mice (Ono et al., 2003, J Biol Chem 278241804-41809).

The amino acid and nucleotide sequences of human ANGPTL3 are shown in SEQ ID NOS:161 and 162, respectively. dies to ANGPTL3 are disclosed in, for example, W02008/073300 and US 7,935,796.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE ION In a first aspect, the invention es fully human monoclonal dies (mAbs) and antigen—binding fragments thereof that specifically bind and neutralize, inhibit, block, abrogate, reduce or interfere with, at least one activity of B, in particular, human ANGPTL3 (SEQ ID NO:161). The activity of ANGPTL3 that can be neutralized, inhibited, blocked, ted, reduced or interfered with, by the antibodies or fragments thereof of the invention, includes, but not by the way of limitation, tion of LPL activity, induction of angiogenesis, and the like. In one embodiment, an antibody or fragment f of the present invention can neutralize, inhibit, block, abrogate, reduce or interfere with, an activity of hANGPTL3 by binding to an epitope of hANGPTL3 that is directly involved in the targeted activity of hANGPTL3. In another embodiment, an antibody or fragment thereof of the invention can lize, inhibit, block, abrogate, reduce or interfere with, an activity of hANGPTL3 by binding to an epitope of hANGPTL3 that is not directly involved in the targeted activity of hANGPTL3, but the antibody or fragment binding thereto sterically or conformationally inhibits, blocks, abrogates, reduces or eres with, the ed ty of hANGPTL3. In yet r embodiment, an antibody or fragment thereof of the invention binds to an epitope of hANGPTL3 that is not directly involved in the targeted activity (e.g., ting LPL activity, inducing angiogenesis, and the like) of hANGPTL3 (i.e., a non—blocking antibody), but the antibody or fragment binding thereto results in the ement of the clearance of hANGPTL3 from the circulation, compared to the clearance of hANGPTL3 in the absence of the antibody or fragment thereof, thereby indirectly inhibiting, blocking, ting, reducing or interfering with, an ty of hANGPTL3.

Clearance of hANGPTL3 from the circulation can be particularly enhanced by combining two or more different non-blocking antibodies that do not compete with one another for specific binding to hANGPTL3.

The antibodies (Abs) can be ength (for example, an lgG1 or lgG4 antibody) or may comprise only an antigen—binding portion (for example, a Fab, F(ab’)2 or scFv fragment), and may be modified to affect functionality, e.g., to ate residual effector functions (Reddy et al., 2000, J. Immunol. 164:1925-1933).

In one embodiment, the invention comprises an antibody or antigen-binding fragment of an antibody sing a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N02, 18, 34, 50, 66, 82, 98, 114, 130, 146 and 180, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity. In another embodiment, the antibody or antigen—binding fragment thereof comprises a HCVR having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:2,18.34,66.82, I 14, and 180. In yet another embodiment, the antibody or an antigen-binding nt thereof comprises a HCVR having an amino acid sequence of SEQ D N0:66. 10007al In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an isolated human antibody or antigen-binding fragment f that specifically binds human oietin- like protein 3 TL3) of SEQ ID N0:161 and neutralizes, reduces, or interferes with, at least one activity of hANGPTL3, and wherein the dy binds amino acids 36- 68 of AngPTL3, and wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment comprises a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:2, 18,34, 50,66.82,98, I 14.1 30, 146 and 180; and a light chain variable region (LCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:10,26,42,58,74,90,106,122,138,154 and In one embodiment, an antibody or n-binding nt of an antibody comprises a light chain variable region (LCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:10,26.42,58,74,90,106,122,138,154 and 188, or a substantially similar sequence f having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity. In another embodiment, the antibody or antigen-binding portion of an antibody comprises a LCVR having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:10,26.42,74.90, 122 and 188. In yet another embodiment, the antibody or antigen-binding n of an antibody ses a LCVR having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0: 74 In further embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR and LCVR sequence pair (HCVR/LCVR) ed from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:2/10,18/26,34/42,50158,66174,82/90,98/106, I 14/122,1301/38,1461/54 and 1801/88. In one embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR and LCVR sequence pair selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:2110, 18126, 34142, 66/74, 82190, I 14/122 and 8. In another embodiment, the antibody or fragment f comprises a HCVR and LCVR sequence pair of SEQ D N0:66174 100101 In a second aspect, the invention features an antibody or antigen-binding fragment of an antibody comprising a he ary chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) amino acid sequence ed from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:8,24, 40,56.72,88, 104, 120, 136, , 52 and 186, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 959",, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity; and a light chain CDR3 (LCDR3) amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:16.32,48,64.80,96,112,128,144,160 and 194, or substantially similar sequences thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 999', sequence identity. In one embodiment, the antibody or nt thereof comprises a HCDR3/LCDR3 amino acid sequence pair comprising SEQ ID NO:8/16, 24/32, 40/48, 56/64, 72/80, 88/96, 104/1 12, 120/128, 136/144, 152/160 or 186/194. In r embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCDR3/LCDR3 amino acid sequence pair comprising SEQ ID NO:8/16, 24/32, 40/48, 72/80, 88/96, 120/128 or 186/194. In yet another ment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCDR3/LCDR3 amino acid sequence pair comprising SEQ ID 80.

In a further embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof further ses a heavy chain CDR1 (HCDR1) amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:4, 20, 36, 52, 68, 84, 100, 1 16, 132, 148 and 182, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity; and a heavy chain CDR2 (HCDR2) amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:6, 22, 38, 54, 70, 86, 102, 1 18, 134, 150 and 184, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity; and optionally further comprises a light chain CDR1 (LCDR1) amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ iD NO:12, 28, 44, 60, 76, 92, 108, 124, 140, 156 and 190, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity; and/or a light chain CDR2 ) amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ lD NO:14, 30, 46, 62, 78, 94, 110, 126, 142, 158 and 192, or a substantially similar sequence thereof having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% sequence identity.

Alternatively, the invention features an antibody or antigen—binding fragment of an antibody comprising a HCDR1/HCDR2/HCDR3 combination selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:4/6/8, 20/22/24, 36/38/40, 56, 68/70/72, 84/86/88, 2/104, 116/118/120, 132/134/136, 148/150/152 and 182/184/186; and/or a LCDR1/LCDR2/LCDR3 combination selected from the group consisting of SEQ lD NO:12/14/16, 28/30/32, 44/46/48, 60/62/64, 76/78/80, 92/94/96, 108/110/112, 124/126/128, 140/142/144, 156/158/160 and 2/194. in one embodiment, the heavy and light chain CDR amino acid sequences comprise a CDR sequence combination selected from the group consisting of SEQ iD NO:4/6/8/12/14/16, 20/22/24/28/30/32, 36/38/40/44/46/48, 52/54/56/60/62/64, 68/70/72/76/78/80, 84/86/88/92/94/96, 100/102/104/108/110/112, 116/118/120/124/126/128, 132/134/136/140/142/144, 148/150/152/156/158/160 and 182/184/186/190/192/194. in one ment, the heavy and light chain CDR amino acid sequences comprise a CDR sequence combination of SEQ lD NO: 12/14/16, 20/22/24/28/30/32, 36/38/40/44/46/48, 68/70/72/76/78/80, 88/92/94/96, 116/118/120/124/126/128 or 182/184/186/190/192/194. in another embodiment, the heavy and light chain CDR amino acid sequences comprise a CDR sequence ation of SEQ ID NO:68/70/72/76/78/80. in a related embodiment, the invention comprises an antibody or antigen—binding fragment of an dy which specifically binds hANGPTL3, wherein the dy or fragment f comprises heavy and light chain CDR domains contained within HCVR/LCVR pairs seiected from the group consisting of SEQ iD NO:2/10, 18/26, 34/42, 50/58, 66/74, 82/90, 98/106, 114/122, 130/138, 146/154 and 180/188. s and techniques for identifying CDRs within HCVR and LCVR amino acid sequences are known in the art and can be applied to fy CDRs within the specified HCVR and/or LCVR amino acid sequences disclosed .

Conventional definitions that can be applied to identify the boundaries of CDRs include the Kabat definition, the a definition, and the AbM definition. in general terms, the Kabat definition is based on sequence variability, the Chothia definition is based on the location of the structurai loop regions, and the AbM definition is a compromise between the Kabat and Chothia approaches. See, e.g., Kabat, "Sequences of Proteins of immunological interest," National institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. (1991); Al-Lazikani et a/., J. Mol. Biol. 273:927-948 (1997); and Martin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:9268-9272 (1989). Public databases are also available for identifying CDR ces within an antibody. in one embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof ses CDR sequences contained within a HCVR and LCVR pair of SEQ lD NO: 2/10, 18/26, 34/42, 66/74, 82/90, 114/122 or 180/188. in another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises CDR sequences contained within a HCVR and LCVR pair of SEQ ID NO:66/74. in another related embodiment, the invention provides an antibody or antigen-binding nt thereof that competes for specific binding to hANGPTL3 with an antibody or n— binding fragment comprising heavy and light chain CDR ces ned in a HCVR/LCVR sequence pair of SEQ ID NO:2/10, 18/26, 34/42, 50/58, 66/74, 82/90, 98/106, 114/122, 130/138, 146/154 or 8. in one embodiment, the antibody or antigen-binding fragment of the ion competes for specific binding to hANGPTL3 with an antibody or fragment thereof comprising a HCVR/LCVR sequence pair of SEQ ID NO:66/74. in another embodiment, the antibody or antigen—binding fragment of the invention competes for specific binding to hANGPTL3 with an antibody or nt thereof sing a heavy and light chain CDR sequence combination selected from the group consisting of 4/6/8/12/14/16, 20/22/24/28/30/32, 36/38/40/44/46/48, 52/54/56/60/62/64, 68/70/72/76/78/80, 88/92/94/96, 100/102/104/108/110/112, 116/118/120/124/126/128, 132/134/136/140/142/144, 148/150/152/156/158/160 and 182/184/186/190/192/194. in one embodiment, the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of the invention competes for specific binding to hANGPTL3 with an dy or fragment thereof comprising a heavy and light chain CDR sequence combination of SEQ lD NOS:68/70/72/76/78/80. in another related embodiment, the invention provides an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds the same epitope on L3 that is recognized by an antibody or fragment thereof comprising heavy and light chain CDR sequences from a HCVR/LCVR sequence pair of SEQ lD NO:2/10, 18/26, 34/42, 50/58, 66/74, 82/90, 98/106, 114/122, 130/138, 146/154 or 180/188. in one embodiment, the antibody or antigen—hiding fragment of the invention binds the same epitope on hANGPTL3 as that ized by the antibody or fragment thereof comprising a HCVR/LCVR ce pair of SEQ lD NO:66/74. in one embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof of the invention binds the same epitope on hANGPTL3 that is recognized by an antibody or nt thereof comprising a heavy and light chain CDR sequence combination selected from the group consisting of 4/6/8/12/14/16, /22/24/28/30/32, 40/44/46/48, 52/54/56/60l62/64, 72/76/78/80, 84/86/88/92/94/96, 100/102/104/108/110/112, 116/118/120/124/126/128, 132/134/136/140/142/144, 0/152/156/158/160 and 182/184/186/190/192/194. in one embodiment, such an e is recognized by an antibody or fragment thereof comprising a heavy and light chain CDR sequence ation of SEQ lD NO:68/70/72/76/78/80. in a third aspect, the invention features an isolated anti-hANGPTL3 antibody or antigen— binding fragment thereof that binds to an epitope situated within the N—terminal coiled-coil region at residues 17 to 209 of SEQ lD NO:161 and neutralizes, inhibits, abrogates, reduces or eres with, at least one activity of hANGPTL3. In another embodiment, the invention provides an isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment of an antibody that specifically binds to an epitope situated within the N—terminal coiled-coil region of hANGPTL3 (SEQ lD NO:161) and neutralizes, inhibits, tes, reduces or interferes with, at least one activity of hANGPTL3, with the proviso that the dy or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 peptide of SEQ lD NO:17O (corresponds to residues Glu32 to Leu57 of hANGPTL3 of SEQ lD NO:161). in one ment, the antibody or fragment thereof of the invention specifically binds to an epitope within residues 17 to 200, 17 to 100, 17 to 70, 17 to 65, 17 to 60, 17 to 57, or 17 to 50, of hANGPTL3 (SEQ lD NO:161), optionally with the o that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 peptide of SEQ ID NO:170. ln another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof specifically binds to an epitope within residues 40 to 200, 40 to 100, 40 to 70, 50 to 200, 50 to 100, 50 to 70, 58 to 200, 58 to 100, 58 to 70, 58 to 68, or 61 to 66, of hANGPTL3 (SEQ lD NO:161), optionally with the proviso that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the 3 peptide of SEQ lD NO:170. In some ments, the antibody or antibody fragment binds an epitope which may involve more than one of the enumerated epitopes or residues within the N-terminal coiled-coil region of hANGPTL3, optionally with the proviso that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 peptide of SEQ lD NO:170, in a fourth , the invention provides nucleic acid molecules encoding anti— ANGPTL3 antibodies or fragments f, in particular, any one of those described above. inant expression vectors carrying the nucleic acids of the ion, and host cells, e.g., bacterial cells, such as E. coli, or mammalian cells, such as CHO cells, into which such vectors have been introduced, are also encompassed by the invention, as are methods of producing the antibodies by culturing the host cells under conditions permitting production of the antibodies, and recovering the antibodies produced.

In one embodiment, the invention provides an antibody or fragment thereof sing a HCVR encoded by a nucleic acid ce selected from the group consisting of SEQ lD NO: 1, 17, 33, 49, 65, 81, 97, 113, 129, 145 and 179, or a substantially identical sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or at least 99% homology thereof. In another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR d by a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 17, 33, 65, 81, 113 or 179. ln yet another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR encoded by a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ lD NO:65.

In one embodiment, an antibody or antigen-binding nt thereof comprises a LCVR encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ lD NO: 9, 25, 41, 57, 73, 89, 105, 121, 137, 153 and 187, or a substantially identical sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or at least 99% gy thereof. in another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a LCVR encoded by a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ lD NO:9, 25, 41, 73, 89, 121 or 187. in yet another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a LCVR encoded by a nucleic acid ce of SEQ ID NO:7‘3.

In further ments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR and LCVR (HCVR/LCVR) sequence pair encoded by a nucleic acid sequence pair selected from the group ting of SEQ ID NO:1/9, 17/25, 33/41, 49/57, 65/73, 81/89, 97/105, 113/121, 129/137, 145/153 and 179/187. In one embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR/LCVR sequence pair encoded by a c acid sequence pair of SEQ ID NO:1/9, 17/25, 33/41, 65/73, 81/89, 1 or 179/187. In another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR/LCVR sequence pair d by a nucleic acid sequence pair of SEQ ID NO:65/73.

In one embodiment, the invention features an antibody or antigen—binding fragment of an antibody comprising a HCDR3 domain encoded by a nucleotide sequence seiected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N07, 23, 39, 55, 71, 87, 103, 119, 135, 151 and 185, or a substantially identical sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or at least 99% homology thereof; and a LCDR3 domain encoded by a tide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:15, 31, 47, 63, 79, 95, 111, 127, 143,159 and 193, or a substantially identical sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, at |east 98%, or at least 99% homology thereof. In one embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCDR3 and LCDR3 sequence pair d by the nucleic acid sequence pair selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:7/15, 23/31, 39/47, 55/63, 71/79, 87/95, 103/111, 119/127, 135/143, 151/159 and 185/193. In another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCDR3 and LCDR3 sequence pair encoded by the nucleic acid sequence pair of SEQ ID NO:7/15, 23/31, 39/47, 71/79, 87/95, 119/127 or 185/193. In yet another embodiment, the dy or fragment thereof comprises a HCDR3 and LCDR3 ce pair encoded by the nucleic acid sequence pair of SEQ ID NO:71/79.

In a further embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof further comprises a HCDR1 domain d by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3, 19, 35, 51, 67, 83, 99, 115, 131, 147 and 181, or a substantially identical ce having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or at least 99% homology thereof; and a HCDRZ domain encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N025, 21, 37, 53, 69, 85, 101, 117, 133, 149 and 183, or a substantially identical sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or at least 99% homology thereof; and optionally r comprises a LCDR1 domain encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:11, 27, 43, 59, 75, 91, 107, 123, 139, 155 and 189, or a substantially identical sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, at Ieast 98%, or at least 99% homology f; and/or a LCDRZ domain encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, 29, 45, 61, 77, 93, 109, 125, 141, 157 and 191, or a substantially identical sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or at least 99% gy thereof.

Alternatively, the invention features an antibody or n-binding fragment of an dy comprising a HCDR1/HCDR2/HCDR3 ation encoded by a tide ce combination ed from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:3/5/7, 19/21/23, 35/37/39, 51/53/55, 67/69/71, 83/85/87, 99/101/103, 115/117/119, 131/133/135, 147/149/151 and 181/183/185; and/or a LCDR1/LCDR2/LCDR3 combination encoded by a nucleotide sequence combination selected from the group consisting of SEQ lD NO:11/13/15, 27/29/31, 43/45/47, 59/61/63, 79, 95, 107/109/111, 123/125/127, 139/141/143, 155/157/159 and 189/191/193. ln one embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises heavy and light chain CDR sequences encoded by a tide sequence combination of SEQ lD NO:67/69/71/75/77/79. in a fifth , the invention features a human anti-ANGPTL3 antibody or antigen— binding fragment thereof sing a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) encoded by nucleotide sequence segments derived from VH, DH and JH germline sequences, and a light chain variable region (LCVR) encoded by nucleotide sequence ts derived from VK and JK germline sequences, wherein the HCVR and the LCVR are encoded by nucleotide sequence segments derived from a germline gene combination selected from the group consisting of: (i) VHS—43, DH3-3, JH3, VK1—5 and JKZ; (ii) VH3-11, DH1-t, JH4, VK1—39 and JK4; (iii) VH3-30, DH1-7, JH6, VK1-5 and JKt; (iv) VH3-30, DH1-26, JH6, VK1-12 and JK3; (v) VH3-30, DH3-1O, JH6, VK1-12 and JK3; and (vi) VH3-23, DH3-10, JH4, VK1—5 and JK1.

In a sixth aspect, the invention features an dy or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to hANGPTL3 with an equilibrium dissociation constant (KB) of about 7 nM or less, about 6 nM or less, about 5 nM or less, about 4 nM or less, about 3 nM or less, about 2 nM or less, or about 1 nM or less, as measured by surface plasmon resonance assay (for example, BlACORETM). in certain embodiments, the antibody of the invention exhibits a KB of about 800 pM or less, about 700 pM or less; about 600 pM or less; about 500 pM or less; about 400 pM or less; about 300 pM or less; about 200 pM or less; about 100 pM or less; or about 50 pM or less. [0026} In a seventh , the present invention provides an anti-hANGPTL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds hANGPTL3 protein of SEQ ID NO:161, but does not cross-react with a related protein, such as a human angiopoietin-like protein 4 (hANGPTL4; SEQ ID NO:164), as determined by, for example, ELISA, surface plasmon resonance assay, or LUMlNEX® XMAP® Technology, as described . ANGPTL4 is another secreted protein that is known to reduce LPL activity and has an N-terminal -coil region and a C-terminal fibrinogen-like domain (Ge et a/., 2004, J Biol Chem 279:2038—2045; Yau et a/., 2009, J Biol Chem 28421194241952). ln related embodiments, the invention es an anti-hANGPTL3 antibody or antigen g fragment thereof that binds a hANGPTL3 protein and cross—reacts with a hANGPTL4 protein. In certain embodiments, the binding ty of the hANGPTL3 antibody or fragment thereof to hANGPTL4 protein is about 75% or less, or about 50% or less, of the binding affinity of the antibody or fragment to the hANGPTL3 protein. in another related embodiment, the invention provides an anti-hANGPTL3 antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof that does not cross-react with mouse ANGPTL3 (mANGPTL3; SEQ ID NO:163), or rat ANGPTL3 TL3; SEQ lD NO:175), but does cross-react with cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) ANGPTL3 (MfANGPTLB), for e, with the N- terminal 17—170 residues of SEQ lD NO:177 (a partial amino acid sequence of MfANGPTLB). in yet r related embodiment, the ion provides an anti-hANGPTL3 antibody or fragment thereof that cross-reacts with MfANGPTL3, mANGPTL3 and rANGTPL3.

The invention encompasses anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies having a modified glycosylation pattern. In some applications, modification to remove undesirable glycosylation sites may be useful, or e.g., removal of a fucose moiety to increase antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) function (see Shield et al. (2002) JBC 27726733). in other applications, l of N— glycosyiation site may reduce undesirable immune ons against the therapeutic antibodies, or increase affinities of the antibodies. in yet other applications, modification of galactosylation can be made in order to modify complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC).

In an eighth aspect, the invention features a pharmaceutical composition comprising a recombinant human antibody or nt f which specifically binds hANGPTL3 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. in one embodiment, the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies or nts thereof of the invention, which do not cross—compete with one another, and a pharmaceuticalty acceptable carrier. in one embodiment, the pharmaceutical composition of the invention can contain two or more non—biocking antibodies, which do not compete with one another for specific binding to hANGPTL3 and are effective in clearing hANGPTL3 from the circulation.

Suitable combinations of non-bfocking antibodies include, but are not limited to, a combination of antibodies comprising HCVR and LCVR ce pairs (HCVR/LCVR) of: (i) SEQ lD NO:82/90 and 180/188, tively; (ii) SEQ lD /122 and 180/188, respectively; (iii) SEQ lD NO:82/90 and 18/26, respectively; or (iv) SEQ lD NO:114/122 and 18/26, respectively.

In related embodiments, the invention features a composition which is a combination of an antibody or n—binding fragment thereof of the invention, and a second therapeutic agent. The second therapeutic agent may be one or more of any agent such as (1) 3-hydroxy- ylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG—CoA) reductase tors, such as cerivastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin, pitavastatin, rosuvastatin, tatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, and the like; (2) inhibitors of terol uptake and/or bile acid re-absorption; (3) niacin, which increases lipoprotein catabolism; (4) fibrates or amphipathic carboxylic acids, which reduce low- density lipoprotein (LDL) level, e high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and TG levels, and reduce the number of non-fatal heart attacks; and (5) activators of the LXR transcription factor that plays a role in cholesterol elimination such as 22-hydroxycholesterol, or fixed ations such as ezetimibe pius simvastatin; a statin with a bile resin (e.g., tyramine, colestipol, colesevelam), a fixed combination of niacin plus a statin (e.g., niacin with lovastatin); or with other lipid lowering agents such as omega—B-fatty acid ethyl esters (for example, omacor).

Furthermore, the second therapeutic agent can be one or more other inhibitors of ANGPTL3 as well as inhibitors of other molecules, such as ANGPTL4, ANGPTL5, ANGPTL6 and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ), which are ed in lipid metabolism, in particular, terol and/or triglyceride homeostasis. inhibitors of these molecules include small molecules and antibodies that specifically bind to these molecules and block their activity. in related ments, the second eutic agent may be one or more anti-cancer agents, such as chemotherapeutic agents, anti-angiogenic agents, growth inhibitory agents, cytotoxic , tic agents, and other agents well known in the art to treat cancer or other proliferative diseases or disorders, as well as other therapeutic agents, such as analgesics, anti—inflammatory agents, ing non-steroidal anti—inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as Cox-2 inhibitors, and the like, so as to ameliorate and/or reduce the symptoms accompanying the underlying cancer/tumor. in a ninth aspect, the invention features methods for lizing, inhibiting, blocking, abrogating, reducing or interfering with, hANGPTL3 activity using one or more anti—hANGPTL3 antibodies or n-binding fragments thereof of the invention. in one embodiment, the invention es a therapeutic method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more anti- hANGPTL3 antibodies or antigen~binding nts thereof of the invention and, ally one or more additional therapeutic agents described above. The anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies or fragments thereof of the invention may be neutralizing antibodies or ocking antibodies against ANGPTL3, or combinations thereof.

In related embodiments, the invention provides s of enhancing the nce of hANGPTL3 from the circulation of a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject at least two anti—hANGPTL3 antibodies or fragments thereof of the invention that do not compete with one another for binding to hANGPTL3 and preferably do not block at least one activity of hANGPTL3 (i.e., non—blocking antibodies). At least one activity of hANGPTL3 referred to includes, but not the way of tion, inhibiting LPL activity, inducing angiogenesis, and the like. in one embodiment, a combination of at least two non-blocking anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies or fragments thereof enhances the clearance of hANGPTL3 from the circulation by at least about 20%, about 30 %, about 40%, about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, or about 80%, relative to not administering the antibodies or fragments. Circulating levels of hANGPTL3 can be measured by in vitro assays well known in the art and those described herein. in another embodiment, the combination of at least two non-blocking anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies comprises HCVR and LCVR ce pairs (HCVR/LCVR) of: (i) SEQ lD NO:82/90 and 180/188, respectively; (ii) SEQ lD NO:114/122 and 180/188, respectively; (iii) SEQ lD N0282/90 and 18/26, tively; or (iv) SEQ ID NO:114/122 and 18/26, respectively.

The disease or disorder treatable by the methods of the ion‘is any disease or condition which is improved, ameliorated, inhibited or prevented, or its occurrence rate reduced, compared to that without anti-hANGPTL3 antibody ent (e.g., ANGPTL3—mediated diseases or disorders), by removing, inhibiting, reducing, or othen/vise interfering with, ANGPTL3 activity. Examples of diseases or disorders treatable by the methods of the invention e, but are not limited to, those involving lipid metabolism, such as hyperlipidemia, ipoproteinemia and dyslipidemia, including atherogenic dyslipidemia, ic dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, including severe hypertriglyceridemia with TG > 1000 mg/dL, hypercholesterolemia, chylomicronemia, mixed dyslipidemia (obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, etc), lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, and the like, which are caused by, for example, sed LPL activity and/or LPL deficiency, decreased LDL receptor (LDLR) activity and/or LDL receptor deficiency (e.g., homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia with LDLR"‘), altered ApoCZ, ApoE deficiency, increased ApoB, increased production and/or decreased elimination of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), certain drug treatment (6.9., glucocorticoid treatment— induced dyslipidemia), any genetic predisposition, diet, life style, and the like. The methods of the invention can also prevent or treat diseases or disorders associated with or resulting from hyperlipidemia, hyper-lipoproteinemia, and/or dyslipidemia, including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases or disorders, such as atherosclerosis, aneurysm, hypertension, angina, stroke, cerebrovascular diseases, congestive heart failure, coronary artery diseases, myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular diseases, and the like; acute pancreatitis; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH); blood sugar disorders, such as diabetes; obesity, and the like.

Other es of diseases or ers treatable by the methods of the invention include cancer/tumor as well as non—neoplastic angiogenesis—associated diseases or disorders, ing ocular angiogenic diseases or disorders, such as age-related macular degeneration, l retinal vein occlusion or branch retinal vein occlusion, ic retinopathy, pathy of prematurity, and the like, inflammatory diseases or disorders, such as arthritis, toid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, and the like.

Other embodiments will become apparent from a review of the ensuing ed descnpfion.

BRlEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 shows a sequence ent of Peptides 1-3 used in an anti-hANGPTL3 antibody g experiment (Example 5) against the relevant portions of hANGPTL3 sequence (i.e., within residues 30 to 70 of SEQ ID NO:161 or GenBank #NP__055310). e 1 (control: ANGPTL4 peptide; SEQ ID NO:168); Peptide 2 (ANGPTL3 peptide; SEQ ID NO:169); and Peptide 3 (ANGPTL3 peptide; SEQ ID NO:170).

Figure 2 shows the results of ANGPTL3 antibody binding to the N-terminal - coil es of hANGPTL3 (Peptides 2 and 3) or hANGPTL4 (Peptide I: lsotype Control; and I: H4H12768 antibody.

ED DESCRIPTION Before the present invention is described in detail, it is to be tood that this invention is not limited to particular methods, and experimental ions described, as such methods and conditions may vary. it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be iimiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.

Unless d otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this ion belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or lent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, preferred methods and materials are now described.

Definitions The term "human angiopoietin-like protein 3" or "hANGPTL3", as used herein, refers to ANGPTL3 having the nucleic acid sequence shown in SEQ lD NO:162 and the amino acid sequence of SEQ iD N02161, or a biologically active fragment thereof.

The term "antibody", as used herein, is intended to refer to immunoglobuiin molecules comprised of four polypeptide chains, two heavy (H) chains and two light (L) chains inter- connected by disuifide bonds. Each heavy chain is comprised of a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) and a heavy chain constant region (CH; comprised of domains CH1, CH2 and CH3).

Each light chain is comprised of a light chain le region (LCVR) and a light chain nt region (CL). The HCVR and LCVR can be further subdivided into regions of hypervariability, termed complementarity determining regions (CDR), interspersed with regions that are more conserved, termed framework s (FR). Each HCVR and LCVR is composed of three CDRs and four FRs, ed from amino—terminus to y—terminus in the ing order: FR1,CDR1, FR2, CDR2, FR3, CDR3, and FR4.

Substitution of one or more CDR residues or omission of one or more CDRs is also possible. Antibodies have been described in the scientific literature in which one or two CDRs can be dispensed with for binding. Padlan et al. (1995 FASEB J. 92133-139) analyzed the contact regions between antibodies and their antigens, based on published crystal structures, and concluded that only about one fifth to one third of CDR residues actually contact the antigen. Padlan also found many antibodies in which one or two CDRs had no amino acids in t with an antigen (see also, Vajdos et al. 2002 J Mol Bioi 320:415—428).

CDR residues not contacting n can be identified based on previous studies (for example, residues H60—H65 in CDRHZ are often not required), from regions of Kabat CDRs lying outside Chothia CDRs, by lar modeling and/or empirically. if a CDR or residue(s) thereof is omitted, it is usually substituted with an amino acid occupying the corresponding position in another human antibody sequence or a consensus of such sequences. ons for substitution within CDRs and amino acids to tute can also be selected empirically.

Empirical substitutions can be conservative or non—conservative substitutions.

The term "human antibody", as used herein, is intended to include dies having variable and constant regions derived from human germline immunoglobulin ces. The human mAbs of the ion may include amino acid residues not encoded by human ne immunoglobulin sequences (e.g., mutations introduced by random or site—specific mutagenesis in vitro or by c mutation in vivo), for e in the CDRs and in particular CDR3.

However, the term "human antibody", as used herein, is not intended to include mAbs in which CDR ces derived from the ne of another mammalian species (e.g., mouse), have been grafted onto human FR sequences.

The fully-human anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies disclosed herein may comprise one or more amino acid substitutions, insertions and/or deletions in the framework and/or CDR regions of the heavy and light chain variable domains as compared to the corresponding germline sequences.

Such mutations can be y ascertained by comparing the amino acid sequences disclosed herein to germline sequences available from, for e, public antibody sequence databases.

The present invention includes antibodies, and n-binding fragments f, which are derived from any of the amino acid ces disclosed herein, wherein one or more amino acids within one or more framework and/or CDR regions are mutated to the corresponding residue(s) of the germline sequence from which the antibody was derived, or to the corresponding residue(s) of another human germline sequence, or to a conservative amino acid substitution of the corresponding germline residues(s) (such sequence changes are referred to herein collectively as "germline mutations"). A person of ordinary skill in the art, starting with the heavy and light chain variable region sequences disclosed herein, can easily produce numerous dies and antigen-binding fragments which comprise one or more individual germline back- mutations or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, all of the framework and/or CDR residues within the VH and/or VL domains are mutated back to the residues found in the original germline sequence from which the antibody was derived. In other embodiments, only n residues are mutated back to the original ne sequence, e.g., only the mutated residues found within the first 8 amino acids of FR1 or within the last 8 amino acids of FR4, or only the mutated residues found within CDR1, CDR2 or CDR3. In other embodiments, one or more of the framework and/or CDR residue(s) are mutated to the corresponding residue(s) of a different germline sequence (i.e., a germline sequence that is different from the germline sequence from which the antibody was originally derived). Furthermore, the antibodies of the present invention may contain any combination of two or more germline mutations within the framework and/or CDR regions, e.g., wherein certain individual es are mutated to the corresponding residues of a particular ne sequence while certain other residues that differ from the original germline ce are maintained or are mutated to the ponding residue of a different germline sequence. Once obtained, antibodies and antigen-binding nts that contain one or more germline mutations can be easily tested for one or more desired property such as, improved binding icity, increased binding affinity, improved or enhanced antagonistic or agonistic biological properties (as the case may be), reduced immunogenicity, etc. dies and antigen-binding fragments ed in this general manner are encompassed within the present invention.

The present invention also es anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies comprising variants of any of the HCVR, LCVR, and/or CDR amino acid sequences disclosed herein having one or more conservative substitutions. For example, the present invention includes anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies having HCVR, LCVR, and/or CDR amino acid sequences with, 9.9., 10 or fewer, 8 or fewer, 6 or fewer, 4 or fewer, 2 or 1, conservative amino acid substitution(s) relative to any of the HCVR, LCVR, and/or CDR amino acid sequences disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a HCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:487 with 10 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions therein. In another embodiment, a HCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:487 with 8 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions therein. In another ment, a HCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:487 with 6 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions therein. In another ment, a HCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:487 with 4 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions therein. In yet another embodiment, a HCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:487 with 2 or 1 conservative amino acid substitution(s) therein. In one embodiment, a LCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44 with 10 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions n. In another embodiment, a LCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44 with 8 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions therein. In another embodiment, a LCVR ses the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44 with 6 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions therein. In another ment, a LCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44 with 4 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions therein. In yet another embodiment, a LCVR comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44 with 2 or 1 conservative amino acid substitution(s) therein.

Unless ically indicated ise, the term "antibody," as used herein, shall be understood to encompass antibody molecules comprising two immunoglobulin heavy chains and two immunoglobulin light chains (i.e., "full antibody molecules") as well as antigen-binding fragments thereof. The terms "antigen-binding portion" of an antibody, en-binding fragment" of an dy, and the like, as used herein, include any naturally occurring, enzymatically obtainable, synthetic, or genetically engineered polypeptide or glycoprotein that specifically binds an n to form a complex. Antigen—binding fragments of an antibody may be derived, e.g., from full antibody les using any suitable standard techniques such as proteolytic digestion or recombinant genetic engineering techniques involving the manipulation and expression of DNA encoding antibody variable and (optionally) constant s. Such DNA is known and/or is readily available from, 9.9., commercial sources, DNA libraries (including, 9.9., phage-display antibody ies), or can be synthesized. The DNA may be sequenced and manipulated chemically or by using molecular biology techniques, for example, to arrange one or more variable and/or constant s into a suitable configuration, or to uce codons, create cysteine residues, modify, add or delete amino acids, etc.

Non-limiting examples of antigen-binding fragments include: (i) Fab fragments; (ii) F(ab‘)2 fragments; (iii) Fd fragments; (iv) Fv fragments; (v) single—chain Fv (scFv) molecules; (vi) dAb nts; and (vii) minimal recognition units consisting of the amino acid residues that mimic the hypervariable region of an antibody (e.g., an isolated complementarity determining region (CDR) such as a CDR3 peptide), or a constrained FR3—CDR3—FR4 peptide. Other engineered molecules, such as domain-specific antibodies, single domain antibodies, domain— deleted antibodies, chimeric antibodies, CDR—grafted antibodies, diabodies, triabodies, tetrabodies, minibodies, nanobodies (e.g. monovalent nanobodies, bivalent nanobodies, etc), small modular immunopharmaceuticals (SMlPs), and shark variable lgNAR domains, are also encompassed within the expression "antigen-binding fragment," as used herein.

An antigen-binding fragment of an antibody will typically comprise at least one variable domain. The variable domain may be of any size or amino acid ition and will generally comprise at least one CDR which is adjacent to or in frame with one or more framework sequences. In antigen-binding fragments having a VH domain ated with a VL domain, the VH and VL domains may be situated relative to one another in any le arrangement. For example, the variable region may be dimeric and contain VH—VH, VH-VL or VL-VL dimers.

Alternatively, the antigen-binding fragment of an antibody may contain a monomeric VH or VL domain. in certain embodiments, an antigen—binding fragment of an antibody may contain at least one variable domain ntly linked to at least one constant domain. Non-limiting, exemplary configurations of variable and constant domains that may be found within an antigen-binding fragment of an dy of the present invention include: (i) VH—CHi; (ii) VH-CHZ; (iii) VH-CH3; (iv) —CHZ; (v) VH-CHt-CHZ-CH3; (vi) VH-CHZ-CHB; (vii) VH—CL; (viii) VL-CH1; (ix) VL—CHZ; (x) VL- CH3; (xi)VL—CH1-CH2; (xii) VL—CH1-CH2-CH3; (xiii) VL-CHZ—CHB; and (xiv) VL-CL. in any configuration of variable and nt domains, including any of the exemplary configurations listed above, the le and nt domains may be either directly linked to one another or may be linked by a full or partial hinge or linker region. A hinge region may consist of at least 2 (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60 or more) amino acids which result in a flexible or lexible linkage between adjacent variable and/or nt domains in a single polypeptide molecule.

Moreover, an n—binding fragment of an antibody of the present invention may comprise a imer or hetero—dimer (or other multimer) of any of the variable and constant domain configurations listed above in valent association with one another and/or with one or more monomeric VH or VL domain (e.g., by disulfide bond(s)).

As with full antibody molecules, n-binding fragments may be monospecific or multispecific (e.g., bispecific). A multispecific antigen-binding fragment of an antibody will typically comprise at least two different variable domains, wherein each variable domain is capable of ically binding to a separate antigen or to a different epitope on the same antigen. Any multispecific antibody format, including the exemplary bispecific antibody formats disclosed herein, may be adapted for use in the context of an antigen-binding fragment of an antibody of the t invention using routine techniques available in the art. in certain embodiments, antibody or antibody fragments of the invention may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety ("immunoconjugate"), such as a cytotoxin, a chemotherapeutic drug, an immunosuppressant or a sotope.

The term "specifically binds," or the like, means that an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof forms a complex with an antigen that is relatively stable under physiological conditions. Specific binding can be characterized by an equilibrium dissociation constant (KB) of about 1x10'6 M or less (i.e., a smaller KD denotes a tighter g). Methods for determining whether two molecules specifically bind are well known in the art and include, for example, equilibrium dialysis, surface plasmon resonance, and the like. An isolated antibody that specifically binds hANGPTL3 may, r, t cross-reactivity to other antigens, such as ANGPTL3 molecules from other species, for example, cynomolgus monkey 3, mouse ANGPTL3, rat ANGPTL3, and/or hANGPTL4 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ lD . Moreover, multi-specific antibodies (e.g., bispecifics) that bind to hANGPTL3 and one or more additional antigens are eless considered dies that "specifically bind" hANGPTL3, as used herein.

The term "high ty" antibody refers to those antibodies having a binding ty to hANGPTL3, expressed as KB, of about 2x10'9 M or less, about 1.5x10’9 M or less, about 1x10'9 M or less, about 0.5x10‘9 M or less, about 0.25x10'9 M or less, about 1x10~10 M or less, or about 0.5x10’1O M or less, as measured by e plasmon resonance, e.g., BlACORETM or solution- affinity ELlSA.

The term "KD ", as used herein, is intended to refer to the equilibrium dissociation constant of a particular antibody-antigen interaction.

By the term "slow off rate", "Koff" or "kd" is meant an antibody that dissociates from hANGPTL3 with a rate constant of 4 x 10'3 s‘1 or less, 3 x 10‘3 s‘1 or less, 2 x 10‘3 s‘1 or less, 1 x '3 s'1 or less, 1 x 10'4 s'1 or less, as determined by surface plasmon resonance, e.g., BlACORE TM.

By the term "intrinsic affinity constant" or "k3" is meant an antibody that associates with hANGPTL3 at a rate nt of about 1 x 103 M'1s’1 or , as determined by surface plasmon resonance, e.g., BlACORETM.

An "isolated antibody", as used , is intended to refer to an antibody that is substantially free of other mAbs having different antigenic specificities (e.‘g., an isolated antibody that specifically binds hANGPTL3 is substantially free of mAbs that specifically bind antigens other than hANGPTL3). An isolated antibody that specifically binds hANGPTL3 may, however, have cross-reactivity to other antigens, such as ANGPTL3 molecules from other species, such as cynomolgus monkey, mouse, rat, and/or other related proteins, such as human 4.

A "neutralizing", "blocking" or "abrogating" antibody, as used herein (or an antibody that "neutralizes", "blocks" or "abrogates" ANGPTL3 activity), is intended to refer to an antibody whose binding to ANGPTL3 results in direct inhibition of at least one biological activity of ANGPTL3, as assessed by standard in vitro assays known in the art (for example, see Examples . The terms, "neutralize", "inhibit", "block" and "abrogate", may be used herein interchangeably. A "non—blocking" antibody refers to an antibody whose binding to ANGPTL3 does not directly block a targeted activity of ANGPTL3 as ed by standard in vitro assays, but yet may be an "interfering" antibody whose binding to 3 results in indirect inhibition, reduction, attenuation, or other erence, of at least one biological ty of ANGPTL3 in vivo, e.g., by enhancing the clearance of ANGPTL3 from the circulation. Clearance of ANGPTL3 from the circulation can be particularly enhanced by a combination of at least two non-blocking antibodies. The neutralization, inhibition, abrogation, reduction, attenuation or interference, of a biological activity of ANGPTL3 can be assessed by measuring one or more tors of ANGPTL3 biological activity by one or more of several standard in vitro or in vivo assays known in the art (also see Examples below).

The term "surface plasmon resonance", as used herein, refers to an optical enon that allows for the analysis of real-time biospecific interactions by detection of alterations in protein concentrations within a sor matrix, for example using the BlACORETM system (Pharmacia Biosensor AB, Uppsala, Sweden and Piscataway, NJ.) The term "epitope" is a region of an antigen that is bound by an dy. Epitopes may be defined as structural or functional. Functional epitopes are generally a subset of the ural epitopes and have those residues that ly contribute to the affinity of the interaction. Epitopes may also be conformational, that is, composed of non-linear amino acids. ln certain embodiments, epitopes may include determinants that are chemically active surface groupings of molecules such as amino acids, sugar side chains, phosphoryl groups, or yl groups, and, in certain embodiments, may have ic three-dimensional structural characteristics, and/or ic charge characteristics.

The term antial identity" or "substantially identical," when referring to a nucleic acid or nt thereof, indicates that, when optimally aligned with appropriate nucleotide insertions or deletions with another nucleic acid (or its complementary strand), there is nucleotide ce identity in at least about 90%, and more preferably at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% of the nucleotide bases, as measured by any well-known algorithm of sequence identity, such as FASTA, BLAST or GAP, as discussed below.

As applied to polypeptides, the term "substantial similarity" or antially r" means that two peptide ces, when optimally aligned, such as by the programs GAP or BESTFlT using default gap weights, share at least 90% sequence identity, even more preferably at least 95%, 98% or 99% sequence identity. ably, residue positions which are not identical differ by conservative amino acid substitutions. A "conservative amino acid substitution" is one in which an amino acid residue is substituted by another amino acid residue having a side chain (R group) with similar chemical properties (e.g., charge or hydrophobicity). in general, a conservative amino acid substitution will not substantially change the functional properties of a protein. in cases where two or more amino acid sequences differ from each other by conservative substitutions, the percent or degree of similarity may be adjusted upwards to correct for the conservative nature of the substitution. Means for making this adjustment are well known to those of skill in the art. See, e.g., Pearson (1994) Methods Mol. Biol. 24: 307— 331. Examples of groups of amino acids that have side chains with similar chemical properties include 1) aliphatic side chains: glycine, alanine, valine, leucine and isoleucine; 2) tic- hydroxyl side : serine and threcnine; 3) amide—containing side chains: asparagine and glutamine; 4) aromatic side : phenylalanine, tyrosine, and phan; 5) basic side : lysine, arginine, and histidine; 6) acidic side chains: aspartate and glutamate, and 7) sulfur-containing side chains: cysteine and methionine. Preferred vative amino acids substitution groups are: valine-leucine-isoleucine, phenylalanine—tyrosine, lysine-arginine, e-valine, glutamate—aspartate, and asparagine-glutamine. Alternatively, a conservative replacement is any change having a positive value in the PAM250 log-likelihood matrix disclosed in Gonnet et al. (1992) Science 256: 1443 45. A "moderately conservative" replacement is any change having a ative value in the PAM250 log-likelihood matrix.

Sequence similarity for ptides is typically measured using sequence analysis software. Protein analysis software matches similar sequences using measures of similarity assigned to various substitutions, deletions and other modifications, including conservative amino acid substitutions. For instance, GCG software contains programs such as GAP and BESTFlT which can be used with default parameters to determine sequence homology or sequence identity between y related polypeptides, such as homologous polypeptides from different species of organisms or between a wild type protein and a mutein thereof. See, e.g., GCG n 6.1. Polypeptide sequences also can be compared using FASTA with default or recommended parameters; a program in GCG Version 6.1. FASTA (e.g., FASTA2 and FASTA3) provides alignments and percent sequence identity of the regions of the best overlap between the query and search sequences (Pearson (2000) supra). r preferred thm when comparing a sequence of the ion to a database containing a large number of sequences from different organisms is the computer program BLAST, especially BLASTP or TBLASTN, using default parameters. See, e.g., Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215: 403 410 and (1997) c Acids Res. 25:3389 402.

By the phrase "therapeutically effective amount" is meant an amount that es the desired effect for which it is administered. The exact amount will depend on the purpose of the treatment, the age and the size of a subject treated, the route of administration, and the like, and will be ascertainable by one skilled in the art using known techniques (see, for example, Lloyd (1999) The Art, Science and Technology of Pharmaceutical Compounding).

Preparation of Human Antibodies Methods for generating human dies in transgenic mice are known in the art. Any such known s can be used in the context of the present invention to make human antibodies that specifically bind to ANGPTL3.

Using VELOCIMMUNETM technology or any other known method for generating monoclonal antibodies, high affinity chimeric antibodies to ANGPTL3 are initially isolated having a human variable region and a mouse constant region. As in the mental section below, the antibodies are terized and ed for desirable characteristics, including affinity, selectivity, epitope, and the like. in l, the antibodies of the instant invention possess high ties, typically possessing KB of from about 1042 M through about 10'9 M, when measured by binding to antigen either immobilized on solid phase or in solution phase. The mouse constant regions are replaced with desired human constant regions, for e, wild-type lgG1 or lgG4, or modified lth or lgG4, to generate the fully human antibodies of the invention. While the constant region selected may vary according to specific use, high ty antigen—binding and target specificity characteristics of the antibodies reside in the variable region. e Mapping and d Technologies To screen for antibodies that bind to a particular epitope, a routine cross—blocking assay such as that described in Antibodies, Harlow and Lane (Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harb., NY) can be performed. Other methods e alanine scanning mutants, peptide blots (Reineke (2004) Methods Mol Biol 248:443—63), or e cleavage analysis. in addition, methods such as epitope excision, epitope extraction and chemical modification of antigens can be employed (Tomer (2000) Protein Science 9: 487—496).

The term "epitope" refers to a site on an antigen to which B and/or T cells respond. B— cell epitopes can be formed both from contiguous amino acids or noncontiguous amino acids juxtaposed by tertiary folding of a protein. Epitopes formed from contiguous amino acids are typically retained on exposure to ring solvents, whereas epitopes formed by tertiary folding are typically lost on treatment with denaturing solvents. An epitope typically includes at least 3, and more usually, at least 5 or 8-10 amino acids in a unique spatial conformation. cation-Assisted Profiling (MAP), also known as Antigen Structure-based Antibody Profiling (ASAP) is a method that categorizes large numbers of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against the same antigen according to the similarities of the binding profile of each dy to chemically or tically modified antigen surfaces (US 2004/0101920). Each category may reflect a unique epitope either distinctly different from or partially overlapping with epitope represented by another category. This technology allows rapid filtering of genetically identical mAbs, such that characterization can be focused on genetically distinct mAbs. When applied to hybridoma screening, MAP may tate identification of rare hybridoma clones that produce mAbs having the desired characteristics. MAP may be used to sort the anti-ANGPTL3 mAbs of the invention into groups of mAbs binding different epitopes.

ANGPTL3 contains an amino-terminal coiled-coil domain and a carboxyl—terminal fibrinogen like domain (FD) and the ANGPTL3 protein forms an oligomer in the absence of intermolecular disulfide bonds (Ge et al., 2005, J Lipid Res 46:1484—1490). It has been ed that the N—terminal -coil domain is important in the tion of LPL activity (Ono et al., 2003, J Biol Chem 804—41809). Thus, in certain embodiments, the anti-hANGPTL3 antibody or antigen—binding fragment of an antibody binds an epitope within the N-terminal coiled-coil domain ues 17-209) of hANGPTL3 (SEQ lD NO:161) and neutralizes at least one activity of hANGPTL3 (e.g,, inhibition of LPL activity). In another embodiments, the anti- hANGPTL3 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds an epitope within the N-terminal coiled—coil domain of hANGPTL3 and neutralizes at least one activity of hANGPTL3, with the proviso that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 peptide of SEQ lD NO:170. in one embodiment, the dy or fragment thereof specifically binds an epitope within es 17 to 200, 17 to 100, 17 to 70, 17 to 65, 17 to 60, 17 to 57, 17 to 55, 17 to 50,17 to 45, 17 to 40, or 17 to 35, of hANGPTL3 (SEQ lD N02161), optionally with the proviso that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 e of SEQ lD NO:170. In another embodiment, the antibody or fragment thereof specifically binds an epitope within es 40 to 200, 40 to 100, 40 to 70, 50 to 200, 50 to 100, 50 to 70, 58 to 200, 58 to 100, 58 to 70, 58 to 68, or 61 to 66 (known as a in-binding motif") of hANGPTL3 (SEQ ID NO:161), optionally with the proviso that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 peptide of SEQ ID NO:170. in some embodiments, the antibody or antibody fragment binds an e which may involve more than one of the enumerated epitopes or residues within the N—terminal coiled-coil region of hANGPTL3, optionally with the proviso that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 peptide of SEQ ID NO:170. ln other embodiments, hANGPTL3 antibody or fragment thereof binds one or more nts of hANGPTL3, for example, a fragment of at least 5 es, at least 7 residues, at least 10 residues, at least 20 residues, at least 30 residues, at least 50 residues, at least 70 es, at least 100 residues, at least 150 residues, or at least 200 residues, of hANGPTL3 (SEQ lD NO:161), optionally with the proviso that the antibody or fragment thereof does not bind to the ANGPTL3 peptide of SEQ lD NO:170.

The present invention includes hANGPTL3 antibodies that bind to the same epitope as any of the specific exemplary dies described herein. Likewise, the present invention also includes anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies that e for binding to hANGPTL3 or a hANGPTL3 fragment with any of the specific exemplary antibodies described herein.

One can easily determine whether an antibody binds to the same epitope as, or competes for g with, a reference anti-hANGPTL3 antibody by using routine methods known in the art. For e, to determine if a test antibody binds to the same epitope as a reference anti-hANGPTL3 antibody of the invention, the reference antibody is allowed to bind to a hANGPTL3 protein or peptide under saturating conditions. Next, the ability of a test antibody to bind to the hANGPTL3 molecule is assessed. if the test antibody is able to bind to hANGPTL3 following saturation binding with the reference anti-hANGPTL3 antibody, it can be concluded that the test dy binds to a different epitope than the reference anti-hANGPTL3 antibody. On the other hand, if the test antibody is not able to bind to the hANGPTL3 molecule following saturation binding with the nce anti—hANGPTL3 antibody, then the test antibody may bind to the same epitope as the epitope bound by the nce anti-hANGPTL3 dy of the invention.

To determine if an antibody competes for binding with a nce anti—hANGPTL3 antibody, the above-described binding methodology is performed in two orientations: in a first ation, the reference antibody is allowed to bind to a hANGPTL3 molecule under saturating conditions followed by assessment of binding of the test antibody to the L3 le. in a second orientation, the test antibody is allowed to bind to a hANGPTL3 molecule under ting conditions followed by assessment of binding of the nce antibody to the ANGPTL3 molecule. If, in both orientations, only the first (saturating) antibody is capable of binding to the ANGPTL3 molecule, then it is concluded that the test antibody and the reference antibody compete for binding to hANGPTL3. As will be appreciated by a person of ordinaw skill in the art, an antibody that competes for binding with a reference antibody may not necessarily bind to the identical epitope as the reference antibody, but may sterically block binding of the nce antibody by g an overlapping or nt epitope.

Two antibodies bind to the same or pping epitope if each competitively ts (blocks) binding of the other to the antigen. That is, a 1-, 5-, 10-, 20- or 100-fold excess of one antibody inhibits binding of the other by at least 50% but preferably 75%, 90% or even 99% as measured in a competitive binding assay (see, e.g., Junghans et al., Cancer Res, 1990;50:1495-1502). Alternatively, two antibodies have the same epitope if essentially all amino acid mutations in the antigen that reduce or eliminate binding of one antibody reduce or eliminate binding of the other. Two antibodies have overlapping epitopes if some amino acid mutations that reduce or eliminate binding of one antibody reduce or eliminate binding of the other.

Additional routine experimentation (e.g., peptide mutation and binding analyses) can then be carried out to confirm whether the observed lack of binding of the test antibody is in fact due to g to the same epitope as the reference antibody or if steric blocking (or another phenomenon) is responsible for the lack of observed g. ments of this sort can be performed using ELISA, RlA, surface plasmon resonance, flow cytometry or any other tative or qualitative antibody—binding assay available in the art.

Immunoconjugates The invention encompasses a human anti-ANGPTL3 monoclonal antibody conjugated to a therapeutic moiety ("immunoconjugate"), such as a cytotoxin, a chemotherapeutic drug, an immunosuppressant or a radioisotope. Cytotoxin agents include any agent that is detrimental to cells. Examples of suitable cytotoxin agents and chemotherapeutic agents for forming conjugates are known in the art, see for example, WO 05/103081.

Bispecifics The antibodies of the present invention may be ecific, bispecific, or multispecific.

Multispecific mAbs may be specific for different epitopes of one target polypeptide or may contain antigen-binding domains specific for more than one target polypeptide. See, e.g., Tutt et al. (1991) J. Immunol. 147160—69. The human anti—hANGPTL3 mAbs can be linked to or co- sed with another functional molecule, e.g., another peptide or protein. For example, an antibody or fragment thereof can be functionally linked (e.g., by chemical coupling, genetic fusion, noncovalent association or otherwise) to one or more other molecutar entities, such as another antibody or antibody fragment, to produce a ific or a multispecific antibody with a second binding specificity.

An exemplary bi-specific antibody format that can be used in the context of the present ion involves the use of a first immunoglobulin (lg) CH3 domain and a second lg CH3 domain, wherein the first and second lg CH3 domains differ from one another by at least one amino acid, and wherein at least one amino acid ence reduces binding of the bispecific antibody to n A as compared to a cific antibody g the amino acid difference. ln one embodiment, the first lg CH3 domain binds Protein A and the second lg CH3 domain contains a mutation that reduces or abolishes n A binding such as an H95R modification (by lMGT exon ing; H435R by EU numbering). The second CH3 may further comprise a Y96F cation (by lMGT; Y436F by EU). Further modifications that may be found within the second CH3 include: D16E, L18M, N448, K52N, V57M, and V82l (by lMGT; DBSGE, L358M, N384S, K392N, V397M, and V422l by EU) in the case of lgG1 antibodies; N448, K52N, and V82l (lMGT; N3848, K392N, and V422l by EU) in the case of igG2 antibodies; and 015R, N448, K52N, V57M, R69K, E79Q, and V82l (by lMGT; 0355R, N3848, K392N, V397M, R409K, E419Q, and V422l by EU) in the case of lgG4 antibodies. Variations on the bi—specific antibody format described above are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

Bioequivalents The anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies and antibody fragments of the present invention encompass proteins having amino acid sequences that vary from those of the described mAbs, but that retain the ability to bind human ANGPTL3. Such variant mAbs and antibody fragments comprise one or more additions, deletions, or substitutions of amino acids when compared to parent sequence, but exhibit ical activity that is essentially lent to that of the described mAbs. Likewise, the anti-hANGPTL3 antibody-encoding DNA sequences of the present invention encompass sequences that comprise one or more additions, deletions, or substitutions of nucleotides when compared to the disclosed sequence, but that encode an anti— hANGPTL3 antibody or dy fragment that is essentially bioequivalent to an anti-hANGPTL3 antibody or antibody nt of the invention. Examples of such t amino acid and DNA sequences are discussed above.

Two antigen-binding proteins, or antibodies, are considered bioequivalent if, for example, they are pharmaceutical equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives whose rate and extent of absorption do not show a significant difference when administered at the same molar dose under similar experimental conditions, either single does or multiple dose. Some dies will be considered equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives if they are equivalent in the extent of their absorption but not in their rate of absorption and yet may be ered bioequivalent because such differences in the rate of absorption are intentional and are ted in the ng, are not essential to the attainment of effective body drug concentrations on, e.g., chronic use, and are considered medically ificant for the particular drug product studied. in one embodiment, two antigen-binding proteins are bioequivalent if there are no clinically meaningful differences in their safety, purity, and y. in one embodiment, two antigen—binding proteins are bioequivalent if a patient can be switched one or more times between the reference product and the biological product t an expected se in the risk of adverse effects, including a clinically significant change in immunogenicity, or diminished effectiveness, as compared to continued therapy without such switching. in one embodiment, two antigen—binding proteins are bioequivalent if they both act by a common mechanism or mechanisms of action for the condition or conditions of use, to the extent that such mechanisms are known.

Bioequivalence may be demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro methods. Bioequivalence measures include, e.g., (a) an in vivo test in humans or other mammals, in which the concentration of the dy or its metabolites is measured in blood, plasma, serum, or other ical fluid as a function of time; (b) an in vitro test that has been correlated with and is reasonably predictive of human in vivo bioavailability data; (c) an in vivo test in humans or other mammals in which the appropriate acute pharmacological effect of the antibody (or its target) is measured as a function of time; and (d) in a ontrolled clinical trial that establishes safety, efficacy, or bioavailability or bioequivalence of an antibody.

Bioequivalent variants of anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies of the invention may be constructed by, for example, making various substitutions of residues or sequences or ng terminal or internal residues or sequences not needed for biological activity. For e, cysteine residues not essential for biological activity can be d or replaced with other amino acids to prevent formation of unnecessary or incorrect intramolecular disulfide bridges upon renaturation.

Therapeutic Administration and Formulations The invention es therapeutic compositions comprising the ANGPTL3 antibodies or antigen—binding nts thereof of the present invention and the eutic methods using the same. The stration of therapeutic compositions in accordance with the invention will be administered with suitable carriers, excipients, and other agents that are incorporated into ations to provide improved transfer, delivery, tolerance, and the like. A ude of appropriate formulations can be found in the formulary known to all pharmaceutical chemists: ton‘s Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing Company, Easton, PA.

These formulations include, for example, powders, pastes, ointments, jellies, waxes, oils, lipids, lipid (cationic or anionic) containing vesicles (such as CTlNTM), DNA conjugates, anhydrous absorption pastes, oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions, emulsions carbowax (polyethylene glycols of various molecular weights), semi-solid gels, and olid mixtures containing ax. See also Powell et al. "Compendium of excipients for parenteral formulations" PDA (1998) J Pharm Sci Technol 52:238-311.

The dose may vary ing upon the age and the size of a subject to be administered, target disease, the purpose of the treatment, conditions, route of administration, and the like. When the antibody of the present invention is used for treating various conditions and es directly or indirectly associated with ANGPTL3, including hypercholesterolemia, disorders associated with LDL and apolipoprotein B, and lipid metabolism disorders, and the like, in an adult patient, it is advantageous to intravenously or subcutaneously administer the antibody of the present invention at a single dose of about 0.01 to about 20 mg/kg body weight, more preferably about 0.02 to about 7, about 0.03 to about 5, or about 0.05 to about 3 mg/kg body weight. Depending on the severity of the condition, the frequency and the duration of the treatment can be adjusted. in certain embodiments, the antibody or n—binding fragment f of the invention can be administered as an initial dose of at least about 0.1 mg to about 800 mg, about 1 to about 500 mg, about 5 to about 300 mg, or about 10 to about 200 mg, to about 100 mg, or to about 50 mg. in certain embodiments, the initial dose may be followed by administration of a second or a plurality of subsequent doses of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof in an amount that can be approximately the same or less than that of the initial dose, wherein the subsequent doses are separated by at least 1 day to 3 days; at least one week, at least 2 weeks; at least 3 weeks; at least 4 weeks; at least 5 weeks; at least 6 weeks; at least 7 weeks; at least 8 weeks; at least 9 weeks; at least 10 weeks; at least 12 weeks; or at least 14 weeks.

Various delivery systems are known and can be used to administer the pharmaceutical composition of the ion, e.g., encapsulation in liposomes, articles, microcapsules, recombinant cells capable of expressing the mutant viruses, receptor mediated endocytosis (see, e.g., Wu et al. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262:4429-4432). Methods of introduction include, but are not limited to, intradermal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, epidural, and oral routes. The composition may be administered by any ient route, for example by infusion or bolus injection, by absorption h epithelial or mucocutaneous linings (e.g., oral mucosa, rectal and intestinal mucosa, etc.) and may be administered together with other biologicaily active agents. Administration can be systemic or local.

The ceutical composition can be also delivered in a e, in particuiar a liposome (see Langer (1990) Science 249:1527-1533; Treat et al. (1989) in mes in the y of infectious Disease and Cancer, Lopez Berestein and Fidler (eds), Liss, New York, pp. 353-365; Lopez-Berestein, ibid., pp. 317-327; see generally . in certain situations, the pharmaceutical composition can be delivered in a controlled release system. in one embodiment, a pump may be used (see Langer, supra; Sefton (1987) CRC Crit. Ref. Biomed. Eng. 142201). in another embodiment, poiymeric materials can be used; see, Medical Applications of Controlled Release, Langer and Wise (eds), CRC Pres, Boca Raton, a (1974). in yet another embodiment, a controlled reiease system can be placed in proximity of the composition’s target, thus requiring only a fraction of the systemic dose (see, e.g., Goodson, in l Applications of Controlled Release, supra, vol. 2, pp. 115- 138, 1984).

The injectable preparations may include dosage forms for intravenous, subcutaneous, utaneous and intramuscular ions, drip infusions, etc. These injectable preparations may be prepared by methods publicly known. For example, the injectable preparations may be prepared, e.g., by dissolving, ding or emulsifying the antibody or its salt described above in a sterile aqueous medium or an oily medium conventionally used for injections. As the aqueous medium for injections, there are, for example, physiological saline, an isotonic solution containing glucose and other auxiliary agents, etc., which may be used in combination with an appropriate soiubilizing agent such as an alcohol (e.g., ethanol), a polyalcohol (e.g., propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol), a ic surfactant [e.g., rbate 80, HCO-50 (polyoxyethylene (50 mol) adduct of hydrogenated castor oil)], etc. As the oily medium, there are employed, e.g., sesame oil, soybean oil, etc., which may be used in combination with a solubiiizing agent such as benzyl benzoate, benzyl alcohol, etc. The injection thus prepared is preferably filled in an appropriate ampoule. A ceutical composition of the present invention can be deiivered subcutaneously or intravenously with a standard needle and syringe.

In addition, with respect to subcutaneous delivery, a pen ry device readily has appiications in ring a pharmaceutical composition of the present invention. Such a pen delivery device can be reusabie or disposable. A reusable pen delivery device generally utilizes a replaceable cartridge that contains a pharmaceutical composition. Once all of the pharmaceutical composition within the cartridge has been administered and the cartridge is empty, the empty cartridge can readily be discarded and replaced with a new dge that contains the pharmaceutical composition. The pen delivery device can then be reused. ln a disposable pen delivery device, there is no replaceable cartridge. Rather, the disposable pen delivery device comes prefilled with the pharmaceutical composition held in a reservoir within the device. Once the reservoir is emptied of the pharmaceutical composition, the entire device is ded.

Numerous reusable pen and autoinjector delivery devices have applications in the subcutaneous delivery of a pharmaceutical composition of the present invention. Examples include, but certainly are not limited to AUTOPENTM (Owen Mumford, lnc., Woodstock, UK), ONlCTM pen (Disetronic Medical Systems, Burghdorf, Switzerland), HUMALOG MIX 75/25T'V' pen, HUMALOGTM pen, HUMALlN 70/30TM pen (Eli Lilly and Co., apolis, lN), NOVOPENTM l, ll and lll (Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen, Denmark), N JUNIORTM (Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen, Denmark), BDTM pen (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ), OPTlPENT'V', OPTlPEN PROTM, OPTlPEN STARLETT'V‘, and OPTlCLlKTM (sanofi—aventis, Frankfurt, Germany), to name only a few. Examples of disposable pen ry devices having ations in aneous delivery of a ceutical composition of the present invention include, but certainly are not d to the SOLOSTART'V‘ pen (sanofi-aventis), the NTM (Novo Nordisk), and the KWlKPENTM (Eli Lilly).

Advantageously, the pharmaceutical compositions for oral or parenteral use bed above are prepared into dosage forms in a unit dose suited to fit a dose of the active ingredients. Such dosage forms in a unit dose include, for example, tablets, pills, capsules, injections (ampoules), suppositories, etc. The amount of the aforesaid antibody contained is generally about 0.1 to about 800 mg per dosage form in a unit dose; especially in the form of injection, the aforesaid antibody is contained in about 1 to about 500 mg, in about 5 to 300 mg, in about 8 to 200 mg, and in about 10 to about 100 mg for the other dosage forms. ation Therapies The ion further provides therapeutic methods for treating diseases or disorders, which is directly or indirectly ated with hANGPTL3, by administering a hANGPTL3 dy or fragment thereof of the ion in combination with one or more additional therapeutic agents. The additional therapeutic agent may be one or more of any agent that is advantageously combined with one or more antibodies or fragments thereof of the invention, including HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, such as cerovastatin, statin, simvastatin, pitavastin, ros uvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, and the like; niacin; various fibrates, such as fenofibrate, bezafibrate, ciprofibrate, rate, gemfibrozil, and the like; LXR transcription factor activators, and the like. Furthermore, the hANGPTL3 antibody or fragment thereof of the invention can be co—administered with other ANGPTL3 inhibitors as well as inhibitors of other molecules, such as ANGPTL4, ANGPTL5, ANGPTL6 and proprotein convertase isinlkexin type 9 (PCSK9), which are involved in lipid metabolism, in particular, cholesterol and/or triglyceride homeostasis. tors of these molecules include small molecules and antibodies that specifically bind to these molecules and block their activity (see, for example, anti—PCSK9 antibodies disclosed in US. 2010/0166768 A1). rmore, the additional therapeutic agent may be one or more ancer agents, such as chemotherapeutic agents, anti-angiogenic agents, growth inhibitory agents, cytotoxic agents, apoptotic agents, and other agents well known in the art to treat cancer or other proliferative diseases or disorders. Examples of anti-cancer agents include, but are not limited to, an anti-mitotic agent, such as docetaxel, axel, and the like; a um-based chemotherapeutic compound, such as tin, carboplatin, iproplatin, oxaliplatin, and the like; or other conventional cytotoxic agent, such as 5-fluorouracil, tabine, irinotecan, leucovorin, gemcitabine, and the like, and anti-angiogenic agents, including vascular endotheliai growth factor (VEGF) antagonists, such as anti-VEGF antibodies, e.g., bevacizumab (AVASTIN®, Genentech) and a receptor—based blocker of VEGF, e.g., "VEGF trap" described in US Patent No. 7,070,959, delta—like ligand 4 (Dll4) nists, such as anti-Dll4 antibodies as described in US. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0181899, and a fusion protein containing the ellular domain of BM, e.g., Dll4-Fc as described in US. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0107648; tors of receptor ne kinases and/or angiogenesis, including sorafenib (NEXAVAR® by Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp), nib (SUTENT® by Pfizer), pazopanib (VOTRlENTTM by GlaxoSmithKline), toceranib (PALLADlATM by Pfizer), vandetanib MATM by AstraZeneca), cediranib (RECENTIN® by AstraZeneca), regorafenib (BAY 73-4506 by Bayer), ib 736 by Pfizer), lestaurtinib (CEP—701 by Cephalon), erlotinib (TARCEVA® by Genentech), gefitinib (lRESSATM by AstraZeneca), BIBW 2992 (TOVOKTM by Boehringer lngelheim), iapatinib (TYKERB® by GlaxoSmithKline), neratinib (HKl-272 by Wyeth/Pfizer), and the like, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, acids or derivatives of any of the above. In addition, other therapeutic agents, such as analgesics, anti— inflammatory agents, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAlDS), such as Cox-2 inhibitors, and the like, may be also co-administered with the hANGPTL3 antibody or nt thereof of the invention so as to ameliorate and/or reduce the symptoms accompanying the underlying cancer/tumor.

The hANGPTL3 antibody or fragment f of the invention and the additional therapeutic agent(s) can be co—administered together or separately. Where separate dosage formulations are used, the antibody or fragment f of the invention and the additional agents can be administered concurrently, or separately at staggered times, i.e., sequentially, in appropriate orders.

Diagnostic Uses of the Antibodies The anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies of the present invention can be also used to detect and/or measure ANGPTL3 in a sample, 9.9., for diagnostic purposes. For example, an anti-ANGPTL3 Ab or fragment thereof, can be used to diagnose a condition or disease characterized by aberrant sion (9.9., over—expression, under-expression, lack of expression, etc.) of ANGPTL3. Exempiary diagnostic assays for ANGPTL3 may comprise, e.g., contacting a sampie obtained from a patient, with an anti-ANGPTL3 Ab of the invention, wherein the anti- ANGPTL3 antibody is labeled with a detectable label or reporter le or used to selectively capture and isolate ANGPTL3 protein from patient samples. Alternatively, an unlabeled anti- ANGPTL3 Ab can be used in diagnostic applications in combination with a secondary antibody which is itself ably labeled. The detectable label or reporter molecule can be a radioisotope, such as 3H, 14C, 32P, 358, 131l or 125l; a fluorescent or chemiluminescent moiety, such as fluorescein isothiocyanate, or rhodamine; or an enzyme such as alkaline phosphatase, B-galactosidase, horseradish peroxidase, or luciferase. Assays that can be used to detect or measure ANGPTL3 in a sample include enzyme—linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioimmunoassay (RlA), fluorescence—activated cell g (FACS), and the like.

EXAMPLES The ing es are put forth so as to provide those of ry skill in the art with a complete disclosure and description of how to make and use the methods and compositions of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of what the inventors regard as their invention. Efforts have been made to ensure accuracy with respect to numbers used but some experimental errors and deviations should be accounted for. Unless indicated otherwise, moiecular weight is average molecular weight, ature is in degrees Centigrade, and pressure is at or near atmospheric.

Example 1: Generation of Human Antibodies to Human ANGPTL3 VELOCIMMUNETM mice were immunized with human 3, and the dy immune response monitored by antigen-specific immunoassay using serum obtained from these mice. Anti-hANGPTL3 expressing B cells were harvested from the spleens of immunized mice shown to have elevated ANGPTL3 antibody titers and were fused with mouse myeloma celis to form omas. The hybridomas were screened and selected to identify cell tines expressing hANGPTLB-specific antibodies using assays as described below. The assays identified several cell lines that produced chimeric anti—hANGPTL3 antibodies, e.g., H1M896N.

Human ANGPTL3-specific antibodies were also isoiated iy from antigen— immunized B ceils without fusion to myeloma ceiis, as described in US. 2007/0280945 A1.

Heavy and light chain variable regions were cloned to generate fully human ANGPTL3 antibodies of lgG4 e designated as H4H1248P, H4H1250P, H4H12638, H4H12688, H4H127BS, H4H1279P, H4H1282P, 2P, 5P and H4H1296P. Stable recombinant antibody-expressing CHO ceil lines were established. e 2. Variable Gene Utilization is To analyze the structure of antibodies produced, the nucleic acids encoding antibody variable regions were cloned and sequenced. From the nucleic acid sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of the antibodies, gene usage was fied for each Heavy Chain Variable Region (HCVR) and Light Chain Variable Region (LCVR). Table 1 shows the gene usage for selected antibodies in accordance with the invention.

Table1 ° y mm- _3-30lmll 1-12 mun-nu W312 n --mllmll -nnmn manna -Ell! mum-mu 1-39 II M1-18 wll-B -EIIIIIII 1-39 ll _m-_llll Table 2 shows the heavy and light chain variable region amino acid sequence pairs of selected anti-hANGPTLB antibodies and their ponding antibody identifiers. The N, P and S designations refer to antibodies having heavy and light chains with identical CDR sequences but with sequence variations in regions that fall outside of the CDR sequences (i.e., in the framework regions). Thus, N, P and S variants of a ular antibody have identical CDR sequences within their heavy and light chain variable regions but contain modifications within the framework regions.

Table 2 mumSEQIDNOS SEQ ID NOS _-—— Example 3. Kinetic Parameters of Anti-hANGPTL3 Antibodies Binding to ANGPTL3 All kinetic g experiments were performed at 25°C or 37°C on a BIACORETM T200 iabeI-free molecular interaction instrument (GE Healthcare) using a CM5‘sensor chip. Briefly, an n e surface was generated by covalently coupling either an anti-mouse igG— specific antibody (anti-ch; GE Healthcare; catalog #BR38) or an anti-pentahistidine- specific dy (Qiagen; cataiog #34660) to the e of a CM5 sensor chip using a standard amine coupling method. Using HBS-EP (10 mM HEPES, 150 mM NaCl, 3 mM EDTA, 0.05% Surfactant P20, pH 7.4) or PBSP (10 mM sodium phosphate, 2.7 mM KCl, 137 mM NaCl, 0.025% Surfactant P20, pH 7.2 or 5.75) as the running , human and species variants of ANGPTL3 with oligohistidine tags were captured on the anti-penta-histidine coupled surface until a g response of 4.4— 46.5 RUs was achieved. The captured recombinant proteins were: ength mature human ANGPTL3 (i.e., amino acid residues 174460 of SEQ ID NO:161) with a C-terminal decahistidine tag [hANGPTL3(17-460)—His; R&D Systems, MN; g #3829—AN], N-terminal coiled—coil domain of hANGPTL3 (i.e., amino acid residues 17-170 of SEQ ID NO:161) containing a C-terminal hexahistidine tag [hANGPTL3(17-170)—His], inai coiled-coil domain of ANGPTL3 from Macaca fascicularis {i.e., amino acid residues 17-170 of SEQ lD NO:177 (a partial sequence of ‘Macaca fascicu/aris ANGPTL3)] containing a myc—myc— hexahistidine tag [MfANGPTL3(17-170)-mmH; SEQ lD N02167], full—length mature ANGPTL3 from Mus musculus (i.e., amino acid residues 17-455 of SEQ iD NO:163) with a inal decahistidine tag [mANGPTL3(17-455)—His; R&D s, MN; catalog #136-AN], N—terminal coiled—coil domain of ANGPTL3 from Mus musculus (i.e., amino acid residues 17-240 of SEQ iD NO:163) containing a hexahistidine tag [mANGPTL3(17-240)-His; SEQ iD NO:166], and N- terminal coiled—coil domain of ANGPTL3 from Rattus norvegicus (i.e., amino acid residues 17- 240 of SEQ iD NO:175) containing a myc-myc—hexahistidine tag [rANGPTL3(17-240)-mmH; SEQ iD NO:176]. in on, the N-terminal coiled-coil domain of hANGPTL3 (i.e., amino acid residues 17-169 of SEQ iD NO:161) containing a C—terminal mouse Fc fusion [hANGPTL3(17- 169)—ch; SEQ lD NO:165] was captured on the anti-ch coupied surface untii a binding response of 24.8 i 1.5 RUs was achieved. To measure association and dissociation rates for formation of the antibody/antigen complex, a single (Tables 3 and 7) or multiple s 4-6) concentrations of antibody were injected across the captured protein surface at a flow rate of 50 pl/minute for 3 minutes and dissociation of the complex was monitored for 20 minutes. Binding data were processed and fitted to a 1:1 binding model with mass transport using Scrubber version 2.0a (BioLogic Software). The kinetic ives (tug) were calculated from the dissociation rate constant, kd.

Table 3 shows the binding of various anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies to hANGPTL3 at 25°C, pH 7.4, in HBS-EP buffer.

Table 3 AbClones Protein ka (M'1s'1) kd(s'1) KD(nM) ty.(min) hANGPTL3(17—169)—ch 05 3 5.95 4 H4H1248P hANGPTL3(17—460)-His 4.40E+05 2.47503 5 hANGPTL3(17-169)—mFC 1.25E+06 6.51E-04 0.519 18 H4H1250P hANGPTL3(17—460)—His 9.04E+05 6.57E—04 0.726 18 hANGPTL3(17-169)—mFC 6.77E+05 4.22E—03 6.23 3 H4H1263S hANGPTL3(17—460)—His 5.08E+05 1.26E-03 2.47 9 hANGPTL3(17-169)-mFC 1.16E+06 8.35E-04 0.721 14 hANGPTL3(17-460)—His 1.29E+06 1.89E-03 1.47 6 L3(17—169)-ch 5.82E+05 3.83E—04 0.659 30 H4H12768 L3(17-460)-His 3.44E+05 4.64E-04 1.35 25 hANGPTL3(17-169)-ch 6.58E+05 5.53E-06 0.00841 2088 H4H1279P hANGPTL3(17—460)—His 2.88E+05 1.14E-04 0.394 102 hANGPTL3(17-169)—ch 1.28E+06 5.92E—05 0.0463 195 H4H1282P hANGPTL3(17—460)—His 9.57E+05 9.26E-05 0.0968 125 hANGPTL3(17—169)—mFC 6.86E+05 1.77E-04 0.257 65 H4H1292P hANGPTL3(17~460)-His 3.41E+05 2.48E—04 0.727 L3(17-169)-ch 05 7.95E-05 0.226 145 H4H1295P hANGPTL3(17—460)-His 3.73E+05 7.35E—05 0.197 -157 hANGPTL3(17—169)—ch 6.41E+05 3.92E-05 0.0611 295 H4H1296P hANGPTL3(17—460)—His 3.01E+05 05 0.137 280 As shown in Table 3, the anti—hANGPLT3 antibodies bound to the full-length protein with a C-terminal decahistidine tag [hANGPTL3(17-460)-His] with calculated equilibrium dissociation constants (KD = kd/ka) ranging from 96.8 pM to 5.62 nM and to the N-terminal coiled-coil domain with a C-terminal Fc fusion [hANGPTL3(17—169)—ch] with KDs ranging from 8.41 pM to 6.23 nM.

Tables 4 and 5 show the cross-species binding of H4H12768 to ANGPTL3 at 25°C and 37°C, respectively, at pH 7.4, in HBS-EP buffer. Table 6 shows the binding of H4H12768 to human and cynomolgus ANGPTL3, at 25°C or 37°C, at pH 5.75 or pH 7.2, in PBSP buffer.

Table 4 ka(M s) kd(52) hANGPTL3(17—170)-His 9.73E+05 9.12E-04 0.938 hANGPTL3(17—460)—His 5.88E+05 2.89E—04 0.491 TL3(17-170)-mmH 06 5.35E-04 0.396 H4H127GS m—ANGPTL3(17240)His_ANGPTL3(17455)His 6.7OE+05 307E04 0.458 - 1 29E+06 346E04 0268 rANGPTL3(17-240)-mmH 1.35E+06 7.18E-O4 Table 5 Ab Clone ka(M s) kdis'3) hANGPTL3(17-170)—His hANGPTL3(17-460)-His 6.32E+05 8.12E-04 MfANGPTL3(17-170)—mmH 1.87E+06 1.17E-03 0.625 n H4H12768 mANGPTL3(17-240)-His 819E+05 9.64E—O4 L3(17455)His 194E+06 7915—04 0.408 —ANGPTL3(17-240)m—mH2.05E+06 1.93E-03 0.940 m Table 6 ka (M'1s'1) kd (5") KD ("Ml ty, (min) hANGPTL3(17—170)-His 1.00E+06 1.10E-03 1. 09 10.5 pH 7.2 hANGPTL3(17-460)-His 05 4.02E-04 0.670 28.8 °C 0.370 215 24.0 17 H4H1276S pH 5.75 67. 5 23 °C H4H12768 pH 7.2 9.8 37°C 1.22E+06 3.24E-02 267 04 H4H12768 pH 5.75 1.1 37°C As shown in Tables 4-6, antibody H4H12768 exhibited binding to ANGPTL3 from monkey, mouse, and rat with binding affinities and c constants r to those for binding to human ANGPTL3.

Table 7 shows the binding of selected anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies to hANGPTL3 and mANGPTL3 at 37°C, pH 7.4, in HBS—EP buffer. NB: Not bound.

Table 7 Ab Clones Protein ka (M'1s'1) kd(s'1) KD(nM) hANGPTL317-460—H'< > 06 5.30504 1.58E-10 22 HWBQBN {S -- L3(17—455)—His 3.62E+06 2.47503 10 hANGPTL3(17—460)-His 1.96E+06 1.93503 9.86E-10 6 H4H1248P r mANGPTL3(17—455)—His, NB NB NB NB hANGPTL3(17—460)-His 3.5OE+06 3 0 H4H1250P mANGPTL3(17—455)-His 3.18E+O6 1.55503 4.86E—10 hANGPTL3(17—460)-His 4.74E+06 1.81E-03 3.81E-10n H4H1263S hANGPTL3(17-460)-His 4.74E+06 1.81E-03 3.81E-10n H4H1279P mANGPTL3(17-455)-His 2.15E+06 3.59504 1.67E—1O L3(17-460)-His 1.89E+06 1.94503 1.02509 H4H1292P mANGPTL3(17-455)—H|s_ 06 1.49503 3.80E-10 As shown in Table 7, the anti—hANGPLT3 antibodies bound to the full-length protein with a C-terminal decahistidine tag [hANGPTL3(17-460)—His] at pH 7.4 and 37°C with calculated equilibrium dissociation constants (KD = kd/ka) ranging from 158 pM to 1.02 nM and to mouse ANGPTL3 [mANGPTL3(17—455)-His] with KDs ranging from 167 pM to 682 pM, except for H4H1248P and H4H1263S, which did not show detectable binding to mANGPTL3. Also shown are the kinetic half—lives (tug).

Example 4. Biacore Cross-Competition Study for Anti-ANGPTL3 dies Cross competition experiments were performed at 25°C on a e essentially as described in e 3 above. Briefly, using HBS-EP as the running , full-length hANGPTL3 (i.e., amino acid residues 17—460 of SEQ lD NO:161) with a C-terminal decahistidine tag [hANGPTL3(17-460)-His; R&D Systems, MN; catalog #3829-AN] was captured on the anti-penta-histidine coupled surface until a binding response of 64 RUs was achieved. To determine whether two antibodies could bind simultaneously to the captured ANGPTL3, antibody pairs were injected sequentially, each at 167 nM at a flow rate of 4 ul/minute for 15 minutes, over the surface, and the m binding response signal (RU) was measured for each binding event. The results are shown in Table 8 with binding response for the first antibody (mAb1), ed by binding response of the second antibody (mAb2) on the ANGPTL3 surface pre-loaded with the first antibody. Numbers in bold indicate that the antibody pairs are able to bind to hANGPTL3 simultaneously. Numbers in italics indicate that that the antibody pairs are able to bind to L3 simultaneously when added sequentially in one direction but not the other. Brackets indicate self-self competition.

Table 8 / l hANGPTL3(17 mag)? 25 pglml mAb2 binding response (RU) Ab Clones -460)-His binding captured (RU) "$359 H1M896N 9P H1M896N 171 i1 8 ['4] 47 0P 210 i 8.3 -4 H4H1279P 45i1.8 64i4 H4H1292P 48 :1: 0.7 Negative 81 i 1.8 149 Control As shown in Table 8, antibody pairs H1M896N/H4H1279P and H1 M896N/H4H1292P were able to bind simultaneously to lized ANGPTL3, regardless of the order of addition of the antibodies. H4H1250P bound to ANGPTL3 pre—bound with H4H1279P; however, when the order of antibody addition was reversed, H4H1279P exhibited a binding signal approximately 24% of the expected maximal response after ANGPTL3 was pre-bound with H4H1250P. rly, H4H125OP bound to ANGPTL3 pre—bound with H4H1292P; however, when the order of dy addition was reversed, H4H1292P exhibited a g signal approximately 20% of the expected maximal response after ANGPTL3 was pre-bound with H4H1250P.

Example 5. Anti-hANGPTL3 Antibody Binding to ANGPTL3 N-terminal Coiled-Coil Pepfldes To assess the binding of the anti-ANGPTL3 antibody H4H12768 to peptides derived from the N-terminal coiled—coil region of ANGPTL3, a label-free biosensor binding assay was performed using OCTET® RED system (FortéBio, lnc.). For immobilization onto the sensor, peptides were labeled with either an N-terminal biotin tag [separated by a flexible linker, amino acids "AGSSPGG" (SEQ lD N02171), for Peptide 1 and Peptide 2; and amino acids "GGGGS" (SEQ ID NO:172) for Peptide 3], or a C-terminal biotin tag [separated by a flexible linker, amino acids "GPSSGAPPPK" (SEQ lD ), for Peptide 1 and Peptide 2; and amino acids "GGGGSK" (SEQ ID NO:174) for Peptide 3]. The peptide sequences tested were: A negative control e, N—terminal biotin tagged Peptide1 (SEQ ID NO:168; es Arg34 to Leu66 of human ANTGPTL4 of SEQ ID NO:164); and peptides derived from the N-terminal coiled-coil region of ANGPTL3, i.e., N—terminal biotin tagged e 2 (SEQ ID NO:169; residues Arg36 to Leu68 of hANGPTL3 of SEQ ID NO:161); C-terminal biotin tagged e 2; inal biotin tagged Peptide 3 (SEQ lD NO:170; corresponds to residues Glu32 to Leu57 of hANGPTL3 of SEQ lD N02161); and C—terminal biotin tagged Peptide 3. Peptide sequences are also shown in Figure 1. Streptavidin—coated biosensor tips were coated with the biotinylated peptides resulting in 1.22-2.26 nm of binding response units depending on the peptide. The peptide-coated sor tips were then dipped into wells ning 1 pM of either NGPTL3 dy H4H127BS or an isotype—matched negative control antibody, and binding was monitored for 2.5 minutes. The binding response of H4H127GS and the isotype control antibody to each of the peptides is summarized in Figure 2. it was observed that H4H127SS binds to the ANGPTL3 linear sequence defined by Peptide 2 but not the overlapping but distinct sequence d by Peptide 3 (see also Figure 1). The isotype control antibody also served as a positive control for loading of Peptide 1 (i.e., hANGPTL4 peptide) onto the biosensor, because this isotype control antibody specifically recognizes hANGPTL4. As shown in Figure 2, the binding of the control antibody to Peptide 1 confirmed that Peptide 1 was present on the sensor surface and so were the other peptides.

Example 6. Inhibition of hANGPTL3 by Anti-hANGPTL3 Antibodies in LPL Bioassays Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) plays a critical role in lipid metabolism in humans. LPL catalyzes hydrolysis of triglycerides and releases fatty acids to be metabolized. ANGPTL3 inhibits LPL activity leading to increased level of lipids (Oike et al., 2005, Trends in Molecular Medicine :473—479). The N-terminal coiled-coil region of ANGPTL3 inhibits LPL when expressed without the inal ogen region and ore appears to confer its inhibitory function. A cell-free bioassay was developed to determine the y of anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies to inhibit 3-induced decrease in LPL activity.

Inhibition of hANGPTL3 activity by anti-ANGPTL3 antibodies was determined using the CONFLUOLIPTM Continuous Fluorometric Lipase Test (Progen, Germany) using three hANGPTL3 ns: full-length mature L3 (i.e., amino acid residues 17-460 of SEQ lD NO:161) with a C-terminal stidine tag {hANGPTL3(17—460)-His; R&D Systems, MN; catalog #3829-AN], the inal coiled—coil region (i.e., amino acid residues 17-169 of SEQ ID NO:161) with a C —terminal mouse Fc fusion [hANGPTL3(17-169)—ch; SEQ ID NO:165], and the N-terminal coiled-coil domain of hANGPTL3 (i.e., amino acid residues 17-170 of SEQ ID NO:161) containing a C-terminal hexahistidine tag TL3(17—170)-His].

Briefly, bovine LPL (final concentration of 2 nM), human ApoCll (a cofactor of LPL, final concentration of 0.23 pM), and BSA (final concentration of 2 mg/mL) in PBS were premixed.

The hANGPTL3 recombinant proteins were added to the Apo/LPL mixture (final concentrations of 80 —100 nM). The Apo/LPL/ANGPTL3 protein mixtures were then added together with serially diluted ANGPTL3 antibodies and incubated at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Following the incubation, 100 pl of reconstituted lipase substrate, 1-trinitrophenyl-amino— dodecanoyl—2—pyrendecanoyl—3hexadecyl-sn-glycerol (LS-A, Progen), was added to 25 pl of the antibody mixture to a 96-well assay plate and ted at 37°C for two hours.

Fluorescence was then measured at 342 nm/4OO nm (excitation/emission) using a FLEXSTATION® 3 Microplate Reader (Molecular Devices, CA). Fluorescence is directly proportional to LPL activity.

Antibody H4H12768 exhibited inhibition of hANGPTL3’s inhibitory activity against LPL.

A full dose-response using the hANGPTL3 n in the LPL assay was first performed to determine the ANGPTL3 E050 for each experiment, and leo determinations for the antibody were then performed using constant concentrations of ANGPTL3 protein, as shown in Table 8.

The dy concentrations required for 50% maximum inhibition (I050) was determined to be 9.6 nM for 80 nM hANGPTL3(17-460)-His, 2.9 nM for 100 nM hANGPTL3(17-170)—His and 21 nM for 80 nM hANGPTL3(17—169)-ch, respectively. Antibody concentrations ranged from 0 to 300 nM for testing human ANGPTL3 proteins.

Similarly, H4H1276$ was tested in the LPL bioassay for its ability to inhibit cross-species orthologs: the cynomolgus monkey N-terminal region (amino acid residues 17-170 of SEQ lD NO:177) expressed with an C-terminal myc-myc-hexa—histidine tag PTL3(17-170)-mmH; SEQ ID NO:167], the mouse ortholog inal region amino acid residues 17-240 of SEQ lD NO:163 with a C-terminal hexa-histidine tag [mANGPTL3(17-240)-His; SEQ lD NO:166], and full—length mature ANGPTL3 from Mus musculus (i.e., amino acid residues 17-455 of SEQ lD ) with a C—terminal decahistidine tag [mANGPTL3(17-455)—His; R&D Systems, MN; g #136-AN]. |C50s were determined to be 10 nM for 500 nM nt TL3(17- 170)-mmH, 14 nM for 80 nM constant mANGPTL3(17—455)-His, and 31 nM for 500 nM constant mANGPTL3(17-240)-His. Antibody concentrations ranged from 0 to 600 nM for testing monkey and mouse ANGPTL3 proteins. The results are summarized in Table 9.

Antibodies against the N—terminal region of the gous protein ANGPTL4 have also been shown to block the inhibitory function of ANGPTL4 on LPL (Lee et al., 2009, J. Biol. Chem. 284:13735—13745). Therefore, to evaluate le cross—reactivity to ANGPTL4, the inhibitory anti—ANGPTL3 antibody H4H12768 was also tested against human ANGPTL4 in the LPL lipase assay, conducted as bed above for the ANGPTL3 proteins. A recombinant form of the coiled-coil region of human ANGPTL4 (residues 26-148 of SEQ lD NO:164) with a C-terminal mouse lgGZa Fc fusion [hANGPTL4(26—148)-ch, SEQ lD NO:178] exhibited an EC50 in the LPL assay of 0.2 nM (Table 9). H4H12768, tested through a concentration range of O - 600 nM, did not block this inhibition (NB: Not bound; in Table 9).

Table 9 Human Monkey Human Human Mouse Human ANGPTL ANGPTL AN?" AN?" ANGPTL ANGPTL ANGPTL 3(17- 3(17- 3(17— 4(26- (17-169)- (17-170)- is 170)-His 455) HIS._ mmH 148)—ch EC50 (nM) 50 91 16 l 625 33 Constant ANGPTL3 80 80 500 80 or 4 (nM) 21 1O 14 12765 |Cso As shown above, H4H12768 inhibited human ANGPTL3 (full—length and inal), monkey ANGPTL3 (N-terminal) protein and mouse ANGPTL3 (full-length and N-terminal) activity at comparable degrees with an lC5o range of about 3-31 nM.

A subset of antibodies were also tested to determine if combinations of two ANGPTL3 non-blocking antibodies added simultaneously could block the LPL inhibitory ty of 3. Pairs of antibodies were tested for inhibiting the N—terminal domains of both human and mouse ANGPTL3, i.e., hANGPTL3(17-169)—ch and mANGPTL3(17-240)-His, respectively. For this assay, the ANGPTL3 proteins exhibited lCSO values for blocking LPL of 47 nM [for hANGPTL3(17-169)-chj and 341 nM [for mANGPTL3(17-240)-His]. The following pairs, when added at final trations for each antibody of at least ZOOnM, did not block the inhibition of LPL by either hANGPTL3(17-169)-ch at 80nM or mANGPTL3(17—240)-His at 500 nM: H1M896N + H4H1279P; H4H1250P + H4H1279P; H4H1248P + H4H1292P; and 3S + H4H1292P. in this same assay, H4H12768 alone d these same constant concentrations of human and mouse ANGPTL3 with ICSOs of 33 nM and 64 nM, respectively.

Example 7.1. In Vivo Effect of Anti—ANGPTL3 Antibody on Serum Lipid Levels The effect of the anti-hANGPTL3 dy H4H17268 on serum lipid levels was determined in 057Bll6 mice. Mice were pre-bled 7 days before the ment and put into groups of six mice each for each dy dose tested. Antibodies were administered at 5mg/kg (H4H17268) and 10 mg/kg [H4H17268 and isotype-matched hlgG4(S108P) control with irrelevant specificity] dose levels by subcutaneous injection on day 0 of the study. Mice were bled after 4 hours of fasting at days 1, 4, 7 and 12 after antibody injections and serum lipid levels (triglycerides, total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol) were determined in the serum by an ADVIA® 1800 try System (Siemens).

Averages were calculated for each of the time points for each antibody. Results, expressed as (mean 1 SEM) of serum lipid concentration, are shown in Tables 10-14.

Table 10 mSerum tril cerides (mldL Days after Control Ab H4H1276S H4H1276$ injection (10 mglkg) (5 mglkg) (10 mglkg) _m8783 8983 12316 6800 53832525—062 4 99.66 10.15 62.16 5.82 5-O.67 3.51 7 99.83 4.57 5_5.83 4.95 39.67 2. 55 12 82.00 5.75 76.83 10.55 5300 Table 11 Total cholesterol m aldL Days after Control Ab H4H1276$ injection (10 mglkg) (5 mglkg) (10 mglkg) Mean SEM Mean SEM mm 2.14 3.38 2.98 2.33 3.22 Days after injection 0.75 38.78 0.81 0.55 35.75 3.05 32.70 1.94 1.04 29.63 2.16 27.55 1.78 0.75 34.67 1.83 0.87 39.85 2.21 Table 13 LDL cholesterol (m oldL) injection (10 mglkg) (5 mglkg) (10 mglkg) mmmmmammml HDL cholesterol (mgldL) Days after Control Ab H4H1276$ H4H1276$ injection (10 mglkg) (5 mglkg) (10 mglkg) WWWWWW "In! Levels of circulating H4H17268 (Serum Ab) were also ined using a standard ELISA assay. Briefly, plates were coated with a goat anti-human Fc antibody (Sigma—Aldrich) to capture Serum Ab. Serum was then added to the plates and ed human dy was detected by chemiluminescence using a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated goat anti— human lgG antibody (Sigma—Aldrich). Results, expressed as (mean 1 SEM) of are shown in Table 15. Control: Mice that received an isotype-matched Control Ab.

Table 15 Serum Ab (pg/mL) Days after Control Ab 6$ H4H1276$ (10 injection (10 mglkg) (5 mglkg) mglkg) WHEE- _‘=Efl Single administration of H4H12768 to 057Bl/6 mice at 10 mg/kg led to ~60% reduction in ating triglycerides 7 days after the antibody administration (compared to isotype control).

The administration of H4H127GS also led to a significant reduction in total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol and had no effect on LDL cholesterol. A reduction in lipid levels was also observed, but less pronounced, at the 5 mg/kg compared to 10 mg/kg dose levels; e.g., serum triglycerides were reduced by 44% (compared to isotype control) 7 days after antibody administration.

Example 7.2. In Vivo Effect of Anti-ANGPTL3 Antibodies on Serum Lipid Levels The evaluation of the in vivo effects of anti-hANGPTL3 antibodies H4H127BS and comparator antibody 4.9.1 on serum lipid levels was conducted in C57Bl/6 mice. Antibody 4.9.1 was prepared based on the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID No: 24 (VH) and SEQlD No: 32 (VL) as disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 177045 and as a mouse IgG1 isotype. Mice were pre—bied 7 days before the experiment and put into groups of six mice per group. Antibodies 68, 4.9.1, and isotype-matched ve controls (human lgG4 and mouse IgG1, tively) with irrelevant specificity were stered at 10 mg/kg dose by subcutaneous injection on day 0 of the study. Mice were bled after 4 hours of fasting at days 1, 7, 11 and 20 after injection of antibodies, and serum lipids levels (triglycerides, total cholesterol, non-HDL terol, LDL choiesterol and HDL cholesterol) were determined in the serum using an ADVIA® 1800 Chemistry System (Siemens). Average lipid trations were calculated for each of the time point for each antibody. Results, expressed as (mean 1r SEM) of serum lipid concentration, are shown in Tabies 16—20.

Table 16 Serum triglycerides (mg/dL) Days after Control (lgG4) injection Mean—T SEM l Mean -7 109.16 1 9.05 [ 109.16 6.44 1 81.67 l 6.76 46.00 13.59 7 95.67 5.42 49.67 3.86 100.83 6.20 51.00 5.89 82.17 4.36 72.67 3.47 Days after injection Non-HDL cholesterol (mgldL) Days after Control (lgG4) H4H1276$ Control (lgG1) injection l SEM I Mean SEM Mean =104 33.72 2.86 43.30 435 44.68 1.93 35.18 1.64 40.28 0.95 Table 19 —_LDL cholesterol m-IdL 9"." after l (lgG4) H4H1276S Control (lgG1) 4.91 Injection Mean SEM Mean SEM Mean Days after Control (IgG4) Mean 38.00 2.27 37.63 1.52 32.00 11.89 34.38 0.85 29.871123 41.60 3383 1 15 A single 10 mg/kg dose of H4H12768 in C57Bl/6 mice resulted in reduction of plasma triglyceride levels compared to isotype control on days 1, 7, 11 and 20 after antibody injection; and this effect was more sustained compared to a single treatment at the same dose level with the comparator 4.9.1 (Table 16). Administration of H4H12768 also led to a reduction in total cholesterol (Table 17) and HDL cholesterol (Table 20) in 057Bl/6 mice.

Example 8. In Vivo Effect of 6S on Serum Lipid Levels in Hyperlipidemic ApoE"’ Mice The effect of ANGPTL3 antibody 6S on serum lipids levels was determined in apoE"‘ mice. These mice are hyperlipidemic with the majority of their circulating terol found in the form of VLDL and LDL. Mice were pre-bled 7 days before the experiment and put into groups of six mice per group. The antibodies, H4H1276$ and an isotype—matched (hlgG4) control with irrelevant icity, were administered at 10 mg/kg dose by subcutaneous injection on day 0 of the study. Mice were bled after 4 hours of fasting at days 1, 4, 7 and 11 after injection of antibodies; and serum lipids levels (triglycerides, total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol) were determined in the serum using an ADVlA® 1800 Chemistry System (Siemens). Average lipid trations were calculated for each of the time points for each antibody—treated group. Results, expressed as (mean 3: SEM) of serum lipid concentration, are shown in Tables 21-25.

Table 21 Serum tri lycerides (mg/dL) "19‘3"" must-Imma- —7 134.17 11.81 141.67 17.14 156.33 19.06 61.33 3.66 181.00 7.70 70.50 4.46 190.67 27.65 52.50 6.22 170.00 28.85 133.00 13.56 Table 22 Total cholesterol m-ldL Dainfection5 after Control (hl - G4 H4H1276$ MEI- — 7 450.67 25 68 479 33 13.76 497.50 37.77 386.33 28.59 395.00 14 37 281 20 20.83 447.33 22 18 295 50 12.86 463.80 36.01 398.03 23.13 Table 23 Non-HDL cholesterol (mgldL) Days after Control (hlgG4) H4H1276$ injection ESE-WEEK- -7 435.87 25.59 464.53 13.97 1 475.30 37.29 371.25 28.65 375.61 14.51 266.26 427.66 21.45 280.75 12.55 11 442.27 34.19 379.55 22.31 Table 24 LDL cholesterol (mg/gm 3333:" Control ) l H4H1276$ Mean SEM Mean mal- 2-54 10-21 1-14 Table 25 HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) Days after Control hl , G4 H4H1276$ injection - 7 14.80 0.37 21.20 1.00 19.33 0.94 19.77 0.78 21.53 1.89 1.00 Single stration of H4H12768 to apoE"' mice at 10 mg/kg led to ~72% (mean) reduction in circulating triglycerides (Table 21) and ~46% (mean) reduction in LDL cholesterol (Table 24) 7 days after the antibody administration (compared to the isotype-matched l Ab, i.e., hlgG4). The administration of H4H12768 also led to a reduction in total cholesterol (Table 22) and non-HDL cholesterol (Table 23).

Levels of circulating H4H1276$ (Serum Ab) were also determined using a standard ELISA assay. Briefly, plates were coated with a goat anti-human Fc antibody (Sigma—Aldrich) to capture Serum Ab. Serum was then added to the plates and captured antibodies were detected by uminescence using a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated goat anti—human lgG antibody (Sigma-Aldrich). Results, sed as (mean i SEM), are shown in Table 26 (Control: mice that received an isotype-matched control Ab, i.e., hlgG4).

Table 26 Serum Ab (pg/mL) Pays after Control (hlgG4) H4H1276$ injection (10 mglkg) (10 mglkg) 89.98 67.18 58.52 43.26 e 9. in Vivo Effect of H4H1276$ on Circulating Lipid Levels in Hyperlipidemic Ldlr" Mice The effect of the ANGPTL3 antibody H4H17268 on serum lipid levels was ined in Ld/r"‘ mice. These mice are hyperlipemic with a majority of circulating cholesterol found in the form of LDL due to the lack of LDLR, the major receptor for LDL cholesterol uptake.

Mice were pre—bled 7 days before the experiment and put into groups of six mice. The antibodies, H4H17268 and isotype—matched (hlgG4) negative l, were administered at 10 mg/kg dose by subcutaneous injection on day 0 of the study. Mice were bled after 4 hours of fasting at days 1, 4, 7 and 11 after antibody injection and serum lipids levels (triglycerides, total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, LDL terol and HDL cholesterol) were determined using an ADVlA® 1800 Chemistry System (Siemens) clinical chemistry analyzer. Averages were calculated for each time point for each antibody. s, expressed as (mean 1 SEM) of serum lipids concentration (triglycerides, total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesteroi and HDL cholesterol), are shown in Tables 27-31, respectively. (Control = mice that received an isotype—matched control antibody).

Table 27. Serum triglycerides (mg/dL) Antibody Control (10mglko) H4H17268 (10mglk) Para-"6' mm Inection 114.50 11.08 110.83 131.50 8.18 74.17 112.67 138 87 12.18 142 33 Table 28. Total cholesterol (mgldL) Antibody <1%°"‘7E')mg 9 mg 9 22191221? Mean m 237.95 7.33 5.88 241.97 10.58 229.88 234.74 251.87 Table 29. Non-HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) Antibody Control ' (10m lkg) H4H1726$(10mglkg) Days after Mean SEM Mean SEM injection 180.81 I 7.47 182.79 184.35 I 10.22 155.93 175.13 7.26 9.26 190.00 7.34 Table 30. LDL cholesterol (mgldL) Antibody Control (10mglkg) H4H1726$ (10mglkg) Injection 1 m 62.75 2.18 62.75 Table 31. HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) Antibody Control __[_ (10mglkg) Days after iniection 2.23 42.17 59.90 2.51 49.72 61.87 As shown in Tables 27-31, administration of 6$ to Ldlr"'mice led to a significant reduction in plasma triglycerides with a maximal observed reduction of 44% (based on mean values). Significant reductions in LDL cholesterol (up to 23%), as well as total cholesterol, non- HDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, were also observed in 68—treated subjects.

Reduction of LDL cholesterol in mice deficient for the major receptor for LDL cholesterol uptake (LDLR) ts an LDLR-independent mechanism for LDL terol reduction by ANGPTL3 inhibition.

Levels of circulating H4H1726S (Serum Ab) were also determined using a standard ELISA assay. Briefly, plates were coated with a goat anti-human Fc antibody (Sigma—Aldrich) to capture Serum Ab. Serum was then added to the plates and captured antibodies were detected by chemiluminescence using a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) ated goat anti—human lgG antibody (Sigma-Aldrich). Results, expressed as (mean 2*: SEM) of are shown in Table 32.

(Control = mice that received an isotype-matched l dy).

Table 32. Serum Ab (pglmL) Antibody Days after injection (10mglkg) (10mglkg) mmwm .95 .24 .97 4.55 As shown in Table 32, serum levels of H4H17268 decreased to about 21 pg/mL by day 11 following injection of mice with 10 mg/kg of antibody.

The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those d in the art from the foregoing description and the accompanying figures. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

WE

Claims (2)

CLAIM 1.

1.I. An isolated human antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds human angiopoietin-like protein 3 (hANGPTL3) of SEQ ID N0:161 and neutralizes, s, or interferes with, at least one activity of hANGPTL3, and wherein the dy binds amino acids 36-68 of AngPTL3, and wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment comprises a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:2,18,34,50,66.82,98,114,130,146 and 180; and a light chain le region (LCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID N0:10,26, 74,90,106,122,138,154and188

2. The antibody or fragment according to claim I, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a HCVR and LCVR sequence pair (HCVR/LCVR) selected from the group consisting of SEQID N0:2110,