Peptides Inhibiting Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor Improve Hemostasis in Mice

Abstract 24

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is an activated (a) factor X (FXa)-dependent inhibitor of the extrinsic factor X (FX) activation complex and efficiently regulates the extrinsic pathway of coagulation. We are developing peptide inhibitors of TFPI with a view to improving hemostasis in hemophilia. The goal is to inhibit the interaction of TFPI with the factor Xa (FXa)-tissue factor (TF)-factor VIIa (FVIIa) complex, and thereby enhance thrombin formation to the extent that a stable clot is formed. Successful development of these peptides could allow treatment of hemophilia via a non-intravenous route of administration.

By screening mRNA display libraries, we identified a de novo peptide which binds to and efficiently inhibit TFPI. The peptide was optimized by iterative amino acid substitution resulting in affinity-improved peptide with a well-characterized structure-activity relation. The affinity of the peptide was analyzed by Biacore and ELISA experiments. One of our optimized peptides bound to immobilized TFPI with an affinity below 1 nM. Kunitz domain 1 of TFPI was identified as the interaction site by NMR studies.

We characterized the inhibitory activity of this TFPI binding peptide using in vitro model assay systems including inhibition of FXa and of the extrinsic tenase (TF-FVIIa-PL-Ca²⁺ complex). Inhibition of cell-associated TFPI was verified in a TF- and TFPI-dependent cell-based assay using TNFalpha-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as a source of TF and TFPI. Inhibition of plasma TFPI was probed by thrombin generation experiments using FVIII-deficient patient plasma and ROTEM experiments using FVIII-inhibited whole blood. Furthermore, a cross-reactivity of the peptide to murine TFPI was demonstrated in thrombin generation experiments and in murine FXa inhibition model assays.

Conjugation of a 40-kDa polyethyleneglycol (PEG) to the peptide base structure resulted in a peptide with significantly reduced renal clearance. The in vivo terminal half-life of this 40kD-PEG modified peptide was 21.5h and 19.8h after 1 mg/kg i.v and s.c. administration, respectively, with 73% bioavailability after s.c. administration.

In a tail-tip bleeding model, administration of an anti-murine-TFPI antibody and 40kD-PEG-peptide in combination with sub-therapeutical doses of recombinant coagulation factors (10 IU/kg of rFVIII in FVIII ko mice and rFIX in FIX ko mice) led to a marked reduction of blood loss compared with buffer-treated or rFVIII/rFIX-treated mice.

In addition, we established a murine nail-cut model using C57Bl6 wild-type mice for testing in vivo efficacy in a normal FVIII background as well. The TFPI sensitivity of the nail-cut model was verified by an anti-murine TFPI antibody. 40kD-PEG-peptide significantly reduced blood loss after i.v. and s.c. administration in all treatment groups compared with vehicle-treated animals. Furthermore, the i.v. administration of the peptide was well tolerated in all animals across all treatment groups without any signs of acute toxicity.

In conclusion, we identified a low-molecular-weight peptide which efficiently inhibit all forms of naturally occurring TFPI proteins, including plasma TFPI and TFPI in vivo. Our results demonstrate that targeting TFPI efficiently improves hemostasis in hemophilia and provide an in vivo proof of concept for a non i.v. route of administration. Thus, the TFPI inhibitory peptides could be useful to prevent bleeding in hemophilia patients. Moreover, this new approach would probably allow treatment of inhibitor patients.