Efficiency and target derepression of anti-miR-92a: results of a first in human study

WT Abplanalp, A Fischer, D John, AM Zeiher… - nucleic acid …, 2020 - liebertpub.com
WT Abplanalp, A Fischer, D John, AM Zeiher, W Gosgnach, H Darville, R Montgomery…
nucleic acid therapeutics, 2020liebertpub.com
MicroRNA (miRNA) inhibition is a promising therapeutic strategy in several disease
indications. MRG-110 is a locked nucleic acid-based antisense oligonucleotide that targets
miR-92a-3p and experimentally was shown to have documented therapeutic effects on
cardiovascular disease and wound healing. To gain first insights into the activity of anti-miR-
92a in humans, we investigated miR-92a-3p expression in several blood compartments and
assessed the effect of MRG-110 on target derepression. Healthy adults were randomly …
MicroRNA (miRNA) inhibition is a promising therapeutic strategy in several disease indications. MRG-110 is a locked nucleic acid-based antisense oligonucleotide that targets miR-92a-3p and experimentally was shown to have documented therapeutic effects on cardiovascular disease and wound healing. To gain first insights into the activity of anti-miR-92a in humans, we investigated miR-92a-3p expression in several blood compartments and assessed the effect of MRG-110 on target derepression. Healthy adults were randomly assigned (5:2) to receive a single intravenous dose of MRG-110 or placebo in one of seven sequential ascending intravenous dose cohorts ranging from 0.01 to 1.5 mg/kg body weight. MiR-92a-3p whole blood levels were time and dose dependently decreased with half-maximal inhibition of 0.27 and 0.31 mg/kg at 24 and 72 h after dosing, respectively. In the high-dose groups, >95% inhibition was detected at 24–72 h postinfusion and significant inhibition was observed for 2 weeks. Similar inhibitory effects were detected in isolated CD31+ cells, and miR-92a-3p expression was also inhibited in extracellular vesicles in the high-dose group. Target derepression was measured in whole blood and showed that ITGA5 and CD93 were increased at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg. Single-cell RNA sequencing of peripheral blood cells revealed a cell type-specific derepression of miR-92a targets. Together this study demonstrates that systemic infusion of anti-miR-92a efficiently inhibits miR-92a in the peripheral blood compartment and derepresses miR-92a targets in humans.
Mary Ann Liebert