Patent ID: 11959118
Assignee: MERCK SHARP & DOHME LLC
Field: Pharmaceuticals (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  A | IPC A  C

Claim 7:
8. A method for producing an Fc-containing polypeptide having increased bioavailability when administered subcutaneously, comprising:
(a) providing a host cell comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding an Fc-containing polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 18 and having alanine at positions 243 and 264 of the Fc, wherein the host cell has been genetically engineered to produce glycoproteins having sialylated N-glycans in which the sialic acid residues in the sialylated N-glycans are attached via α-2,6 linkages, and wherein the Fc numbering is according to the EU index as in Kabat;
(b) culturing the transformed host cell under conditions that induce expression of the nucleic acid molecule encoding the Fc-containing polypeptide to produce an Fc-containing polypeptide comprising sialylated N-glycans in which the sialic acid residues in the sialylated N-glycans are attached via α-2,6 linkages; and
(c) isolating the Fc-containing polypeptide comprising the sialylated N-glycans in which the sialic acid residues in the sialylated N-glycans are attached via α-2,6 linkages from the transformed host cell to produce the Fc-containing polypeptide having increased bioavailability when administered subcutaneously compared to subcutaneous administration of an Fc-containing polypeptide without said mutations.