Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36996137›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

LALAPG variant of the Human Contraception Antibody (HCA) reduces Fc-mediated effector functions while maintaining sperm agglutination activity.

Emilie Mausser, Ellena Nador, Joseph A Politch, Michael R Pauly, Jai G Marathe, Thomas R Moench, Larry Zeitlin, Kevin J Whaley, Deborah J Anderson

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
3.7field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Complement protein concentrations and activity in human cervical mucus.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Sialidases derived frombioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Platform-Specific FcAntibodies (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Emilie MausserDivision of Medical Sciences, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-5920-8808
Ellena NadorDivision of Medical Sciences, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Joseph A PolitchDepartment of Medicine, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-7022-0135
Michael R PaulyZabBio, Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America.
Jai G MaratheDepartment of Medicine, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Thomas R MoenchMapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America.
Larry ZeitlinZabBio, Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America.
Kevin J WhaleyZabBio, Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America.
Deborah J AndersonDepartment of Medicine, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Boston University · US

Funding

Project 3: Film Formulation, PK/PD and Safety Studies of ZB-06P50HD096957 · NICHD · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI ANDERSON, DEBORAH J, WHALEY, KEVIN · 2019 to 2025
$12.9M
NICHD NIH HHS P50 HD096957
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

High rates of unintended pregnancies worldwide indicate a need for more accessible and acceptable methods of contraception. We have developed a monoclonal antibody, the Human Contraception Antibody (HCA), for use by women in vaginal films and rings for contraception. The divalent F(ab')2 region of HCA binds to an abundant male reproductive tract-specific antigen, CD52g, and potently agglutinates sperm. Certain other antibody activities mediated by the Fc region such as mucus trapping, complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) could have beneficial or negative effects. The purpose of this study was to document HCA Fc effector functions and determine whether an engineered variant of HCA with a modified Fc region, HCA-LALAPG, retains desirable contraceptive activity while minimizing Fc-mediated effects. Fab and Fc functions were compared between HCA and HCA-LALAPG. Fab activity was assessed using sperm agglutination and modified swim-up ("sperm escape") assays. Fc functions were assessed by CDC (sperm immobilization), ADCP, and cervical mucus penetration assays. HCA and HCA-LALAPG showed equivalent activity in assays of Fab function. In the assays of Fc function, HCA supported strong CDC, ADCP, and sperm trapping in cervical mucus whereas HCA-LALAPG demonstrated little to no activity. HCA and the HCA-LALAPG variant were both highly effective in the sperm agglutination assays but differed in Fc mediated functions. Use of the HCA-LALAPG variant for contraception in women could reduce antibody-mediated inflammation and antigen presentation but may have reduced contraceptive efficacy due to much weaker sperm trapping in mucus and complement-dependent sperm immobilization activity.

Indexed as

SemenSperm AgglutinationAntibodies, MonoclonalAntibody-Dependent Cell CytotoxicityContraceptionContraceptive AgentsFemaleHumansMalePregnancyAntibodies, MonoclonalContraceptive Agents

Identifiers

PMID36996137
PMCPMC10062632
OpenAlexW4361255951

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.