Rearranging the domain order of a diabody-based IgG-like bispecific antibody enhances its antitumor activity and improves its degradation resistance and pharmacokinetics

One approach to creating more beneficial therapeutic antibodies is to develop bispecific antibodies (bsAbs), particularly IgG-like formats with tetravalency, which may provide several advantages such as multivalent binding to each target antigen. Although the effects of configuration and antibody-fragment type on the function of IgG-like bsAbs have been studied, there have been only a few detailed studies of the influence of the variable fragment domain order. Here, we prepared four types of hEx3-scDb-Fc, IgG-like bsAbs, built from a single-chain hEx3-Db (humanized bispecific diabody [bsDb] that targets epidermal growth factor receptor and CD3), to investigate the influence of domain order and fusion manner on the function of a bsDb with an Fc fusion format. Higher cytotoxicities were observed with hEx3-scDb-Fcs with a variable light domain (VL)–variable heavy domain (VH) order (hEx3-scDb-Fc-LHs) compared with a VH–VL order, indicating that differences in the Fc fusion manner do not affect bsDb activity. In addition, flow cytometry suggested that the higher cytotoxicities of hEx3-scDb-Fc-LH may be attributable to structural superiority in cross-linking. Interestingly, enhanced degradation resistance and prolonged in vivo half-life were also observed with hEx3-scDb-Fc-LH. hEx3-scDb-Fc-LH and its IgG2 variant exhibited intense in vivo antitumor effects, suggesting that Fc-mediated effector functions are dispensable for effective anti-tumor activities, which may cause fewer side effects. Our results show that merely rearranging the domain order of IgG-like bsAbs can enhance not only their antitumor activity, but also their degradation resistance and in vivo half-life, and that hEx3-scDb-Fc-LHs are potent candidates for next-generation therapeutic antibodies.     

Highly effective recombinant format of a humanized IgG-like bispecific antibody for cancer immunotherapy with retargeting of lymphocytes to tumor cells

We previously reported the marked in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of hEx3, a humanized diabody (small recombinant bispecific antibody) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and CD3 retargeting. Here, we fabricated a tetravalent IgG-like bispecific antibody with two kinds of single-chain Fv (scFv), i.e. humanized anti-EGFR scFv and anti-CD3 scFv, that contains the same four variable domains as hEx3, on the platform of human IgG1 (hEx3-scFv-Fc). hEx3-scFv-Fc prepared from mammalian cells showed specific binding to both EGFR and CD3 target antigens. At one-thousandth (0.1-100 fmol/ml) of the dose of normal hEx3, hEx3-scFv-Fc showed intense cytotoxicity to an EGFR-positive cell line in a growth-inhibition assay using lymphokine-activated killer cells with the T-cell phenotype (T-LAK cells). The enhanced antitumor effect was more clearly observed when peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used as effector cells, indicating the utility of IgG-like fabrication. These results suggested that the intense antitumor activity is attributable to the multivalency and the presence of the fused human Fc, a hypothesis that was supported by the results of flow cytometry, PBMC proliferation assay, and protein kinase inhibition assay. Furthermore, the growth inhibition effects of hEx3-scFv-Fc were considerably superior to those of the approved therapeutic antibody, cetuximab, which recognizes the same EGFR antigen even when using PBMCs as effector cells. The high potency of hEx3-scFv-Fc may translate into improved antitumor therapy and lower costs of production because of the smaller doses needed.     

Fabs-in-tandem immunoglobulin is a novel and versatile bispecific design for engaging multiple therapeutic targets

In recent years, the development of bispecific antibody (bsAb) has become a major trend in the biopharmaceutical industry. By simultaneously engaging 2 molcular targets, bsAbs show unique mechanisms of action that could lead to clinical benefits unattainable by conventional monoclonal antibodies. Various bsAb generation formats have been described, and several are being investigated in clinical development. However, some bsAb constructs have proven to be problematic due to their unfavorable physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties, as well as poor manufacturing efficiencies. We describe here a new bispecific design, Fabs-in-tandem immunoglobulin (FIT-Ig), in which 2 antigen-binding fragments are fused directly in a crisscross orientation without any mutations or use of peptide linkers. This unique design provides a symmetric IgG-like bispecific molecule with correct association of 2 sets of VH/VL pairs. We show that FIT-Ig molecules exhibit favorable drug-like properties, in vitro and in vivo functions, as well as manufacturing efficiency for commercial development.     

Development of purification processes for fully human bispecific antibodies based upon modification of protein A binding avidity

There is strong interest in the design of bispecific monoclonal antibodies (bsAbs) that can simultaneously bind 2 distinct targets or epitopes to achieve novel mechanisms of action and efficacy. Multiple bispecific formats have been proposed and are currently under development. Regeneron's bispecific technology is based upon a standard fully human IgG antibody in order to minimize immunogenicity and improve the pharmacokinetic profile. A single common light chain and 2 distinct heavy chains combine to form the bispecific molecule. One of the heavy chains contains a chimeric Fc sequence form (called Fc*) that ablates binding to Protein A via the constant region. As a result of co-expression of the 2 heavy chains and the common light chain, 3 products are created, 2 of which are homodimeric for the heavy chains and one that is the desired heterodimeric bispecific product. The Fc* sequence allows selective purification of the FcFc* bispecific product on commercially available affinity columns, due to intermediate binding affinity for Protein A compared to the high avidity FcFc heavy chain homodimer, or the weakly binding Fc*Fc* homodimer. This platform requires the use of Protein A chromatography in both a capture and polishing modality. Several challenges, including variable region Protein A binding, resin selection, selective elution optimization, and impacts upon subsequent non-affinity downstream unit operations, were addressed to create a robust and selective manufacturing process.     

Progress in overcoming the chain association issue in bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies

The development of bispecific antibodies has attracted substantial interest, and many different formats have been described. Those specifically containing an Fc part are mostly tetravalent, such as stabilized IgG-scFv fusions or dual-variable domain (DVD) IgGs. However, although they exhibit IgG-like properties and technical developability, these formats differ in size and geometry from classical IgG antibodies. Thus, considerable efforts focus on bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies that more closely mimic natural IgG molecules. The inherent chain association problem encountered when producing bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies can be overcome by several methods. While technologies like knobs-into-holes (KiH) combined with a common light chain or the CrossMab technology enforce the correct chain association, other approaches, e.g., the dual-acting Fab (DAF) IgGs, do not rely on a heterodimeric Fc part. This review discusses the state of the art in bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies, with an emphasis on recent progress.     

Progress in overcoming the chain association issue in bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies

The development of bispecific antibodies has attracted substantial interest, and many different formats have been described. Those specifically containing an Fc part are mostly tetravalent, such as stabilized IgG-scFv fusions or dual-variable domain (DVD) IgGs. However, although they exhibit IgG-like properties and technical developability, these formats differ in size and geometry from classical IgG antibodies. Thus, considerable efforts focus on bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies that more closely mimic natural IgG molecules. The inherent chain association problem encountered when producing bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies can be overcome by several methods. While technologies like knobs-into-holes (KiH) combined with a common light chain or the CrossMab technology enforce the correct chain association, other approaches, e.g., the dual-acting Fab (DAF) IgGs, do not rely on a heterodimeric Fc part. This review discusses the state of the art in bispecific heterodimeric IgG antibodies, with an emphasis on recent progress.     

Effect of domain order on the activity of bacterially produced bispecific single-chain Fv antibodies

Bispecific single-chain Fv antibodies comprise four covalently linked immunoglobulin variable (VH and VL) domains of two different specificities. Depending on the order of the VH and VL domains and on the length of peptides separating them, the single-chain molecule either forms two single-chain Fv (scFv) modules from the adjacent domains of the same specificity, a so-called scFv-scFv tandem [(scFv)(2)], or folds head-to-tail with the formation of a diabody-like structure, a so-called bispecific single-chain diabody (scBsDb). We generated a number of four-domain constructs composed of the same VH and VL domains specific either for human CD19 or CD3, but arranged in different orders. When expressed in bacteria, all (scFv)(2) variants appeared to be only half-functional, binding to CD19 and demonstrating no CD3-binding activity. Only the diabody-like scBsDb could bind both antigens. Comparison of the scBsDb with a structurally similar non-covalent dimer (diabody) demonstrated a stabilizing effect of the linker in the middle of the scBsDb molecule. We demonstrated that the mechanism of inactivation of CD19xCD3 diabody under physiological conditions is initiated by a dissociation of the weaker (anti-CD3) VH/VL interface followed by domain swapping with the formation of non-active homodimers. The instability of one homodimer makes the process of diabody dissociation/reassociation irreversible, thus gradually decreasing the fraction of active molecules. The structural parameters influencing the formation of functional bispecific single-chain antibodies are indicated and ways of making relatively stable bispecific molecules are proposed.     

A human IgE bispecific antibody shows potent cytotoxic capacity mediated by monocytes

The generation of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) targeting two different antigens opens a new level of specificity and, compared to mAbs, improved clinical efficacy in cancer therapy. Currently, the different strategies for development of bsAbs primarily focus on IgG isotypes. Nevertheless, in comparison to IgG isotypes, IgE has been shown to offer superior tumor control in preclinical models. Therefore, in order to combine the promising potential of IgE molecules with increased target selectivity of bsAbs, we developed dual tumor-associated antigen-targeting bispecific human IgE antibodies. As proof of principle, we used two different pairing approaches - knobs-into-holes and leucine zipper–mediated pairing. Our data show that both strategies were highly efficient in driving bispecific IgE formation, with no undesired pairings observed. Bispecific IgE antibodies also showed a dose-dependent binding to their target antigens, and cell bridging experiments demonstrated simultaneous binding of two different antigens. As antibodies mediate a major part of their effector functions through interaction with Fc receptors (FcRs) expressed on immune cells, we confirmed FcεR binding by inducing in vitro mast cell degranulation and demonstrating in vitro and in vivo monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity against target antigen-expressing Chinese hamster ovary cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that the IgE bsAb construct was significantly more efficient in mediating antibody-dependent cell toxicity than its IgG1 counterpart. In conclusion, we describe the successful development of first bispecific IgE antibodies with superior antibody-dependent cell toxicity–mediated cell killing in comparison to IgG bispecific antibodies. These findings highlight the relevance of IgE-based bispecific antibodies for clinical application.     

Fab-dsFv: A bispecific antibody format with extended serum half-life through albumin binding

An antibody format, termed Fab-dsFv, has been designed for clinical indications that require monovalent target binding in the absence of direct Fc receptor (FcR) binding while retaining substantial serum presence. The variable fragment (Fv) domain of a humanized albumin-binding antibody was fused to the C-termini of Fab constant domains, such that the VL and VH domains were individually connected to the Cκ and CH1 domains by peptide linkers, respectively. The anti-albumin Fv was selected for properties thought to be desirable to ensure a durable serum half-life mediated via FcRn. The Fv domain was further stabilized by an inter-domain disulfide bond. The bispecific format was shown to be thermodynamically and biophysically stable, and retained good affinity and efficacy to both antigens simultaneously. In in vivo studies, the serum half-life of Fab-dsFv, 2.6 d in mice and 7.9 d in cynomolgus monkeys, was equivalent to Fab'-PEG.     

Remodeling domain interfaces to enhance heterodimer formation.

An anti-p185HER2/anti-CD3 humanized bispecific diabody was previously constructed from two cross-over single-chain Fv in which YH and VL domains of the parent antibodies are present on different polypeptides. Here this diabody is used to evaluate domain interface engineering strategies for enhancing the formation of functional heterodimers over inactive homodimers. A disulfide-stabilized diabody was obtained by introducing two cysteine mutations, VL L46C and VH D101C, at the anti-p185HER2.VL/VH interface. The fraction of recovered diabody that was functional following expression in Escherichia coli was improved for the disulfide-stabilized compared to the parent diabody (> 96% versus 72%), whereas the overall yield was > 60-fold lower. Eleven "knob-into-hole" diabodies were designed by molecular modeling of sterically complementary mutations at the two VL/VH interfaces. Replacements at either interface are sufficient to improve the fraction of functional heterodimer, while maintaining overall recoverable yields and affinity for both antigens close to that of the parent diabody. For example, diabody variant v5 containing the mutations VL Y87A:F98M and VH V37F:L45W at the anti-p185HER2 VL/VH interface was recovered as 92% functional heterodimer while maintaining overall recovered yield within twofold of the parent diabody. The binding affinity of v5 for p185HER2 extracellular domain and T cells is eightfold weaker and twofold stronger than for the parent diabody, respectively. Domain interface remodeling based upon either sterically complementary mutations or interchain disulfide bonds can facilitate the production of a functional diabody heterodimer. This study expands the scope of domain interface engineering by demonstrating the enhanced assembly of proteins interacting via two domain interfaces.     

Single-step Protein A and Protein G avidity purification methods to support bispecific antibody discovery and development

ABSTRACT

Heavy chain (Hc) heterodimers represent a majority of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) under clinical development. Although recent technologies achieve high levels of Hc heterodimerization (HD), traces of homodimer contaminants are often present, and as a consequence robust purification techniques for generating highly pure heterodimers in a single step are needed. Here, we describe two different purification methods that exploit differences in Protein A (PA) or Protein G (PG) avidity between homo- and heterodimers. Differential elution between species was enabled by removing PA or PG binding in one of the Hcs of the bsAb. The PA method allowed the avidity purification of heterodimers based on the VH3 subclass, which naturally binds PA and interferes with separation, by using a combination of IgG3 Fc and a single amino acid change in VH3, N82aS. The PG method relied on a combination of three mutations that completely disrupts PG binding, M428G/N434A in IgG1 Fc and K213V in IgG1 CH1. Both methods achieved a high level of heterodimer purity as single-step techniques without Hc HD (93–98%). Since PA and PG have overlapping binding sites with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), we investigated the effects of our engineering both in vitro and in vivo. Mild to moderate differences in FcRn binding and Fc thermal stability were observed, but these did not significantly change the serum half-lives of engineered control antibodies and heterodimers. The methods are conceptually compatible with various Hc HD platforms such as BEAT® (Bispecific Engagement by Antibodies based on the T cell receptor), in which the PA method has already been successfully implemented.     

Insertion of scFv into the hinge domain of full-length IgG1 monoclonal antibody results in tetravalent bispecific molecule with robust properties

By simultaneous binding two disease mediators, bispecific antibodies offer the opportunity to broaden the utility of antibody-based therapies. Herein, we describe the design and characterization of Bs4Ab, an innovative and generic bispecific tetravalent antibody platform. The Bs4Ab format comprises a full-length IgG1 monoclonal antibody with a scFv inserted into the hinge domain. The Bs4Ab design demonstrates robust manufacturability as evidenced by MEDI3902, which is currently in clinical development. To further demonstrate the applicability of the Bs4Ab technology, we describe the molecular engineering, biochemical, biophysical, and in vivo characterization of a bispecific tetravalent Bs4Ab that, by simultaneously binding vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2, inhibits their function. We also demonstrate that the Bs4Ab platform allows Fc-engineering similar to that achieved with IgG1 antibodies, such as mutations to extend half-life or modulate effector functions.     

Prediction of VH–VL domain orientation for antibody variable domain modeling

The antigen‐binding site of antibodies forms at the interface of their two variable domains, VH and VL, making VH–VL domain orientation a factor that codetermines antibody specificity and affinity. Preserving VH–VL domain orientation in the process of antibody engineering is important in order to retain the original antibody properties, and predicting the correct VH–VL orientation has also been recognized as an important factor in antibody homology modeling. In this article, we present a fast sequence‐based predictor that predicts VH–VL domain orientation with Q² values ranging from 0.54 to 0.73 on the evaluation set. We describe VH–VL orientation in terms of the six absolute ABangle parameters that have recently been proposed as a means to separate the different degrees of freedom of VH–VL domain orientation. In order to assess the impact of adjusting VH–VL orientation according to our predictions, we use the set of antibody structures of the recently published Antibody Modeling Assessment (AMA) II study. In comparison to the original AMAII homology models, we find an improvement in the accuracy of VH–VL orientation modeling, which also translates into an improvement in the average root‐mean‐square deviation with regard to the crystal structures. Proteins 2015; 83:681–695. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Diabody-Ig: a novel platform for the generation of multivalent and multispecific antibody molecules

ABSTRACT

Multivalent mono- or bispecific antibodies are of increasing interest for therapeutic applications, such as efficient receptor clustering and activation, or dual targeting approaches. Here, we present a novel platform for the generation of Ig-like molecules, designated diabody-Ig (Db-Ig). The antigen-binding site of Db-Ig is composed of a diabody in the V_H-V_L orientation stabilized by fusion to antibody-derived homo- or heterodimerization domains, e.g., C_H1/C_L or the heavy chain domain 2 of IgE (EHD2) or IgM (MHD2), further fused to an Fc region. In this study, we applied the Db-Ig format for the generation of tetravalent bispecific antibodies (2 + 2) directed against EGFR and HER3 and utilizing different dimerization domains. These Db-Ig antibodies retained the binding properties of the parental antibodies and demonstrated unhindered simultaneous binding of both antigens. The Db-Ig antibodies could be purified by a single affinity chromatography resulting in a homogenous preparation. Furthermore, the Db-Igs were highly stable in human plasma. Importantly, only one short peptide linker (5 aa) per chain is required to generate a Db-Ig molecule, reducing the potential risk of immunogenicity. The presence of a fully functional Fc resulted in IgG-like pharmacokinetic profiles of the Db-Ig molecules. Besides tetravalent bispecific molecules, this modular platform technology further allows for the generation of other multivalent molecules of varying specificity and valency, including mono-, bi-, tri- and tetra-specific molecules, and thus should be suitable for numerous applications.     

A new class of bispecific antibodies to redirect T cells for cancer immunotherapy

Various constructs of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) to redirect effector T cells for the targeted killing of tumor cells have shown considerable promise in both preclinical and clinical studies. The single-chain variable fragment (scFv)-based formats, including bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) and dual-affinity re-targeting (DART), which provide monovalent binding to both CD3 on T cells and to the target antigen on tumor cells, can exhibit rapid blood clearance and neurological toxicity due to their small size (~55 kDa). Herein, we describe the generation, by the modular DOCK-AND-LOCK^TM (DNL^TM) method, of novel T-cell redirecting bispecific antibodies, each comprising a monovalent anti-CD3 scFv covalently conjugated to a stabilized dimer of different anti-tumor Fabs. The potential advantages of this design include bivalent binding to tumor cells, a larger size (~130 kDa) to preclude renal clearance and penetration of the blood-brain barrier, and potent T-cell mediated cytotoxicity. These prototypes were purified to near homogeneity, and representative constructs were shown to provoke the formation of immunological synapses between T cells and their target tumor cells in vitro, resulting in T-cell activation and proliferation, as well as potent T-cell mediated anti-tumor activity. In addition, in vivo studies in NOD/SCID mice bearing Raji Burkitt lymphoma or Capan-1 pancreatic carcinoma indicated statistically significant inhibition of tumor growth compared with untreated controls.     

Cytotoxic enhancement of a bispecific diabody by format conversion to tandem single-chain variable fragment (taFv): the case of the hEx3 diabody

Diabodies (Dbs) and tandem single-chain variable fragments (taFv) are the most widely used recombinant formats for constructing small bispecific antibodies. However, only a few studies have compared these formats, and none have discussed their binding kinetics and cross-linking ability. We previously reported the usefulness for cancer immunotherapy of a humanized bispecific Db (hEx3-Db) and its single-chain format (hEx3-scDb) that target epidermal growth factor receptor and CD3. Here, we converted hEx3-Db into a taFv format to investigate how format affects the function of a small bispecific antibody; our investigation included a cytotoxicity assay, surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, thermodynamic analysis, and flow cytometry. The prepared taFv (hEx3-taFv) showed an enhanced cytotoxicity, which may be attributable to a structural superiority to the diabody format in cross-linking target cells but not to differences in the binding affinities of the formats. Comparable cross-linking ability for soluble antigens was observed among hEx3-Db, hEx3-scDb, and hEx3-taFv with surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, drastic increases in cytotoxicity were found in the dimeric form of hEx3-taFv, especially when the two hEx3-taFv were covalently linked. Our results show that converting the format of small bispecific antibodies can improve their function. In particular, for small bispecific antibodies that target tumor and immune cells, a functional orientation that avoids steric hindrance in cross-linking two target cells may be important in enhancing the growth inhibition effect.     

A bispecific antibody effectively neutralizes all four serotypes of dengue virus by simultaneous blocking virus attachment and fusion

Although dengue virus (DENV) infection severely threatens the health of humans, no specific antiviral drugs are currently approved for clinical use against DENV infection. Attachment and fusion are 2 critical steps for the flavivirus infection, and the corresponding functional epitopes are located at E protein domain III (E-DIII) and domain II (E-DII), respectively. Here, we constructed a bispecific antibody (DVD-1A1D-2A10) based on the 2 well-characterized anti-DENV monoclonal antibodies 1A1D-2 (1A1D) and 2A10G6 (2A10). The 1A1D antibody binds E-DIII and can block the virus attaching to the cell surface, while the 2A10 antibody binds E-DII and is able to prevent the virus from fusing with the endosomal membrane. Our data showed that DVD-1A1D-2A10 retained the antigen-binding activity of both parental antibodies. Importantly, it was demonstrated to be significantly more effective at neutralizing DENV than its parental antibodies both in vitro and in vivo, even better than the combination of them. To eliminate the potential antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effect, this bispecific antibody was successfully engineered to prevent Fc-γ-R interaction. Overall, we generated a bispecific anti-DENV antibody targeting both attachment and fusion stages, and this bispecific antibody broadly neutralized all 4 serotypes of DENV without risk of ADE, suggesting that it has great potential as a novel antiviral strategy against DENV.     

Biodistribution studies with tumor-targeting bispecific antibodies reveal selective accumulation at the tumor site

Bispecific antibodies are proteins that bind two different antigens and may retarget immune cells with a binding moiety specific for a leukocyte marker. A binding event in blood could in principle prevent antibody extravasation and accumulation at the site of disease. In this study, we produced and characterized two tetravalent bispecific antibodies that bind with high affinity to the alternatively-spliced EDB domain of fibronectin, a tumor-associated antigen. The bispecific antibodies simultaneously engaged the cognate antigens (murine T cell co-receptor CD3 and hen egg lysozyme) and selectively accumulated on murine tumors in vivo. The results, which were in agreement with predictions based on pharmacokinetic modeling and antibody binding characteristics, confirmed that bispecific antibodies can reach abluminal targets without being blocked by peripheral blood leukocytes.     

A new class of bispecific antibodies to redirect T cells for cancer immunotherapy

Various constructs of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) to redirect effector T cells for the targeted killing of tumor cells have shown considerable promise in both preclinical and clinical studies. The single-chain variable fragment (scFv)-based formats, including bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) and dual-affinity re-targeting (DART), which provide monovalent binding to both CD3 on T cells and to the target antigen on tumor cells, can exhibit rapid blood clearance and neurological toxicity due to their small size (~55 kDa). Herein, we describe the generation, by the modular DOCK-AND-LOCK^TM (DNL^TM) method, of novel T-cell redirecting bispecific antibodies, each comprising a monovalent anti-CD3 scFv covalently conjugated to a stabilized dimer of different anti-tumor Fabs. The potential advantages of this design include bivalent binding to tumor cells, a larger size (~130 kDa) to preclude renal clearance and penetration of the blood-brain barrier, and potent T-cell mediated cytotoxicity. These prototypes were purified to near homogeneity, and representative constructs were shown to provoke the formation of immunological synapses between T cells and their target tumor cells in vitro, resulting in T-cell activation and proliferation, as well as potent T-cell mediated anti-tumor activity. In addition, in vivo studies in NOD/SCID mice bearing Raji Burkitt lymphoma or Capan-1 pancreatic carcinoma indicated statistically significant inhibition of tumor growth compared with untreated controls.     

Construction of multiform scFv antibodies using linker peptide

Multiform single chain variable fragments (acFvs) including different length linker scFvs and bispecific seFv were constructed. The linker lengths of 0, 3, 5, 8, 12, and 15 amino acids between VH and VL of antideoxynivalenol (anti-DON) scFv were used to analyze the affinities of scFvs. The affinity constants of these scFvs increased when the linker was lower than 12 amino acids. The affinity constant would not change when the linker was longer than 12 amino acids. Fusion gene of anti-DON seFv and antizearalenone (anti-ZEN) scFv was also constructed through eormection by a short peptide tinker DNA to express a bispecific scFv. The affinity constants assay showed that the two scFvs of fusion bispecific scFv remained their own affinity compared to their parental scFvs. Competitive direct enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect DON and ZEN in contaminated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) samples, and the results indicated that this bispecifie acFv was applicable in DON and ZEN detection. This work confirmed that bispecific scFv could be successfully obtained, and might also have an application in diagnosing fungal infection, and breeding transgertic plants.