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Peláez SS, Mahler HC, Huwyler J, Allmendinger A. Directional freezing and thawing of biologics in drug substance bottles. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024:114427. [PMID: 39094667 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Biological drug substance (DS) is typically stored frozen to increase stability. However, freezing and thawing (F/T) of DS can impact product quality and therefore F/T processes need to be controlled. Because active F/T systems for DS bottles are lacking, freezing is often performed uncontrolled in conventional freezers, and thawing at ambient temperature or using water baths. In this study, we evaluated a novel device for F/T of DS in bottles, which can be operated in conventional freezers, generating a directed air stream around bottles. We characterized the F/T geometry and process performance in comparison to passive F/T using temperature mapping and analysis of concentration gradients. The device was able to better control the F/T process by inducing directional bottom-up F/T. As a result, it reduced cryo-concentration during freezing as well as ice mound formation. However, freezing with the device was dependent on freezer performance, i.e. prolonged process times in a highly loaded freezer were accompanied by increased cryo-concentrations. Thawing was faster compared to without the device, but had no impact on concentration gradients and was slower compared to thawing in a water bath. High-performance freezers might be required to fully exploit the potential of directional freezing with this device and allow F/T process harmonization and scaling across sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S Peláez
- ten23 health AG, Mattenstrasse 22, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hanns-Christian Mahler
- ten23 health AG, Mattenstrasse 22, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Department Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Allmendinger
- ten23 health AG, Mattenstrasse 22, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Freiburg, Sonnenstr. 5, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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Matsushima A, Matsuo K. Removal of plant endogenous proteins from tobacco leaf extract by freeze-thaw treatment for purification of recombinant proteins. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 339:111953. [PMID: 38072330 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Plants are useful as a low-cost source for producing biopharmaceutical proteins. A significant hurdle in the production of recombinant proteins in plants, however, is the complicated process of removing plant-derived components. Removing endogenous plant proteins, including ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), a major photosynthetic plant enzyme that catalyzes photosynthesis through carboxylation and oxygenation, is important for the purification of recombinant plant proteins. In particular, RuBisCO accounts for 50% of the soluble leaf protein; thus, the removal of RuBisCO is critical for the purification of recombinant proteins from plant materials. An effective conventional method, known as freeze-thaw treatment, was developed for the removal of RuBisCO from Nicotiana benthamiana, which expresses recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP). Crude extracts or supernatants were frozen at - 30 °C. Upon thawing, most of the RuBisCO was precipitated by centrifugation without significant inactivation and/or yield reduction of GFP. Based on the proteomics analysis, using this method, RuBisCO large and small subunits were reduced to approximately 10% and 20% of those of the unfrozen supernatant solutions, respectively, without the need for specific reagents or equipment. The proteomic analysis also revealed that many ribosomal proteins were removed from the extracts. This method improves the purification process of recombinant proteins from plant materials. Prolonged freezing damaged recombinant β-glucuronidase (GUS), suggesting that the applicability of this treatment should be carefully considered for each recombinant protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akito Matsushima
- Frontier Business Division, Chiyoda Corporation, 4-6-2 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-8765, Japan
| | - Kouki Matsuo
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Bioproduction Research Institute, 2-17-2-1 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8517, Japan.
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Vitharana S, Stillahn JM, Katayama DS, Henry CS, Manning MC. Application of Formulation Principles to Stability Issues Encountered During Processing, Manufacturing, and Storage of Drug Substance and Drug Product Protein Therapeutics. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:2724-2751. [PMID: 37572779 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The field of formulation and stabilization of protein therapeutics has become rather extensive. However, most of the focus has been on stabilization of the final drug product. Yet, proteins experience stress and degradation through the manufacturing process, starting with fermentaition. This review describes how formulation principles can be applied to stabilize biopharmaceutical proteins during bioprocessing and manufacturing, considering each unit operation involved in prepration of the drug substance. In addition, the impact of the container on stabilty is discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua M Stillahn
- Legacy BioDesign LLC, Johnstown, CO 80534, USA; Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | | | - Charles S Henry
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Mark Cornell Manning
- Legacy BioDesign LLC, Johnstown, CO 80534, USA; Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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Pang KT, Yang YS, Zhang W, Ho YS, Sormanni P, Michaels TCT, Walsh I, Chia S. Understanding and controlling the molecular mechanisms of protein aggregation in mAb therapeutics. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 67:108192. [PMID: 37290583 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In antibody development and manufacturing, protein aggregation is a common challenge that can lead to serious efficacy and safety issues. To mitigate this problem, it is important to investigate its molecular origins. This review discusses (1) our current molecular understanding and theoretical models of antibody aggregation, (2) how various stress conditions related to antibody upstream and downstream bioprocesses can trigger aggregation, and (3) current mitigation strategies employed towards inhibiting aggregation. We discuss the relevance of the aggregation phenomenon in the context of novel antibody modalities and highlight how in silico approaches can be exploited to mitigate it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuin Tian Pang
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technology University, Singapore
| | - Yuan Sheng Yang
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Wei Zhang
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Ying Swan Ho
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Pietro Sormanni
- Chemistry of Health, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas C T Michaels
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland; Bringing Materials to Life Initiative, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ian Walsh
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
| | - Sean Chia
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
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Weber D, Hubbuch J. Raman spectroscopy as a process analytical technology to investigate biopharmaceutical freeze concentration processes. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:4708-4719. [PMID: 34496028 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Freezing processes are a well-established unit operation in the biopharmaceutical industry to increase the shelf-life of protein-based drugs. While freezing reduces degradation reaction rates, it may also exert stresses such as freeze concentration. Macroscopic freeze concentration in large-scale freezing processes has been described thoroughly by examination of frozen bulk material, but the transient process leading to such freeze concentration profiles has not been monitored yet for biopharmaceutical solutions. In this study, Raman spectroscopy as a process analytical technology is demonstrated for model formulations containing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) in varying concentrations of sucrose and buffer salts. Therefore, a Raman probe was immersed into a bulk volume at different heights, monitoring the freeze concentration in the liquid phase during the freezing processes. Partial least square regression models were used to quantitatively discriminate between the protein and excipients simultaneously. The freeze concentration profiles were dependend on freezing temperature and formulation with freeze concentrations up to 2.4-fold. Convection currents at the bottom of the freezing container were observed with a maximum height of 1 mm. Furthermore, freeze concentration was correlated with the sucrose concentration in a formulation. Analysis of the freeze concentration slope indicated diffusion from the bottom to the top of the container. In summary, Raman spectroscopy is a valuable tool for process validation of freeze concentration simulations and to overcome scale-dependent challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Weber
- Institute of Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hubbuch
- Institute of Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
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