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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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Forte T, Grinnell C, Zhang A, Polilli B, Leshinski J, Khattak S. Methods for identifying precipitates and improving stability of chemically defined highly concentrated cell culture media. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3345. [PMID: 37062873 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3345] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Currently, within the biopharmaceutical industry, media development is a key area of development as the ratios and concentrations of media components such as amino acids, metals, vitamins, sugars, salts, and buffering agents play arguably the largest role in cellular productivity and product quality. However, optimizing media for these targets often conflicts with solubility limitations and slow-rate chemical reactions that result in precipitation formation. Here we present methods such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), colorimetry, and turbidity to identify multiple likely components of a complex precipitate that was observed in preparations of a custom nutrient feed medium across all storage conditions evaluated. Using these analytical methods, as well as adjustments to the formulation pH, increasing the pyruvate concentration, and removing sodium bicarbonate, we were able to extend the media shelf life from approximately 10 days to over 28 days. Alternatively, copper, selenium, and magnesium sources were removed from the media and no precipitation was observed until 32 days after prep, pointing to key metals as the probable root cause of precipitation. By analytically quantifying the precipitate using the methods above, instead of visual inspection, which is the current industry standard for media precipitation observation, we were better able to compare conditions to one another and relate them to the onset of precipitation. Cell culture performance and product quality remained comparable to the historical process despite the media formulation changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Forte
- Cell Culture Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - An Zhang
- Cell Culture Development, Biogen, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brian Polilli
- API Proteins, Janssen R&D, Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Sarwat Khattak
- Cell Culture Development, Biogen, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Wysor SK, Hall KA, Marcus RK. Rapid metal speciation of cell culture media using reversed-phase separations and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3311. [PMID: 36308722 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3311] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cell culture media metal content is critical in mammalian cell growth and monoclonal antibody productivity. The variability in metal concentrations has multiple sources of origin. As such, there is a need to analyze media before, during, and after production. Furthermore, it is not the simple presence of a given metal that can impact processes, but also their chemical form that is, speciation. To a first approximation, it is instructive to simply and quickly ascertain if the metals exist as inorganic (free metal) ions or are part of an organometallic complex (ligated). Here we present a simple workflow involving the capture of ligated metals on a fiber stationary phase with passage of the free ions to an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for quantification; the captured species are subsequently eluted for quantification. This first level of speciation (free vs. ligated) can be informative towards sources of contaminant metal species and means to assess bioreactor processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Wysor
- Department of Chemistry, Biosystems Research Complex, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Katja A Hall
- Department of Chemistry, Biosystems Research Complex, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - R Kenneth Marcus
- Department of Chemistry, Biosystems Research Complex, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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Weiss CH, Caspari JS, Merkel C, Zimmer A. Copper impurity of iron raw material contributes to improved cell culture performance. Biotechnol Prog 2022; 38:e3251. [PMID: 35318833 PMCID: PMC9539468 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cell culture medium (CCM) formulations are chemically defined to reduce lot‐to‐lot variability and complexity of the medium while still providing all essential nutrients supporting cell growth and productivity of various cell lines. However, raw material impurities may still introduce variations and inconsistencies to final CCM formulations. In one of our previous studies (Weiss et al. Biotechnol Prog. 2021;37(4):e3148), we have demonstrated the impact of iron raw material impurity on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell performance and critical quality attributes (CQAs) of recombinant proteins within the Cellvento® 4CHO CCM platform by identifying manganese impurity as the main root cause for improved cell performance and altered glycosylation profiles. This study sought to investigate the impact of iron raw material impurities within another medium platform, namely EX‐CELL® Advanced CHO Fed‐Batch‐Medium. As opposed to previously published results, in this platform, copper instead of manganese impurity present within the used ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) iron source was responsible for an improved cell performance of a CHOZN® cell line and a slight difference in CQAs of the produced recombinant protein. The use of tightly controlled raw material specifications or the use of low impurity iron sources is therefore crucial to minimize the impact of impurities on cell performance in any CCM platform and thereby guarantee consistent and reproducible cell culture processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Hilde Weiss
- Upstream R&D, Merck Life Science, Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Aline Zimmer
- Upstream R&D, Merck Life Science, Darmstadt, Germany
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Degradation Products of Tryptophan in Cell Culture Media: Contribution to Color and Toxicity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126221. [PMID: 34207579 PMCID: PMC8228365 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomanufacturing processes may be optimized by storing cell culture media at room temperature, but this is currently limited by their instability and change in color upon long-term storage. This study demonstrates that one of the critical contributing factors toward media browning is tryptophan. LC-MS technology was utilized to identify tryptophan degradation products, which are likely formed primarily from oxidation reactions. Several of the identified compounds were shown to contribute significantly to color in solutions but also to exhibit toxicity against CHO cells. A cell-culture-compatible antioxidant, a-ketoglutaric acid, was found to be an efficient cell culture media additive for stabilizing components against degradation, inhibiting the browning of media formulations, and decreasing ammonia production, thus providing a viable method for developing room-temperature stable cell culture media.
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Weiss CH, Merkel C, Zimmer A. Impact of iron raw materials and their impurities on CHO metabolism and recombinant protein product quality. Biotechnol Prog 2021; 37:e3148. [PMID: 33742789 PMCID: PMC8459231 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cell culture medium (CCM) composition affects cell growth and critical quality attributes (CQAs) of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and recombinant proteins. One essential compound needed within the medium is iron because of its central role in many cellular processes. However, iron is also participating in Fenton chemistry leading to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing cellular damage. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the impact of iron in CCM on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line performance, and CQAs of different recombinant proteins. Addition of either ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) or ferric citrate (FC) into CCM revealed major differences within cell line performance and glycosylation pattern, whereby ammonium was not involved in the observed differences. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) analysis identified varying levels of impurities present within these iron sources, and manganese impurity rather than iron was proven to be the root cause for increased cell growth, titer, and prolonged viability, as well as altered glycosylation levels. Contrary effects on cell performance and protein glycosylation were observed for manganese and iron. The use of low impurity iron raw material is therefore crucial to control the effect of iron and manganese independently and to support and guarantee consistent and reproducible cell culture processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine H Weiss
- Merck Life Science, Upstream R&D, Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Aline Zimmer
- Merck Life Science, Upstream R&D, Darmstadt, Germany
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