Viscosity-Reducing Bulky-Salt Excipients Prevent Gelation of Protein, but Not Carbohydrate, Solutions

The contrasting roles of co-solvents in protein formulations and food products

Protein aggregation is a major hurdle in developing biopharmaceuticals, in particular protein formulation area, but plays a pivotal role in food products. Co-solvents are used to suppress protein aggregation in pharmaceutical proteins. On the contrary, aggregation is encouraged in the process of food product making. Thus, it is expected that co-solvents play a contrasting role in biopharmaceutical formulation and food products. Here, we show several examples that utilize co-solvents, e.g., salting-out salts, sugars, polyols and divalent cations in promoting protein-protein interactions. The mechanisms of co-solvent effects on protein aggregation and solubility have been studied on aqueous protein solution and applied to develop pharmaceutical formulation based on the acquired scientific knowledge. On the contrary, co-solvents have been used in food industries based on empirical basis. Here, we will review the mechanisms of co-solvent effects on protein-protein interactions that can be applied to both pharmaceutical and food industries and hope to convey knowledge acquired through research on co-solvent interactions in aqueous protein solution and formulation to those involved in food science and provide those involved in protein solution research with the observations on aggregation behavior of food proteins.

Stability of Protein Pharmaceuticals: Recent Advances

There have been significant advances in the formulation and stabilization of proteins in the liquid state over the past years since our previous review. Our mechanistic understanding of protein-excipient interactions has increased, allowing one to develop formulations in a more rational fashion. The field has moved towards more complex and challenging formulations, such as high concentration formulations to allow for subcutaneous administration and co-formulation. While much of the published work has focused on mAbs, the principles appear to apply to any therapeutic protein, although mAbs clearly have some distinctive features. In this review, we first discuss chemical degradation reactions. This is followed by a section on physical instability issues. Then, more specific topics are addressed: instability induced by interactions with interfaces, predictive methods for physical stability and interplay between chemical and physical instability. The final parts are devoted to discussions how all the above impacts (co-)formulation strategies, in particular for high protein concentration solutions.'

Application of Formulation Principles to Stability Issues Encountered During Processing, Manufacturing, and Storage of Drug Substance and Drug Product Protein Therapeutics

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.