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Tathe U, Khopkar S, Rasam P, Kancherla A, Dandekar P, Jain R. Impact of stirring material on formation of submicron and subvisible aggregates in mAbs by quantitative laser diffraction, dynamic light scattering and background membrane imaging. Int J Pharm 2024; 660:124321. [PMID: 38857661 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124321] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Aggregation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is the driving force for their undesirable immunogenic effects. There are multiple factors responsible for aggregation in therapeutic proteins. One significant cause is the process-related shear and interfacial stress generated due to impellers and stirrers. This investigation focuses on understanding the possible aggregation arising upon stirring mAb formulations using stirrers made of different materials. We used quantitative laser diffraction (qLD) to monitor and quantify the stirring induced formation of submicron and subvisible aggregates in the size range from 100 nm to 10 µm. We analysed various aspects of aggregate generation, such as onset of aggregation, particle size distribution, and concentration of aggregates generated using stirrers of different materials. We observed that mixing with stainless steel stirrers resulted in a quicker onset of aggregation and led to significantly higher concentrations of aggregates. Analysis of the stirred samples using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and background imaging technique (BMI) were conducted to complement the qLD analysis. All the three techniques resulted in a similar trend, showing presence of larger and higher quantities of aggregates in steel stirred samples, as compared to those stirred using PEEK and glass. Additionally, we performed SEC-HPLC to quantify the soluble fraction of monomer and recorded that the least amount was present in the steel stirred samples. This work highlights the need for optimizing the materials used for fabricating the stirrers/impellers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Utkarsh Tathe
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Sampada Khopkar
- Shimadzu Analytical (India) Private Limited, 1 A/B, Rushabh Chambers, Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai 400059, India
| | - Pratap Rasam
- Shimadzu Analytical (India) Private Limited, 1 A/B, Rushabh Chambers, Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai 400059, India
| | - Aswani Kancherla
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Prajakta Dandekar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India.
| | - Ratnesh Jain
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India.
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2
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Fernandez-Mendivil C, Kinsella NM, Ebbers HC. A Retrospective Analysis of the Potential Impact of Differences in Aggregates on Clinical Immunogenicity of Biosimilars and their Reference Products. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:1122-1131. [PMID: 38284504 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Aggregates, in particular high molecular weight species (HMWs), have been linked to increased immunogenicity. The current understanding on the impact of HMWs is mainly based on in vitro and nonclinical studies and there are only limited data available associating differences in HMWs in marketed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to clinical outcomes. Biosimilars offer a unique opportunity to study the potential association between quality parameters and clinical outcomes. We performed a retrospective evaluation to investigate the association between HMW content and reported antidrug-antibody (ADA) incidence in 30 full-length biosimilar mAbs approved in the European Union and the United States. Information for HMW content and ADA incidence were collected from publicly available sources. Differences in HMW content between biosimilars and their reference products (RPs) ranged from -0.75 to 1.65% with slightly higher differences observed in antineoplastic products as compared with immunosuppressant products. The difference in the ADA incidence between the RP and the biosimilar for the programs studied ranged from -11.0 to 18.5%. No association was observed between differences in HMW content and reported ADA incidence, in neither phase I nor phase III studies. Our results show that the limited differences in the content of HMWs between marketed biosimilars and reference mAbs were not associated with differences in reported immunogenicity, determined as incidence of ADAs and neutralizing ADAs in comparative clinical studies.
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Abioye A, Akintade D, Mitchell J, Olorode S, Adejare A. Nonintuitive Immunogenicity and Plasticity of Alpha-Synuclein Conformers: A Paradigm for Smart Delivery of Neuro-Immunotherapeutics. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:609. [PMID: 38794271 PMCID: PMC11124533 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050609] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the extensive research successes and continuous developments in modern medicine in terms of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, the lack of clinically useful disease-modifying drugs or immunotherapeutic agents that can successfully treat or prevent neurodegenerative diseases is an ongoing challenge. To date, only one of the 244 drugs in clinical trials for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases has been approved in the past decade, indicating a failure rate of 99.6%. In corollary, the approved monoclonal antibody did not demonstrate significant cognitive benefits. Thus, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing rapidly. Therefore, there is an urgent need for creative approaches to identifying and testing biomarkers for better diagnosis, prevention, and disease-modifying strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Overexpression of the endogenous α-synuclein has been identified as the driving force for the formation of the pathogenic α-synuclein (α-Syn) conformers, resulting in neuroinflammation, hypersensitivity, endogenous homeostatic responses, oxidative dysfunction, and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the conformational plasticity of α-Syn proffers that a certain level of α-Syn is essential for the survival of neurons. Thus, it exerts both neuroprotective and neurotoxic (regulatory) functions on neighboring neuronal cells. Furthermore, the aberrant metastable α-Syn conformers may be subtle and difficult to detect but may trigger cellular and molecular events including immune responses. It is well documented in literature that the misfolded α-Syn and its conformers that are released into the extracellular space from damaged or dead neurons trigger the innate and adaptive immune responses in PD. Thus, in this review, we discuss the nonintuitive plasticity and immunogenicity of the α-Syn conformers in the brain immune cells and their physiological and pathological consequences on the neuroimmune responses including neuroinflammation, homeostatic remodeling, and cell-specific interactions that promote neuroprotection in PD. We also critically reviewed the novel strategies for immunotherapeutic delivery interventions in PD pathogenesis including immunotherapeutic targets and potential nanoparticle-based smart drug delivery systems. It is envisioned that a greater understanding of the nonintuitive immunogenicity of aberrant α-Syn conformers in the brain's microenvironment would provide a platform for identifying valid therapeutic targets and developing smart brain delivery systems for clinically effective disease-modifying immunotherapeutics that can aid in the prevention and treatment of PD in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amos Abioye
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Belmont University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Damilare Akintade
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - James Mitchell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - Simisade Olorode
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - Adeboye Adejare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA;
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4
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Cohen JR, Brych SR, Prabhu S, Bi V, Elbaradei A, Tokuda JM, Xiang C, Hokom M, Cui X, Ly C, Amos N, Sun J, Calamba D, Herskovitz J, Capili A, Nourbakhsh K, Merlo A, Carreon J, Wypych J, Narhi LO, Jawa V, Joubert MK. A High Threshold of Biotherapeutic Aggregate Numbers is Needed to Induce an Immunogenic Response In Vitro, In Vivo, and in the Clinic. Pharm Res 2024; 41:651-672. [PMID: 38519817 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-024-03678-2] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There is concern that subvisible aggregates in biotherapeutic drug products pose a risk to patient safety. We investigated the threshold of biotherapeutic aggregates needed to induce immunogenic responses. METHODS AND RESULTS Highly aggregated samples were tested in cell-based assays and induced cellular responses in a manner that depended on the number of particles. The threshold of immune activation varied by disease state (cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, allergy), concomitant therapies, and particle number. Compared to healthy donors, disease state patients showed an equal or lower response at the late phase (7 days), suggesting they may not have a higher risk of responding to aggregates. Xeno-het mice were used to assess the threshold of immune activation in vivo. Although highly aggregated samples (~ 1,600,000 particles/mL) induced a weak and transient immunogenic response in mice, a 100-fold dilution of this sample (~ 16,000 particles/mL) did not induce immunogenicity. To confirm this result, subvisible particles (up to ~ 18,000 particles/mL, containing aggregates and silicone oil droplets) produced under representative administration practices (created upon infusion of a drug product through an IV catheter) did not induce a response in cell-based assays or appear to increase the rate of adverse events or immunogenicity during phase 3 clinical trials. CONCLUSION The ability of biotherapeutic aggregates to elicit an immune response in vitro, in vivo, and in the clinic depends on high numbers of particles. This suggests that there is a high threshold for aggregates to induce an immunogenic response which is well beyond that seen in standard biotherapeutic drug products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Cohen
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA.
| | - Stephen R Brych
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Siddharth Prabhu
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Vivian Bi
- The Department of Biosimilars, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Ahmed Elbaradei
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Joshua M Tokuda
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Cathie Xiang
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Martha Hokom
- The Department of Clinical Immunology, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
- Department of BioAnalytical Sciences, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Xiaohong Cui
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Claudia Ly
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Nathan Amos
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Jilin Sun
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Dominador Calamba
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Jonathan Herskovitz
- The Department of Clinical Immunology, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Allyson Capili
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Kimya Nourbakhsh
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Anthony Merlo
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Julia Carreon
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Jette Wypych
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Linda O Narhi
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Vibha Jawa
- The Department of Clinical Immunology, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
- Department of Pharmacometrics, Disposition & Bioanalysis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, 08543, USA
| | - Marisa K Joubert
- The Department of Process Development, Amgen Inc, One Amgen Center Dr, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA.
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Geersing TH, Dogan D, Nejadnik MR, Romeijn S, Knibbe CAJ, Crul M. Aggregate Formation and Antibody Stability in Infusion Bags: The Impact of Manual and Robotic Compounding of Monoclonal Antibodies. J Pharm Sci 2024; 113:1029-1037. [PMID: 37839612 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.10.015] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can be damaged during the aseptic compounding process, with aggregation being the most prevalent form of degradation. Protein aggregates represent one of several risk factors for undesired immunogenicity of mAbs, which can potentially lead to severe adverse drug reactions and less effective treatments. Since data on aggregate and particle formation by robotic compounding is missing, we aimed to compare the antibody stability between robotic- and manual compounding of mAbs with regard to formation of (sub)visible aggregates. Infliximab and trastuzumab were compounded into infusion bags with the APOTECAchemo robot or manually by nurses or pharmacy technicians. The products were analyzed by quantifying (sub)visible particles with nanoparticle tracking analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), light obscuration, micro-flow imaging, high pressure size exclusion chromatography (HP-SEC), and visual inspection. HP-SEC showed high percentages monomers in trastuzumab (99.4 % and 99.4 %) and infliximab (99.5 % and 99.6 %) infusion bags for both manual and robotic compounding, respectively. DLS indicated more consistent and reproducible results with robotic compounding, and confirmed monodisperse samples with a higher polydispersity index for manual compounding (0.16, interquartile range; IQR 0.14-0.18) compared to robotic compounding (0.12, IQR 0.11-0.15). This study shows that the studied compounding methods had a minor impact on the number of aggregates and particles, and that robotic compounding of mAbs provided at least similar quality as manual compounding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjerk H Geersing
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Dunja Dogan
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - M Reza Nejadnik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Stefan Romeijn
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Catherijne A J Knibbe
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Division of Systems Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Crul
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Amsterdam University Medical Centre location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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6
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Nabhan M, Meunier S, Le-Minh V, Robin B, de Bourayne M, Smadja C, Maillère B, Pallardy M, Turbica I. Infliximab aggregates produced in severe and mild elevated temperature stress conditions induce an extended specific CD4 T-cell response. Eur J Pharm Sci 2024; 192:106670. [PMID: 38070782 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2023.106670] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation has been widely described as a factor contributing to therapeutic antibody immunogenicity. Although production of high-affinity anti-drug antibodies depends on the activation of CD4 T lymphocytes, little is known about the T-cell response induced by antibody aggregates, especially for aggregates produced in mild conditions resulting from minor handling errors of vials. Large insoluble infliximab (IFX) aggregates produced in severe elevated temperature stress conditions have been previously shown to induce human monocyte-derived dendritic cell (moDC) maturation. We here showed that large IFX aggregates recruit in vitro a significantly higher number of CD4 T-cells compared to native IFX. Moreover, a larger array of T-cell epitopes encompassing the entire variable regions was evidenced compared to the native antibody. We then compared the responses of moDCs to different types of aggregates generated by submitting IFX to mild conditions of various times of incubation at an elevated temperature. Decreasing stress duration reduced aggregate size and quantity, and subsequently altered moDC activation. Of importance, IFX aggregates generated in mild conditions and not altering moDC phenotype generated an in vitro T-cell response with a higher frequency of CD4 T cells compared to native IFX. Moreover, cross-reactivity studies of aggregate-specific T cells showed that some T cells could recognize both native and aggregated IFX, while others responded only to IFX aggregates. Taken together, our results suggest that aggregation of antibodies in mild elevated temperature stress conditions is sufficient to alter moDC phenotype in a dose-dependent manner and to increase T-cell response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Nabhan
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, 91 400 Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Sylvain Meunier
- Université de Paris-Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, SIMoS, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Victor Le-Minh
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, 91 400 Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Baptiste Robin
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, 91 400 Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Marie de Bourayne
- Université de Paris-Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, SIMoS, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Claire Smadja
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, 91 400 Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Bernard Maillère
- Université de Paris-Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, SIMoS, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Marc Pallardy
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, 91 400 Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Isabelle Turbica
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, 91 400 Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et l'Innovation Thérapeutique (LABEX LERMIT), 91400 Orsay, France.
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Rahban M, Ahmad F, Piatyszek MA, Haertlé T, Saso L, Saboury AA. Stabilization challenges and aggregation in protein-based therapeutics in the pharmaceutical industry. RSC Adv 2023; 13:35947-35963. [PMID: 38090079 PMCID: PMC10711991 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra06476j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein-based therapeutics have revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry and become vital components in the development of future therapeutics. They offer several advantages over traditional small molecule drugs, including high affinity, potency and specificity, while demonstrating low toxicity and minimal adverse effects. However, the development and manufacturing processes of protein-based therapeutics presents challenges related to protein folding, purification, stability and immunogenicity that should be addressed. These proteins, like other biological molecules, are prone to chemical and physical instabilities. The stability of protein-based drugs throughout the entire manufacturing, storage and delivery process is essential. The occurrence of structural instability resulting from misfolding, unfolding, and modifications, as well as aggregation, poses a significant risk to the efficacy of these drugs, overshadowing their promising attributes. Gaining insight into structural alterations caused by aggregation and their impact on immunogenicity is vital for the advancement and refinement of protein therapeutics. Hence, in this review, we have discussed some features of protein aggregation during production, formulation and storage as well as stabilization strategies in protein engineering and computational methods to prevent aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdie Rahban
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman Iran
| | - Faizan Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Chemical & Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard New Delhi-110062 India
| | | | | | - Luciano Saso
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University Rome Italy
| | - Ali Akbar Saboury
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran Tehran 1417614335 Iran +9821 66404680 +9821 66956984
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8
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Kibria MG, Shiwaku Y, Brindha S, Kuroda Y. Biophysical and biochemical nature of amorphous protein oligomers determines the strength of immune response and the generation of T-cell memory. FEBS J 2023; 290:4712-4725. [PMID: 37287403 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16884] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Here, we used domain 3 of dengue virus serotype 3 envelope protein (D3ED3), a natively folded globular low-immunogenicity protein, to ask whether the biophysical nature of amorphous oligomers can affect immunogenicity. We prepared nearly identical 30 ~ 50 nm-sized amorphous oligomers in five distinct ways and looked at any correlation between their biophysical properties and immunogenicity. One oligomer type was produced using our SCP tag (solubility controlling peptide) made of 5 isoleucines (C5I). The others were prepared by miss-shuffling the SS bonds (Ms), heating (Ht), stirring (St) and freeze-thaw (FT). Dynamic light scattering showed that all five formulations contained oligomers of approximately identical sizes with hydrodynamic radii (Rh) between 30 and 55 nm. Circular dichroism (cd) indicated that the secondary structure content of oligomers formed by stirring and freeze-thaw was essentially identical to that of the native monomeric D3ED3. The secondary structure content of the Ms showed moderate changes, whereas the C5I and heat-induced (Ht) oligomers exhibited a significant change. The Ms contained D3ED3 with intermolecular SS bonds as assessed by nonreducing size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Immunization in JcL:ICR mice showed that both C5I and Ms significantly increased the anti-D3ED3 IgG titre. Ht, St and FT were only mildly immunogenic, similar to the monomeric D3ED3. Cell surface CD marker analysis by flow cytometry confirmed that immunization with Ms generated a strong central and effector T-cell memory. Our observations indeed suggest that controlled oligomerization can provide a new, adjuvant-free method for increasing a protein's immunogenicity, yielding a potentially powerful platform for protein-based (subunit) vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Golam Kibria
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei-shi, Japan
| | - Yukari Shiwaku
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei-shi, Japan
| | - Subbaian Brindha
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei-shi, Japan
- Institute of Global Innovation Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu-Shi, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kuroda
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei-shi, Japan
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9
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Heljo P, Ahmadi M, Schack MMH, Cunningham R, Manin A, Nielsen PF, Tian X, Fogg M, Bunce C, Baunsgaard D, Jiskoot W. Impact of Stress on the Immunogenic Potential of Adalimumab. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:1000-1010. [PMID: 36642375 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.12.027] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies against tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) are widely used for treatment of inflammatory diseases. However, despite the inhibitory effect this class of drugs has on the immune system, anti-drug antibodies are often formed with continuous use. Particles formed during stress conditions, which can be used to simulate storage and handling conditions of commercial antibodies, have previously been associated with the formation of anti-drug antibodies. This study investigates the relationship between particles, oligomerization, folding and chemical degradation on the in vitro cytokine response toward the TNFα inhibitor adalimumab. Adalimumab aggregates generated using stir and heat stress were fractionated into distinct sub-populations, and their structure and immunogenic potential were evaluated. A chemically degraded sample of adalimumab was included to compare particle composition with the milder accelerated heat and stir stressed conditions. Particles from stressed adalimumab samples induced elevated cytokine levels and CD4+ T cell proliferation in vitro compared to non-stressed samples. Samples enriched with both submicron and subvisible particles of adalimumab induced the strongest cytokine release and the strongest CD4+ T cell proliferation despite maintaining some TNFα inhibitory functionality. Samples that were stressed and subsequently purified of subvisible and submicron particles did not elicit a significantly higher cytokine response or show increased CD4+ T cell proliferation compared to a non-stressed sample. Oxidation-induced chemical modifications in adalimumab, mainly in Met, His, Trp, and Tyr, were not found to be sufficient in absence of particle formation to induce increased CD4+ T cell proliferation or cytokine release despite less decreased TNFα inhibitory activity of adalimumab. These observations provide further evidence that particles do indeed potentiate the immunogenic potential of adalimumab.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maryam Ahmadi
- Abzena, Babraham Institute, CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Anaïs Manin
- Abzena, Babraham Institute, CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Mark Fogg
- Abzena, Babraham Institute, CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Wim Jiskoot
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
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10
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Västberg A, Bolinsson H, Leeman M, Nilsson L, Nylander T, Sejwal K, Sintorn IM, Lidayova K, Sjögren H, Wahlgren M, Elofsson U. Investigating Thermally Induced Aggregation of Somatropin- New Insights Using Orthogonal Techniques. Int J Pharm 2023; 637:122829. [PMID: 36948472 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.122829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Three orthogonal techniques were used to provide new insights into thermally induced aggregation of the therapeutic protein Somatropin at pH 5.8 and 7.0. The techniques were Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Asymmetric Flow-Field Flow-Fractionation (AF4), and the TEM-based analysis system MiniTEM™. In addition, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the thermal unfolding and stability. DSC and DLS were used to explain the initial aggregation process and aggregation rate at the two pH values. The results suggest that electrostatic stabilization seems to be the main reason for the faster initial aggregation at pH 5.8, i.e., closer to the isoelectric point of Somatropin. AF4 and MiniTEM were used to investigate the aggregation pathway further. Combining the results allowed us to demonstrate Somatropin's thermal aggregation pathway at pH 7.0. The growth of the aggregates appears to follow two steps. Smaller elongated aggregates are formed in the first step, possibly initiated by partly unfolded species. In the second step, occurring during longer heating, the smaller aggregates assemble into larger aggregates with more complex structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Västberg
- Research Institutes of Sweden, Drottning Kristinas väg 61B, 11428 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hans Bolinsson
- Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Lars Nilsson
- Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tommy Nylander
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Marie Wahlgren
- Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulla Elofsson
- Research Institutes of Sweden, Drottning Kristinas väg 61B, 11428 Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Hu Z, Mi W, Ye C, Zhao Y, Cavicchi RE, Hang H, Li H. Global Analysis of Aggregation Profiles of Three Kinds of Immuno-Oncology mAb Drug Products Using Flow Cytometry. Anal Chem 2023; 95:4768-4775. [PMID: 36862732 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Accurately quantifying the protein particles in both subvisible (1-100 μm) and submicron (≤1 μm) ranges remains a prominent challenge in the development and manufacturing of protein drugs. Due to the limitation of the sensitivity, resolution, or quantification level of various measurement systems, some instruments may not provide count information, while others can only count particles in a limited size range. Moreover, the reported concentrations of protein particles commonly have significant discrepancies owing to different methodological dynamic ranges and the detection efficiency of these analytical tools. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to accurately and comparably quantify protein particles within the desired size range at one time. To develop an efficient protein aggregation measurement method that can span the entire range of interest, we established, in this study, a single particle-sizing/counting method based on our highly sensitive lab-built flow cytometry (FCM) system. The performance of this method was assessed, and its capability of identifying and counting microspheres between 0.2 and 25 μm was demonstrated. It was also used to characterize and quantify both subvisible and submicron particles in three kinds of top-selling immuno-oncology antibody drugs and their lab-produced counterparts. These assessment and measurement results suggest that there may be a role for an enhanced FCM system as an efficient investigative tool for characterizing and learning the molecular aggregation behavior, stability, or safety risk of protein products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhishang Hu
- National Institute of Metrology, No. 18, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wei Mi
- National Institute of Metrology, No. 18, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Chen Ye
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Drugs, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Drugs, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Richard E Cavicchi
- Bioprocess Measurements Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Haiying Hang
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Drugs, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hongmei Li
- National Institute of Metrology, No. 18, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China
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12
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Sant D, Rojekar S, Gera S, Pallapati AR, Gimenez-Roig J, Kuo TC, Padilla A, Korkmaz F, Cullen L, Chatterjee J, Shelly E, Meseck M, Miyashita S, Macdonald A, Sultana F, Barak O, Ryu V, Kim SM, Robinson C, Rosen CJ, Caminis J, Lizneva D, Haider S, Yuen T, Zaidi M. Optimizing a therapeutic humanized follicle-stimulating hormone-blocking antibody formulation by protein thermal shift assay. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1521:67-78. [PMID: 36628526 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Biopharmaceutical products are formulated using several Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved excipients within the inactive ingredient limit to maintain their storage stability and shelf life. Here, we have screened and optimized different sets of excipient combinations to yield a thermally stable formulation for the humanized follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-blocking antibody, MS-Hu6. We used a protein thermal shift assay in which rising temperatures resulted in the maximal unfolding of the protein at the melting temperature (Tm ). To determine the buffer and pH for a stable solution, four different buffers with a pH range from 3 to 8 were screened. This resulted in maximal Tm s at pH 5.62 for Fab in phosphate buffer and at pH 6.85 for Fc in histidine buffer. Upon testing a range of salt concentrations, MS-Hu6 was found to be more stable at lower concentrations, likely due to reduced hydrophobic effects. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed a higher root-mean-square deviation with 1 mM than with 100 mM salt, indicating enhanced stability, as noted experimentally. Among the stabilizers tested, Tween 20 was found to yield the highest Tm and reversed the salt effect. Among several polyols/sugars, trehalose and sucrose were found to produce higher thermal stabilities. Finally, binding of recombinant human FSH to MS-Hu6 in a final formulation (20 mM phosphate buffer, 1 mM NaCl, 0.001% w/v Tween 20, and 260 mM trehalose) resulted in a thermal shift (increase in Tm ) for the Fab, but expectedly not in the Fc domain. Given that we used a low dose of MS-Hu6 (1 μM), the next challenge would be to determine whether 100-fold higher, industry-standard concentrations are equally stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damini Sant
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Satish Rojekar
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sakshi Gera
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anusha R Pallapati
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Judit Gimenez-Roig
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Tan-Chun Kuo
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ashley Padilla
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Funda Korkmaz
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Liam Cullen
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jiya Chatterjee
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eleanor Shelly
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marcia Meseck
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sari Miyashita
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anne Macdonald
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Farhath Sultana
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Orly Barak
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vitaly Ryu
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Se-Min Kim
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cemre Robinson
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Clifford J Rosen
- Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Scarborough, Maine, USA
| | - John Caminis
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daria Lizneva
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shozeb Haider
- Centre for Advanced Research Computing, School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tony Yuen
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mone Zaidi
- Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology and Departments of Medicine and of Pharmacology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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13
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Kizuki S, Wang Z, Torisu T, Yamauchi S, Uchiyama S. Relationship between aggregation of therapeutic proteins and agitation parameters: Acceleration and frequency. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:492-505. [PMID: 36167196 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.09.022] [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: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
An increase in protein aggregates during transportation should be suppressed in therapeutic protein products because the aggregates have a potential risk of immunogenicity. In this study, three protein solutions in vials were exposed to tri-axial vibration with various combinations of frequency and acceleration using a transportation test system to investigate the relationship between low g-force stresses and protein aggregate generation. The number concentration of micron aggregates detected by flow imaging analysis increased markedly when the acceleration and frequency of agitation were within a specific range, in other words, above a threshold. This threshold was common among the three protein solutions. The suppression of micron aggregate formation by adding a surfactant suggested that agitation above the threshold increased micron aggregates mainly via interface-mediated routes. Notably, agitation, including agitation below the threshold, accelerated spontaneous oligomerization (nanometer aggregate generation) of proteins in bulk solution even in the presence of the surfactant. Studies of stability against mechanical stresses (e.g., a random vibration test to simulate actual shipment, with a time-compressed setting by increasing acceleration) need to be performed and discussed with careful consideration of the threshold for generating micron aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Kizuki
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Formulation Research Lab., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 224-2, Ebisuno, Hiraishi, Kawauchi-cho, Tokushima, 771-0194, Japan
| | - Zekun Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Torisu
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Satoru Yamauchi
- Business Development Headquarters, ESPEC CORP. 5-2-5, Minamimachi, Kanokodai, Kita-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 651-1514, Japan
| | - Susumu Uchiyama
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan.
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14
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In vitro and in vivo immunogenicity assessment of protein aggregate characteristics. Int J Pharm 2023; 631:122490. [PMID: 36521637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The immunogenicity risk of therapeutic protein aggregates has been extensively investigated over the past decades. While it is established that not all aggregates are equally immunogenic, the specific aggregate characteristics, which are most likely to induce an immune response, remain ambiguous. The aim of this study was to perform comprehensive in vitro and in vivo immunogenicity assessment of human insulin aggregates varying in size, structure and chemical modifications, while keeping other morphological characteristics constant. We found that flexible aggregates with highly altered secondary structure were most immunogenic in all setups, while compact aggregates with native-like structure were found to be immunogenic primarily in vivo. Moreover, sub-visible (1-100 µm) aggregates were found to be more immunogenic than sub-micron (0.1-1 µm) aggregates, while chemical modifications (deamidation, ethylation and covalent dimers) were not found to have any measurable impact on immunogenicity. The findings highlight the importance of utilizing aggregates varying in few characteristics for assessment of immunogenicity risk of specific morphological features and may provide a workflow for reliable particle analysis in biotherapeutics.
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15
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Nanoformulation of the K-Ras(G12D)-inhibitory peptide KS-58 suppresses colorectal and pancreatic cancer-derived tumors. Sci Rep 2023; 13:518. [PMID: 36627374 PMCID: PMC9832047 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27825-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Single amino acid mutations of Ras occur in 30% of human cancers. In particular, K-Ras(G12D) has been detected in the majority of intractable colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Although efforts to target K-Ras(G12D) are currently underway, no effective drugs are available. We previously found that the K-Ras(G12D)-inhibitory bicyclic peptide KS-58 exhibits antitumor activity against syngeneic colon and orthotopic grafted pancreatic tumors; however, pristine KS-58 is difficult to handle because of low water solubility and it requires frequent administration to obtain sufficient antitumor activity. In this study, we used a nanoformulation of KS-58 prepared with the highly biocompatible surfactant Cremophor® EL (CrEL) to improve water solubility and reduce the dosing frequency. Nanoformulations of KS-58 with CrEL dramatically improved its water solubility and increased its stability. Weekly intravenous administration of KS-58 nanoparticles (NPs) suppressed the growth of CT26 and PANC-1 cell-derived tumors in vivo, and fluorescent bioimaging indicated that the NP-encapsulated near-infrared fluorescent probe indocyanine green selectively accumulated in the tumor and was safely excreted through the kidneys following intravenous injection. Histopathological analysis of CT26 tumors and Western blotting of PANC-1 tumors revealed that KS-58 NPs reduced ERK phosphorylation, a downstream signal of K-Ras(G12D). Our results suggest that KS-58 NPs represent a novel therapeutic agent for treating colorectal and pancreatic cancers.
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16
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Yin Q, Wang Y, Xiang Y, Xu F. Nanovaccines: Merits, and diverse roles in boosting antitumor immune responses. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2119020. [PMID: 36170662 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2119020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
An attractive type of cancer immunotherapy is cancer therapeutic vaccines that induce antitumor immunity effectively. Although supportive results in the recent vaccine studies, there are still numerous drawbacks, such as poor stability, weak immunogenicity and strong toxicity, to be tackled for promoting the potency and durability of antitumor efficacy. NPs (Nanoparticles)-based vaccines offer unique opportunities to breakthrough the current bottleneck. As a rule, nanovaccines are new the generations of vaccines that use NPs as carriers and/or adjuvants. Several advantages of nanovaccines are constantly explored, including optimal nanometer size, high stability, plenty of antigen loading, enhanced immunogenicity, tunable antigen presentation, more retention in lymph nodes and promote patient compliance by a lower frequency of dosing. Here, we summarized the merits and highlight the diverse role nanovaccines play in improving antitumor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiliang Yin
- Department of Cadre Ward, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Academy of Health Management, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
| | - Yipeng Xiang
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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17
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Thorlaksen C, Stanciu AM, Busch Neergaard M, Jiskoot W, Groenning M, Foderà V. Subtle pH variation around pH 4.0 affects aggregation kinetics and aggregate characteristics of recombinant human insulin. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2022; 179:166-172. [PMID: 36087880 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.09.001] [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: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Insulin is a biotherapeutic protein, which, depending on environmental conditions such as pH, has been shown to form a large variety of aggregates with different structures and morphologies. This work focuses on the formation and characteristics of insulin particulates, dense spherical aggregates having diameters spanning from nanometre to low-micron size. An in-depth investigation of the system is obtained by applying a broad range of techniques for particle sizing and characterisation. An interesting observation was achieved regarding the formation kinetics and aggregate characteristics of the particulates; a subtle change in the pH from pH 4.1 to pH 4.3 markedly affected the kinetics of the particulate formation and led to different particulate sizes, either nanosized or micronsized particles. Also, a clear difference between the secondary structure of the protein particulates formed at the two pH values was observed, where the nanosized particulates had an increased content of aggregated β-structure compared to the micronsized particles. The remaining characteristics of the particles were identical for the two particulate populations. These observations highlight the importance of carefully studying the formulation design space and of knowing the impact of parameters such as pH on the aggregation to secure a drug product in control. Furthermore, the identification of particles only varying in few parameters, such as size, are considered highly valuable for studying the effect of particle features on the immunogenicity potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Thorlaksen
- Biophysical analysis, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760 Måløv, Denmark; Department of pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Adriana-Maria Stanciu
- Biophysical analysis, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760 Måløv, Denmark; Department of pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Wim Jiskoot
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Minna Groenning
- Biophysical analysis, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760 Måløv, Denmark.
| | - Vito Foderà
- Department of pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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18
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Swanson MD, Rios S, Mittal S, Soder G, Jawa V. Immunogenicity Risk Assessment of Spontaneously Occurring Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody Aggregates. Front Immunol 2022; 13:915412. [PMID: 35967308 PMCID: PMC9364768 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.915412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregates of therapeutic proteins have been associated with increased immunogenicity in pre-clinical models as well as in human patients. Recent studies to understand aggregates and their immunogenicity risks use artificial stress methods to induce high levels of aggregation. These methods may be less biologically relevant in terms of their quantity than those that occur spontaneously during processing and storage. Here we describe the immunogenicity risk due to spontaneously occurring therapeutic antibody aggregates using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and a cell line with a reporter gene for immune activation: THP-1 BLUE NFκB. The spontaneously occurring therapeutic protein aggregates were obtained from process intermediates and final formulated drug substance from stability retains. Spontaneously occurring aggregates elicited innate immune responses for several donors in a PBMC assay with cytokine and chemokine production as a readout for immune activation. Meanwhile, no significant adaptive phase responses to spontaneously occurring aggregate samples were detected. While the THP-1 BLUE NFκB cell line and PBMC assays both responded to high stress induced aggregates, only the PBMC from a limited subset of donors responded to processing-induced aggregates. In this case study, levels of antibody aggregation occurring at process relevant levels are lower than those induced by stirring and may pose lower risk in vivo. Our methodologies can further inform additional immunogenicity risk assessments using a pre-clinical in vitro risk assessment approach utilizing human derived immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Swanson
- Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael D. Swanson,
| | - Shantel Rios
- Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, United States
| | - Sarita Mittal
- Analytical R&D, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, United States
| | - George Soder
- Analytical R&D, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, United States
| | - Vibha Jawa
- Nonclinical Disposition and Bioanalysis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, United States
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19
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Zeunik R, Ryuzoji AF, Peariso A, Wang X, Lannan M, Spindler LJ, Knierman M, Copeland V, Patel C, Wen Y. Investigation of immune responses to oxidation, deamidation, and isomerization in therapeutic antibodies using preclinical immunogenicity risk assessment assays. J Pharm Sci 2022; 111:2217-2229. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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20
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Benkstein KD, Balakrishnan G, Bhirde A, Chalus P, Das TK, Do N, Duewer DL, Filonov N, Cheong FC, Garidel P, Gill NS, Grabarek AD, Grier DG, Hadley J, Hollingsworth AD, Howard WW, Jarzębski M, Jiskoot W, Kar SR, Kestens V, Khasa H, Kim YJ, Koulov A, Matter A, Philips LA, Probst C, Ramaye Y, Randolph TW, Ripple DC, Romeijn S, Saggu M, Schleinzer F, Snell JR, Tatarkiewicz J“K, Wright HA, Yang D. An Interlaboratory Comparison on the Characterization of a Sub-micrometer Polydisperse Particle Dispersion. J Pharm Sci 2022; 111:699-709. [PMID: 34808214 PMCID: PMC9912188 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The measurement of polydisperse protein aggregates and particles in biotherapeutics remains a challenge, especially for particles with diameters of ≈ 1 µm and below (sub-micrometer). This paper describes an interlaboratory comparison with the goal of assessing the measurement variability for the characterization of a sub-micrometer polydisperse particle dispersion composed of five sub-populations of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and silica beads. The study included 20 participating laboratories from industry, academia, and government, and a variety of state-of-the-art particle-counting instruments. The received datasets were organized by instrument class to enable comparison of intralaboratory and interlaboratory performance. The main findings included high variability between datasets from different laboratories, with coefficients of variation from 13 % to 189 %. Intralaboratory variability was, on average, 37 % of the interlaboratory variability for an instrument class and particle sub-population. Drop-offs at either end of the size range and poor agreement on maximum counts of particle sub-populations were noted. The mean distributions from an instrument class, however, showed the size-coverage range for that class. The study shows that a polydisperse sample can be used to assess performance capabilities of an instrument set-up (including hardware, software, and user settings) and provides guidance for the development of polydisperse reference materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt D. Benkstein
- Biomolecular Measurement Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Gurusamy Balakrishnan
- Analytical Development and Attribute Science, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Ashwinkumar Bhirde
- Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Pascal Chalus
- Lonza AG, Drug Product Services, Hochbergerstrasse 60G, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tapan K. Das
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Ngoc Do
- Spectradyne LLC, 23875 Madison St Suite A, Torrance CA 90505, USA
| | - David L. Duewer
- Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Nazar Filonov
- AlphaNanoTech, Morrisville, NC 27709, USA,Particle Metrix, Inc., Mebane, NC 27302, USA
| | | | - Patrick Garidel
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Innovation Unit, PDB, D-88397-Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Nicole S. Gill
- Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies, Inc. Scarborough, ME 04074, USA
| | - Adam D. Grabarek
- Coriolis Pharma, Fraunhoferstrasse 18 b, 82152 Martinsried, Germany,Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - David G. Grier
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Judith Hadley
- Malvern Pananalytical, 117 Flanders Road Westborough, MA 01581, USA
| | - Andrew D. Hollingsworth
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Wesley W. Howard
- Analytical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, USA
| | - Maciej Jarzębski
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Wim Jiskoot
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Vikram Kestens
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, Belgium
| | - Harshit Khasa
- Analytical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, USA
| | - Yoen Joo Kim
- Analytical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, USA
| | - Atanas Koulov
- Lonza AG, Drug Product Services, Hochbergerstrasse 60G, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anja Matter
- Lonza AG, Drug Product Services, Hochbergerstrasse 60G, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Yannic Ramaye
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, Belgium
| | - Theodore W. Randolph
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309
| | - Dean C. Ripple
- Biomolecular Measurement Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Stefan Romeijn
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Miguel Saggu
- Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Franziska Schleinzer
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Innovation Unit, PDB, D-88397-Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Dennis Yang
- Biopharmaceutical Research and Development, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46285, USA
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Tokuda JM, Xie J, Jawa V, Hawkins JM, Ferbas J, Joh NH, Joubert MK. Use of in vitro human skin models to assess potential immune activation in response to biotherapeutic attributes and process-related impurities. J Pharm Sci 2022; 111:1012-1023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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22
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Das TK, Chou DK, Jiskoot W, Arosio P. Nucleation in protein aggregation in biotherapeutic development: a look into the heart of the event. J Pharm Sci 2022; 111:951-959. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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23
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Stelzl A, Grabarek A, Schneid S, Jiskoot W, Menzen T, Winter G. Comparison of submicron particle counting methods with a heat stressed monoclonal antibody: Effect of electrolytes and implications on sample preparation. J Pharm Sci 2022; 111:1992-1999. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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24
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Pegues MA, Szczepanek K, Sheikh F, Thacker SG, Aryal B, Ghorab MK, Wolfgang S, Donnelly RP, Verthelyi D, Rao VA. Effect of Fatty Acid Composition in Polysorbate 80 on the Stability of Therapeutic Protein Formulations. Pharm Res 2021; 38:1961-1975. [PMID: 34845573 PMCID: PMC8688393 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-021-03125-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Polysorbate excipients are commonly used as surfactants to stabilize therapeutic proteins in formulations. Degradation of polysorbates could lead to particle formation and instability of the drug formulation. We investigated how the fatty acid composition of polysorbate 80 impacts the degradation profile, particle formation, and product stability under stress conditions. Methods Two polysorbate 80-containing therapeutic protein formulations were reformulated with either Polysorbate 80 NF synthesized from a fatty acid mixture that contains mainly oleic acid (≥58%) or a version of polysorbate 80 synthesized with high oleic acid (>98%). Stress conditions, including high temperature and esterase spiking, were applied and changes to both the polysorbate and the therapeutic protein product were investigated for stability, purity, innate immune response and biological activity. Results The addition of esterase and storage at 37°C led to significant hydrolysis of the polysorbate and increases in sub-visible particle formation for both polysorbates tested. The fatty acid composition of polysorbate 80 did not directly alter the stability profile of either therapeutic protein as measured by size exclusion chromatography, or significantly impact innate immune response or biological activity. However, formulations with Polysorbate 80 NF showed greater propensity for sub-visible particle formation under stress conditions. Conclusions These results suggest that composition of fatty acids in polysorbate 80 may be a promoter for sub-visible particulate formation under the stress conditions tested but may not impact protein aggregation or biological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Pegues
- Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry, Division of Biotechnology Research and Review III, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Karol Szczepanek
- Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry, Division of Biotechnology Research and Review III, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Faruk Sheikh
- Division of Biotechnology Research and Review II, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Seth G Thacker
- Laboratory of Immunology, Division of Biotechnology Research and Review III, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Baikuntha Aryal
- Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry, Division of Biotechnology Research and Review III, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Mohamed K Ghorab
- Policy Development and Evaluation Branch 1, Division of Regulations, Guidance and Standards, Office of Policy for Pharmaceutical Quality, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Steven Wolfgang
- Cosmetics Regulatory Activities Branch, Cosmetics Division, Office of Cosmetics and Colors, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | - Raymond P Donnelly
- Division of Biotechnology Research and Review II, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Daniela Verthelyi
- Laboratory of Immunology, Division of Biotechnology Research and Review III, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - V Ashutosh Rao
- Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry, Division of Biotechnology Research and Review III, Office of Biotechnology Products, Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administrations, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA.
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Plate Reader-Based Analytical Method for the Size Distribution of Submicron-Sized Protein Aggregates Using Three-Dimensional Homodyne Light Detection. J Pharm Sci 2021; 110:3803-3810. [PMID: 34425131 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.08.021] [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: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The assessment of aggregates is essential in biopharmaceutical development. Although submicron-sized aggregates are considered to have a potential immunogenicity risk, analytical techniques are limited. In this study, we present a new analytical technique using three-dimensional homodyne light detection (3D-HLD). In this system, submicron-sized particles are quantified by combining the reflected light detection of each particle by high-speed 3D scan and then enhancing the amplitude of the reflected light using HLD. The particle concentrations and size distributions of human tetanus immune globulin (TIG) aggregates generated by stirring were measured using 3D-HLD. Both concentrations and distributions were comparable to those obtained via resonant mass measurement (RMM), a technique commonly used for submicron-sized particle measurement. Aiming at feasibility assessment of 3D-HLD for the high-through-put formulation development, 30 formulations of TIG and rituximab under agitation stress were analyzed by 3D-HLD. The results showed that 3D-HLD can automatically and simultaneously assess the aggregate concentrations and size distributions of at least 90 samples. This study demonstrates that 3D-HLD can be used for submicron-sized aggregate analysis as an orthogonal method to RMM and also as a screening tool during formulation development.
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26
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Lundahl MLE, Fogli S, Colavita PE, Scanlan EM. Aggregation of protein therapeutics enhances their immunogenicity: causes and mitigation strategies. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1004-1020. [PMID: 34458822 PMCID: PMC8341748 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00067e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation in biotherapeutics has been identified to increase immunogenicity, leading to immune-mediated adverse effects, such as severe allergic responses including anaphylaxis. The induction of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) moreover enhances drug clearance rates, and can directly block therapeutic function. In this review, identified immune activation mechanisms triggered by protein aggregates are discussed, as well as physicochemical properties of aggregates, such as size and shape, which contribute to immunogenicity. Furthermore, factors which contribute to protein stability and aggregation are considered. Lastly, with these factors in mind, we encourage an innovative and multidisciplinary approach with regard to further research in the field, with the overall aim to avoid immunogenic aggregation in future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mimmi L E Lundahl
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin Dublin 2 Ireland
| | - Silvia Fogli
- Glycome Biopharma, Unit 4, Joyce House, Barrack Square, Ballincollig Co Cork P31 HW35 Ireland
| | - Paula E Colavita
- School of Chemistry and Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin Dublin 2 Ireland
| | - Eoin M Scanlan
- School of Chemistry and Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin Dublin 2 Ireland
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27
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Golam Kibria M, Akazawa-Ogawa Y, Hagihara Y, Kuroda Y. Immune response with long-term memory triggered by amorphous aggregates of misfolded anti-EGFR V HH-7D12 is directed against the native V HH-7D12 as well as the framework of the analogous V HH-9G8. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021; 165:13-21. [PMID: 33971271 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that amorphous aggregates of misfolded VHH-7D12 antibodies (VHH-Mis), a potential anti-EGFR drug, can generate a robust serum IgG response. Here we investigate the immunogenic nature, especially the specificity of the immune response induced by VHH-Mis. To this end, we used two natively folded and 77% identical anti-EGFR VHHs (VHH-7D12 and VHH-9G8) that possess a common framework but distinct complementarity determining regions (CDRs). In 60% of mice immunized with VHH-Mis, the anti-VHH-7D12 IgG titer was stronger than the anti-VHH-9G8 titer (Group-1). In the remaining mice (40%; Group-2), the anti-VHH-7D12 and anti-VHH-9G8 titer were almost identical. We rationalized these results by hypothesizing that mice in Group-1 produced IgG mostly against the VHH-7D12's CDRs, whereas in Group-2 mice, they targeted the VHH's framework. The IgG specificity against VHH-7D12 and VHH-9G8 was essentially unchanged over 17 weeks in both groups. Further, in all mice (Group-1&2) re-immunized with native VHH-7D12, the IgG titer against VHH-7D12 increased sharply but not against VHH-9G8. On the other hand, none of the three Group-1 mice re-immunized with native VHH-9G8 showed immunogenicity against VHH-7D12 nor VHH-9G8. Whereas, in Group-2 mice (three/three) re-immunized with VHH-9G8, the IgG titers against both VHHs increased but slowly. Flow-cytometric studies showed that VHH-Mis immunized mice generated a higher number of effector and central memory T-cells. Overall, these observations indicate that amorphous aggregates made of a misfolded VHH can induce serum IgG against its natively folded self and analogous VHHs having a similar framework but distinct CDRs. Furthermore, a robust long-term immune response with memory was established against its natively folded self but with a nil-to-moderate immune response against natively folded VHH analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Golam Kibria
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Yoko Akazawa-Ogawa
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-8-31, Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Hagihara
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-8-31, Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kuroda
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
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Abstract
The current situation, heavily influenced by the ongoing pandemic, puts vaccines back into the spotlight. However, the conventional and traditional vaccines present disadvantages, particularly related to immunogenicity, stability, and storage of the final product. Often, such products require the maintenance of a “cold chain,” impacting the costs, the availability, and the distribution of vaccines. Here, after a recall of the mode of action of vaccines and the types of vaccines currently available, we analyze the past, present, and future of vaccine formulation. The past focuses on conventional formulations, the present discusses the use of nanoparticles for vaccine delivery and as adjuvants, while the future presents microneedle patches as alternative formulation and administration route. Finally, we compare the advantages and disadvantages of injectable solutions, nanovaccines, and microneedles in terms of efficacy, stability, and patient-friendly design. Different approaches to vaccine formulation development, the conventional vaccine formulations from the past, the current development of lipid nanoparticles as vaccines, and the near future microneedles formulations are discussed in this review. ![]()
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Immunogenicity Challenges Associated with Subcutaneous Delivery of Therapeutic Proteins. BioDrugs 2021; 35:125-146. [PMID: 33523413 PMCID: PMC7848667 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-020-00465-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The subcutaneous route of administration has provided convenient and non-inferior delivery of therapeutic proteins compared to intravenous infusion, but there is potential for enhanced immunogenicity toward subcutaneously administered proteins in a subset of patients. Unwanted anti-drug antibody response toward proteins or monoclonal antibodies upon repeated administration is shown to impact the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of multiple biologics. Unique immunogenicity challenges of the subcutaneous route have been realized through various preclinical and clinical examples, although subcutaneous delivery has often demonstrated comparable immunogenicity to intravenous administration. Beyond route of administration as a treatment-related factor of immunogenicity, certain product-related risk factors are particularly relevant to subcutaneously administered proteins. This review attempts to provide an overview of the mechanism of immune response toward proteins administered subcutaneously (subcutaneous proteins) and comments on product-related risk factors related to protein structure and stability, dosage form, and aggregation. A two-wave mechanism of antigen presentation in the immune response toward subcutaneous proteins is described, and interaction with dynamic antigen-presenting cells possessing high antigen processing efficiency and migratory activity may drive immunogenicity. Mitigation strategies for immunogenicity are discussed, including those in general use clinically and those currently in development. Mechanistic insights along with consideration of risk factors involved inspire theoretical strategies to provide antigen-specific, long-lasting effects for maintaining the safety and efficacy of therapeutic proteins.
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Krause N, Kuhn S, Frotscher E, Nikels F, Hawe A, Garidel P, Menzen T. Oil-Immersion Flow Imaging Microscopy for Quantification and Morphological Characterization of Submicron Particles in Biopharmaceuticals. AAPS JOURNAL 2021; 23:13. [PMID: 33398482 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-020-00547-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Flow imaging microscopy (FIM) is widely used to analyze subvisible particles starting from 2 μm in biopharmaceuticals. Recently, an oil-immersion FIM system emerged, the FlowCam Nano, designed to enable the characterization of particle sizes even below 2 μm. The aim of our study was to evaluate oil-immersion FIM (by using FlowCam Nano) in comparison to microfluidic resistive pulse sensing and resonant mass measurement for sizing and counting of particles in the submicron range. Polystyrene beads, a heat-stressed monoclonal antibody formulation and a silicone oil emulsion, were measured to assess the performance on biopharmaceutical relevant samples, as well as the ability to distinguish particle types based on instrument-derived morphological parameters. The determination of particle sizes and morphologies suffers from inaccuracies due to a low image contrast of small particles and light-scattering effects. The ill-defined measured volume impairs an accurate concentration determination. Nevertheless, FlowCam Nano in its current design complements the limited toolbox of submicron particle analysis of biopharmaceuticals by providing particle images in a size range that was previously not accessible with commercial FIM instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Krause
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kuhn
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Erik Frotscher
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Felix Nikels
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Andrea Hawe
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Patrick Garidel
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Tim Menzen
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152, Martinsried, Germany.
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31
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The Impact of Product and Process Related Critical Quality Attributes on Immunogenicity and Adverse Immunological Effects of Biotherapeutics. J Pharm Sci 2020; 110:1025-1041. [PMID: 33316242 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The pharmaceutical industry has experienced great successes with protein therapeutics in the last two decades and with novel modalities, including cell therapies and gene therapies, more recently. Biotherapeutics are complex in structure and present challenges for discovery, development, regulatory, and life cycle management. Biotherapeutics can interact with the immune system that may lead to undesired immunological responses, including immunogenicity, hypersensitivity reactions (HSR), injection site reactions (ISR), and others. Many product and process related critical quality attributes (CQAs) have the potential to trigger or augment such immunological responses to the product. Tremendous efforts, both clinically and preclinically, have been invested to understand the impact of product and process related CQAs on adverse immunological effects. The information and knowledge are critical for the implementation of Quality by Design (QbD), which requires risk assessment and establishment of specifications and control strategies for CQAs. A quality target product profile (QTPP) that identifies the key CQAs through process development can help assign severity scores based on safety, immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of the molecule. Gaps and future directions related to biotherapeutics and emerging novel modalities are presented.
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32
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Immunological Evaluation In Vitro of Nanoparticulate Impurities Isolated From Pharmaceutical-Grade Sucrose. J Pharm Sci 2020; 110:952-958. [PMID: 33220239 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.11.011] [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: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Sucrose is a commonly used stabilizing excipient in protein formulations. However, recent studies have indicated the presence of nanoparticulate impurities (NPIs) in the size range of 100-200 nm in pharmaceutical-grade sucrose. Furthermore, isolated NPIs have been shown to induce protein aggregation when added to monoclonal antibody formulations. Moreover, nanoparticles are popular vaccine delivery systems used to increase the immunogenicity of antigens. Therefore, we hypothesized that NPIs may have immunostimulatory properties. In this study, we evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of NPIs in presence and absence of trastuzumab in vitro with monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs). Exposure of trastuzumab, the model IgG used in this study, to NPIs led to an increase in concentration of proteinaceous particles in the sub-micron range. When added to moDCs, the NPIs alone or in presence of trastuzumab did not affect cell viability or cytotoxicity. Moreover, no significant effect on the expression of surface markers, and cytokine and chemokine production was observed. Our findings showed, surprisingly, no evidence of any immunomodulatory activity of NPIs. As this study was limited to a single IgG formulation and to in vitro immunological read-outs, further work is required to fully understand the immunogenic potential of NPIs.
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33
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Pham NB, Meng WS. Protein aggregation and immunogenicity of biotherapeutics. Int J Pharm 2020; 585:119523. [PMID: 32531452 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are the mainstay of biopharmaceuticals. A key challenge in the manufacturing and formulation of protein biologic products is the tendency for the active pharmaceutical ingredients to aggregate, resulting in irreversible drug loss, and an increase in immunogenicity risk. While the molecular mechanisms of protein aggregation have been discussed extensively in the literature, knowledge gaps remain in connecting the phenomenon in the context of immunogenicity of biotherapeutics. In this review, we discussed factors that drive aggregation of pharmaceutical recombinant proteins, and highlighted methods of prediction and mitigation that can be deployed through the development stages, from formulation to bioproduction. The purpose is to stimulate new dialogs that would bridge the interface between physical characterizations of protein aggregates in biotherapeutics and the functional attributes of the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc B Pham
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Wilson S Meng
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States.
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34
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Kibria MG, Akazawa-Ogawa Y, Rahman N, Hagihara Y, Kuroda Y. The immunogenicity of an anti-EGFR single domain antibody (V HH) is enhanced by misfolded amorphous aggregation but not by heat-induced aggregation. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2020; 152:164-174. [PMID: 32416134 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Amorphous aggregates of therapeutic proteins can provoke an unwanted immune response (anti-drug antibodies; ADAs), but counter-examples have led to some controversy. Amorphous aggregates can possess unique biophysical and biochemical attributes depending on both the way they are generated and the protein's biophysical/biochemical properties. Here, we examine the immunogenicity of an anti-EGFR single domain antibody (VHH) in four types of amorphous aggregates: two heat-aggregated VHH incubated at 65 °C (VHH-65) and 95 °C (VHH-95), a misfolded VHH isolated from the insoluble fraction of the E. coli lysate (VHH-Ins), and a low solubility misfolded VHH produced by miss-shuffling the SS bonds of the native VHH (VHH-Mis). Biophysical and biochemical measurements indicated that VHH was indeed natively folded, monomeric, and β-sheeted; that VHH-65 was partially unfolded and formed aggregates with a Z-average (Zave) of 771 nm; whereas VHH-95 was unfolded and formed aggregates of 1722 nm; and that both VHH-Ins and VHH-Mis were misfolded with non-native intermolecular SS bonds and formed aggregates with a Zave of 1846 nm and 1951 nm, respectively. The IgG level generated in Jcl:ICR mice determined by ELISA showed that the native VHH was barely immunogenic, VHH-95 was not immunogenic, while VHH-65 was mildly immunogenic. By contrast, the misfolded aggregates, VHH-Ins and VHH-Mis, having a Zave and an aggregation propensity similar to that of VHH-95, were highly immunogenic. These findings indicate the critical role of the biochemical and biophysical attributes of the amorphous aggregates in generating an immune response against a protein, rather than just their sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Golam Kibria
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Yoko Akazawa-Ogawa
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-8-31, Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Nafsoon Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Hagihara
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-8-31, Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kuroda
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
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35
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Nabhan M, Pallardy M, Turbica I. Immunogenicity of Bioproducts: Cellular Models to Evaluate the Impact of Therapeutic Antibody Aggregates. Front Immunol 2020; 11:725. [PMID: 32431697 PMCID: PMC7214678 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients treated with bioproducts (BPs) frequently develop anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) with potential neutralizing capacities leading to loss of clinical response or potential hypersensitivity reactions. Many factors can influence BP immunogenicity and could be related to the patient, the treatment, as well as to the product itself. Among these latter factors, it is now well accepted that BP aggregation is associated with an increased potential for immunogenicity, as aggregates seem to be correlated with ADA development. Moreover, the presence of high-affinity ADAs suggests a CD4 T-cell dependent adaptive immune response and therefore a pivotal role for antigen-presenting cells (APCs), such as dendritic cells (DCs). In this review, we address the in vitro methods developed to evaluate how monoclonal antibodies could trigger the immunization process by focusing on the role of aggregated antibodies in the establishment of this response. In particular, we will present the different cell-based assays that have been used to assess the potential of antibodies and their aggregates to modulate cellular mechanisms leading to activation and the biological parameters (cellular activation markers, proliferation and secreted molecules) that can be measured to evaluate the different cell activation stages and their consequences in the propagation of the immune response. Indeed, the use of such strategies could help evaluate the risk of BP immunogenicity and their role in mitigating this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Nabhan
- Inserm, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, Université Paris-Saclay, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Marc Pallardy
- Inserm, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, Université Paris-Saclay, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Isabelle Turbica
- Inserm, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, Université Paris-Saclay, Châtenay-Malabry, France
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Rech J, Fradkin A, Krueger A, Kraft C, Paskiet D. Evaluation of Particle Techniques for the Characterization of Subvisible Particles From Elastomeric Closure Components. J Pharm Sci 2020; 109:1725-1735. [PMID: 32017902 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Evaluating a particle profile for parenteral drug products is a well-known challenge due to inevitable variability of results with limited accuracy to actual particle levels present in the product, especially in the subvisible particulate (SbVP) range. It is important to understand the appropriate SbVP counting/characterization technology, methodology capability, and the particle source (intrinsic or extrinsic). Elastomeric closures are prevalent in many types of drug product container closure systems and are a known source of particle contribution. These components need to be considered when establishing a drug product particle profile. In this work, we describe available particle extraction methodology and its applicability in the analysis of elastomeric closure components using multiple detection technologies. Optimum sample preparation and analytical techniques were established to evaluate submicron particle and SbVP loads from elastomeric closure components. In addition, the impact of stopper siliconization and polysorbate 80 interaction on the degree of SbVPs in the final drug product was assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Rech
- West Pharmaceutical Services, 530 Herman O. West Drive, Exton, Pennsylvania 19341.
| | | | | | - Crystal Kraft
- West Pharmaceutical Services, 530 Herman O. West Drive, Exton, Pennsylvania 19341
| | - Diane Paskiet
- West Pharmaceutical Services, 530 Herman O. West Drive, Exton, Pennsylvania 19341
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Hubert M, Yang DT, Kwok SC, Rios A, Das TK, Patel A, Wuchner K, Antochshuk V, Junge F, Bou-Assaf GM, Cao S, Saggu M, Montrond L, Afonina N, Kolhe P, Loladze V, Narhi L. A Multicompany Assessment of Submicron Particle Levels by NTA and RMM in a Wide Range of Late-Phase Clinical and Commercial Biotechnology-Derived Protein Products. J Pharm Sci 2020; 109:830-844. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2019.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Wälchli R, Vermeire PJ, Massant J, Arosio P. Accelerated Aggregation Studies of Monoclonal Antibodies: Considerations for Storage Stability. J Pharm Sci 2019; 109:595-602. [PMID: 31676272 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2019.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of mAbs is a crucial concern with respect to their safety and efficacy. Among the various properties of protein aggregates, it is emerging that their size can potentially impact their immunogenicity. Therefore, stability studies of antibody formulations should not only evaluate the rate of monomer loss but also determine the size distribution of the protein aggregates, which in turn depends on the aggregation mechanism. Here, we study the aggregation behavior of different formulations of 2 monoclonal immunoglobulins (IgGs) in the temperature range from 5°C to 50°C over 52 weeks of storage. We show that the aggregation kinetics of both antibodies follow non-Arrhenius behavior and that the aggregation mechanisms change between 40°C and 5°C, leading to different types of aggregates. Specifically, for a given monomer conversion, dimer formation dominates at low temperatures, while larger aggregates are formed at higher temperatures. We further show that the stability ranking of different molecules as well as of different formulations is drastically different at 40°C and 5°C while it correlates better between 30°C and 5°C. Our findings have implications for the level of information provided by accelerated aggregation studies with respect to protein stability under storage conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Wälchli
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pieter-Jan Vermeire
- UCB Pharma, BioTech Sciences, Formulation Development, Chemin du Foriest, 1420 Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Jan Massant
- UCB Pharma, BioTech Sciences, Formulation Development, Chemin du Foriest, 1420 Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Tada M, Aoyama M, Ishii-Watabe A. Fcγ Receptor Activation by Human Monoclonal Antibody Aggregates. J Pharm Sci 2019; 109:576-583. [PMID: 31676270 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2019.10.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Protein aggregates are a potential risk factor for immunogenicity. The measurement, characterization, and control of protein aggregates in drug products are indispensable for the development of biopharmaceuticals, including therapeutic mAbs. In this study, Fcγ receptor (FcγR)-expressing reporter cell lines were used to analyze the FcγR-activation properties of mAb aggregates. Comparison of aggregates of mAbs harboring different IgG subclasses revealed that the FcγR-activation profiles of the mAb aggregates were dependent on IgG subclass. In addition, aggregates of Fc-engineered mAb with enhanced FcγR-activation properties exhibited stronger activation of FcγRs than was observed in the wild-type aggregates, whereas aggregates of Fc-engineered mAb with decreased FcγR-activation properties showed reduced activation. These results suggest that FcγR activation by mAb aggregates depends greatly on the Fc functions of the native (nonaggregated) mAbs. We also showed that aggregates of mAbs smaller than 1 μm in size have the potential to directly activate FcγRs. Unintended immune cell activation can be induced on account of FcγR activation by mAb aggregates and such FcγR activation may contribute to immunogenicity, and therefore, analysis of the FcγR-activation properties of mAb aggregates using FcγR-expressing reporter cell lines is a promising approach for the characterization of mAb aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minoru Tada
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Biologicals, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Michihiko Aoyama
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Biologicals, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Akiko Ishii-Watabe
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Biologicals, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
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41
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Crommelin DJA, Mastrobattista E, Hawe A, Hoogendoorn KH, Jiskoot W. Shifting Paradigms Revisited: Biotechnology and the Pharmaceutical Sciences. J Pharm Sci 2019; 109:30-43. [PMID: 31449815 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2019.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In 2003, Crommelin et al. published an article titled: "Shifting paradigms: biopharmaceuticals versus low molecular weight drugs" (https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-5173(03)00376-4). In the present commentary, 16 years later, we discuss pharmaceutically relevant aspects of the evolution of biologics since then. First, we discuss the increasing repertoire of biologics, in particular, the rapidly growing monoclonal antibody family and the advent of advanced therapy medicinal products. Next, we discuss trends in formulation and characterization as well as summarize our current insights into immunogenicity of biologics. We spend a separate section on new product(ion) paradigms for biologics, such as cell-free production systems, production of advanced therapy medicinal products, and downscaled production approaches. Furthermore, we share our views on issues related to reaching the patient, including routes and techniques of administration, alternative development models for affordable biologics, biosimilars, and handling of biologics. In the concluding section, we outline outstanding issues and make some suggestions for resolving those.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan J A Crommelin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Enrico Mastrobattista
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Karin H Hoogendoorn
- Leiden University Medical Center, Hospital Pharmacy, Interdivisional GMP Facility, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Wim Jiskoot
- Coriolis Pharma, Martinsried, Germany; Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Mehta SB, Subramanian S, D'Mello R, Brisbane C, Roy S. Effect of protein cryoconcentration and processing conditions on kinetics of dimer formation for a monoclonal antibody: A case study on bioprocessing. Biotechnol Prog 2019; 35:e2836. [PMID: 31063635 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shyam B. Mehta
- Drug Product Development and Operations, Biologics CMCTeva Biopharmaceuticals West Chester Pennsylvania
| | - Srishty Subramanian
- Drug Product Development and Operations, Biologics CMCTeva Biopharmaceuticals West Chester Pennsylvania
| | - Rowena D'Mello
- Drug Product Development and Operations, Biologics CMCTeva Biopharmaceuticals West Chester Pennsylvania
| | - Charlene Brisbane
- Drug Product Development and Operations, Biologics CMCTeva Biopharmaceuticals West Chester Pennsylvania
| | - Shouvik Roy
- Drug Product Development and Operations, Biologics CMCTeva Biopharmaceuticals West Chester Pennsylvania
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Monoclonal Antibody Dimers Induced by Low pH, Heat, or Light Exposure Are Not Immunogenic Upon Subcutaneous Administration in a Mouse Model. J Pharm Sci 2019; 109:730-738. [PMID: 31029572 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The presence of protein aggregates is commonly believed to be an important risk factor for immunogenicity of therapeutic proteins. Among all types of aggregates, dimers are relatively abundant in most commercialized monoclonal antibody (mAb) products. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunogenicity of artificially created mAb dimers relative to that of unstressed and stressed mAb monomers. A monoclonal murine IgG1 (mIgG1) antibody was exposed to low pH, elevated temperature, or UV irradiation to induce dimerization. Dimers and monomers were purified via size-exclusion chromatography. Physicochemical analysis revealed that upon all stress conditions, new deamidation or oxidation or both of amino acids occurred. Nevertheless, the secondary and tertiary structures of all obtained dimers were similar to those of unstressed mIgG1. Isolated dimers were administered subcutaneously in Balb/c mice, and development of antidrug antibodies and accumulation of follicular T helper cells in draining lymph nodes and spleens were determined. None of the tested dimers or stressed monomers were found to be more immunogenic than the unstressed control in our mouse model. In conclusion, both dimers and monomers generated by using 3 different stress factors have a low immunogenicity similar to that of the unstressed monomers.
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Svilenov H, Winter G. The ReFOLD assay for protein formulation studies and prediction of protein aggregation during long-term storage. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2019; 137:131-139. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Krause ME, Sahin E. Chemical and physical instabilities in manufacturing and storage of therapeutic proteins. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 60:159-167. [PMID: 30861476 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Development of a robust biologic drug product is accomplished by extensive formulation and process development screening studies; however, even in the most optimal formulation, a protein can undergo spontaneous degradation during manufacture, storage, and clinical use. Chemical changes to amino acid residues, such as oxidation of methionine or tryptophan, or changes in charge such as deamidation or carbonylation, can induce conformational changes in the overall protein structure, potentially leading to changes in physical - in addition to chemical - stability. Oxidation is often caused by light exposure or the presence of metal ions or peroxides. Asparagine deamidation is more likely to occur at higher pH and/or elevated temperature. Mechanical and interfacial stresses during manufacturing can lead to physical instabilities (i.e. various forms of aggregation). A well-defined manufacturing process and effective in-process controls are essential in minimizing chemical and physical instabilities, enabling robust production and distribution of a safe and efficacious drug product. In this work, the authors provide a review of developments in these areas over the past two years, with emphasis on manufacturability of therapeutically relevant proteins and protein-based drug products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Krause
- Drug Product Science and Technology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, One Squibb Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, United States.
| | - Erinc Sahin
- Drug Product Science and Technology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, One Squibb Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, United States
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