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Bramham JE, Wang Y, Moore SA, Golovanov AP. Assessing Photostability of mAb Formulations In Situ Using Light-Coupled NMR Spectroscopy. Anal Chem 2024; 96:9935-9943. [PMID: 38847283 PMCID: PMC11190875 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
Biopharmaceuticals, such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), need to maintain their chemical and physical stability in formulations throughout their lifecycle. It is known that exposure of mAbs to light, particularly UV, triggers chemical and physical degradation, which can be exacerbated by trace amounts of photosensitizers in the formulation. Although routine assessments of degradation following defined UV dosages are performed, there is a fundamental lack of understanding regarding the intermediates, transient reactive species, and radicals formed during illumination, as well as their lifetimes and immediate impact post-illumination. In this study, we used light-coupled NMR spectroscopy to monitor in situ live spectral changes in sealed samples during and after UV-A illumination of different formulations of four mAbs without added photosensitizers. We observed a complex evolution of spectra, reflecting the appearance within minutes of transient radicals during illumination and persisting for minutes to tens of minutes after the light was switched off. Both mAb and excipient signals were strongly affected by illumination, with some exhibiting fast irreversible photodegradation and others exhibiting partial recovery in the dark. These effects varied depending on the mAb and the presence of excipients, such as polysorbate 80 (PS80) and methionine. Complementary ex situ high-performance size-exclusion chromatography analysis of the same formulations post-UV exposure in the chamber revealed significant loss of purity, confirming formulation-dependent degradation. Both approaches suggested the presence of degradation processes initiated by light but continuing in the dark. Further studies on photoreaction intermediates and transient reactive species may help mitigate the impact of light on biopharmaceutical degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack E. Bramham
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K.
| | - Yujing Wang
- Dosage
Form Design & Development, BioPharmaceutical
Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K.
| | - Stephanie A. Moore
- Dosage
Form Design & Development, BioPharmaceutical
Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K.
| | - Alexander P. Golovanov
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K.
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2
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Li M, Beaumont VA, Akbar S, Duncan H, Creasy A, Wang W, Sackett K, Marzilli L, Rouse JC, Kim HY. Comprehensive characterization of higher order structure changes in methionine oxidized monoclonal antibodies via NMR chemometric analysis and biophysical approaches. MAbs 2024; 16:2292688. [PMID: 38117548 PMCID: PMC10761137 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2292688] [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: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The higher order structure (HOS) of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is an important quality attribute with strong contribution to clinically relevant biological functions and drug safety. Due to the multi-faceted nature of HOS, the synergy of multiple complementary analytical approaches can substantially improve the understanding, accuracy, and resolution of HOS characterization. In this study, we applied one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometric analysis, as well as circular dichroism (CD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and fluorescence spectroscopy as orthogonal methods, to characterize the impact of methionine (Met) oxidation on the HOS of an IgG1 mAb. We used a forced degradation method involving concentration-dependent oxidation by peracetic acid, in which Met oxidation is site-specifically quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Conventional biophysical techniques report nuanced results, in which CD detects no change to the secondary structure and little change in the tertiary structure. Yet, DSC measurements show the destabilization of Fab and Fc domains due to Met oxidation. More importantly, our study demonstrates that 1D and 2D NMR and chemometric analysis can provide semi-quantitative analysis of chemical modifications and resolve localized conformational changes with high sensitivity. Furthermore, we leveraged a novel 15N-Met labeling technique of the antibody to directly observe structural perturbations at the oxidation sites. The NMR methods described here to probe HOS changes are highly reliable and practical in biopharmaceutical characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Li
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Victor A. Beaumont
- Pfizer, Inc. Pharmaceutical Sciences Small Molecules, Analytical Research and Development, Sandwich, United Kingdom
| | - Shahajahan Akbar
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Hannah Duncan
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Arch Creasy
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioprocess Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Wenge Wang
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioprocess Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Kelly Sackett
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Marzilli
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Jason C. Rouse
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
| | - Hai-Young Kim
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Andover, MA, USA
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3
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Lin Y, Moyle AB, Beaumont VA, Liu LL, Polleck S, Liu H, Shi H, Rouse JC, Kim HY, Zhang Y, Gross ML. Characterization of Higher Order Structural Changes of a Thermally Stressed Monoclonal Antibody via Mass Spectrometry Footprinting and Other Biophysical Approaches. Anal Chem 2023; 95:16840-16849. [PMID: 37933954 PMCID: PMC10909587 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c02422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Characterizing changes in the higher order structure (HOS) of monoclonal antibodies upon stressed conditions is critical to gaining a better understanding of the product and process. One single biophysical approach may not be best suited to assess HOS comprehensively; thus, the synergy from multiple, complementary approaches improves characterization accuracy and resolution. In this study, we employed two mass spectrometry (MS )-based footprinting techniques, namely, fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP)-MS and hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX)-MS, supported by dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), circular dichroism (CD), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to study changes to the HOS of a mAb upon thermal stress. The biophysical techniques report a nuanced characterization of the HOS in which CD detects no changes to the secondary or tertiary structure, yet DLS measurements show an increase in the hydrodynamic radius. DSC indicates that the stability decreases, and chemical or conformational changes accumulate with incubation time according to NMR. Furthermore, whereas HDX-MS does not indicate HOS changes, FPOP-MS footprinting reveals conformational changes at residue resolution for some amino acids. The local phenomena observed with FPOP-MS indicate that several residues show various patterns of degradation during thermal stress: no change, an increase in solvent exposure, and a biphasic response to solvent exposure. All evidences show that FPOP-MS efficiently resolves subtle structural changes and novel degradation pathways upon thermal stress treatment at residue-level resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchun Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63105, United States
| | - Austin B Moyle
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63105, United States
| | - Victor A Beaumont
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Small Molecules, Analytical Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Sandwich CT13 9FF, U.K
| | - Lucy L Liu
- Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810, United States
| | - Sharon Polleck
- Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810, United States
| | - Haijun Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63105, United States
| | - Heliang Shi
- Global Product Development, Rare Disease Statistics, Pfizer, Inc., New York, New York 10017, United States
| | - Jason C Rouse
- Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810, United States
| | - Hai-Young Kim
- Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810, United States
| | - Ying Zhang
- Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810, United States
| | - Michael L Gross
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63105, United States
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4
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Beaumont VA, Liu L, Shi H, Rouse JC, Kim HY. Application of NMR and Chemometric Analyses to Better Understand the Quality Attributes in pH and Thermally Degraded Monoclonal Antibodies. Pharm Res 2023; 40:2457-2467. [PMID: 37798537 PMCID: PMC10661726 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-023-03600-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides the sensitivity and specificity to probe the higher order structure (HOS) of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for potential changes. This study demonstrates an application of chemometric tools to measure differences in the NMR spectra of mAbs after forced degradation relative to the respective unstressed starting materials. METHODS Samples of adalimumab (Humira, ADL-REF) and trastuzumab (Herceptin, TRA-REF) were incubated in three buffer-pH conditions at 40°C for 4 weeks to compare to a control sample that was left unstressed. Replicate 1D 1H and 2D 1H-13C HMQC NMR spectra were collected on all samples. Chemometric analyses such as Easy Comparability of HOS (ECHOS), PROtein FIngerprinting by Lineshape Enhancement (PROFILE), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were applied to capture and quantitate differences between the spectra. RESULTS Visual and statistical inspection of the 2D 1H-13C HMQC spectra of adalimumab and trastuzumab after forced degradation conditions shows no changes in the spectra relative to the unstressed material. Chemometric analysis of the 1D 1H NMR spectra shows only minor changes in the spectra of adalimumab after forced degradation, but significant differences in trastuzumab. CONCLUSION The chemometric analyses support the lack of statistical differences in the structure of pH-thermal stressed adalimumab, however, it reveals conformational changes or chemical modifications in trastuzumab after forced degradation. Application of chemometrics in comparative NMR studies enables HOS characterization and showcases the sensitivity and specificity in detecting differences in the spectra of mAbs after pH-thermal forced degradation with respect to local and global protein structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor A Beaumont
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, 1 Burtt Road, Andover, MA, 01810, USA.
- Pfizer, Inc. Pharmaceutical Sciences Small Molecules, Analytical Research and Development, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, CT13 9FF, UK.
| | - Lucy Liu
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, 1 Burtt Road, Andover, MA, 01810, USA
| | - Heliang Shi
- Pfizer, Inc. Global Product Development, Oncology & Rare Disease Statistics, New York City, NY, 10001, USA
| | - Jason C Rouse
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, 1 Burtt Road, Andover, MA, 01810, USA
| | - Hai-Young Kim
- Pfizer, Inc. BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical Research and Development, 1 Burtt Road, Andover, MA, 01810, USA.
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5
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Perodeau J, Arbogast LW, Nieuwkoop AJ. Solid-State NMR Characterization of Lyophilized Formulations of Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:1480-1489. [PMID: 36702622 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00676] [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: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are an important and growing class of biotherapeutic drugs. Method development for the characterization of critical quality attributes, including higher-order structure (HOS), of mAbs remains an area of active inquiry. Recently, solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has received increased attention and is a means for reliable, high-resolution HOS characterization of aqueous-based preparations of mAbs. While mAbs are predominantly formulated in solution, up to 20% are prepared as solid amorphous powders and techniques for the robust characterization of HOS in the solid state remain limited. We propose here the use of solid-state NMR (ssNMR) fingerprinting to inform directly on the HOS of solid preparations of mAbs. Using lyophilized samples of the NISTmAb reference material prepared with different formulation conditions, we demonstrate that 1H-13C cross-polarization (hC-CP) buildup spectral series at natural isotopic abundance mAb samples are sensitive to differences in formulation. We also demonstrate that principal component analysis (PCA) can be used to differentiate the samples from one another in a user-independent manner while also highlighting areas where expert analysis can provide structural details about important molecular interactions in solid-phase protein formulations. Results from this study contribute to establishing the foundation for the use of ssNMR for HOS characterization of solid-phase biotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Perodeau
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
| | - Luke W Arbogast
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Rockville, Maryland20850, United States
| | - Andrew J Nieuwkoop
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
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6
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Alhazmi HA, Albratty M. Analytical Techniques for the Characterization and Quantification of Monoclonal Antibodies. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:291. [PMID: 37259434 PMCID: PMC9967501 DOI: 10.3390/ph16020291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a fast-growing class of biopharmaceuticals. They are widely used in the identification and detection of cell makers, serum analytes, and pathogenic agents, and are remarkably used for the cure of autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, or malignancies. The successful application of therapeutic mAbs is based on their ability to precisely interact with their appropriate target sites. The precision of mAbs rely on the isolation techniques delivering pure, consistent, stable, and safe lots that can be used for analytical, diagnostic, or therapeutic applications. During the creation of a biologic, the key quality features of a particular mAb, such as structure, post-translational modifications, and activities at the biomolecular and cellular levels, must be characterized and profiled in great detail. This implies the requirement of powerful state of the art analytical techniques for quality control and characterization of mAbs. Until now, various analytical techniques have been developed to characterize and quantify the mAbs according to the regulatory guidelines. The present review summarizes the major techniques used for the analyses of mAbs which include chromatographic, electrophoretic, spectroscopic, and electrochemical methods in addition to the modifications in these methods for improving the quality of mAbs. This compilation of major analytical techniques will help students and researchers to have an overview of the methodologies employed by the biopharmaceutical industry for structural characterization of mAbs for eventual release of therapeutics in the drug market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan A. Alhazmi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
- Substance Abuse and Toxicology Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Albratty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
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7
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Ma J, Pathirana C, Liu DQ, Miller SA. NMR spectroscopy as a characterization tool enabling biologics formulation development. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 223:115110. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.115110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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8
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Blue LE, Guan X, Joubert MK, Kuhns ST, Moore S, Semin DJ, Wikström M, Wypych J, Goudar CT. State-of-the-art and emerging trends in analytical approaches to pharmaceutical-product commercialization. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 78:102800. [PMID: 36182871 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The biopharmaceutical landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and associated modality complexity and the need to improve molecular understanding require concomitant advances in analytical approaches used to characterize and release the product. The Product Quality Attribute Assessment (PQAA) and Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP) frameworks help catalog and translate molecular understanding to process and product-design targets, thereby enabling reliable manufacturing of high-quality product. The analytical target profile forms the basis of identifying best-fit analytical methods for attribute measurement and continues to be successfully used to develop robust analytical methods for detailed product characterization as well as release and stability testing. Despite maturity across multiple testing platforms, advances continue to be made, several with the potential to alter testing paradigms. There is an increasing role for mass spectrometry beyond product characterization and into routine release testing as seen by the progress in multi-attribute methods and technologies, applications to aggregate measurement, the development of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) and capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF) with MS for measurement of glycans and charged species, respectively, and increased application to host cell protein measurement. Multitarget engaging multispecific modalities will drive advances in bioassay platforms and recent advances both in 1- and 2-D NMR approaches could make it the method of choice for characterizing higher-order structures. Additionally, rigorous understanding of raw material and container attributes is necessary to complement product understanding, and these collectively can enable robust supply of high-quality product to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Blue
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Guan
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Marisa K Joubert
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Scott T Kuhns
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Stephanie Moore
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - David J Semin
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Mats Wikström
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Jette Wypych
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Chetan T Goudar
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
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Cheung E, Xia Y, Caporini MA, Gilmore JL. Tools shaping drug discovery and development. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 3:031301. [PMID: 38505278 PMCID: PMC10903431 DOI: 10.1063/5.0087583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Spectroscopic, scattering, and imaging methods play an important role in advancing the study of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical therapies. The tools more familiar to scientists within industry and beyond, such as nuclear magnetic resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy, serve two functions: as simple high-throughput techniques for identification and purity analysis, and as potential tools for measuring dynamics and structures of complex biological systems, from proteins and nucleic acids to membranes and nanoparticle delivery systems. With the expansion of commercial small-angle x-ray scattering instruments into the laboratory setting and the accessibility of industrial researchers to small-angle neutron scattering facilities, scattering methods are now used more frequently in the industrial research setting, and probe-less time-resolved small-angle scattering experiments are now able to be conducted to truly probe the mechanism of reactions and the location of individual components in complex model or biological systems. The availability of atomic force microscopes in the past several decades enables measurements that are, in some ways, complementary to the spectroscopic techniques, and wholly orthogonal in others, such as those related to nanomechanics. As therapies have advanced from small molecules to protein biologics and now messenger RNA vaccines, the depth of biophysical knowledge must continue to serve in drug discovery and development to ensure quality of the drug, and the characterization toolbox must be opened up to adapt traditional spectroscopic methods and adopt new techniques for unraveling the complexities of the new modalities. The overview of the biophysical methods in this review is meant to showcase the uses of multiple techniques for different modalities and present recent applications for tackling particularly challenging situations in drug development that can be solved with the aid of fluorescence spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and small-angle scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Cheung
- Moderna, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Yan Xia
- Moderna, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Marc A. Caporini
- Moderna, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Jamie L. Gilmore
- Moderna, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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10
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Panchal J, Falk BT, Antochshuk V, McCoy MA. Investigating protein-excipient interactions of a multivalent V HH therapeutic protein using NMR spectroscopy. MAbs 2022; 14:2124902. [PMID: 36166705 PMCID: PMC9519013 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2022.2124902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multispecific therapeutic proteins come in a variety of formats, including bi- and tri-specific antibodies, dual-variable domain antibodies, and CrossMabs. These multivalent proteins are engineered to interact with multiple therapeutic target proteins with high specificity. Multi-domain proteins can be created by linking together a variety of high-affinity antibody fragments. The choice of protein domains and linkers not only affects the interactions of these molecules with therapeutic targets but also influences the intrinsic behavior in solution that affects their stability. The complexity of solution interactions may translate into developability and manufacturing challenges. Here, we use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study the solution behavior of a multivalent VHH molecule composed of three flexibly linked heavy-chain-only domains that show dramatic stabilization against thermal degradation in the presence of sucrose. A collection of NMR fingerprinting and profiling methods were used to simultaneously monitor the protein solution behavior and capture details of protein–excipient interactions. We provide a framework to characterize and begin to understand the role of molecular flexibility in protein stabilization with potential applications in the design of novel therapeutic protein scaffolds that include multivalent proteins, fusion proteins, antibody-drug conjugates, and proteins modified with flexible lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jainik Panchal
- Sterile and Specialty Products, Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, NJ (United States)
| | - Bradley T Falk
- Mass Spectrometry and Biophysics, Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, NJ United States
| | - Valentyn Antochshuk
- Sterile and Specialty Products, Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, NJ (United States)
| | - Mark A McCoy
- Mass Spectrometry and Biophysics, Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, NJ United States
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