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Cao M, De Mel N, Wang J, Parthemore C, Jiao Y, Chen W, Lin S, Liu D, Kilby G, Chen X. Characterization of N-Terminal Glutamate Cyclization in Monoclonal Antibody and Bispecific Antibody Using Charge Heterogeneity Assays and Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography. J Pharm Sci 2021; 111:335-344. [PMID: 34516988 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.09.006] [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: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
N-terminal glutamate (E) cyclization to form pyroglutamate (pE) generates charge heterogeneities for mAbs and proteins. Thus far, pE formation rate in lyophilized formulation as compared to in liquid formulation has not been reported. Impact of pE on antibody biological activity has only been predicted or assessed using stressed samples that may contain other confounding degradations besides pE. Additionally, application of hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) to separate pE has not been reported. In our study, N-terminal E cyclization was identified as the major degradation pathway in lyophilized formulation at elevated temperature for both monoclonal antibody (mAb-A) and IgG-like bispecific antibody (bsAb-A). pE was enriched in salt-gradient ion exchange chromatography (IEC) as pre-peak and in HIC as post-peak for both mAb-A and bsAb-A. Structure-function studies with pE-enriched IEC and HIC fractions confirmed that pE did not affect binding activities for mAb-A and bsAb-A. In vitro incubation of bsAb-A in serum and PBS revealed that the serum matrix may play a role in pE conversion in human serum, in contrast to the chemical reaction mechanism reported. These techniques can help in characterization of N-terminal E-to-pE cyclization and quality attribute severity assessment during therapeutic protein product development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyan Cao
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
| | - Niluka De Mel
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Jihong Wang
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Conner Parthemore
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Yang Jiao
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Weimin Chen
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Shihua Lin
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Dengfeng Liu
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Greg Kilby
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Analytical Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, One Medimmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
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