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Suk Lee Y, Lee J, Fang K, Gee GV, Rogers B, McNally D, Yoon S. Separation of full, empty, and partial adeno-associated virus capsids via anion-exchange chromatography with continuous recycling and accumulation. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2024; 1242:124206. [PMID: 38908134 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2024.124206] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
The field of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) gene therapy has attracted increasing attention over decades. Within the ongoing challenges of rAAV manufacturing, the co-production of impurities, such as empty and partial capsids containing no or truncated transgenes, poses a significant challenge. Due to their potential impact on drug efficacy and clinical safety, it is imperative to conduct comprehensive monitoring and characterization of these impurities prior to the release of the final gene therapy product. Nevertheless, existing analytical techniques encounter notable limitations, encompassing low throughput, long turnaround times, high sample consumption, and/or complicated data analysis. Chromatography-based analytical methods are recognized for their current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) alignment, high repeatability, reproducibility, low limit of detection, and rapid turnaround times. Despite these advantages, current anion exchange high pressure liquid chromatography (AEX-HPLC) methods struggle with baseline separation of partial capsids from full and empty capsids, resulting in inaccurate full-to-empty capsid ratio, as partial capsids are obscured within peaks corresponding to empty and full capsids. In this study, we present a unique analytical AEX method designed to characterize not only empty and full capsids but also partial capsids. This method utilizes continuous N-Rich chromatography with recycling between two identical AEX columns for the accumulation and isolation of partial capsids. The development process is comprehensively discussed, covering the preparation of reference materials representing full (rAAV-LacZ), partial (rAAV-GFP), and empty (rAAV-empty) capsids, N-rich method development, fraction analysis, determination of fluorescence response factors between capsid variants, and validation through comparison with other comparative techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Suk Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Jaeweon Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Kun Fang
- MassBiologics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Mattapan, MA 02126, USA
| | - Gretchen V Gee
- MassBiologics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Mattapan, MA 02126, USA
| | - Benjamin Rogers
- MassBiologics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Mattapan, MA 02126, USA
| | - David McNally
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA; MassBiologics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Mattapan, MA 02126, USA
| | - Seongkyu Yoon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
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2
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Nishiumi H, Hirohata K, Fukuhara M, Matsushita A, Tsunaka Y, Rocafort MAV, Maruno T, Torisu T, Uchiyama S. Combined 100 keV Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Image Analysis Methods to Characterize the Wider Adeno-Associated Viral Products. J Pharm Sci 2024; 113:1804-1815. [PMID: 38570072 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2024.03.026] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are effective vectors for gene therapy. However, AAV drug products are inevitably contaminated with empty particles (EP), which lack a genome, owing to limitations of the purification steps. EP contamination can reduce the transduction efficiency and induce immunogenicity. Therefore, it is important to remove EPs and to determine the ratio of full genome-containing AAV particles to empty particles (F/E ratio). However, most of the existing methods fail to reliably evaluate F/E ratios that are greater than 90 %. In this study, we developed two approaches based on the image analysis of cryo-electron micrographs to determine the F/E ratios of various AAV products. Using our developed convolutional neural network (CNN) and morphological analysis, we successfully calculated the F/E ratios of various AAV products and determined the slight differences in the F/E ratios of highly purified AAV products (purity > 95 %). In addition, the F/E ratios calculated by analyzing more than 1000 AAV particles had good correlations with theoretical F/E ratios. Furthermore, the CNN reliably determined the F/E ratio with a smaller number of AAV particles than morphological analysis. Therefore, combining 100 keV cryo-EM with the developed image analysis methods enables the assessment of a wide range of AAV products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Nishiumi
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kiichi Hirohata
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Mitsuko Fukuhara
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; U-medico Inc., 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Aoba Matsushita
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasuo Tsunaka
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Mark Allen Vergara Rocafort
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takahiro Maruno
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; U-medico Inc., 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
| | - Susumu Uchiyama
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; U-medico Inc., 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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3
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Tsutsui M, Wada M, Arima A, Tsunekawa Y, Sasaki T, Sakamoto K, Yokota K, Baba Y, Kawai T, Okada T. Identifying Viral Vector Characteristics by Nanopore Sensing. ACS NANO 2024; 18:15695-15704. [PMID: 38836590 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Using viral vectors as gene delivery vehicles for gene therapy necessitates their quality control. Here, we report on nanopore sensing for nondestructively inspecting genomes inside the nanoscale cargoes at the single-molecule level. Using ionic current measurements, we motion-tracked the adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors as they translocated through a solid-state nanopore. Considering the varying contributions of the electrophoretic forces from the negatively charged internal polynucleotides of different lengths, the nanocargoes carrying longer DNA moved more slowly in the nanochannel. Moreover, ion blockage characteristics revealed their larger volume by up to approximately 3600 nm3 in proportion to the length of single-stranded DNA packaged inside, thereby allowing electrical discriminations of AAV vectors by the gene-derived physical features. The present findings can be a promising tool for the enhanced quality control of AAV products by enabling the screening of empty and intermediate vectors at the single-particle level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makusu Tsutsui
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Mikako Wada
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Akihide Arima
- Institute of Nano-Life-Systems Institutes of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Yuji Tsunekawa
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Takako Sasaki
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Kenji Sakamoto
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Kazumichi Yokota
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Kagawa 761-0395, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Baba
- Institute of Nano-Life-Systems Institutes of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
- Institute of Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Tomoji Kawai
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Takashi Okada
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
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4
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Sripada SA, Hosseini M, Ramesh S, Wang J, Ritola K, Menegatti S, Daniele MA. Advances and opportunities in process analytical technologies for viral vector manufacturing. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 74:108391. [PMID: 38848795 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108391] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Viral vectors are an emerging, exciting class of biologics whose application in vaccines, oncology, and gene therapy has grown exponentially in recent years. Following first regulatory approval, this class of therapeutics has been vigorously pursued to treat monogenic disorders including orphan diseases, entering hundreds of new products into pipelines. Viral vector manufacturing supporting clinical efforts has spurred the introduction of a broad swath of analytical techniques dedicated to assessing the diverse and evolving panel of Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) of these products. Herein, we provide an overview of the current state of analytics enabling measurement of CQAs such as capsid and vector identities, product titer, transduction efficiency, impurity clearance etc. We highlight orthogonal methods and discuss the advantages and limitations of these techniques while evaluating their adaptation as process analytical technologies. Finally, we identify gaps and propose opportunities in enabling existing technologies for real-time monitoring from hardware, software, and data analysis viewpoints for technology development within viral vector biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sobhana A Sripada
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Mahshid Hosseini
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 911 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Srivatsan Ramesh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Junhyeong Wang
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 911 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Kimberly Ritola
- North Carolina Viral Vector Initiative in Research and Learning (NC-VVIRAL), North Carolina State University, 890 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Neuroscience Center, Brain Initiative Neurotools Vector Core, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; North Carolina Viral Vector Initiative in Research and Learning (NC-VVIRAL), North Carolina State University, 890 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center, North Carolina State University, 890 Main Campus Dr, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Michael A Daniele
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 911 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; North Carolina Viral Vector Initiative in Research and Learning (NC-VVIRAL), North Carolina State University, 890 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, 890 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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5
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Yang A, Luo Y, Yang J, Xie T, Wang W, Wan X, Wang K, Pang D, Yang D, Dai H, Wu J, Meng S, Guo J, Wang Z, Shen S. Quantitation of Enterovirus A71 Empty and Full Particles by Sedimentation Velocity Analytical Ultracentrifugation. Viruses 2024; 16:573. [PMID: 38675915 PMCID: PMC11053756 DOI: 10.3390/v16040573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The enterovirus A71 (EV71) inactivated vaccine is an effective intervention to control the spread of the virus and prevent EV71-associated hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). It is widely administered to infants and children in China. The empty particles (EPs) and full particles (FPs) generated during production have different antigenic and immunogenic properties. However, the antigen detection methods currently used were established without considering the differences in antigenicity between EPs and FPs. There is also a lack of other effective analytical methods for detecting the different particle forms, which hinders the consistency between batches of products. In this study, we analyzed the application of sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC) in characterizing the EPs and FPs of EV71. Our results showed that the proportions of the two forms could be quantified simultaneously by SV-AUC. We also determined the repeatability and accuracy of this method and found that both parameters were satisfactory. We assessed SV-AUC for bulk vaccine quality control, and our findings indicated that SV-AUC can be used effectively to analyze the percentage of EPs and FPs and monitor the consistency of the process to ensure the quality of the vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Yang
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Yun Luo
- The Research Core Facilities for Life Science (HUST), College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Tingbo Xie
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Wenhui Wang
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Xin Wan
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Kaiwen Wang
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Deqin Pang
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Dongsheng Yang
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Hanyu Dai
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Shengli Meng
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Jing Guo
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Zejun Wang
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
| | - Shuo Shen
- Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China (J.Y.); (S.M.)
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combined Vaccines, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- National Key Laboratory for Novel Vaccines Research and Development of Emerging Infectious Diseases, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
- Hubei Provincial Vaccines Technology Innozation Center, No. 1 Huangjin Industrial Park Road, Wuhan 430207, China
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6
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Wagner C, Fuchsberger FF, Innthaler B, Pachlinger R, Schrenk I, Lemmerer M, Birner-Gruenberger R. Automated Mass Photometry of Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors from Crude Cell Extracts. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:838. [PMID: 38255912 PMCID: PMC10815086 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020838] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Mass photometry (MP) is a fast and simple analysis method for the determination of the proportions of subpopulations in an AAV sample. It is label-free and requires minimal sample volumes between 5-10 µL, which makes it a promising candidate over orthogonal techniques such as analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM) or charge-detection mass spectrometry (CDMS). However, these methods are limited in their application to purified samples only. Here we developed a purification step based on single-domain monospecific antibody fragments immobilised on either a poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) resin or on magnetic beads prior to MP analysis that allows the quantification of empty, partially filled, full and overfull AAV vectors in crude cell extracts. This is aimed at identifying potentially promising harvest conditions that yield large numbers of filled AAV vectors during the early stages of the viral vector development platform, e.g., the type of transfection reagent used. Furthermore, we provide a direct comparison of the automated and manual handling of the mass photometer with respect to the quantities of AAV subspecies, molar mass of the capsid and payload, and highlight the differences between the "buffer-free" sample measurement and the "buffer-dilution" mode. In addition, we provide information on which candidates to use for calibration and demonstrate the limitations of the mass photometer with respect to the estimation of the capsid titer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Wagner
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baxalta Innovations (Part of Takeda), 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Felix F. Fuchsberger
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baxalta Innovations (Part of Takeda), 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernd Innthaler
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baxalta Innovations (Part of Takeda), 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Pachlinger
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baxalta Innovations (Part of Takeda), 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Irene Schrenk
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baxalta Innovations (Part of Takeda), 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Lemmerer
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baxalta Innovations (Part of Takeda), 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ruth Birner-Gruenberger
- Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Technical University of Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria
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7
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Lu M, Lee Z, Lin YC, Irfanullah I, Cai W, Hu WS. Enhancing the production of recombinant adeno-associated virus in synthetic cell lines through systematic characterization. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:341-354. [PMID: 37749931 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is among the most commonly used in vivo gene delivery vehicles and has seen a number of successes in clinical application. Current manufacturing processes of rAAV employ multiple plasmid transfection or rely on virus infection and face challenges in scale-up. A synthetic biology approach was taken to generate stable cell lines with integrated genetic modules, which produced rAAV upon induction albeit at a low productivity. To identify potential factors that restrained the productivity, we systematically characterized virus production kinetics through targeted quantitative proteomics and various physical assays of viral components. We demonstrated that reducing the excessive expression of gene of interest by its conditional expression greatly increased the productivity of these synthetic cell lines. Further enhancement was gained by optimizing induction profiles and alleviating proteasomal degradation of viral capsid protein by the addition of proteasome inhibitors. Altogether, these enhancements brought the productivity close to traditional multiple plasmid transfection. The rAAV produced had comparable full particle contents as those produced by conventional transient plasmid transfection. The present work exemplified the versatility of our synthetic biology-based viral vector production platform and its potential for plasmid- and virus-free rAAV manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Lu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Zion Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yu-Chieh Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ibrahim Irfanullah
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Wen Cai
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Wei-Shou Hu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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8
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Wu D, Zhao X, Jimenez DA, Piszczek G. Size Exclusion Chromatography-Mass Photometry: A New Method for Adeno-Associated Virus Product Characterization. Cells 2023; 12:2264. [PMID: 37759487 PMCID: PMC10528216 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182264] [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] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have attained significant prominence in gene therapy and genome editing applications, necessitating the development of robust and precise methodologies to ensure the quality and purity of AAV products. Existing AAV characterization techniques have proven effective for the analysis of pure and homogeneous AAV samples. However, there is still a demand for a rapid and low-sample-consumption method suitable for the characterization of lower purity or heterogeneous AAV samples commonly encountered in AAV products. Addressing this challenge, we propose the SEC-MP method, which combines size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with mass photometry (MP). In this novel approach, SEC effectively separates monomeric AAV particles from impurities, while the UV detector determines the virus particle concentration. MP complements this process by estimating the fraction of fully packaged AAVs in the total population of AAV particles. This combined methodology enables accurate determination of the titer of effective, fully packaged AAVs in samples containing aggregates, incorrectly packaged AAVs with incomplete genomes, protein or DNA fragments, and other impurities. Our experimental results demonstrate that SEC-MP provides valuable guidance for sample quality control and subsequent applications in the field of AAV research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Xiaonan Zhao
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (X.Z.); (D.A.J.)
| | - Diego Antonio Jimenez
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (X.Z.); (D.A.J.)
| | - Grzegorz Piszczek
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
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9
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Richter K, Wurm C, Strasser K, Bauer J, Bakou M, VerHeul R, Sternisha S, Hawe A, Salomon M, Menzen T, Bhattacharya A. Purity and DNA content of AAV capsids assessed by analytical ultracentrifugation and orthogonal biophysical techniques. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2023; 189:68-83. [PMID: 37196871 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Development and manufacturing adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based vectors for gene therapy requires suitable analytical methods to assess the quality of the formulations during development, as well as the quality of different batches and the consistency of the processes. Here, we compare biophysical methods to characterize purity and DNA content of viral capsids from five different serotypes (AAV2, AAV5, AAV6, AAV8, and AAV9). For this purpose, we apply multiwavelength sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC) to obtain the species' contents and to derive the wavelength-specific correction factors for the respective insert-size. In an orthogonal manner we perform anion exchange chromatography (AEX) and UV-spectroscopy and the three methods yield comparable results on empty/filled capsid contents with these correction factors. Whereas AEX and UV-spectroscopy can quantify empty and filled AAVs, only SV-AUC could identify the low amounts of partially filled capsids present in the samples used in this study. Finally, we employ negative-staining transmission electron microscopy and mass photometry to support the empty/filled ratios with methods that classify individual capsids. The obtained ratios are consistent throughout the orthogonal approaches as long as no other impurities and aggregates are present. Our results show that the combination of selected orthogonal methods can deliver consistent empty/filled contents on non-standard genome sizes, as well as information on other relevant critical quality attributes, such as AAV capsid concentration, genome concentration, insert size length and sample purity to characterize and compare AAV preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Richter
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Christine Wurm
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Kim Strasser
- Sirion Biotech GmbH, am Haag 6, 82166 Gräfelfing, Germany
| | - Jana Bauer
- Sirion Biotech GmbH, am Haag 6, 82166 Gräfelfing, Germany
| | - Maria Bakou
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ross VerHeul
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, 5350 Lakeview Pkwy S Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46268, USA
| | - Shawn Sternisha
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, 5350 Lakeview Pkwy S Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46268, USA
| | - Andrea Hawe
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | | | - Tim Menzen
- Coriolis Pharma Research GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 18 b, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Akash Bhattacharya
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, 5350 Lakeview Pkwy S Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46268, USA.
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10
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Saleun S, Mas C, Le Roy A, Penaud-Budloo M, Adjali O, Blouin V, Ebel C. Analytical ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity for the characterization of recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors sub-populations. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2023; 52:367-377. [PMID: 37106255 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-023-01650-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus virus-derived vectors (rAAVs) are among the most used viral delivery system for in vivo gene therapies with a good safety profile. However, rAAV production methods often lead to a heterogeneous vector population, in particular with the presence of undesired empty particles. Analytical ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity (AUC-SV) is considered as the gold analytical technique allowing the measurement of relative amounts of each vector subpopulation and components like particle aggregates, based on their sedimentation coefficients. This letter presents the principle and practice of AUC experiments for rAAVs characterization. We discuss our results in the framework of previously published works. In addition to classical detection at 260 nm, using interference optics in the ultracentrifuge can provide an independent estimate of weight percentages of the different populations of capsids, and of the genome size incorporated in rAAV particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Saleun
- TaRGet - Translational Research in Gene Therapy, INSERM UMR 1089, CHU Nantes, IRS 2 Nantes Biotech - Nantes Université, 22 Boulevard Benoni Goullin, 44200, Nantes, France
| | - Caroline Mas
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, EMBL, ISBG, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Aline Le Roy
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Magalie Penaud-Budloo
- TaRGet - Translational Research in Gene Therapy, INSERM UMR 1089, CHU Nantes, IRS 2 Nantes Biotech - Nantes Université, 22 Boulevard Benoni Goullin, 44200, Nantes, France
| | - Oumeya Adjali
- TaRGet - Translational Research in Gene Therapy, INSERM UMR 1089, CHU Nantes, IRS 2 Nantes Biotech - Nantes Université, 22 Boulevard Benoni Goullin, 44200, Nantes, France
| | - Véronique Blouin
- TaRGet - Translational Research in Gene Therapy, INSERM UMR 1089, CHU Nantes, IRS 2 Nantes Biotech - Nantes Université, 22 Boulevard Benoni Goullin, 44200, Nantes, France.
| | - Christine Ebel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, 38000, Grenoble, France.
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11
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Troxell B, Tsai IW, Shah K, Knuckles CI, Shelton ST, Lindsey KA, Barbosa Cardenas SM, Roberts TB. Application of Size Exclusion Chromatography with Multi-Angle Light Scattering in the Analytical Development of a Preclinical Stage Gene Therapy Program. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:325-338. [PMID: 36927085 PMCID: PMC10125404 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2022.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
To provide safe recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) to patients, scalable manufacturing processes are required. However, these processes may introduce impurities that impact the performance and quality of the final drug product. Empty rAAV capsids are product-related impurities. Regulatory guidance requires that accurate analytical methods be implemented early in product development to measure the level of empty capsids. A process confirmation vector, produced from 200L production, was used to develop and optimize a size exclusion chromatography with UV and multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS) method. Vector produced from a 500L production was used to assess the full-to-empty ratio using the following analytical methods: sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC), ddPCR with capsid ELISA, bulk absorbance at 260nm/280nm, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and SEC-MALS. This test article was used for a 30-day, non-Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) animal study that assessed biodistribution of the product (STRX-330). SEC-MALS outperformed the other methods and correlated well with SV-AUC values of full-to-empty particles. In addition, SEC-MALS agreed with ddPCR and ELISA measurements for Vector Genomes (VG)/mL and Capsid Particles (CP)/mL, respectively. SEC-MALS was linear, accurate, and precise while achieving chromatography quality control (QC) recommendations. Compared to other stability-indicating assays, SEC-MALS performed similarly to ddPCR, capsid ELISA, and infectivity assays in accelerated stress studies. In response to alkaline, but not acidic stress, SEC-MALS indicated distinct changes in the DNA content of the monomer AAV peak for STRX-330, which was supported by ddPCR data. Conversely, acidic treatment resulted in more aggregated vector, but didn't impact the DNA content. This work indicates that SEC-MALS is a valuable analytical tool in the analytical development and quality control testing of AAV. In addition, this work suggests SEC-MALS can provide fundamental understanding of AAV in response to environmental stress. This may impact steps of the manufacturing process to minimize conditions that reduce performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Troxell
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States.,AjaxBio, LLC, Holly Springs, North Carolina, United States;
| | - I-Wei Tsai
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States;
| | - Kinjal Shah
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States;
| | - Christopher I Knuckles
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States;
| | - Sarah T Shelton
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States;
| | - Kate A Lindsey
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States;
| | - Selene M Barbosa Cardenas
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States;
| | - Taylor B Roberts
- StrideBio, Analytical Development and Quality Control, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States;
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12
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Serrano MAC, Furman R, Chen G, Tao L. Mass spectrometry in gene therapy: Challenges and opportunities for AAV analysis. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103442. [PMID: 36396118 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103442] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The characterization of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy products represents significant challenges owing to their extremely large molecular sizes, structural complexity and heterogeneity, and limited sample amounts. Mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the key analytical tools that can overcome these challenges and serve as an important technique for the analysis of multiple attributes. In this review, the current methodologies and emerging trends in MS analysis of AAV gene therapy products are presented, highlighting their advantages and unique capabilities in addressing key issues encountered in intact AAV vector analysis, capsid viral protein characterization and impurity analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahalia A C Serrano
- Analytical Development and Attribute Sciences, Biologics Development, Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Ran Furman
- Analytical Development and Attribute Sciences, Biologics Development, Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Guodong Chen
- Analytical Development and Attribute Sciences, Biologics Development, Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
| | - Li Tao
- Analytical Development and Attribute Sciences, Biologics Development, Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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13
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Wu D, Hwang P, Li T, Piszczek G. Rapid characterization of adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vectors by mass photometry. Gene Ther 2022; 29:691-697. [PMID: 35046529 PMCID: PMC9296698 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-021-00311-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) are used extensively as gene delivery vectors in clinical studies, and several rAAV based treatments have already been approved. Significant progress has been made in rAAV manufacturing; however, better and more precise capsid characterization techniques are still needed to guarantee the purity and safety of rAAV preparations. Current analytical techniques used to characterize rAAV preparations are susceptible to background signals, have limited accuracy, or require a large amount of time and material. A recently developed single-molecule technique, mass photometry (MP), measures mass distributions of biomolecules with high-resolution and sensitivity. Here we explore applications of MP for the characterization of capsid fractions. We demonstrate that MP is able to resolve and quantify not only empty and full-genome containing capsid populations but also identify partially packaged capsid impurities. MP data accurately measures full and empty capsid ratios, and can be used to estimate the size of the encapsidated genome. MP distributions provide information on sample heterogeneity and on the presence of aggregates. Sub-picomole quantities of sample are sufficient for MP analysis, and data can be obtained and analyzed within minutes. This method provides a simple, robust, and effective tool to monitor the physical attributes of rAAV vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-8012, USA
| | - Philsang Hwang
- Ocular Gene Therapy Core Facility, National Eye Institute, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tiansen Li
- Ocular Gene Therapy Core Facility, National Eye Institute, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Grzegorz Piszczek
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-8012, USA,correspondence to:
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14
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Frenkel R, Tribby D, Boumajny B, Larson N, Sampson M, Barney C, Bergelson S, Sosic Z, Yeung B. ACUVRA: Anion-Exchange Chromatography UV-Ratio Analysis-A QC-Friendly Method for Monitoring Adeno-Associated Virus Empty Capsid Content To Support Process Development and GMP Release Testing. AAPS J 2022; 25:3. [PMID: 36414847 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-022-00768-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The genome content of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is critical to the safety and potency of AAV-based gene therapy products. Empty capsids are considered a product-related impurity and a critical quality attribute (CQA) of the drug product, thus requiring characterization throughout the production process to demonstrate they are controlled to acceptable levels in the final drug product. Anion exchange chromatography has been used to achieve separation between empty and full capsids, but requires method development and gradient optimization for different serotypes and formulations. Here, we describe an alternative approach to quantitation that does not rely on achieving separation between empty and full capsids, but instead uses the well-established relationship between absorbance at UV A260/A280 and relation to DNA/protein content, in combination with anion-exchange chromatography to allow one to calculate the relative proportion of empty and full capsids in AAV samples from a single peak. We call this approach ACUVRA: Anion-exchange Chromatography UV-Ratio Analysis, and show the applicability of the method through a case study with recombinant AAV2 (rAAV2) process intermediates and drug substance. Method qualification and GMP validation in a quality control (QC) laboratory results show that ACUVRA is a fit-for-purpose method for process development support and characterization, while also being a QC-friendly option for GMP release testing at all stages of clinical development. Graphical abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Frenkel
- Department of Gene Therapy Analytical Development, Biogen Inc, 255 Binney St, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA.
| | - Dana Tribby
- Department of Gene Therapy Analytical Development, Biogen Inc, 255 Binney St, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Boris Boumajny
- Department of Gene Therapy Analytical Development, Biogen Inc, 255 Binney St, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Nicholas Larson
- Department of Gene Therapy Analytical Development, Biogen Inc, 255 Binney St, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Matthew Sampson
- Department of Quality Control-Analytical Technology, Biogen Inc, 5000 Davis Dr, Durham, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Christopher Barney
- Department of Quality Control-Analytical Technology, Biogen Inc, 5000 Davis Dr, Durham, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Svetlana Bergelson
- Department of Gene Therapy Analytical Development, Biogen Inc, 255 Binney St, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Zoran Sosic
- Department of Gene Therapy Analytical Development, Biogen Inc, 255 Binney St, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Bernice Yeung
- Department of Gene Therapy Analytical Development, Biogen Inc, 255 Binney St, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
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15
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Arriaga I, Navarro A, Etxabe A, Trigueros C, Samulski RJ, Moullier P, François A, Abrescia NGA. Cellular and Structural Characterization of VP1 and VP2 Knockout Mutants of AAV3B Serotype and Implications for AAV Manufacturing. Hum Gene Ther 2022; 33:1142-1156. [PMID: 36082996 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2022.119] [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: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AAV virion biology is still lacking a complete understanding of the role that the various structural subunits (VP1, 2, and 3) play in virus assembly, infectivity, and therapeutic delivery for clinical indications. In this study, we focus on the less studied adeno-associated virus AAV3B and generate a collection of AAV plasmid substrates that assemble virion particles deficient specifically in VP1, VP2, or VP1 and 2 structural subunits. Using a collection of biological and structural assays, we observed that virions devoid of VP1, VP2, or VP1 and 2 efficiently assembled virion particles, indistinguishable by cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) from that of wild type (WT), but unique in virion transduction (WT > VP2 > VP1 > VP1 and 2 mutants). We also observed that the missing structural subunit was mostly compensated by additional VP3 protomers in the formed virion particle. Using cryo-EM analysis, virions fell into three classes, namely full, empty, and partially filled, based on comparison of density values within the capsid. Further, we characterize virions described as "broken" or "disassembled" particles, and provide structural information that supports the particle dissolution occurring through the two-fold symmetry sites. Finally, we highlight the unique value of employing cryo-EM as an essential tool for release criteria with respect to AAV manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iker Arriaga
- Structure and Cell Biology of Viruses Lab, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain
| | | | | | | | - R Jude Samulski
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | - Nicola G A Abrescia
- Structure and Cell Biology of Viruses Lab, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has a single-stranded DNA genome encapsidated in a small icosahedrally symmetric protein shell with 60 subunits. AAV is the leading delivery vector in emerging gene therapy treatments for inherited disorders, so its structure and molecular interactions with human hosts are of intense interest. A wide array of electron microscopic approaches have been used to visualize the virus and its complexes, depending on the scientific question, technology available, and amenability of the sample. Approaches range from subvolume tomographic analyses of complexes with large and flexible host proteins to detailed analysis of atomic interactions within the virus and with small ligands at resolutions as high as 1.6 Å. Analyses have led to the reclassification of glycan receptors as attachment factors, to structures with a new-found receptor protein, to identification of the epitopes of antibodies, and a new understanding of possible neutralization mechanisms. AAV is now well-enough characterized that it has also become a model system for EM methods development. Heralding a new era, cryo-EM is now also being deployed as an analytic tool in the process development and production quality control of high value pharmaceutical biologics, namely AAV vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott
M. Stagg
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
- Institute
of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Craig Yoshioka
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health
& Science University, Portland Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Omar Davulcu
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, 3335 Innovation Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Michael S. Chapman
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
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17
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Colomb-Delsuc M, Raim R, Fiedler C, Reuberger S, Lengler J, Nordström R, Ryner M, Folea IM, Kraus B, Hernandez Bort JA, Sintorn IM. Assessment of the percentage of full recombinant adeno-associated virus particles in a gene therapy drug using CryoTEM. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269139. [PMID: 35657790 PMCID: PMC9165851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of continuous development of gene therapy vectors with thousands of drug candidates in clinical drug trials there are only a small number approved on the market today stressing the need to have characterization methods to assist in the validation of the drug development process. The level of packaging of the vector capsids appears to play a critical role in immunogenicity, hence an objective quantitative method assessing the content of particles containing a genome is an essential quality measurement. As transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allows direct visualization of the particles present in a specimen, it naturally seems as the most intuitive method of choice for characterizing recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) particle packaging. Negative stain TEM (nsTEM) is an established characterization method for analysing the packaging of viral vectors. It has however shown limitations in terms of reliability. To overcome this drawback, we propose an analytical method based on CryoTEM that unambiguously and robustly determines the percentage of filled particles in an rAAV sample. In addition, we show that at a fixed number of vector particles the portion of filled particles correlates well with the potency of the drug. The method has been validated according to the ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines and the components investigated during the validation are presented in this study. The reliability of nsTEM as a method for the assessment of filled particles is also investigated along with a discussion about the origin of the observed variability of this method.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roman Raim
- Baxalta Innovations GmbH, A Part of Takeda Companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
| | - Christian Fiedler
- Baxalta Innovations GmbH, A Part of Takeda Companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
| | - Stefan Reuberger
- Baxalta Innovations GmbH, A Part of Takeda Companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
| | - Johannes Lengler
- Baxalta Innovations GmbH, A Part of Takeda Companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Barbara Kraus
- Baxalta Innovations GmbH, A Part of Takeda Companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
| | | | - Ida-Maria Sintorn
- Vironova AB, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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18
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Particles in Biopharmaceutical Formulations, Part 2: An Update on Analytical Techniques and Applications for Therapeutic Proteins, Viruses, Vaccines and Cells. J Pharm Sci 2021; 111:933-950. [PMID: 34919969 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.12.011] [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: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Particles in biopharmaceutical formulations remain a hot topic in drug product development. With new product classes emerging it is crucial to discriminate particulate active pharmaceutical ingredients from particulate impurities. Technical improvements, new analytical developments and emerging tools (e.g., machine learning tools) increase the amount of information generated for particles. For a proper interpretation and judgment of the generated data a thorough understanding of the measurement principle, suitable application fields and potential limitations and pitfalls is required. Our review provides a comprehensive overview of novel particle analysis techniques emerging in the last decade for particulate impurities in therapeutic protein formulations (protein-related, excipient-related and primary packaging material-related), as well as particulate biopharmaceutical formulations (virus particles, virus-like particles, lipid nanoparticles and cell-based medicinal products). In addition, we review the literature on applications, describe specific analytical approaches and illustrate advantages and drawbacks of currently available techniques for particulate biopharmaceutical formulations.
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19
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Comparison of analytical techniques to quantitate the capsid content of adeno-associated viral vectors. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 23:254-262. [PMID: 34703846 PMCID: PMC8505359 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, which contain a DNA transgene packaged into a protein capsid, have shown tremendous therapeutic potential in recent years. An inherent characteristic of the manufacturing process is production of empty capsids that lack the transgene and are therefore unable to provide the intended therapeutic benefit. The effect of empty capsids on clinical outcomes is not well understood, but there are immunogenicity and efficacy concerns, and these empty capsids are considered a product-related impurity. Therefore, empty capsids should be controlled during the manufacturing process and monitored through analytical testing, but there are limited techniques available that are capable of quantifying capsid content and even fewer that are amenable to validation and implementation as registered release tests in a regulated environment. In addition, there is currently not a widely accepted gold standard technique for quantifying capsid content, and the understanding of how the results compare between different orthogonal technologies is limited. The current study utilizes a comprehensive assessment to evaluate diverse analytical techniques for their ability to quantitate capsid content.
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20
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Barnes LF, Draper BE, Chen YT, Powers TW, Jarrold MF. Quantitative analysis of genome packaging in recombinant AAV vectors by charge detection mass spectrometry. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2021; 23:87-97. [PMID: 34631929 PMCID: PMC8476707 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) has emerged as an important gene therapy vector with many clinical trials currently in progress. Analytical characterization and quantitation of particle content remain challenges in both the development and production of rAAV vectors. In this study, charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) and gel electrophoresis are used to characterize the DNA content of recombinant AAV8 (rAAV8) vectors with a wide range of target genome sizes. We show that the differences between the masses of empty particles and particles with the genome of interest (GOI) are correlated with the expected genome mass. A small systematic deviation (around 2%) is attributed to the packaging of counterions along with the DNA. In addition to the GOI, a broad distribution of heterogeneous DNA is packaged. The distribution peaks are close to the packaging capacity of the rAAV8 vectors. There is also evidence for the co-packaging of small DNA fragments along with the GOI. Finally, we present evidence that incubation at an elevated temperature can reduce the heterogeneity of the packaged DNA. Taken together, these results show that CDMS is a viable tool for characterization of the packaged genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren F Barnes
- Chemistry Department, Indiana University, 800 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Benjamin E Draper
- Chemistry Department, Indiana University, 800 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Yu-Ting Chen
- Pfizer, Inc., BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical R&D, 875 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield, MO 63017, USA
| | - Thomas W Powers
- Pfizer, Inc., BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical R&D, 875 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield, MO 63017, USA
| | - Martin F Jarrold
- Chemistry Department, Indiana University, 800 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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21
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Taraban MB, Jones MT, Yu YB. Rapid and Noninvasive Quantification of Capsid Gene Filling Level Using Water Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Anal Chem 2021; 93:15816-15820. [PMID: 34792343 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The present work reports an enabling novel technology for quantifying the gene content in adeno-associated viral capsids. The method is based on the water proton nuclear magnetic resonance (wNMR) technique. Instead of analyzing the capsid directly, it utilizes water molecules to distinguish empty and full capsids, as water interacts with them differently. The transverse relaxation rate of water protons, R2(1H2O), readily distinguishes empty and full capsids and is capable of quantifying the fraction of full capsids in a mixture of full and empty ones. It involves no sample preparation and no reagents. Measurement is rapid (data collection takes 1-2 min), noninvasive (the capsid sample can stay inside the original sealed and labeled container to be used in other studies or administered to a patient), and performed using a wide-bore benchtop NMR instrument. The method can be readily implemented at a production plant for product release as part of product quality control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc B Taraban
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States.,Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | | | - Yihua Bruce Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States.,Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
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22
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Green EA, Lee KH. Analytical methods to characterize recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors and the benefit of standardization and reference materials. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 71:65-76. [PMID: 34273809 PMCID: PMC8530916 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is an increasingly important gene therapy vector, but its properties present unique challenges to critical quality attribute (CQA) identification and analytics development. Advances in, and ongoing hurdles to, characterizing rAAV proteins, nucleic acids, and vector potency are discussed in this review. For nucleic acids and vector potency, current analytical techniques for defined CQAs would benefit from further optimization, while for proteins, more complete characterization and mapping of properties to safety and efficacy is needed to finalize CQAs. The benefits of leveraging reference vectors to validate analytics and CQA ranges are also proposed. Once defined, CQA specifications can be used to establish target parameters for and inform the development of next generation rAAV processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica A Green
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - Kelvin H Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, DE 19713, USA.
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23
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Meng H, Sorrentino M, Woodcock D, O'Riordan CR, Dhawan V, Verhagen MF, Davies C. Size Exclusion Chromatography with Dual Wavelength Detection as a Sensitive and Accurate Method for Determining the Empty and Full Capsids of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 33:202-212. [PMID: 34445880 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy has evolved over the past decade into a promising therapeutic class for treating many intractable diseases. Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) is the most commonly used viral vector for delivering therapeutic genes. Independent of the manufacturing process for AAVs, the clinical materials are inherently heterogeneous and contain both empty and full capsids. Empty capsids can impact the safety and efficacy of AAV products and therefore their level needs to be controlled. Several analytical methods have been reported for this purpose. However, some of these methods have an insufficient assay range, or rely on instruments that cannot be readily implemented in a QC environment. Here, we describe a fast size exclusion chromatography (SEC) assay with dual-wavelength detection (SEC-DW) to directly determine the percent full capsids of AAV samples based on their peak area (PA) ratios. The two detection wavelengths selected to represent encapsidated transgenes and capsid proteins are 260 nm and 230 nm, respectively instead of the conventionally used 260 nm and 280 nm. The use of 230 nm instead of 280 nm to monitor the contribution of the capsid protein results in a linear relationship between the PA260/PA230 ratio and the percent full capsids, unlike the non-linear relationship observed when the PA260/PA280 ratio is used. As a result, the method exhibits a significantly extended assay range (up to 91% full capsids). The accuracy of the SEC-DW method was confirmed by comparing the results obtained against results from orthogonal high-resolution methods such as analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and excellent agreement was obtained when common samples were analyzed using the different methods. The SEC-DW method runs on a readily accessible HPLC instrument platform, provides much higher assay throughput compared to AUC and electron microscopy (EM), and can be implemented as a release method in a QC environment or used as a rapid screening tool to support process development and product understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Meng
- Sanofi Genzyme, 2194, BioAnalytics, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States;
| | - Michelle Sorrentino
- Sanofi Genzyme, 2194, BioAnalytics, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States;
| | - Denise Woodcock
- Sanofi Genzyme, 2194, Gene Therapy, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States;
| | - Catherine R O'Riordan
- Sanofi, Gene Therapy, Rare Diseases, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States; Catherine.O'
| | - Vijender Dhawan
- Sanofi Genzyme, 2194, BioAnalytics, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States;
| | - Marc F Verhagen
- Sanofi Genzyme, 2194, Bioanalytics, 1 The Mountain Road, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, 01701;
| | - Claire Davies
- Sanofi Genzyme, 2194, Bioanalytics, 5 The Mountain Road, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, 01701;
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24
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Khatwani SL, Pavlova A, Pirot Z. Anion-exchange HPLC assay for separation and quantification of empty and full capsids in multiple adeno-associated virus serotypes. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2021; 21:548-558. [PMID: 33997103 PMCID: PMC8099603 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy has entered a new era where numerous therapies for severe and rare diseases are generating robust and compelling clinical results. The rapid improvements in gene therapies over the past few years can be attributed to better scientific understanding of the critical quality attributes that contribute to a safe and efficacious product, as well as a better understanding of the manufacturing processes that are required to yield consistent products, which routinely meet the quality standards required for clinical studies. Of particular concern is the need for an effective, quality control (QC)-compatible, and versatile test method for the quantification of empty and full capsids in recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) samples from multiple serotypes. In that regard, we describe the development of a QC-compatible anion-exchange chromatography method consisting of a modular discontinuous gradient to achieve full baseline peak separation and quantification of empty and full AAV capsids. Using an rAAV6 vector, our assay was shown to be precise, linear, robust, and accurate-correlating well with orthogonal methods such as analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM). Additionally, we demonstrate the versatility of our approach by adapting the method to separate and quantify empty/full capsids in samples from several rAAV serotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Pavlova
- Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., 7000 Marina Blvd., Brisbane, CA 94005, USA
| | - Zhu Pirot
- Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., 7000 Marina Blvd., Brisbane, CA 94005, USA
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25
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Joshi PRH, Bernier A, Chahal PS, Kamen A. Development and Validation of an Anion Exchange High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method for Analysis of Empty Capsids and Capsids Encapsidating Genetic Material in a Purified Preparation of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 5. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:1390-1402. [PMID: 33860673 PMCID: PMC10112873 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2020.317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of various manufacturing platforms and analytical technologies has substantially contributed to successfully translating the recombinant adeno-associated viral vector from the laboratory to the clinic. The active deployment of these analytical technologies for process and product characterization has helped define critical quality attributes and improve the quality of the clinical grade material. In this article, we report an anion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (AEX-HPLC) method for relative and as well as absolute quantification of empty capsids (EC) and capsids encapsidating genetic material (CG) in purified preparations of adeno-associated virus (AAV) using serotype 5 as a model. The selection of optimal chromatographic buffer composition and step-gradient elution protocol offered baseline separation of EC and CG in the form of two peaks, as validated with the respective reference standards. The native amino acid fluorescence-based detection offered excellent linearity with a correlation coefficient of 0.9983 over two-log dilutions of the sample. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values associated with the total AAV5 capsid assay are 3.1E + 09 and 9.5E + 09, respectively. AEX-HPLC showed method comparability with the analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) method for determination of relative proportions of EC and CG, supporting the reported HPLC method as an easy-to-access alternative to AUC with operational simplicity. Moreover, rapid and easy adaptation of this method to AAV8 material also demonstrated the robustness of the proposed approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav R H Joshi
- Viral Vectors and Vaccine Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Alice Bernier
- Viral Vectors and Vaccine Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Parminder S Chahal
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council of Canada, Montreal, Canada
| | - Amine Kamen
- Viral Vectors and Vaccine Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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26
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Gimpel AL, Katsikis G, Sha S, Maloney AJ, Hong MS, Nguyen TNT, Wolfrum J, Springs SL, Sinskey AJ, Manalis SR, Barone PW, Braatz RD. Analytical methods for process and product characterization of recombinant adeno-associated virus-based gene therapies. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 20:740-754. [PMID: 33738328 PMCID: PMC7940698 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The optimization of upstream and downstream processes for production of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) with consistent quality depends on the ability to rapidly characterize critical quality attributes (CQAs). In the context of rAAV production, the virus titer, capsid content, and aggregation are identified as potential CQAs, affecting the potency, purity, and safety of rAAV-mediated gene therapy products. Analytical methods to measure these attributes commonly suffer from long turnaround times or low throughput for process development, although rapid, high-throughput methods are beginning to be developed and commercialized. These methods are not yet well established in academic or industrial practice, and supportive data are scarce. Here, we review both established and upcoming analytical methods for the quantification of rAAV quality attributes. In assessing each method, we highlight the progress toward rapid, at-line characterization of rAAV. Furthermore, we identify that a key challenge for transitioning from traditional to newer methods is the scarcity of academic and industrial experience with the latter. This literature review serves as a guide for the selection of analytical methods targeting quality attributes for rapid, high-throughput process characterization during process development of rAAV-mediated gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas L Gimpel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Georgios Katsikis
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sha Sha
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrew John Maloney
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Moo Sun Hong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Tam N T Nguyen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jacqueline Wolfrum
- Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stacy L Springs
- Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anthony J Sinskey
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Scott R Manalis
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Paul W Barone
- Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Richard D Braatz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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