Cold denaturation of monoclonal antibodies

Stability of Protein Pharmaceuticals: Recent Advances

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

Membrane-based inverse-transition purification facilitates a rapid isolation of various spider-silk elastin-like polypeptide fusion proteins from extracts of transgenic tobacco

Plants can produce complex pharmaceutical and technical proteins. Spider silk proteins are one example of the latter and can be used, for example, as compounds for high-performance textiles or wound dressings. If genetically fused to elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), the silk proteins can be reversibly precipitated from clarified plant extracts at moderate temperatures of ~ 30 °C together with salt concentrations > 1.5 M, which simplifies purification and thus reduces costs. However, the technologies developed around this mechanism rely on a repeated cycling between soluble and aggregated state to remove plant host cell impurities, which increase process time and buffer consumption. Additionally, ELPs are difficult to detect using conventional staining methods, which hinders the analysis of unit operation performance and process development. Here, we have first developed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy-based assay to quantity ELP fusion proteins. Then we tested different filters to prepare clarified plant extract with > 50% recovery of spider silk ELP fusion proteins. Finally, we established a membrane-based purification method that does not require cycling between soluble and aggregated ELP state but operates similar to an ultrafiltration/diafiltration device. Using a data-driven design of experiments (DoE) approach to characterize the system of reversible ELP precipitation we found that membranes with pore sizes up to 1.2 µm and concentrations of 2-3 M sodium chloride facilitate step a recovery close to 100% and purities of > 90%. The system can thus be useful for the purification of ELP-tagged proteins produced in plants and other hosts.

Isothermal chemical denaturation assay for monitoring protein stability and inhibitor interactions

Thermal shift assay (TSA) with altered temperature has been the most widely used method for monitoring protein stability for drug research. However, there is a pressing need for isothermal techniques as alternatives. This urgent demand arises from the limitations of TSA, which can sometimes provide misleading ranking of protein stability and fail to accurately reflect protein stability under physiological conditions. Although differential scanning fluorimetry has significantly improved throughput in comparison to differential scanning calorimetry and differential static light scattering throughput, all these methods exhibit moderate sensitivity. In contrast, current isothermal chemical denaturation (ICD) techniques may not offer the same throughput capabilities as TSA, but it provides more precise information about protein stability and interactions. Unfortunately, ICD also suffers from limited sensitivity, typically in micromolar range. We have developed a novel method to overcome these challenges, namely throughput and sensitivity. The novel Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)-Probe as an external probe is highly applicable to isothermal protein stability monitoring but also to conventional TSA. We have investigated ICD for multiple proteins with focus on KRASG12C with covalent inhibitors and three chemical denaturants performed at nanomolar protein concentration. Data showed corresponding inhibitor-induced stabilization of KRASG12C to those reported by nucleotide exchange assay.

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

The field of formulation and stabilization of protein therapeutics has become rather extensive. However, most of the focus has been on stabilization of the final drug product. Yet, proteins experience stress and degradation through the manufacturing process, starting with fermentaition. This review describes how formulation principles can be applied to stabilize biopharmaceutical proteins during bioprocessing and manufacturing, considering each unit operation involved in prepration of the drug substance. In addition, the impact of the container on stabilty is discussed as well.

Native and Non-Native aggregation pathways of antibodies anticipated by cold-accelerated studies

Assessment of cold stability is essential for manufacture and commercialization of biotherapeutics. Storage stability is often estimated by measuring accelerated rates at elevated temperature and using mathematical models (as the Arrhenius equation). Although, this strategy often leads to an underestimation of protein aggregation during storage. In this work, we measured the aggregation rates of two antibodies in a broad temperature range (from 60 °C to -25 °C), using an isochoric cooling method to prevent freezing of the formulations below 0 °C. Both antibodies evidenced increasing aggregation rates when approaching extreme temperatures, because of hot and cold denaturation. This behavior was modelled using Arrhenius and Gibbs-Helmholtz equations, which enabled to deconvolute the contribution of unfolding from the protein association kinetics. This approach made possible to model the aggregation rates at refrigeration temperature (5 °C) in a relatively short timeframe (1-2 weeks) and using standard characterization techniques (SEC-HPLC and DLS).

Understanding and controlling the molecular mechanisms of protein aggregation in mAb therapeutics

In antibody development and manufacturing, protein aggregation is a common challenge that can lead to serious efficacy and safety issues. To mitigate this problem, it is important to investigate its molecular origins. This review discusses (1) our current molecular understanding and theoretical models of antibody aggregation, (2) how various stress conditions related to antibody upstream and downstream bioprocesses can trigger aggregation, and (3) current mitigation strategies employed towards inhibiting aggregation. We discuss the relevance of the aggregation phenomenon in the context of novel antibody modalities and highlight how in silico approaches can be exploited to mitigate it.

The Effects of Probiotics on Small Intestinal Microbiota Composition, Inflammatory Cytokines and Intestinal Permeability in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has soared globally. As our understanding of the disease grows, the role of the gut-liver axis (GLA) in NAFLD pathophysiology becomes more apparent. Hence, we focused mainly on the small intestinal area to explore the role of GLA. We looked at how multi-strain probiotics (MCP^® BCMC^® strains) containing six different Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species affected the small intestinal gut microbiota, inflammatory cytokines, and permeability in NAFLD patients. After six months of supplementation, biochemical blood analysis did not show any discernible alterations in either group. Five predominant phyla known as Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota and Fusobacteria were found in NAFLD patients. The probiotics group demonstrated a significant cluster formation of microbiota composition through beta-diversity analysis (p < 0.05). This group significantly reduced three unclassifiable species: unclassified_Proteobacteria, unclassified_Streptococcus, and unclassified_Stenotrophomonas. In contrast, the placebo group showed a significant increase in Prevotella_melaninogenica and Rothia_mucilaginosa, which were classified as pathogens. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of small intestinal mucosal inflammatory cytokines revealed a significant decrease in IFN-γ (-7.9 ± 0.44, p < 0.0001) and TNF-α (-0.96 ± 0.25, p < 0.0033) in the probiotics group but an increase in IL-6 (12.79 ± 2.24, p < 0.0001). In terms of small intestinal permeability analysis, the probiotics group, unfortunately, did not show any positive changes through ELISA analysis. Both probiotics and placebo groups exhibited a significant increase in the level of circulating zonulin (probiotics: 107.6 ng/mL ± 124.7, p = 0.005 vs. placebo: 106.9 ng/mL ± 101.3, p = 0.0002) and a significant decrease in circulating zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) (probiotics: -34.51 ng/mL ± 18.38, p < 0.0001 vs. placebo: -33.34 ng/mL ± 16.62, p = 0.0001). The consumption of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium suggested the presence of a well-balanced gut microbiota composition. Probiotic supplementation improves dysbiosis in NAFLD patients. This eventually stabilised the expression of inflammatory cytokines and mucosal immune function. To summarise, more research on probiotic supplementation as a supplement to a healthy diet and lifestyle is required to address NAFLD and its underlying causes.

High concentration formulation developability approaches and considerations

The growing need for biologics to be administered subcutaneously and ocularly, coupled with certain indications requiring high doses, has resulted in an increase in drug substance (DS) and drug product (DP) protein concentrations. With this increase, more emphasis must be placed on identifying critical physico-chemical liabilities during drug development, including protein aggregation, precipitation, opalescence, particle formation, and high viscosity. Depending on the molecule, liabilities, and administration route, different formulation strategies can be used to overcome these challenges. However, due to the high material requirements, identifying optimal conditions can be slow, costly, and often prevent therapeutics from moving rapidly into the clinic/market. In order to accelerate and derisk development, new experimental and in-silico methods have emerged that can predict high concentration liabilities. Here, we review the challenges in developing high concentration formulations, the advances that have been made in establishing low mass and high-throughput predictive analytics, and advances in in-silico tools and algorithms aimed at identifying risks and understanding high concentration protein behavior.

Physical Instabilities of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies: A Critical Review

The proteinaceous nature of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) makes them highly sensitive to various physical and chemical conditions, thus leading to instabilities that are classified as physical and chemical instabilities. In this review, we are discussing in detail the physical instability of mAbs because a large number of articles previously published solely focus on the chemical aspect of the instability with little coverage on the physical side. The physical instabilities of mAbs are classified into denaturation and aggregation (precipitation, visible and subvisible particles). The mechanism involved in their formation is discussed in the article, along with the pathways correlating the denaturation of mAb or the formation of aggregates to immunogenicity. Further equations like Gibbs-Helmholtz involved in detecting and quantifying denaturation are discussed, along with various factors causing the denaturation. Moreover, questions related to aggregation like the types of aggregates and the pathway involved in their formation are answered in this article. Factors influencing the physical stability of the mAbs by causing denaturation or formation of aggregates involving the structure of the protein, concentration of mAbs, pH of the protein and the formulations, excipients involved in the formulations, salts added to the formulations, storage temperature, light and UV radiation exposure and processing factors are mentioned in this article. Finally, the analytical approaches used for detecting and quantifying the physical instability of mAbs at all levels of structural conformation like far and near UV, infrared spectroscopy, capillary electrophoresis, LC-MS, microflow imagining, circular dichroism and peptide mapping are discussed.

High-Pressure, Low-Temperature Induced Unfolding and Aggregation of Monoclonal Antibodies: Role of the Fc and Fab Fragments

The effects of high pressure and low temperature on the stability of two different monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were examined in this work. Fluorescence and small-angle neutron scattering were used to monitor the in situ effects of pressure to infer shifts in tertiary structure and characterize aggregation prone intermediates. Partial unfolding was observed for both MAbs, to different extents, under a range of pressure/temperature conditions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was also used to monitor ex situ changes in secondary structure. Preservation of native secondary structure after incubation at elevated pressures and subzero ° C temperatures was independent of the extent of tertiary unfolding and reversibility. Several combinations of pressure and temperature were also used to discern the respective contributions of the isolated Ab fragments (Fab and Fc) to unfolding and aggregation. The fragments for each antibody showed significantly different partial unfolding profiles and reversibility. There was not a simple correlation between stability of the full MAb and either the Fc or Fab fragment stabilities across all cases, demonstrating a complex relationship to full MAb unfolding and aggregation behavior. That notwithstanding, the combined use of spectroscopic and scattering techniques provides insights into MAb conformational stability and hysteresis in high-pressure, low-temperature environments.

Cold Denaturation of Proteins in the Absence of Solvent: Implications for Protein Storage

The effect of temperature on the stability of proteins is well explored above 298 K, but harder to track experimentally below 273 K. Variable-temperature ion mobility mass spectrometry (VT IM-MS) allows us to measure the structure of molecules at sub-ambient temperatures. Here we monitor conformational changes that occur to two isotypes of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) on cooling by measuring their collision cross sections (CCS) at discrete drift gas temperatures from 295 to 160 K. The CCS at 250 K is larger than predicted from collisional theory and experimental data at 295 K. This restructure is attributed to change in the strength of stabilizing intermolecular interactions. Below 250 K the CCS of the mAbs increases in line with prediction implying no rearrangement. Comparing data from isotypes suggest disulfide bridging influences thermal structural rearrangement. These findings indicate that in vacuo deep-freezing minimizes denaturation and maintains the native fold and VT IM-MS measurements at sub ambient temperatures provide new insights to the phenomenon of cold denaturation.

Cold Denaturation of Proteins in the Absence of Solvent: Implications for Protein Storage

The effect of temperature on the stability of proteins is well explored above 298 K, but harder to track experimentally below 273 K. Variable-temperature ion mobility mass spectrometry (VT IM-MS) allows us to measure the structure of molecules at sub-ambient temperatures. Here we monitor conformational changes that occur to two isotypes of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) on cooling by measuring their collision cross sections (CCS) at discrete drift gas temperatures from 295 to 160 K. The CCS at 250 K is larger than predicted from collisional theory and experimental data at 295 K. This restructure is attributed to change in the strength of stabilizing intermolecular interactions. Below 250 K the CCS of the mAbs increases in line with prediction implying no rearrangement. Comparing data from isotypes suggest disulfide bridging influences thermal structural rearrangement. These findings indicate that in vacuo deep-freezing minimizes denaturation and maintains the native fold and VT IM-MS measurements at sub ambient temperatures provide new insights to the phenomenon of cold denaturation.

P. To Evaluate the Sensitivity of ABO Antigen Determination from Dental Pulp at Various Temperatures over a Duration of 3 Months - A Diagnostic Study

Introduction: Every individual either living or dead has an unique identity as per theory of uniqueness. Medico legal examination recognizes the blood group as an unique indicator as it remains unchanged, forensic study uses teeth as the unique biological indicator, as they are the least destructible part of the body.. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy in retrieving ABO blood group antigens from pulp tissue at various temperatures like freezing temperature, 100°C and 200°C with room temperature being the baseline for the study and at various time intervals (same day, 14th, 30th and 90th day) post extraction by adsorption –elution method. Materials and Methods: A diagnostic study of 80 cases was included which involved extraction procedures under local anesthesia following the aseptic protocol. Sterile cotton/gauze was compressed in the socket and later the blood collected from it served as a control group for the study. The extracted teeth were washed and kept, stored in numbered bottles for different time periods after being subjected to different degrees of temperatures i.e. at room temperature, freezing temperature, 100°C and 200°C for 60mins respectively. Results: Goodman Kruskal Gamma test was used for statistical analysis to obtain the correlation between blood groups at different temperatures. After analyzing the ABO antigen for sensitivity at various degree of temperature over different time intervals it was found that at freezing temperature and room temperature, antigens can be assessed , while at higher temperatures it is difficult to appreciate. Conclusion: Adsorption-Elution technique can be used as a reliable tool for determination of ABO blood group from the dental pulp of deceased person.

Assessment of Therapeutic Antibody Developability by Combinations of In Vitro and In Silico Methods

Although antibodies have become the fastest-growing class of therapeutics on the market, it is still challenging to develop them for therapeutic applications, which often require these molecules to withstand stresses that are not present in vivo. We define developability as the likelihood of an antibody candidate with suitable functionality to be developed into a manufacturable, stable, safe, and effective drug that can be formulated to high concentrations while retaining a long shelf life. The implementation of reliable developability assessments from the early stages of antibody discovery enables flagging and deselection of potentially problematic candidates, while focussing available resources on the development of the most promising ones. Currently, however, thorough developability assessment requires multiple in vitro assays, which makes it labor intensive and time consuming to implement at early stages. Furthermore, accurate in vitro analysis at the early stage is compromised by the high number of potential candidates that are often prepared at low quantities and purity. Recent improvements in the performance of computational predictors of developability potential are beginning to change this scenario. Many computational methods only require the knowledge of the amino acid sequences and can be used to identify possible developability issues or to rank available candidates according to a range of biophysical properties. Here, we describe how the implementation of in silico tools into antibody discovery pipelines is increasingly offering time- and cost-effective alternatives to in vitro experimental screening, thus streamlining the drug development process. We discuss in particular the biophysical and biochemical properties that underpin developability potential and their trade-offs, review various in vitro assays to measure such properties or parameters that are predictive of developability, and give an overview of the growing number of in silico tools available to predict properties important for antibody development, including the CamSol method developed in our laboratory.

In Situ Monitoring of Protein Unfolding/Structural States under Cold High-Pressure Stress

Biopharmaceutical formulations may be compromised by freezing, which has been attributed to protein conformational changes at a low temperature, and adsorption to ice-liquid interfaces. However, direct measurements of unfolding/conformational changes in sub-0 °C environments are limited because at ambient pressure, freezing of water can occur, which limits the applicability of otherwise commonly used analytical techniques without specifically tailored instrumentation. In this report, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and intrinsic fluorescence (FL) were used to provide in situ analysis of protein tertiary structure/folding at temperatures as low as -15 °C utilizing a high-pressure (HP) environment (up to 3 kbar) that prevents water from freezing. The results show that the α-chymotrypsinogen A (aCgn) structure is reasonably maintained under acidic pH (and corresponding pD) for all conditions of pressure and temperature tested. On the other hand, reversible structural changes and formation of oligomeric species were detected near -10 °C via HP-SANS for ovalbumin under neutral pD conditions. This was found to be related to the proximity of the temperature of cold denaturation of ovalbumin (T_CD ∼ -17 °C; calculated via isothermal chemical denaturation and Gibbs-Helmholtz extrapolation) rather than a pressure effect. Significant structural changes were also observed for a monoclonal antibody, anti-streptavidin IgG1 (AS-IgG1), under acidic conditions near -5 °C and a pressure of ∼2 kbar. The conformational perturbation detected for AS-IgG1 is proposed to be consistent with the formation of unfolding intermediates such as molten globule states. Overall, the in situ approaches described here offer a means to characterize the conformational stability of biopharmaceuticals and proteins more generally under cold-temperature stress by the assessment of structural alteration, self-association, and reversibility of each process. This offers an alternative to current ex situ methods that are based on higher temperatures and subsequent extrapolation of the data and interpretations to the cold-temperature regime.

A novel method for the storage and transport of biological samples of therapeutic proteins prior to the detection of analytes using ELISA

Therapeutic proteins have exhibited promising clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of some diseases. Prior to the detection of analytes using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, biological samples of therapeutic proteins are conventionally frozen at temperatures ranging from - 20 to - 80 °C to increase the stability of analytes. However, therapeutic proteins destabilization and aggregation may occur during the frozen storage or the freeze-thawing step. In this work, an effective method was proposed to freeze-dry therapeutic protein samples to allow subsequent storage or transport of samples without freezing them. This new method was validated with quality control samples of adalimumab and etanercept, and it was also used in the bioanalysis of adalimumab and etanercept in pharmacokinetic (PK) studies. Adalimumab and etanercept were stable for 14 days at 4 °C after being prepared and stored using the new method, with detection that was accurate and repeatable. Studies of adalimumab and etanercept in animals and humans showed that the PK parameters of the analytes stored with the new method were consistent with those of analytes stored using the conventional method. This effective method will be attractive for facilitating the storage and transport of plasma samples containing therapeutic proteins.

Conformational Ensembles of Antibodies Determine Their Hydrophobicity

A major challenge in the development of antibody biotherapeutics is their tendency to aggregate. One root cause for aggregation is exposure of hydrophobic surface regions to the solvent. Many current techniques predict the relative aggregation propensity of antibodies via precalculated scales for the hydrophobicity or aggregation propensity of single amino acids. However, those scales cannot describe the nonadditive effects of a residue’s surrounding on its hydrophobicity. Therefore, they are inherently limited in their ability to describe the impact of subtle differences in molecular structure on the overall hydrophobicity. Here, we introduce a physics-based approach to describe hydrophobicity in terms of the hydration free energy using grid inhomogeneous solvation theory (GIST). We apply this method to assess the effects of starting structures, conformational sampling, and protonation states on the hydrophobicity of antibodies. Our results reveal that high-quality starting structures, i.e., crystal structures, are crucial for the prediction of hydrophobicity and that conformational sampling can compensate errors introduced by the starting structure. On the other hand, sampling of protonation states only leads to good results when combined with high-quality structures, whereas it can even be detrimental otherwise. We conclude by pointing out that a single static homology model may not be adequate for predicting hydrophobicity.

Freeze concentration during freezing: How does the maximally freeze concentrated solution influence protein stability?

During freeze drying of biologics, a highly viscous freeze concentrate (FC) is formed upon the initial freezing due to the crystallisation of ice. Protein stability in this freeze concentrated phase is not yet well understood, but can decide upon the success of the lyophilisation itself. Protein stability may be high below the T_g' as it is typically the case during primary drying but decreases above T_g', e.g. during annealing or during aggressive freeze drying above T_g' in presence of a crystalline bulking agent or, beyond freeze drying, during storage of frozen bulk. Different FCs containing monoclonal antibody, sucrose, histidine or phosphate buffer and sodium chloride were prepared via partial freeze drying and analysed for protein aggregation. No solute crystallisation is visible and the systems are vitrifying during cooling. Increasing sugar or buffer concentration showed positive effects on either melting and aggregation temperature or on protein self-interaction as indicated by A₂ values. Protein integrity in the FC was not affected by 1 month storage at temperatures above T_g'. Thus, upconcentration of solutes during freezing does not negatively impact protein stability. Exceeding T_g' during freeze drying e.g. upon annealing or, intentionally or unintentionally, during primary drying does not lead to protein aggregation.

Isothermal Chemical Denaturation: Data Analysis, Error Detection, and Correction by PARAFAC2

Characterization of a protein's conformational stability is a key step in the development of biotherapeutics, where protein unfolding leads to adverse properties, such as aggregation and loss of efficacy. Isothermal chemical denaturation (ICD) can be applied to determine chemical stability, aiming to identify the optimal solvent conditions, in terms of pH, salt concentration, and added excipients. For seven monoclonal antibodies, this study investigates the observed intrinsic protein fluorescence emission spectra as a function of denaturant concentration. Protein formulations are screened in two experimental series. We show how the peak shapes of folded and unfolded proteins are preserved under added salt (0-140 mM NaCl) and added excipients concentrations, as typically found in biotherapeutic formulations and that only minor effects in tryptophan fluorescence peak tailing are observed over a large pH range (5.5-9.0). The data of seven mAbs, where GuHCl was a suitable denaturant, are modeled using PARAFAC2. PARAFAC2, a linear decomposition method, is well suited for the data and yields robust, valid, and automated models that allow for the detection of erroneous measurements. Analysis of the errors show correlation with the well-based experimental setup, and differences in observed errors between the two experimental series. We additionally show a correction method for these outliers based on PARAFAC2 model scores, such that full transition curves can be retrieved, increasing the accuracy of any subsequent analysis.

Heavy chain dimers stabilized by disulfide bonds are required to promote in vitro assembly of trastuzumab

BACKGROUND

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and their derivatives have become one of the most important classes of therapeutic drugs. Their multiple applications increased the interest for understanding their complex structure. In vivo, animal cells are able to fold mAbs correctly (Song et al, J Biosci Bioeng 110:135-40, 2010), whereas previous in vitro approaches were scarce and mostly unsuccessful.

RESULTS

In this work, we compared in vitro assembly characteristics of trastuzumab, produced either by A) physical separation and refolding of its sub-units or B) direct joining of individually produced heavy and light chains. Native and denatured structures of trastuzumab were determined by SEC-HPLC, HIC-HPLC and SDS-PAGE.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate the requirement of correctly folded HC, forming disulfide-bonded dimers, in order to form a fully functional mAb. Otherwise, the unfolded HC tend to precipitate. We were able to assemble trastuzumab in this fashion by only mixing them to LC in pH-buffered conditions, while monomeric HC structure was too unstable to render a functional mAb. This approach has been used in the generation of homogeneous ADC, with results pending to be published.

Novel non-linear curve fitting to resolve protein unfolding transitions in intrinsic fluorescence differential scanning fluorimetry

In biotherapeutic protein research, an estimation of the studied protein's thermal stability is one of the important steps that determine developability as a function of solvent conditions. Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (DSF) can be applied to measure thermal stability. Label-free DSF measures amino acid fluorescence as a function of temperature, where conformational changes induce observable peak deformation, yielding apparent melting temperatures. The estimation of the stability parameters can be hindered in the case of multidomain, multimeric or aggregating proteins when multiple transitions partially coincide. These overlapping protein unfolding transitions are hard to evaluate by the conventional methodology, as peak maxima are shifted by convolution. We show how non-linear curve fitting of intrinsic fluorescence DSF can deconvolute highly overlapping transitions in formulation screening in a semi-automated process. The proposed methodology relies on synchronous, constrained fits of the fluorescence intensity, ratio and their derivatives, by combining linear baselines with generalized logistic transition functions. The proposed algorithm is applied to data from three proteins; a single transition, a double separated transition and a double overlapping transition. Extracted thermal stability parameters; apparent melting temperatures T_m,1, T_m,2 and melting onset temperature T_onset are obtained and compared with reference software analysis. The fits show R² = 0.94 for single and R² = 0.88 for separated transitions. Obtaining values and trends for T_onset in a well-described and automated way, will aid protein scientist to better evaluate the thermal stability of proteins.

Adapting the chemical unfolding assay for high-throughput protein screening using experimental and spectroscopic corrections

The chemical unfolding (denaturation) assay can be used to calculate the change in the Gibbs free energy of unfolding, ΔG, and inflection point of unfolding, to collectively inform on molecule stability. Here, we evaluated methods for calculating the ΔG across 23 monoclonal antibody sequence variants. These methods are based on how the measured output (intrinsic fluorescence intensity) is treated, including utilizing (a) a single wavelength, (b) a ratio of two wavelengths, (c) a ratio of a single wavelength to an area, and (d) a scatter correction plus a ratio of a single wavelength to an area. When applied to the variants, the three ratio methods showed comparable results, with a similar pooled standard deviation for the ΔG calculation, while the single-wavelength method is shown as inadequate for the data in this study. However, when light scattering is introduced to simulated data, only the scatter-correction area normalization method proves robust. Using this method, common plate-based spectrophotometers found in many laboratories can be used for high-throughput screening of mAb variants and formulation stability studies.

Isothermal chemical denaturation as a complementary tool to overcome limitations of thermal differential scanning fluorimetry in predicting physical stability of protein formulations

Various stability indicating techniques find application in the early stage development of novel therapeutic protein candidates. Some of these techniques are used to select formulation conditions that provide high protein physical stability. Such approach is highly dependent on the reliability of the stability indicating technique used. In this work, we present a formulation case study in which we evaluate the ability of differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) and isothermal chemical denaturation (ICD) to predict the physical stability of a model monoclonal antibody during accelerated stability studies. First, we show that a thermal denaturation technique like DSF can provide misleading physical stability rankings due to buffer specific pH shifts during heating. Next, we demonstrate how isothermal chemical denaturation can be used to tackle the above-mentioned challenge. Subsequently, we show that the concentration dependence of the Gibbs free energy of unfolding determined by ICD provides better predictions for the protein physical stability in comparison to the often-used T_m (melting temperature of the protein determined with DSF) and C_m (concentration of denaturant needed to unfold 50% of the protein determined with ICD). Finally, we give a suggestion for a rational approach which includes a combination of DSF and ICD to obtain accurate and reliable protein physical stability ranking in different formulations.

Connecting high-temperature and low-temperature protein stability and aggregation

Protein aggregation is a long-standing problem for preservation of proteins in both laboratory settings and for commercial biotechnology products. It is well established that heating (cooling) can accelerate (slow) aggregation by populating (depopulating) unfolded or partially unfolded monomer states that are key intermediates in aggregation processes. However, there is a long-standing question of whether the same mechanism(s) that lead to aggregation under high-temperature stress are relevant for low-temperature stress such as in refrigerated or supercooled liquids. This report shows the first direct comparison of “hot” and “cold” aggregation kinetics and folding/unfolding thermodynamics, using bovine hemoglobin as a model system. The results suggest that the same mechanism for non-native aggregation holds from “hot” to “cold” temperatures, with an aggregation temperature-of-maximum-stability slightly below 0°C. This highlights that sub-zero temperatures can induce cold-mediated aggregation, even in the absence of freezing stresses. From a practical perspective, the results suggests the possibility that cold-stress may be a useful alternative to heat-stress for extrapolating predictions of protein shelf life at refrigerated conditions, as well as providing a foundation for more mechanistic studies of cold-stress conditions in future work. A comparison between isochoric and isobaric methods is also briefly discussed.

Chaperonin-Based Biolayer Interferometry To Assess the Kinetic Stability of Metastable, Aggregation-Prone Proteins

Stabilizing the folded state of metastable and/or aggregation-prone proteins through exogenous ligand binding is an appealing strategy for decreasing disease pathologies caused by protein folding defects or deleterious kinetic transitions. Current methods of examining binding of a ligand to these marginally stable native states are limited because protein aggregation typically interferes with analysis. Here, we describe a rapid method for assessing the kinetic stability of folded proteins and monitoring the effects of ligand stabilization for both intrinsically stable proteins (monomers, oligomers, and multidomain proteins) and metastable proteins (e.g., low Tm) that uses a new GroEL chaperonin-based biolayer interferometry (BLI) denaturant pulse platform. A kinetically controlled denaturation isotherm is generated by exposing a target protein, immobilized on a BLI biosensor, to increasing denaturant concentrations (urea or GuHCl) in a pulsatile manner to induce partial or complete unfolding of the attached protein population. Following the rapid removal of the denaturant, the extent of hydrophobic unfolded/partially folded species that remains is detected by an increased level of GroEL binding. Because this kinetic denaturant pulse is brief, the amplitude of binding of GroEL to the immobilized protein depends on the duration of the exposure to the denaturant, the concentration of the denaturant, wash times, and the underlying protein unfolding-refolding kinetics; fixing all other parameters and plotting the GroEL binding amplitude versus denaturant pulse concentration result in a kinetically controlled denaturation isotherm. When folding osmolytes or stabilizing ligands are added to the immobilized target proteins before and during the denaturant pulse, the diminished population of unfolded/partially folded protein manifests as a decreased level of GroEL binding and/or a marked shift in these kinetically controlled denaturation profiles to higher denaturant concentrations. This particular platform approach can be used to identify small molecules and/or solution conditions that can stabilize or destabilize thermally stable proteins, multidomain proteins, oligomeric proteins, and, most importantly, aggregation-prone metastable proteins.

Extraordinary stability of hemocyanins from L. polyphemus and E. californicum studied using infrared spectroscopy from 294 to 20 K

Infrared spectroscopic evidence of a high stability towards exposure to sub-zero temperatures for hemocyanins from the arthropods Limulus polyphemus and Eurypelma californicum.

An alternative design for long-term stability testing of large molecules: a scientific discussion paper from an EBF Topic Team

AIM

Long-term stability testing of drug candidates in biological matrix is a key parameter in bioanalytical method validation. The European Bioanalysis Forum formed a Topic Team to evaluate the use of isochronic design for long-term stability testing of large molecules.

METHOD

Isochronic design is based on storage of samples at a reference temperature (below -130°C) where the samples are considered stable. The stability samples are stored at the intended storage temperature and then transferred to the reference temperature, while a set of reference samples is stored the entire storage period at the reference temperature. Stability and reference samples will then be analyzed in one run at the end of the storage period. The mean concentrations of the stability samples are compared either to their nominal concentrations or to the mean concentrations of the reference samples.

CONCLUSION

The design minimizes day-to-day variation, reduces workload and adds to the flexibility in the laboratory.

Bench to Bedside: Stability Studies of GMP Produced Trastuzumab-TCMC in Support of a Clinical Trial

The first-in-human phase 1 clinical radioimmunotherapy (RIT) trial with ²¹²Pb-1,4,7,10-tetraaza-1,4,7,10-tetra-(2-carbamoylmethyl)-cyclododecane-trastuzumab (²¹²Pb-TCMC-trastuzumab) was completed in October 2014 as a joint effort at the University of Alabama (UAB) and the University of California San Diego Moores Cancer Center. The preliminary reports indicate that after five dose-levels of intraperitoneally administered ²¹²Pb-TCMC-trastuzumab, patients with carcinomatosis experienced minimal agent-related toxicity. This report presents the data accumulated to date on the stability of the clinical grade, produced according to current good manufacturing practices (cGMP), TCMC-trastuzumab conducted in support of that clinical trial. Of the eleven tests performed with the cGMP TCMC-trastuzumab all but one remained within specifications throughout the 5 year testing period. The protein concentration varied by 0.01 mg/mL at 48 months. Two other assays, ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography (IEX-HPLC) and a competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) indicated that the cGMP TCMC-trastuzumab integrity may be changing, although the change thus far is within specifications. Subsequent stability testing will confirm if a trend has truly developed. The cGMP TCMC-trastuzumab was also evaluated for tolerance to higher temperatures and the potential of storage at −80 °C. The immunoconjugate proved stable when subjected to the lower temperatures and to multiple freeze-thaw cycles. The size exclusion (SE) HPLC analysis of the ²⁰³Pb-TCMC-trastuzumab was the only indicator that cGMP TCMC-trastuzumab may be sensitive to storage at 37 °C for 3 months.

Stress Tolerance of Antibody-Poly(Amino Acid) Complexes for Improving the Stability of High Concentration Antibody Formulations

The stabilization of antibodies in aqueous solution against physical stress remains a problematic issue for pharmaceutical applications. Recently, protein-polyelectrolyte complex (PPC) formation using poly(amino acids) was proposed to prepare antibody formulation in a salt-dissociable precipitated state without protein denaturation. Here, we investigated the stabilization effect of PPC of therapeutic antibodies with poly-l-glutamic acid on agitation and thermal stress as forms of mechanical and non-mechanical stress, respectively. The precipitated state of PPC prevented the inactivation and aggregation induced by agitation. Similar results were obtained using the suspension state of PPC, but the stabilizing effects were slightly inferior to those of the PPC precipitate. PPC precipitate and PPC suspension prevented heat-induced inactivation of the antibodies, but showed little effect on heat-induced aggregation. Thus, PPC is a new candidate as a simple storage method for antibodies in aqueous solution, as an alternative state for freeze-drying.

Highly anomalous energetics of protein cold denaturation linked to folding-unfolding kinetics

Despite several careful experimental analyses, it is not yet clear whether protein cold-denaturation is just a “mirror image” of heat denaturation or whether it shows unique structural and energetic features. Here we report that, for a well-characterized small protein, heat denaturation and cold denaturation show dramatically different experimental energetic patterns. Specifically, while heat denaturation is endothermic, the cold transition (studied in the folding direction) occurs with negligible heat effect, in a manner seemingly akin to a gradual, second-order-like transition. We show that this highly anomalous energetics is actually an apparent effect associated to a large folding/unfolding free energy barrier and that it ultimately reflects kinetic stability, a naturally-selected trait in many protein systems. Kinetics thus emerges as an important factor linked to differential features of cold denaturation. We speculate that kinetic stabilization against cold denaturation may play a role in cold adaptation of psychrophilic organisms. Furthermore, we suggest that folding-unfolding kinetics should be taken into account when analyzing in vitro cold-denaturation experiments, in particular those carried out in the absence of destabilizing conditions.