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Panikulam S, Hanke A, Kroener F, Karle A, Anderka O, Villiger TK, Lebesgue N. Host cell protein networks as a novel co-elution mechanism during protein A chromatography. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:1716-1728. [PMID: 38454640 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28678] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Host cell proteins (HCPs) are process-related impurities of therapeutic proteins produced in for example, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Protein A affinity chromatography is the initial capture step to purify monoclonal antibodies or Fc-based proteins and is most effective for HCP removal. Previously proposed mechanisms that contribute to co-purification of HCPs with the therapeutic protein are either HCP-drug association or leaching from chromatin heteroaggregates. In this study, we analyzed protein A eluates of 23 Fc-based proteins by LC-MS/MS to determine their HCP content. The analysis revealed a high degree of heterogeneity in the number of HCPs identified in the different protein A eluates. Among all identified HCPs, the majority co-eluted with less than three Fc-based proteins indicating a drug-specific co-purification for most HCPs. Only ten HCPs co-purified with over 50% of the 23 Fc-based proteins. A correlation analysis of HCPs identified across multiple protein A eluates revealed their co-elution as HCP groups. Functional annotation and protein interaction analysis confirmed that some HCP groups are associated with protein-protein interaction networks. Here, we propose an additional mechanism for HCP co-elution involving protein-protein interactions within functional networks. Our findings may help to guide cell line development and to refine downstream purification strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherin Panikulam
- Institute of Pharma Technology, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Hanke
- Analytical Development and Characterization, Biopharmaceutical Product and Process Development, Technical Research and Development, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Frieder Kroener
- Analytical Development and Characterization, Biopharmaceutical Product and Process Development, Technical Research and Development, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anette Karle
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Anderka
- Analytical Development and Characterization, Biopharmaceutical Product and Process Development, Technical Research and Development, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas K Villiger
- Institute of Pharma Technology, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Lebesgue
- Analytical Development and Characterization, Biopharmaceutical Product and Process Development, Technical Research and Development, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
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2
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LeBarre JP, Chu W, Altern SH, Kocot AJ, Bhandari D, Barbieri E, Sly J, Crapanzano M, Cramer SM, Phillips M, Roush D, Carbonell R, Boi C, Menegatti S. Mixed-mode size-exclusion silica resin for polishing human antibodies in flow-through mode. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1720:464772. [PMID: 38452560 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The polishing step in the downstream processing of therapeutic antibodies removes residual impurities from Protein A eluates. Among the various classes of impurities, antibody fragments are especially challenging to remove due to the broad biomolecular diversity generated by a multitude of fragmentation patterns. The current approach to fragment removal relies on ion exchange or mixed-mode adsorbents operated in bind-and-gradient-elution mode. However, fragments that bear strong similarity to the intact product or whose biophysical features deviate from the ensemble average can elude these adsorbents, and the lack of a chromatographic technology enabling robust antibody polishing is recognized as a major gap in downstream bioprocessing. Responding to this challenge, this study introduces size-exclusion mixed-mode (SEMM) silica resins as a novel chromatographic adsorbent for the capture of antibody fragments irrespective of their biomolecular features. The pore diameter of the silica beads features a narrow distribution and is selected to exclude monomeric antibodies, while allowing their fragments to access the pores where they are captured by the mixed-mode ligands. The static and dynamic binding capacity of the adsorbent ranged respectively between 30-45 and 25-33 gs of antibody fragments per liter of resin. Selected SEMM-silica resins also demonstrated the ability to capture antibody aggregates, which adsorb on the outer layer of the beads. Optimization of the SEMM-silica design and operation conditions - namely, pore size (10 nm) and ligand composition (quaternary amine and alkyl chain) as well as the linear velocity (100 cm/h), ionic strength (5.7 mS/cm), and pH (7) of the mobile phase - afforded a significant reduction of both fragments and aggregates, resulting into a final antibody yield up to 80% and monomeric purity above 97%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob P LeBarre
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Wenning Chu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Scott H Altern
- The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Andrew J Kocot
- The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Dipendra Bhandari
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Eduardo Barbieri
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Jae Sly
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Michael Crapanzano
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Steven M Cramer
- The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | | | - David Roush
- Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, Roush Biopharma Panacea, 20 Squire Terrace, Colts Neck, NJ, 07033, USA
| | - Ruben Carbonell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, 850 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Cristiana Boi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, 850 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Department of Civil, Chemical Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131, Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, 850 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; North Carolina Viral Vector Initiative in Research and Learning (NC-VVIRAL), North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
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3
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Yan J, Lin D, Yao S, Zhang Q. Exploring the effects of resin particle sizes on enhancing antibody binding capacity of a hybrid biomimetic ligand. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1722:464891. [PMID: 38608368 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464891] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Particle size is a critical parameter of chromatographic resins that significantly affects protein separation. In this study, effects of resin particle sizes (31.26 μm, 59.85 μm and 85.22 μm named Aga-31, Aga-60 and Aga-85, respectively) on antibody adsorption capacity and separation performance of a hybrid biomimetic ligand were evaluated. Their performance was investigated through static adsorption and breakthrough assays to quantify static and dynamic binding capacity (Qmax and DBC). The static adsorption results revealed that the Qmax for hIgG was 152 mg/g resin with Aga-31, 151 mg/g resin with Aga-60, and 125 mg/g resin with Aga-85. Moreover, the DBC at 10% breakthrough for hIgG with a residence time of 2 min was determined to be 49.4 mg/mL for Aga-31, 45.9 mg/mL for Aga-60, and 38.9 mg/mL for Aga-85. The resins with smaller particle sizes exhibited significantly higher capacity compared to typical commercial agarose resins and a Protein A resin (MabSelect SuRe). Furthermore, the Aga-31 resin with the hybrid biomimetic ligand demonstrated exceptional performance in terms of IgG purity (>98%) and recovery (>96%) after undergoing 20 separation cycles from CHO cell supernatant. These findings are helpful in further chromatographic resin design for the industrial application of antibody separation and purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China
| | - Dongqiang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China
| | - Shanjing Yao
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China
| | - Qilei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China.
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4
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Oh YH, Becker ML, Mendola KM, Choe LH, Min L, Lee KH, Yigzaw Y, Seay A, Bill J, Li X, Roush DJ, Cramer SM, Menegatti S, Lenhoff AM. Factors affecting product association as a mechanism of host-cell protein persistence in bioprocessing. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:1284-1297. [PMID: 38240126 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28658] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Product association of host-cell proteins (HCPs) to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is widely regarded as a mechanism that can enable HCP persistence through multiple purification steps and even into the final drug substance. Discussion of this mechanism often implies that the existence or extent of persistence is directly related to the strength of binding but actual measurements of the binding affinity of such interactions remain sparse. Two separate avenues of investigation of HCP-mAb binding are reported here. One is the measurement of the affinity of binding of individual, commonly persistent Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) HCPs to each of a set of mAbs, and the other uses quantitative proteomic measurements to assess binding of HCPs in a null CHO harvested cell culture fluid (HCCF) to mAbs produced in the same cell line. The individual HCP measurements show that the binding affinities of individual HCPs to different mAbs can vary appreciably but are rarely very high, with only weak pH dependence. The measurements on the null HCCF allow estimation of individual HCP-mAb affinities; these are typically weaker than those seen in affinity measurements on isolated HCPs. Instead, the extent of binding appears correlated with the initial abundance of individual HCPs in the HCCF and the forms of the HCPs in the solution, i.e., whether HCPs are present as free molecules or as parts of large aggregates. Separate protein A chromatography experiments performed by feeding different fractions of a mAb-containing HCCF obtained by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) showed clear differences in the number and identity of HCPs found in the protein A eluate. These results indicate a significant role for HCP-mAb association in determining HCP persistence through protein A chromatography, presumably through binding of HCP-mAb complexes to the resin. Overall, the results illustrate the importance of considering more fully the biophysical context of HCP-product association in assessing the factors that may affect the phenomenon and determine its implications. Knowledge of the abundances and the forms of individual or aggregated HCPs in HCCF are particularly significant, emphasizing the integration of upstream and downstream bioprocessing and the importance of understanding the collective properties of HCPs in addition to just the biophysical properties of individual HCPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hoon Oh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Matthew L Becker
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Kerri M Mendola
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Leila H Choe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Lie Min
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Kelvin H Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Yinges Yigzaw
- Purification Process Development, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alexander Seay
- Purification Process Development, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jerome Bill
- Purification Process Development, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Xuanwen Li
- Analytical Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA
| | - David J Roush
- Biologics PR&D, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA
| | - Steven M Cramer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 27606, North Carolina, USA
| | - Abraham M Lenhoff
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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5
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Ito T, Lutz H, Tan L, Wang B, Tan J, Patel M, Chen L, Tsunakawa Y, Park B, Banerjee S. Host cell proteins in monoclonal antibody processing: Control, detection, and removal. Biotechnol Prog 2024:e3448. [PMID: 38477405 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3448] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Host cell proteins (HCPs) are process-related impurities in a therapeutic protein expressed using cell culture technology. This review presents biopharmaceutical industry trends in terms of both HCPs in the bioprocessing of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and the capabilities for HCP clearance by downstream unit operations. A comprehensive assessment of currently implemented and emerging technologies in the manufacturing processes with extensive references was performed. Meta-analyses of published downstream data were conducted to identify trends. Improved analytical methods and understanding of "high-risk" HCPs lead to more robust manufacturing processes and higher-quality therapeutics. The trend of higher cell density cultures leads to both higher mAb expression and higher HCP levels. However, HCP levels can be significantly reduced with improvements in operations, resulting in similar concentrations of approx. 10 ppm HCPs. There are no differences in the performance of HCP clearance between recent enhanced downstream operations and traditional batch processing. This review includes best practices for developing improved processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Ito
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Herb Lutz
- Independent Consultant, Sudbury, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lihan Tan
- Life Science Services, Sigma-Aldrich Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bin Wang
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Chemicals (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany), Shanghai, China
| | - Janice Tan
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Pte Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Singapore
| | - Masum Patel
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Bangalore, India
| | - Lance Chen
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Pte Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Singapore
| | - Yuki Tsunakawa
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Byunghyun Park
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Subhasis Banerjee
- Life Science, Process Solutions, Merck Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd. (An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Bangalore, India
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6
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Koehnlein W, Kastenmueller E, Meier T, Treu T, Falkenstein R. The beneficial impact of kosmotropic salts on the resolution and selectivity of Protein A chromatography. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1715:464585. [PMID: 38183781 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
During the manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies, effective Protein A chromatography as initial column step is crucial to simplify the remaining purification effort for subsequent polishing steps. This is particularly relevant for molecules with high impurity content so that desired product purity can be attained. The present study demonstrates beneficial effects on impurity removal when applying kosmotropic salts, e.g., sodium sulfate or sodium chloride, in the elution phase. Initially, a screen using negative linear pH gradient elution evaluated the impact of the kosmotropic salts in comparison to no additive and chaotropic urea using three mAbs and three common resins. Retaining acceptable yield, the kosmotropic salts improved resolution of monomer and impurities and reduced the contents of process-related host cell proteins and DNA as well as of product-related low and high molecular weight forms, despite some resin- and mAb-dependent variations. Moreover, a decrease in hydrolytic activity measured by a new assay for polysorbase activity was observed. In contrast, urea was hardly effective. The findings served to establish optimized step elution conditions with 0.25 M of sodium sulfate for a challenging mAb with complex format (bispecific 2 + 1 CrossMab) displaying high relative hydrophobicity and impurity levels. With yield and purity both in the range of 90 %, the contents of all impurity components were reduced, e.g., low molecular weight forms by two-fold and polysorbase activity by four-fold. The study indicates the potential of kosmotropic salts to establish efficient and comprehensive impurity separation by Protein A for facilitated downstream processing and economic manufacturing of complex antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tobias Meier
- Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Nonnenwald 2, Penzberg 82377, Germany
| | - Tabea Treu
- Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Nonnenwald 2, Penzberg 82377, Germany
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7
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Wang FAS, Fan Y, Chung WK, Dutta A, Fiedler E, Haupts U, Peyser J, Kuriyel R. Evaluation of mild pH elution protein A resins for antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1713:464523. [PMID: 38041974 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464523] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Protein A affinity chromatography is widely used as a capture step for monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and molecules that possess an Fc-domain, such as fusion proteins and bispecific antibodies. However, the use of low pH (3.0-4.0) to elute the molecule and achieve acceptable yield (>85 %) can lead to product degradation (e.g. fragmentation, aggregation) for molecules sensitive to low pH. In this paper, we describe a comprehensive evaluation of two protein A resins with ligands designed to elute at a milder pH as a result of modified sequences in their Fc and VH3 binding regions. One of the evaluated resins has been made commercially available by Purolite and named Praesto Jetted A50 HipH. Results demonstrated that Jetted A50 HipH could elute the Fc-fusion protein and most mAbs evaluated with an elution pH at or above 4.6. Elution and wash optimization determined run conditions for high recovery (>90 % monomer yield), reduction of high molecular weight (HMW) species (>50 %), and significant host cell protein (HCP) clearance at the mildest elution pH possible. For a pH-stable mAb and a pH-sensitive fusion protein, cell culture material was purified with optimized conditions and demonstrated the mild elution pH resins' ability to purify product with acceptable yield, comparable or better impurity clearance, and significantly milder native eluate pH compared to traditional resins. The benefits of the mild elution pH resins were clearly exemplified for the pH-sensitive protein, where a milder elution buffer and native eluate pH resulted in only 2 % HMW in the eluate that remained stable over 48 h. In contrast, a traditional protein A resin requiring low pH elution led to eluate HMW levels of 8 %, which increased to 16 % over the same hold time. Additionally, these resins have high dynamic binding capacity and allow the use of traditional HCP washes. Therefore, Jetted A50 HipH is an ideal candidate for a platform protein A resin and provides flexibility for pH-sensitive proteins and stable mAbs, while preserving product quality, recovery, and seamless integration into a downstream process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yamin Fan
- Process Biochemistry, Biogen, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Amit Dutta
- Research and Development, Repligen Corporation, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | | | | | - Jamie Peyser
- Research and Development, Repligen Corporation, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Ralf Kuriyel
- Research and Development, Repligen Corporation, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
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8
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Tang S, Tao J, Li Y. Challenges and solutions for the downstream purification of therapeutic proteins. Antib Ther 2024; 7:1-12. [PMID: 38235378 PMCID: PMC10791043 DOI: 10.1093/abt/tbad028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The innovation in recombinant protein technology has brought forth a host of challenges related to the purification of these therapeutic proteins. This article delves into the intricate landscape of developing purification processes for artificially designed therapeutic proteins. The key hurdles include controlling protein reduction, protein capture, ensuring stability, eliminating aggregates, removing host cell proteins and optimizing protein recovery. In this review, we outline the purification strategies in order to obtain products of high purity, highlighting the corresponding solutions to circumvent the unique challenges presented by recombinant therapeutic proteins, and exemplify the practical applications by case studies. Finally, a perspective towards future purification process development is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Tang
- GenScript ProBio Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu 21100, P.R. China
| | - Jiaoli Tao
- GenScript ProBio Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu 21100, P.R. China
| | - Ying Li
- GenScript ProBio Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu 21100, P.R. China
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9
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Gehrmann N, Daxbacher A, Hahn R. Rapid purification of mAb using protein a membranes yielding high HCP clearance. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2024; 1232:123989. [PMID: 38154412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123989] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Protein A chromatography remains the crucial step in mAb purification because of the high binding specificity and impurity clearance. In recent years, highly productive membrane adsorbers emerged as an alternative to traditional resins allowing for rapid purification of biomolecules. In this study, we tested three commercially available protein A membranes (Sartobind® Rapid A, HiTrap Fibro™ PrismA and GORE™ Protein Capture Device) regarding flow distribution, permeability and binding performance. As an application study using a cell-culture supernatant (CCS) containing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), acidic and high pH wash steps were investigated regarding recovery and impurity removal. All membranes proved their applicability as highly productive capture media leading to high HCP and DNA removal with no observable influence on recovery. GORE™ Protein Capture Device exhibited a superior flow distribution but revealed diffusional limitations at high flow rates. Sartobind® Rapid A and HiTrap Fibro™ PrismA showed binding capacities of ∼ 40 g/L even at residence times (RTs) < 12 s but were limited by hydrodynamics suggesting room for improvement with optimized membrane housing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Gehrmann
- Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Department of Biotechnology. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Daxbacher
- Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Department of Biotechnology. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rainer Hahn
- Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Department of Biotechnology. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria.
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10
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Doltade S, Saldanha M, Patil V, Dandekar P, Jain R. Statistically-aided development of protein A affinity chromatography for enhancing recovery and controlling quality of a monoclonal antibody. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2023; 1227:123829. [PMID: 37478555 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123829] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Protein A chromatography is widely used for isolation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from cell culture components. In this study, the effect of different process parameters of the Protein A purification namely, binding pH, elution pH, flow rate, neutralization pH and tween concentration, on the concentration and quality of the purified mAb were evaluated. Using design of experiments approach, the critical process parameters of protein A chromatography were identified and experimentally optimized. Their impact on quality attributes, such as size variants and charge variants, of the mAb was studied. Multivariate data analysis was subsequently performed using multiple linear regression and partial least squares regression methods. It was observed that the elution pH primarily governed the concentration of the purified mAb and the content of monomers and aggregates, while the tween concentration primarily influenced the main peak of the charge variants. This is the first study that evaluates the impact of tween concentration in buffers on the protein A chromatography purification step. These studies helped in identifying the design space and defining the target robust and optimal setpoints of the responses, which were subsequently verified experimentally. These setpoints not only passed the target criteria but also resulted in the highest recoveries during the investigation. Through this statistically-aided approach, an optimized and robust protein A chromatography process was rationally developed for purification of mAbs, while achieving the desired product quality. This study highlights the influence of multiple parameters of the protein A purification process on critical quality attributes of mAbs, such as the size and charge variants, which has been a very scarcely explored area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashikant Doltade
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Marianne Saldanha
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Vaibhav Patil
- Sartorius Stedim India Private Limited, No. 69/2 & 69/3, Jakkasandra, Nelamangala, Bangalore 562123, India
| | - Prajakta Dandekar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India.
| | - Ratnesh Jain
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India.
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11
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Herman CE, Min L, Choe LH, Maurer RW, Xu X, Ghose S, Lee KH, Lenhoff AM. Analytical characterization of host-cell-protein-rich aggregates in monoclonal antibody solutions. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3343. [PMID: 37020359 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3343] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Host-cell proteins (HCPs) and high molecular weight (HMW) species have historically been treated as independent classes of impurities in the downstream processing of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), but recent indications suggest that they may be partially linked. We have explored this connection with a shotgun proteomic analysis of HMW impurities that were isolated from harvest cell culture fluid (HCCF) and protein A eluate using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). As part of the proteomic analysis, a cross-digest study was performed in which samples were analyzed using both the standard and native digest techniques to enable a fair comparison between bioprocess pools. This comparison reveals that the HCP profiles of HCCF and protein A eluate overlap substantially more than previous work has suggested, because hundreds of HCPs are conserved in aggregates that may be up to ~50 nm in hydrodynamic radius and that persist through the protein A capture step. Quantitative SWATH proteomics suggests that the majority of the protein A eluate's HCP mass is found in such aggregates, and this is corroborated by ELISA measurements on SEC fractions. The SWATH data also show that intra-aggregate concentrations of individual HCPs are positively correlated between aggregates that were isolated from HCCF and protein A eluate, and species that have generally been considered difficult to remove tend to be more concentrated than their counterparts. These observations support prior hypotheses regarding aggregate-mediated HCP persistence through protein A chromatography and highlight the importance of this persistence mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase E Herman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716, USA
| | - Lie Min
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716, USA
| | - Leila H Choe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716, USA
| | - Ronald W Maurer
- Biologics Process Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Massachusetts, 01434, Devens, USA
| | - Xuankuo Xu
- Biologics Process Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Massachusetts, 01434, Devens, USA
| | - Sanchayita Ghose
- Biologics Process Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Massachusetts, 01434, Devens, USA
| | - Kelvin H Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716, USA
| | - Abraham M Lenhoff
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716, USA
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12
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Herman CE, Min L, Choe LH, Maurer RW, Xu X, Ghose S, Lee KH, Lenhoff AM. Behavior of host-cell-protein-rich aggregates in antibody capture and polishing chromatography. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1702:464081. [PMID: 37244165 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Recent work has shown that aggregates in monoclonal antibody (mAb) solutions may be made up not just of mAb oligomers but can also harbor hundreds of host-cell proteins (HCPs), suggesting that aggregate persistence through downstream purification operations may be related to HCP clearance. We have examined this in a primary analysis of aggregate persistence through processing steps that are typically implemented for HCP reduction, demonstrating that the phenomenon is relevant to depth filtration, protein A chromatography and flow-through anion-exchange (AEX) polishing. Confocal laser scanning microscopy observations show that aggregates compete with the mAb to adsorb specifically in protein A chromatography and that this competitive interaction is integral to the efficacy of protein A washes. Column chromatography reveals that the protein A elution tail can have a relatively high concentration of aggregates, which corroborates analogous observations from recent HCP studies. Similar measurements in flow-through AEX chromatography show that relatively large aggregates that harbor HCPs and that persist into the protein A eluate can be retained to an extent that appears to depend primarily on the resin surface chemistry. The total aggregate mass fraction of both protein A eluate pools (∼ 2.4 - 3.6%) and AEX flow-through fractions (∼ 1.5 - 3.2%) correlates generally with HCP concentrations measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as well as the number of HCPs that may be identified in proteomic analysis. This suggests that quantification of the aggregate mass fraction may serve as a convenient albeit imperfect surrogate for informing early process development decisions regarding HCP clearance strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase E Herman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Lie Min
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Leila H Choe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Ronald W Maurer
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Devens, MA 01434, USA
| | - Xuankuo Xu
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Devens, MA 01434, USA
| | - Sanchayita Ghose
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Devens, MA 01434, USA
| | - Kelvin H Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Abraham M Lenhoff
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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13
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Parau M, Pullen J, Bracewell DG. Depth filter material process interaction in the harvest of mammalian cells. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3329. [PMID: 36775837 PMCID: PMC10909467 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3329] [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: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Upstream advances have led to increased mAb titers above 5 g/L in 14-day fed-batch cultures. This is accompanied by higher cell densities and process-related impurities such as DNA and Host Cell Protein (HCP), which have caused challenges for downstream operations. Depth filtration remains a popular choice for harvesting CHO cell culture, and there is interest in utilizing these to remove process-related impurities at the harvest stage. Operation of the harvest stage has also been shown to affect the performance of the Protein A chromatography step. In addition, manufacturers are looking to move away from natural materials such as cellulose and Diatomaceous Earth (DE) for better filter consistency and security of supply. Therefore, there is an increased need for further understanding and knowledge of depth filtration. This study investigates the effect of depth filter material and loading on the Protein A resin lifetime with an industrially relevant high cell density feed material (40 million cells/ml). It focuses on the retention of process-related impurities such as DNA and HCP through breakthrough studies and a novel confocal microscopy method for imaging foulant in-situ. An increase in loading of the primary-synthetic filter by a third, led to earlier DNA breakthrough in the secondary filter, with DNA concentration at a throughput of 50 L/m2 being more than double. Confocal imaging of the depth filters showed that the foulant was pushed forward into the filter structure with higher loading. The additional two layers in the primary-synthetic filter led to better pressure profiles in both primary and secondary filters but did not help to retain HCP or DNA. Reduced filtrate clarity, as measured by OD600, was 1.6 fold lower in the final filtrate where a synthetic filter train was used. This was also associated with precipitation in the Protein A column feed. Confocal imaging of resin after 100 cycles showed that DNA build-up around the outside of the bead was associated with synthetic filter trains, leading to potential mass transfer problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Parau
- Department of Biochemical EngineeringUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - James Pullen
- Research and DevelopmentFUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB)BillinghamUK
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14
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Bhoyar S, Foster M, Oh YH, Xu X, Traylor SJ, Guo J, Ghose S, Lenhoff AM. Engineering protein A ligands to mitigate antibody loss during high-pH washes in protein A chromatography. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1696:463962. [PMID: 37043977 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.463962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Protein A chromatography is a workhorse in monoclonal antibody (mAb) manufacture since it provides effective separation of mAbs from impurities such as host-cell proteins (HCPs) in a single capture step. HCP clearance can be aided by the inclusion of a wash step prior to low-pH elution. Although high-pH washes can be effective in removing additional HCPs from the loaded column, they may also contribute to a reduced mAb yield. In this work we show that this yield loss is reflected in a pH-dependent variation of the equilibrium binding capacity of the protein A resin, which is also observed for the capacity of the Fc fragments alone and therefore not a result of steric interactions involving the Fab fragments in the intact mAbs. We therefore hypothesized that the high-pH wash loss was due to protonation or deprotonation of ionizable residues on the protein A ligand. To evaluate this, we applied a rational protein engineering approach to the Z domain (the Fc-binding component of most commercial protein A ligands) and expressed engineered mutants in E. coli. Biolayer interferometry and affinity chromatography experiments showed that some of the Z domain mutants were able to mitigate wash loss at high pH while maintaining similar binding characteristics at neutral pH. These experiments enabled elucidation of the roles of specific interactions in the Z domain - Fc complex, but more importantly offer a route to ameliorating the disadvantages of high-pH washes in protein A chromatography.
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15
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Dhandapani G, Wachtel E, Patchornik G. Conjugated surfactant micelles: A non‐denaturing purification platform for concentrated human immunoglobulin G. NANO SELECT 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/nano.202200251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
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16
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Effect of solution condition on the binding behaviors of monoclonal antibody and fusion protein therapeutics in Protein A chromatography. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1686:463652. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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17
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Okamura K, Badr S, Murakami S, Sugiyama H. Hybrid Modeling of CHO Cell Cultivation in Monoclonal Antibody Production with an Impurity Generation Module. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c00736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kozue Okamura
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8656 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sara Badr
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8656 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sei Murakami
- Manufacturing Technology Association of Biologics, 2-6-16, Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, 104-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Sugiyama
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8656 Tokyo, Japan
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18
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Two major mechanisms contributing to copurification of CHO host cell proteins and strategies to minimize their negative impact. Protein Expr Purif 2022; 197:106113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2022.106113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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19
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Luo H, Du Q, Qian C, Mlynarczyk M, Pabst TM, Damschroder M, Hunter AK, Wang WK. Formation of Transient Highly-Charged mAb Clusters Strengthens Interactions with Host Cell Proteins and Results in Poor Clearance of Host Cell Proteins by Protein A Chromatography. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1679:463385. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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20
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Process- and Product-Related Foulants in Virus Filtration. Bioengineering (Basel) 2022; 9:bioengineering9040155. [PMID: 35447715 PMCID: PMC9030149 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering9040155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory authorities place stringent guidelines on the removal of contaminants during the manufacture of biopharmaceutical products. Monoclonal antibodies, Fc-fusion proteins, and other mammalian cell-derived biotherapeutics are heterogeneous molecules that are validated based on the production process and not on molecular homogeneity. Validation of clearance of potential contamination by viruses is a major challenge during the downstream purification of these therapeutics. Virus filtration is a single-use, size-based separation process in which the contaminating virus particles are retained while the therapeutic molecules pass through the membrane pores. Virus filtration is routinely used as part of the overall virus clearance strategy. Compromised performance of virus filters due to membrane fouling, low throughput and reduced viral clearance, is of considerable industrial significance and is frequently a major challenge. This review shows how components generated during cell culture, contaminants, and product variants can affect virus filtration of mammalian cell-derived biologics. Cell culture-derived foulants include host cell proteins, proteases, and endotoxins. We also provide mitigation measures for each potential foulant.
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21
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Parau M, Johnson TF, Pullen J, Bracewell DG. Analysis of fouling and breakthrough of process related impurities during depth filtration using confocal microscopy. Biotechnol Prog 2022; 38:e3233. [PMID: 35037432 PMCID: PMC9286597 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Titer improvement has driven process intensification in mAb manufacture. However, this has come with the drawback of high cell densities and associated process related impurities such as cell debris, host cell protein (HCP), and DNA. This affects the capacity of depth filters and can lead to carryover of impurities to protein A chromatography leading to early resin fouling. New depth filter materials provide the opportunity to remove more process related impurities at this early stage in the process. Hence, there is a need to understand the mechanism of impurity removal within these filters. In this work, the secondary depth filter Millistak+ X0HC (cellulose and diatomaceous earth) is compared with the X0SP (synthetic), by examining the breakthrough of DNA and HCP. Additionally, a novel method was developed to image the location of key impurities within the depth filter structure under a confocal microscope. Flux, tested at 75, 100, and 250 LMH was found to affect the maximal throughput based on the max pressure of 30 psi, but no significant changes were seen in the HCP and DNA breakthrough. However, a drop in cell culture viability, from 87% to 37%, lead to the DNA breakthrough at 10% decreasing from 81 to 55 L/m2 for X0HC and from 105 to 47 L/m2 for X0SP. The HCP breakthrough was not affected by cell culture viability or filter type. The X0SP filter has a 30%-50% higher max throughput depending on viability, which can be explained by the confocal imaging where the debris and DNA are distributed differently in the layers of the filter pods, with more of the second tighter layer being utilized in the X0SP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Parau
- Department of Biochemical EngineeringUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Thomas F. Johnson
- Department of Biochemical EngineeringUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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22
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Hunter AK, Rezvani K, Aspelund MT, Xi G, Gadre D, Linke T, Cai K, Mulagapati SHR, Witkos T. Identification of compendial nonionic detergents for the replacement of Triton X‐100 in bioprocessing. Biotechnol Prog 2022; 38:e3235. [PMID: 35043591 PMCID: PMC9285696 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan K. Hunter
- AstraZeneca, Department of Purification Process Sciences One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD US
| | - Kamiyar Rezvani
- AstraZeneca, Department of Purification Process Sciences One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD US
| | - Matthew T. Aspelund
- AstraZeneca, Department of Purification Process Sciences One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD US
| | - Guoling Xi
- AstraZeneca, Department of Purification Process Sciences One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD US
| | - Dhanesh Gadre
- AstraZeneca, Department of Purification Process Sciences One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD US
| | - Thomas Linke
- AstraZeneca, Department of Purification Process Sciences One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD US
| | - Kang Cai
- AstraZeneca, Department of Purification Process Sciences One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD US
| | | | - Tomasz Witkos
- AstraZeneca, Department of Analytical Sciences Granta Park Cambridge UK
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23
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Yang F, Li D, Kufer R, Cadang L, Zhang J, Dai L, Guo J, Wohlrab S, Greenwood-Goodwin M, Shen A, Duan D, Li H, Yuk IH. Versatile LC-MS-Based Workflow with Robust 0.1 ppm Sensitivity for Identifying Residual HCPs in Biotherapeutic Products. Anal Chem 2021; 94:723-731. [PMID: 34927411 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Residual host cell proteins (HCPs) in the drug product can affect product quality, stability, and/or safety. In particular, highly active hydrolytic enzymes at sub-ppm levels can negatively impact the shelf life of drug products but are challenging to identify by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) due to their high dynamic range between HCPs and biotherapeutic proteins. We employed new strategies to address the challenge: (1) native digest at a high protein concentration; (2) sodium deoxycholate added during the reduction step to minimize the inadvertent omission of HCPs observed with native digestion; and (3) solid phase extraction with 50% MeCN elution prior to LC-MS/MS analysis to ensure effective mAb removal. A 50 cm long nanoflow charged surface hybrid column was also packed to allow for higher sample load for increased sensitivity. Our workflow has increased the sensitivity for HCP identification by 10- to 100-fold over previous reports and showed the robustness as low as 0.1 ppm for identifying HCPs (34.5 to 66.2 kDa MW). The method capability was further confirmed by consistently identifying >85% of 48 UPS-1 proteins (0.10 to 1.34 ppm, 6.3 to 82.9 kDa MW) in a monoclonal antibody (mAb) and the largest number (746) of mouse proteins from NIST mAb reported to date by a single analysis. Our work has filled a significant gap in HCP analysis for detecting and demonstrating HCP clearance, in particular, extremely low-level hydrolases in drug process development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Yang
- Protein Analytical Chemistry, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Delia Li
- Protein Analytical Chemistry, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Regina Kufer
- Pharma Technical Development Analytics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg 82377, Germany
| | - Lance Cadang
- Protein Analytical Chemistry, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Jennifer Zhang
- Protein Analytical Chemistry, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Lu Dai
- Protein Analytical Chemistry, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Jia Guo
- Analytical Operations, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Stefanie Wohlrab
- Pharma Technical Development Analytics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg 82377, Germany
| | - Midori Greenwood-Goodwin
- Analytical Operations, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Amy Shen
- Cell Culture and Bioprocess Operations, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Dana Duan
- Cell Culture and Bioprocess Operations, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Hong Li
- Protein Chemistry, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Inn H Yuk
- Cell Culture and Bioprocess Operations, Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
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24
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Ion Exchange Chromatographic Methods for Purification of Therapeutic Antibodies. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34478138 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1450-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Ion Exchange Chromatography has been a critical unit operation for manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies. Cation and anion exchange chromatography are used extensively to remove process-related as well as product-related impurities to obtain the final product. In this chapter, we describe the methods for separating and purifying charge variants and aggregates for manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies. The methods related to removal of host cell impurities such as host cell DNA and host cell proteins are also described. With minimal modifications, the protocols described here can be employed to purify any monoclonal antibody.
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25
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Matsuda Y. Current approaches for the purification of antibody-drug conjugates. J Sep Sci 2021; 45:27-37. [PMID: 34473399 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202100575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In the past two decades, antibody-drug conjugates have gained increasing attention because they expand the therapeutic index when compared with that of traditional chemotherapies. Antibody-drug conjugates are highly complex structures consisting of antibodies covalently conjugated with small-molecule cytotoxic drugs. The complex structure of antibody-drug conjugates makes chemistry, manufacturing, and control difficult. In contrast to antibody production, distinct purification methods following conjugation of antibodies with drug-linkers are required for the manufacturing. For process development of antibody drug conjugates, the drug-to-antibody ratio, free drug-linkers, and aggregates are critical quality attributes that must be strictly controlled and removed by appropriate purification techniques. In this review, features of various purification methods used to purify antibody drug conjugates are described and evaluated. The future landscape of the antibody-conjugates field is also discussed briefly.
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26
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Stange C, Hafiz S, Korpus C, Skudas R, Frech C. Influence of excipients in Protein A chromatography and virus inactivation. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2021; 1179:122848. [PMID: 34274642 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2021.122848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The purification of monoclonal antibodies and Fc fusion proteins consist of several unit operations operated commonly as a platform approach, starting with Protein A chromatography. The first capture step, the following low pH virus inactivation, and subsequent ion exchange chromatography steps are mostly able to remove any impurities, like host cell proteins, aggregates, and viruses. The changes in pH and conductivity during these steps can lead to additional unwanted product species like aggregates. In this study, excipients with stabilizing abilities, like polyols, were used as buffer system additives to study their impact on several aspects during Protein A chromatography, low pH virus inactivation, and cation exchange chromatography. The results show that excipients, like PEG4000, influence antibody elution behavior, as well as host-cell protein elution behavior in a pH-gradient setup. Sugar excipients, like Sucrose, stabilize the antibody during low pH virus inactivation. All excipients tested show no negative impact on virus inactivation and dynamic binding capacity in a subsequent cation exchange chromatography step. This study indicates that excipients and, possibly excipient combinations, can have a beneficial effect on purification without harming subsequent downstream processing steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Stange
- Institute for Biochemistry, University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Supriyadi Hafiz
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Romas Skudas
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Frech
- Institute for Biochemistry, University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163 Mannheim, Germany.
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27
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Hu L, Tang J, Zhang X, Li Y. Sodium caprylate wash during Protein A chromatography as an effective means for removing protease(s) responsible for target antibody fragmentation. Protein Expr Purif 2021; 186:105907. [PMID: 34022391 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2021.105907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
For recombinant proteins produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, fragmentation is a common phenomenon that results in generation of product-related low-molecular-weight (LMW) species. Recently while purifying a bispecific antibody (bsAb), we observed that the target protein experienced cleavage at a couple of potential sites, leading to truncated products. Further studies suggest that the cleavage can likely be attributed to residual CHO cell protease activity. In order to maximally remove potential protease(s) that contribute fragmentation, we optimized Protein A chromatography by adding sodium caprylate (SC) to the wash buffer. Upon optimization, fragmentation of Protein A eluate happened to a much lesser degree as compared to that of eluate from unoptimized process, and the increased sample stability is in accordance with significantly reduced host cell protein (HCP) level. Taken together, the data suggest that SC wash during Protein A chromatography is an effective means for removing HCPs including endogenous protease(s) that are responsible for target antibody fragmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Hu
- Technology and Process Development (TPD), WuXi Biologics, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai, 200131, China
| | - Jiaqin Tang
- Technology and Process Development (TPD), WuXi Biologics, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai, 200131, China
| | - Xudong Zhang
- Technology and Process Development (TPD), WuXi Biologics, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai, 200131, China
| | - Yifeng Li
- Technology and Process Development (TPD), WuXi Biologics, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai, 200131, China.
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28
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Hydrolytic polysorbate 20 degradation - Sensitive detection of free fatty acids in biopharmaceuticals via UPLC-QDa analytics with isolator column. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2021; 1174:122717. [PMID: 33975273 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2021.122717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The enzymatic hydrolysis of polysorbates, e.g. induced by specific host cell proteins in biologics, is a known risk factor regarding the potential particle formation in the product over time. One of the root causes for this observation is an increase in free fatty acids (FA) within the formulation, which indicates the need for convenient monitoring of FA release. This study presents a novel UPLC-QDa based method to evaluate the content of the FAs esterified to polysorbate 20 (PS20) after hydrolysis. The presented method is label-free, i.e. independent of elaborate fluorophore-labeling and able to directly measure the ionized FAs. Furthermore, the method allows the determination of released FAs as percentage of ester bond hydrolysis and as absolute concentration expressed in ng/mL. Additionally, we describe for the first time in FA analytics the application of an isolator column, to remove trace levels of FAs present in the eluents to improve the sensitivity of the method. Lastly, the capabilities of the newly developed method are proven in case studies with three different monoclonal antibodies, which display characteristic FA release patterns in PS20-containing formulations. In summary, we developed a reliable, sensitive method for FA quantification in biologics, which could also be used as a predictive tool, considering FA solubility, regarding the formation of particles.
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29
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Imura Y, Tagawa T, Miyamoto Y, Nonoyama S, Sumichika H, Fujino Y, Yamanouchi M, Miki H. Washing with alkaline solutions in protein A purification improves physicochemical properties of monoclonal antibodies. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1827. [PMID: 33469121 PMCID: PMC7815873 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81366-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein A affinity chromatography has been widely used for both laboratory scale purification and commercial manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins. Protein A purification is specific and efficient. However, there still remain several issues to be addressed, such as incomplete clearance of impurities including host cell proteins, DNA, aggregates, etc. In addition, the effects of wash buffers in protein A purification on the physicochemical characteristics of antibodies have yet to be fully understood. Here we found a new purification protocol for monoclonal antibodies that can improve physicochemical properties of monoclonal antibodies simply by inserting an additional wash step with a basic buffer after the capture step to the conventional protein A purification. The effects of the alkaline wash on monoclonal antibodies were investigated in terms of physicochemical characteristics, yields, and impurity clearance. The simple insertion of an alkaline wash step resulted in protection of antibodies from irreversible aggregation, reduction in free thiols and impurities, an improvement in colloidal and storage stability, and enhanced yields. This new procedure is widely applicable to protein A affinity chromatography of monoclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Imura
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Yokohama, Japan. .,Development Department, Tanabe Research Laboratories U.S.A. Inc., San Diego, USA.
| | - Toshiaki Tagawa
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yuya Miyamoto
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nonoyama
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sumichika
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Fujino
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Yokohama, Japan.,Research Department, Tanabe Research Laboratories U.S.A. Inc., San Diego, USA
| | - Masaya Yamanouchi
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hideo Miki
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Fujisawa, Japan
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30
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Dyer R, Song Y, Chen J, Bigelow E, McGinnis J, Jenkins L, Ghose S, Li ZJ. Mechanistic insights into viral clearance during the chromatography steps in antibody processes by using virus surrogates. Biotechnol Prog 2021; 36:e3057. [PMID: 33405373 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Viral safety is required for biological products to treat human diseases, and the burden of inactivation and or virus removal lies on the downstream purification process. Minute virus of mice (MVM) is a nonenveloped parvovirus commonly used as the worst-case model virus in validation studies because of its small size and high chemical stability. In this study, we investigated the use of MVM-mock virus particle (MVP) and bacteriophage ΦX174 as surrogates for MVM to mimic viral clearance studies, with a focus on chromatography operations. Based on structural models and comparison of log reduction value among MVM, MVP, and ΦX174, it was demonstrated that MVP can be used as a noninfectious surrogate to assess viral clearance during process development in multiple chromatography systems in a biosafety level one (BSL-1) laboratory. Protein A (ProA) chromatography was investigated to strategically assess the impact of the resin, impurities, and the monoclonal antibody product on virus removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Dyer
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yuanli Song
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jie Chen
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bigelow
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer McGinnis
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lauren Jenkins
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sanchayita Ghose
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zheng Jian Li
- Biologics Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Devens, Massachusetts, USA
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31
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Rolinger L, Rüdt M, Hubbuch J. A multisensor approach for improved protein A load phase monitoring by conductivity-based background subtraction of UV spectra. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 118:905-917. [PMID: 33150957 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Real-time monitoring and control of protein A capture steps by process analytical technologies (PATs) promises significant economic benefits due to the improved usage of the column's binding capacity, by eliminating time-consuming off-line analytics and costly resin lifetime studies, and enabling continuous production. The PAT method proposed in this study relies on ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy with a dynamic background subtraction based on the leveling out of the conductivity signal. This point in time can be used to collect a reference spectrum for removing the majority of spectral contributions by process-related contaminants. The removal of the background spectrum facilitates chemometric model building and model accuracy. To demonstrate the benefits of this method, five different feedstocks from our industry partner were used to mix the load material for a case study. To our knowledge, such a large design space, which covers possible variations in upstream condition besides the product concentration, has not been disclosed yet. By applying the conductivity-based background subtraction, the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of the partial least squares (PLS) model improved from 0.2080 to 0.0131 g L - 1 . Finally, the potential of the background subtraction method was further evaluated for single wavelength-based predictions to facilitate implementation in production processes. An RMSEP of 0.0890 g L - 1 with univariate linear regression was achieved, showing that by subtraction of the background better prediction accuracy is achieved then without subtraction and a PLS model. In summary, the developed background subtraction method is versatile, enables accurate prediction results, and is easily implemented into existing chromatography setups with typically already integrated sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthias Rüdt
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
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32
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Van de Velde J, Saller MJ, Eyer K, Voloshin A. Chromatographic clarification overcomes chromatin‐mediated hitch‐hiking interactions on Protein A capture column. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3413-3421. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joris Van de Velde
- Separation and Purification Sciences Division 3M Belgium NV/SA Antwerp Belgium
| | | | - Kurt Eyer
- Bioprocesses, Pharmaplan AG Basel Switzerland
| | - Alexei Voloshin
- Separation and Purification Sciences Division, 3M Company 3M Center Saint Paul Minnesota
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33
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Esser-Skala W, Segl M, Wohlschlager T, Reisinger V, Holzmann J, Huber CG. Exploring sample preparation and data evaluation strategies for enhanced identification of host cell proteins in drug products of therapeutic antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins. Anal Bioanal Chem 2020; 412:6583-6593. [PMID: 32691086 PMCID: PMC7442769 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-02796-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals involves recombinant protein expression in host cells followed by extensive purification of the target protein. Yet, host cell proteins (HCPs) may persist in the final drug product, potentially reducing its quality with respect to safety and efficacy. Consequently, residual HCPs are closely monitored during downstream processing by techniques such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or high-performance liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The latter is especially attractive as it provides information with respect to protein identities. Although the applied HPLC-MS/MS methodologies are frequently optimized with respect to HCP identification, acquired data is typically analyzed using standard settings. Here, we describe an improved strategy for evaluating HPLC-MS/MS data of HCP-derived peptides, involving probabilistic protein inference and peptide detection in the absence of fragment ion spectra. This data analysis workflow was applied to data obtained for drug products of various biotherapeutics upon protein A affinity depletion. The presented data evaluation strategy enabled in-depth comparative analysis of the HCP repertoires identified in drug products of the monoclonal antibodies rituximab and bevacizumab, as well as the fusion protein etanercept. In contrast to commonly applied ELISA strategies, the here presented workflow is process-independent and may be implemented into existing HPLC-MS/MS setups for drug product characterization and process development. Graphical abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Esser-Skala
- Bioanalytical Research Labs, Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Marius Segl
- Bioanalytical Research Labs, Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Therese Wohlschlager
- Bioanalytical Research Labs, Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Veronika Reisinger
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.,Technical Development Biosimilars, Global Drug Development, Novartis, Sandoz GmbH, Biochemiestraße 10, 6250, Kundl, Austria
| | - Johann Holzmann
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.,Technical Development Biosimilars, Global Drug Development, Novartis, Sandoz GmbH, Biochemiestraße 10, 6250, Kundl, Austria
| | - Christian G Huber
- Bioanalytical Research Labs, Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria. .,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
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34
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Model-based process development of continuous chromatography for antibody capture: A case study with twin-column system. J Chromatogr A 2020; 1619:460936. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2020.460936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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35
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Papachristodoulou M, Doutch J, Leung HSB, Church A, Charleston T, Clifton LA, Butler PD, Roberts CJ, Bracewell DG. In situ neutron scattering of antibody adsorption during protein A chromatography. J Chromatogr A 2020; 1617:460842. [PMID: 31928770 PMCID: PMC10986645 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.460842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A deeper understanding of the nanoscale and mesoscale structure of chromatographic adsorbents and the distribution of proteins within the media, is critical to a mechanistic understanding of separation processes using these materials. Characterisation of the media's architecture at this scale and protein adsorption within, is challenging using conventional techniques. In this study, we propose a novel resin characterisation technique that enables in-situ measurement of the structure of the adsorbed protein layer within the resin, under typical chromatographic conditions. A quartz flow-through cell was designed and fabricated for use with Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS), in order to measure the nanoscale to mesoscale structures of a silica based protein A chromatography resin during the monoclonal antibody sorption process. We were able to examine the pore-to-pore (˜133 nm) and pore size (˜63 nm) correlations of the resin and the in-plane adsorbed antibody molecules (˜ 4.2 nm) correlation at different protein loadings and washing buffers, in real time using a contrast matching approach. When 0.03 M sodium phosphate with 1 M urea and 10 % isopropanol buffer, pH 8, was introduced into the system as a wash buffer, it disrupted the system's order by causing partial unfolding of the adsorbed antibody, as evidenced by a loss of the in-plane protein correlation. This method offers new ways to investigate the nanoscale structure and ligand immobilisation within chromatography resins; and perhaps most importantly understand the in-situ behaviour of adsorbed proteins within the media under different mobile phase conditions within a sample environment replicating that of a chromatography column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Papachristodoulou
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - James Doutch
- ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Hoi Sang Beatrice Leung
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andy Church
- ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Thomas Charleston
- ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Luke A Clifton
- ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Paul D Butler
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr, Gaithersburg, MD, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA; Department of Chemistry, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Christopher J Roberts
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Daniel G Bracewell
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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36
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Hebditch M, Kean R, Warwicker J. Modelling of pH-dependence to develop a strategy for stabilising mAbs at acidic steps in production. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:897-905. [PMID: 32322371 PMCID: PMC7171260 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineered proteins are increasingly being required to function or pass through environmental stresses for which the underlying protein has not evolved. A major example in health are antibody therapeutics, where a low pH step is used for purification and viral inactivation. In order to develop a computational model for analysis of pH-stability, predictions are compared with experimental data for the relative pH-sensitivities of antibody domains. The model is then applied to proteases that have evolved to be functional in an acid environment, showing a clear signature for low pH-dependence of stability in the neutral to acidic pH region, largely through reduction of salt-bridges. Interestingly, an extensively acidic protein surface can maintain contribution to structural stabilisation at acidic pH through replacement of basic sidechains with polar, hydrogen-bonding groups. These observations form a design principle for engineering acid-stable proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Hebditch
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Ryan Kean
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Jim Warwicker
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
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37
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Pilely K, Nielsen SB, Draborg A, Henriksen ML, Hansen SWK, Skriver L, Mørtz E, Lund RR. A novel approach to evaluate ELISA antibody coverage of host cell proteins-combining ELISA-based immunocapture and mass spectrometry. Biotechnol Prog 2020; 36:e2983. [PMID: 32087048 PMCID: PMC7507178 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Monitoring host cell proteins (HCPs) is one of the most important analytical requirements in production of recombinant biopharmaceuticals to ensure product purity and patient safety. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the standard method for monitoring HCP clearance. It is important to validate that the critical reagent of an ELISA, the HCP antibody, covers a broad spectrum of the HCPs potentially present in the purified drug substance. Current coverage methods for assessing HCP antibody coverage are based on 2D‐Western blot or immunoaffinity‐purification combined with 2D gel electrophoresis and have several limitations. In the present study, we present a novel coverage method combining ELISA‐based immunocapture with protein identification by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS): ELISA‐MS. ELISA‐MS is used to accurately determine HCP coverage of an early process sample by three commercially available anti‐Escherichia coli HCP antibodies, evading the limitations of current methods for coverage analysis, and taking advantage of the benefits of MS analysis. The results obtained comprise a list of individual HCPs covered by each HCP antibody. The novel method shows high sensitivity, high reproducibility, and enables tight control of nonspecific binding through inclusion of a species‐specific isotype control antibody. We propose that ELISA‐MS will be a valuable supplement to existing coverage methods or even a replacement. ELISA‐MS will increase the possibility of selecting the best HCP ELISA, thus improving HCP surveillance and resulting in a final HCP profile with the lowest achievable risk. Overall, this will be beneficial to both the pharmaceutical industry and patient safety.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anette Draborg
- Alphalyse A/S, Odense, Denmark.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Maiken L Henriksen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Søren W K Hansen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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38
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Singh SK, Mishra A, Yadav D, Budholiya N, Rathore AS. Understanding the mechanism of copurification of “difficult to remove” host cell proteins in rituximab biosimilar products. Biotechnol Prog 2020; 36:e2936. [DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sumit K. Singh
- Department of Chemical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology Hauz Khas New Delhi India
| | - Avinash Mishra
- Department of Chemical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology Hauz Khas New Delhi India
| | - Divyanshi Yadav
- Department of Chemical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology Hauz Khas New Delhi India
| | - Niharika Budholiya
- Department of Chemical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology Hauz Khas New Delhi India
| | - Anurag S. Rathore
- Department of Chemical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology Hauz Khas New Delhi India
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39
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Tan Z, Ehamparanathan V, Ren T, Tang P, Hoffman L, Kuang J, Liu P, Huang C, Du C, Tao L, Chemmalil L, Lewandowski A, Ghose S, Li ZJ, Liu S. On-column disulfide bond formation of monoclonal antibodies during Protein A chromatography eliminates low molecular weight species and rescues reduced antibodies. MAbs 2020; 12:1829333. [PMID: 33016217 PMCID: PMC7577237 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1829333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Disulfide bond reduction, which commonly occurs during monoclonal antibody (mAb) manufacturing processes, can result in a drug substance with high levels of low molecular weight (LMW) species that may fail release specifications because the drug's safety and the efficiency may be affected by the presence of this material. We previously studied disulfide reoxidation of mAbs and demonstrated that disulfide bonds could be reformed from the reduced antibody via redox reactions under an optimal redox condition on Protein A resin. The study here implements a redox system in a manufacturing setting to rescue the reduced mAb product and to further eliminate LMW issues in downstream processing. As such, we incorporate the optimized redox system as one of the wash buffers in Protein A chromatography to enable an on-column disulfide reoxidation to form intact antibody in vitro. Studies at laboratory scale (1 cm (ID) x 20 cm (Height), MabSelect SuRe LX) and pilot scale (30 cm (ID) x 20 cm (Height), MabSelect SuRe LX) were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of disulfide formation with multiple mAbs using redox wash on Protein A columns. By applying this rescue strategy using ≤50 g/L-resin loading, the intact mAb purity was improved from <5% in the Protein A column load to >90% in the Protein A column elution with a product yield of >90%. Studies were also done to confirm that adding the redox wash has no negative impact on process yield or impurity removal or product quality. The rescued mAbs were confirmed to form complete interchain disulfide bonds, exhibiting comparable biophysical properties to the reference material. Furthermore, since the redox wash is followed by a bridging buffer wash before the final elution, no additional burden is involved in removing the redox components during the downstream steps. Due to its ease of implementation, significant product purity improvement, and minimal impact on other product quality attributes, we demonstrate that the on-column reoxidation using a redox system is a powerful, simple, and safe tool to recover reduced mAb during manufacturing. Moreover, the apparent benefits of using a high-pH redox wash may further drive the evolution of Protein A platform processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Tan
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Vivekh Ehamparanathan
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Tingwei Ren
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Peifeng Tang
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
- Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Laurel Hoffman
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Pennington, NJ, USA
| | - June Kuang
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Peiran Liu
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Pennington, NJ, USA
| | - Chao Huang
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Cheng Du
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Li Tao
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Pennington, NJ, USA
| | - Letha Chemmalil
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Angela Lewandowski
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Sanchayita Ghose
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Zheng Jian Li
- Global Product Development and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, USA
| | - Shijie Liu
- Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
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40
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Chahar DS, Ravindran S, Pisal S. Monoclonal antibody purification and its progression to commercial scale. Biologicals 2020; 63:1-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2019.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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41
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Liu X, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Liu-Compton V, Chen W, Payne G, Lazar AC. Identification and characterization of co-purifying CHO host cell proteins in monoclonal antibody purification process. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2019; 174:500-508. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2019.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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42
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Cui T, Chi B, Heidbrink Thompson J, Kasali T, Sellick C, Turner R. Cathepsin D: Removal strategy on protein A chromatography, near real time monitoring and characterisation during monoclonal antibody production. J Biotechnol 2019; 305:51-60. [PMID: 31442501 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibody (mAb) fragmentation is a well-known degradation pathway that results in product loss and can significantly impact product quality, efficacy, or even cause immunogenic reactions, thus potentially endangering patients' health. It is recognised that residual proteases present among host cell proteins (HCPs) such as those expressed by Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) can induce fragmentation, and failure of their complete removal during downstream processing could cause fragmentation during mAb production and in the final drug product. We identified, using a protease inhibitor screen, an aspartic protease that contributes to proteolytic fragmentation of partially purified mAbs in multiple projects. Subsequent LC-MS analysis indicated that cathepsin D, a typical aspartic protease, was responsible for the observed fragmentation of in-process samples. To address the issue, an alternative chromatography wash was implemented at the capture step and has been demonstrated to be an effective and scalable solution to mitigate the residual cathepsin D associated fragmentation risk. Furthermore, a near real time targeted mass spectrometry method has been developed to proactively monitor the presence of cathepsin D during upstream and downstream process. Our approach demonstrated an emerging HCP mitigation strategy through integrated upstream and downstream involvement and holds great promise for a range of future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Cui
- Purification Process Sciences, BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D BioPharmaceuticals Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB21 6GH, United Kingdom.
| | - Bertie Chi
- CMC Analytical Development, Kymab Ltd., Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Jenny Heidbrink Thompson
- Analytical Sciences, BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D BioPharmaceuticals Unit, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878, United States
| | - Toyin Kasali
- Analytical Sciences, BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D BioPharmaceuticals Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | | | - Richard Turner
- Purification Process Sciences, BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D BioPharmaceuticals Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
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Koehler KC, Jokondo Z, Narayan J, Voloshin AM, Castro-Forero AA. Enhancing Protein A performance in mAb processing: A method to reduce and rapidly evaluate host cell DNA levels during primary clarification. Biotechnol Prog 2019; 35:e2882. [PMID: 31276322 PMCID: PMC7003430 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The use and impact of 3M™ Emphaze™ AEX Hybrid Purifier, a single‐use, fully synthetic chromatographic product, was explored to reduce host cell DNA (HC‐DNA) concentration during the primary clarification of a monoclonal antibody (mAb). An approximately 5‐log reduction in HC‐DNA was achieved at an Emphaze AEX Hybrid Purifier throughput of 200 L/m2. The appreciable reduction in HC‐DNA achieved during primary clarification enhanced Protein A chromatography performance, resulting in a sharper and narrower elution profile. In addition, a 24× improvement in host cell protein (HCP) removal and fewer impurities nonspecifically bound to the Protein A column were observed compared to those resulting from the use of depth filtration for clarification. The use of a rapid, qualitative acidification assay to facilitate HC‐DNA monitoring was also investigated. This assay involves the acidification‐induced precipitation of HC‐DNA, enabling the easy and rapid detection of DNA breakthrough across purification media such as Emphaze AEX Hybrid Purifier by means of turbidimetric and particle size measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zona Jokondo
- 3M Separation and Purification Sciences, Saint Paul, Minnesota
| | - Janani Narayan
- Johns Hopkins University, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Baltimore, Maryland
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Investigating the combination of single‐pass tangential flow filtration and anion exchange chromatography for intensified mAb polishing. Biotechnol Prog 2019; 35:e2862. [DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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45
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Ulmer N, Vogg S, Müller-Späth T, Morbidelli M. Purification of Human Monoclonal Antibodies and Their Fragments. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1904:163-188. [PMID: 30539470 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8958-4_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
This chapter summarizes the most common chromatographic mAb and mAb fragment purification methods, starting by elucidating the relevant properties of the compounds and introducing the various chromatography modes that are available and useful for this application. A focus is put on the capture step affinity and ion-exchange chromatography. Aspects of scalability play an important role in judging the suitability of the methods. The chapter introduces also analytical chromatographic methods that can be utilized for quantification and purity control of the product. In the case of mAbs, for most purposes the purity obtained using an affinity capture step is sufficient. Polishing steps are required if material of particularly high purity needs to be generated. For mAb fragments, affinity chromatography is not yet fully established, and the capture step potentially may not provide material of high purity. Therefore, the available polishing techniques are touched upon briefly. In the case of mAb isoform and bispecific antibody purification, countercurrent chromatography techniques have proven to be very useful and a part of this chapter has been dedicated to them, paying tribute to the rising interest in these antibody formats in research and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Ulmer
- ETH Zurich, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Vogg
- ETH Zurich, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Massimo Morbidelli
- ETH Zurich, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Angelo J, Chollangi S, Müller‐Späth T, Jusyte S, Xu X, Ghose S, Li Z. Virus clearance validation across continuous capture chromatography. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 116:2275-2284. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James Angelo
- Biologics Process DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb, IncDevens Massachusetts
| | - Srinivas Chollangi
- Biologics Process DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb, IncDevens Massachusetts
| | | | - Simona Jusyte
- Viral Clearance Dept.WuXi Advanced Therapies UnitPhiladelphia Pennsylvania
| | - Xuankuo Xu
- Biologics Process DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb, IncDevens Massachusetts
| | - Sanchayita Ghose
- Biologics Process DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb, IncDevens Massachusetts
| | - Zhengjian Li
- Biologics Process DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb, IncDevens Massachusetts
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Ranjan S, Chung WK, Zhu M, Robbins D, Cramer SM. Implementation of an experimental and computational tool set to study protein-mAb interactions. Biotechnol Prog 2019; 35:e2825. [PMID: 31017347 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
This work focused on the development of a combined experimental and computational tool set to study protein-mAb interactions. A model protein library was first screened using cross interaction chromatography to identify proteins with the strongest retention. Fluorescence polarization was then employed to study the interactions and thermodynamics of the selected proteins-lactoferrin, pyruvate kinase, and ribonuclease B with the mAb. Binding affinities of lactoferrin and pyruvate kinase to the mAb were seen to be relatively salt insensitive in the range examined. Further, a strong entropic contribution was observed, suggesting the importance of hydrophobic interactions. On the other hand, ribonuclease B-mAb binding was seen to be enthalpically driven and salt sensitive, indicating the importance of electrostatic interactions. Protein-protein docking was then carried out and the results identified the CDR region on the mAb as an important binding site for all three proteins. The binding interfaces identified for the mAb-lactoferrin and mAb-pyruvate kinase systems were found to contain complementary hydrophobic and oppositely charged clusters on the interacting regions which were indicative of both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. On the other hand, the binding site on ribonuclease B was predominantly positively charged with minimal hydrophobicity. This resulted in an alignment with negatively charged clusters on the mAb, supporting the contention that these interactions were primarily electrostatic in nature. Importantly, these computational results were found to be consistent with the fluorescence polarization data and this combined approach may have utility in examining mAb-HCP interactions which can often complicate the downstream processing of biologics. © 2019 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swarnim Ranjan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Wai Keen Chung
- Purification Process Sciences, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland
| | - Min Zhu
- Purification Process Sciences, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland
| | - David Robbins
- Purification Process Sciences, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland
| | - Steven M Cramer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
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Removal of B. cereus cereulide toxin from monoclonal antibody bioprocess feed via two-step Protein A affinity and multimodal chromatography. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2019; 1118-1119:194-202. [PMID: 31059926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2019.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry assay was developed and used to quantify emetic cereulide peptide exotoxin, which can be related to possible Bacillus cereus contamination in monoclonal antibody (mAb) bioprocess feeds. The assay limit of detection was 0.05 ng/mL (~1 fmol injected) and limit of quantification 0.16 ng/mL (~3 fmol injected) over a standard curve with >3 orders of magnitude linear dynamic range. The assay allowed quantification of toxin removal in an established two-step mAb purification process consisting of Protein A affinity chromatography followed by multi-modal anion exchange chromatography. Toxin content was ascertained in process stream sample fractions as well as on the Protein A affinity column. An optimized analytical method allowed separation of cereulide toxin from other mAb cell culture components within 6 min. Spiking experiments showed that samples should be collected in high (80% v/v) content acetonitrile to reduce nonspecific losses of the cereulide. The majority of mAb purification process-associated cereulide was detected in the Protein A flow through fraction, whereas only residual amounts were found in wash, strip, and elution fractions. Column cleaning-in-place (CIP) procedures were evaluated to prevent carryover between affinity capture cycles. No carryover was detected between cycles, however trace amounts of cereulide were extracted from the Protein A resin. Increasing the CIP NaOH concentration from 0.1 M to 0.5 M, and contact time from 15 min to 1 h, improved removal of residual cereulide from the resin. Applicability of CIP clearance of cereulide during Protein A chromatography was confirmed with three different mAb feeds. Post Protein A polishing, via target flow through on a multi-modal anion exchange chromatography column, resulted in a product pool with no detectable cereulide. Approximately 5 logs of reduction in cereulide concentration was obtained over the two-step chromatography process. Cereulide contamination is well known and of concern in food processing, however this research may be the first LC-MS quantification of cereulide contamination, and its clearance, in biopharmaceutical mAb processing. The analytical method may also be used to rapidly screen for cereulide contamination in upstream cell culture process streams, prior to downstream product purification. This will allow appropriate measures to be taken to reduce toxin exposure to downstream bioprocess raw materials, consumables and equipment.
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Lavoie RA, di Fazio A, Blackburn RK, Goshe MB, Carbonell RG, Menegatti S. Targeted Capture of Chinese Hamster Ovary Host Cell Proteins: Peptide Ligand Discovery. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20071729. [PMID: 30965558 PMCID: PMC6479451 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing integration of quality-by-design (QbD) concepts in biomanufacturing calls for a detailed and quantitative knowledge of the profile of impurities and their impact on the product safety and efficacy. Particularly valuable is the determination of the residual level of host cell proteins (HCPs) secreted, together with the product of interest, by the recombinant cells utilized for production. Though often referred to as a single impurity, HCPs comprise a variety of species with diverse abundance, size, function, and composition. The clearance of these impurities is a complex issue due to their cell line to cell line, product-to-product, and batch-to-batch variations. Improvements in HCP monitoring through proteomic-based methods have led to identification of a subset of “problematic” HCPs that are particularly challenging to remove, both at the product capture and product polishing steps, and compromise product stability and safety even at trace concentrations. This paper describes the development of synthetic peptide ligands capable of capturing a broad spectrum of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) HCPs with a combination of peptide species that allow for advanced mixed-mode binding. Solid phase peptide libraries were screened for identification and characterization of peptides that capture CHO HCPs while showing minimal binding of human IgG, utilized here as a model product. Tetrameric and hexameric ligands featuring either multipolar or hydrophobic/positive amino acid compositions were found to be the most effective. Tetrameric multipolar ligands exhibited the highest targeted binding ratio (ratio of HCP clearance over IgG loss), more than double that of commercial mixed-mode and anion exchange resins utilized by industry for IgG polishing. All peptide resins tested showed preferential binding to HCPs compared to IgG, indicating potential uses in flow-through mode or weak-partitioning-mode chromatography.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Ashton Lavoie
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA.
| | - Alice di Fazio
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA.
| | - R Kevin Blackburn
- Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7622, USA.
| | - Michael B Goshe
- Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7622, USA.
| | - Ruben G Carbonell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA.
- Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA.
- National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), Newark, DE 19711, USA.
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA.
- Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA.
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50
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Investigation of cathepsin D–mAb interactions using a combined experimental and computational tool set. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 116:1684-1697. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.26968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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