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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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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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Altern SH, Kocot AJ, LeBarre JP, Boi C, Phillips MW, Roush DJ, Menegatti S, Cramer SM. Mechanistic model-based characterization of size-exclusion-mixed-mode resins for removal of monoclonal antibody fragments. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1718:464717. [PMID: 38354506 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Although antibody fragments are a critical impurity to remove from process streams, few platformable purification techniques have been developed to this end. In this work, a novel size-exclusion-mixed-mode (SEMM) resin was characterized with respect to its efficacy in mAb fragment removal. Inverse size-exclusion chromatography showed that the silica-based resin had a narrow pore size distribution and a median pore radius of roughly 6.2 nm. Model-based characterization was carried out with Chromatography Analysis and Design Toolkit (CADET), using the general rate model and the multicomponent Langmuir isotherm. Model parameters were obtained from fitting breakthrough curves, performed at multiple residence times, for a mixture of mAb, aggregates, and an array of fragments (varying in size). Accurate fits were obtained to the frontal chromatographic data across a range of residence times. Model validation was then performed with a scaled-up column, altering residence time and feed composition from the calibration run. Accurate predictions were obtained, thereby illustrating the model's interpolative and extrapolative capabilities. Additionally, the SEMM resin achieved 90% mAb yield, 37% aggregate removal, 29% [Formula: see text] removal, 54% Fab/Fc removal, 100% Fc fragments removal, and a productivity of 72.3 g mAbL×h. Model predictions for these statistics were all within 5%. Simulated batch uptake experiments showed that resin penetration depth was directly related to protein size, with the exception of the aggregate species, and that separation was governed by differential pore diffusion rates. Additional simulations were performed to characterize the dependence of fragment removal on column dimension, load density, and feed composition. Fragment removal was found to be highly dependent on column load density, where optimal purification was achieved below 100 mg protein/mL column. Furthermore, fragment removal was dependent on column volume (constant load mass), but agnostic to whether column length or diameter was changed. Lastly, the dependence on feed composition was shown to be complex. While fragment removal was inversely related to fragment mass fraction in the feed, the extent depended on fragment size. Overall, the results from this study illustrated the efficacy of the SEMM resin in fragment and aggregate removal and elucidated relationships with key operational parameters through model-based characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott H Altern
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Andrew J Kocot
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Jacob P LeBarre
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Cristiana Boi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Michael W Phillips
- Downstream Research and Development, EMD Millipore Corporation, Burlington, MA, USA
| | - David J Roush
- Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina Viral Vector Initiative in Research and Learning (NC-VVIRAL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Steven M Cramer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.
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Qu Y, Baker I, Black J, Fabri L, Gras SL, Lenhoff AM, Kentish SE. Application of mechanistic modelling in membrane and fiber chromatography for purification of biotherapeutics - A review. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1716:464588. [PMID: 38217959 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464588] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Mechanistic modelling is a simulation tool which has been effectively applied in downstream bioprocessing to model resin chromatography. Membrane and fiber chromatography are newer approaches that offer higher rates of mass transfer and consequently higher flow rates and reduced processing times. This review describes the key considerations in the development of mechanistic models for these unit operations. Mass transfer is less complex than in resin columns, but internal housing volumes can make modelling difficult, particularly for laboratory-scale devices. Flow paths are often non-linear and the dead volume is often a larger fraction of the overall volume, which may require more complex hydrodynamic models to capture residence time distributions accurately. In this respect, the combination of computational fluid dynamics with appropriate protein binding models is emerging as an ideal approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Qu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Irene Baker
- Cell Culture and Purification Development, CSL Innovation, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Jamie Black
- Cell Culture and Purification Development, CSL Innovation, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Louis Fabri
- Cell Culture and Purification Development, CSL Innovation, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Sally L Gras
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Abraham M Lenhoff
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
| | - Sandra E Kentish
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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