Fast and high-resolution purification of a PEGylated protein using a z2 laterally-fed membrane chromatography device.

PEGylated proteins comprise a class of value-added biopharmaceuticals. High-resolution separation techniques are required for the purification of these molecules. In this study, we discuss the application of a newly developed z2 laterally-fed membrane chromatography (or z2LFMC) device for carrying out high-resolution purification of a PEGylated protein drug. The device used in the current study contained a stack of anion exchange (Q) membranes. The membrane bed-height of this z2LFMC device being small, it could be operated at very high flow rates, at relatively low back pressures. The primary goal was to speedily and efficiently separate a mono-PEGylated protein from impurities present in the PEGylation reaction mixture. A resin-based anion exchange column having the same ligand and bed-volume was used as the control device. The purification performance of the z2LFMC device and the control column were compared terms of resolution, recovery and purity. The z2LFMC device outperformed the control column in terms of every metric compared in this study. Higher purity (85.4% as opposed to 77.9%) and higher recovery (28% greater) of the target mono-PEGylated protein were obtained using the z2LFMC device at 20-time higher speed. These results clearly demonstrate that the z2LFMC device could be a faster and more efficient alternative to resin-based columns for purification of biopharmaceuticals.

High-resolution purification of a therapeutic PEGylated protein using a cuboid packed-bed device.

PEGylated proteins which are a class of protein-synthetic polymer conjugates that have shown significant promise in the area of biotherapeutics are difficult to purify. A cuboid packed-bed device was used to purify a mono-PEGylated therapeutic protein from impurities such as high molecular weight (HMW) species (e.g., tri- and/or di-PEGylated forms), and low molecular weight (LMW) species such as unreacted protein and polyethylene glycol (or PEG). The separation efficiency of this device was compared with that of an equivalent cylindrical column. The effects of operating conditions such as flow rate, buffer composition, elution gradient, and column loading were systematically compared. An equivalent column with the same bed volume, same resin and same bed height was served as control. In mono-PEGylated protein purifications experiments, the cuboid packed-bed device exhibited sharper peaks and gave better resolution at all conditions examined in this study. The purity of mono-PEGylated protein in the samples collected from the cuboid packed-bed device and the column were comparable, i.e., 98.1% and 97.9% respectively. The recovery of mono-PEGylated protein in the pooled eluate from the cuboid packed-bed device was 31.7% greater than that recovered in the pooled eluate from the column. Therefore, significantly higher recovery of mono-PEGylated protein was obtained with the cuboid packed-bed device while maintaining the same purity specification as obtained with the column.

Control of antibody high and low molecular weight species by depth filtration-based cell culture harvesting.

Depth filtration-based harvesting is widely used in mAb manufacturing to remove cell and process-related impurities. However, it has not been studied on control of product-related impurities, which are very critical for product quality. In this article, we studied the interactions of depth filter with high and low molecular weight species (HMWs and LMWs) for their direct removal from cell culture. The process parameters (filter, loading, temperature, and flux) were evaluated for adsorption of HMWs and LMWs by depth filters. The adsorption is significantly dependent on filter media and loading capacity and is mainly on the basis of hydrophobic interaction during harvesting. The HMW and LMW species were characterized as HMW1, HMW2, LMW1, and LMW2. The increasing binding from LMW2 to LMW1, HMW1, and HMW2 is correlated with their increasing hydrophobicity score. Adsorption using enriched HMW sample demonstrated similar total protein binding capacity (36-40 g/m2 ) between depth filters D0HC and X0HC. However, X0HC has stronger HMW binding than D0HC (71% vs 43% of bound protein), indicating more hydrophobic interaction in X0HC. HMW2 DBC on X0HC reached 12 g/m2 , similar to protein binding on hydrophobic interaction membrane adsorbers. Further study showed LMW can induce HMW formation. This study provides a critical understanding of HMW and LMW interaction with depth filters. The strategy of HMW and LMW control by depth filtration-based harvesting was implemented successfully in mAb manufacturing.

Retrospective Evaluation of Cycled Resin in Viral Clearance Studies-A Multiple Company Collaboration.

The BioPhorum Development Group Viral Clearance Workstream performed a collaborative retrospective analysis to evaluate packed bed chromatographic resin performance after repeated cycling for two commonly used chromatography steps in biopharmaceutical manufacturing: protein A and anion exchange. Key variables evaluated in the assessment included virus type, resin type, number of reuse cycles, and virus challenge. In this retrospective analysis of viral clearance data on naïve versus cycled resin, powered by the availability of a decade's worth of accumulated industry data, clearance capability was not negatively impacted by resin cycling. This finding is consistent with publications showing that surrogates for viral clearance capabilities could be employed in lieu of testing the viral clearance of cycled resins for protein A and anion exchange chromatography. The rigorous analysis of the retrospective data supports the view that viral clearance studies for cycled resins are not necessary provided that appropriate cleaning methods are applied during repeated use of the chromatography columns.LAY ABSTRACT: The manufacturing processes for biopharmaceutical products often include reusable chromatographic resins that remove process- and product-related impurities as well as potential contaminating viruses. Typically, chromatography resin is "cycled" through repeated steps of resin conditioning, product purification, and resin cleaning. The cycling approach has been evaluated in both small- and full-scale studies that show the performance parameters are maintained. The ability to remove virus is demonstrated separately in a focused small-scale virus-spiking study that is resource-intensive and costly. This paper is a retrospective review of industry data comparing virus removal by naïve and repeatedly cycled resins that summarizes the viral clearance impact of re-using protein A and anion exchange chromatography resins. The key variables evaluated in the assessment included virus type, resin type, number of cycles, and virus challenge. In this retrospective analysis, it was found that the viral clearance capability is not negatively impacted by resin cycling. This finding is consistent with other publications and supports the view that viral clearance studies for cycled resins are not necessary if appropriate cleaning methods are applied during the repeated use of the chromatography columns.Abbreviations: AAV-2, Adeno-associated virus; A-MuLV, Amphotropic murine leukemia virus; AEX, Anion-exchange chromatography; B/E, Bind and elute; BVDV, Bovine viral diarrhea virus; C.P.G., Controlled pore glass; DEAE, Diethylaminoethanol; EMCV, Encephalomyocarditis virus; FT, Flow through; HAV, Hepatitis A virus; HSV-1, Herpes simplex virus type 1; LOD, Limit of detection; LOQ, Limit of quantification; LRF, Log10 reduction factor; mAb, Monoclonal antibody; MVM, Minute virus of mice; NaOH, Sodium hydroxide; PA, Protein A; PPV, Porcine parvovirus; QA, Quaternary amine; QP, Quaternized polyethyleneimine; qPCR, Quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Reo3, Reovirus type 3; SuHV-1, Suid herpesvirus; SV40, Simian virus 40; X-MuLV, Xenotropic murine leukemia virus.

Monoclonal antibody higher order structure analysis by high throughput protein conformational array.

The elucidation of antibody higher order structure (HOS) is critical in therapeutic antibody development. Since HOS determines the protein bioactivity and chemo-physical properties, this knowledge can help to ensure that the safety and efficacy attributes are not compromised. Protein conformational array (PCA) is a novel method for determining the HOS of monoclonal antibodies. Previously, we successfully utilized an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based PCA along with other bioanalytical tools to elucidate the structures of antibody aggregates. In this study, applying a new multiplex-based PCA with 48-fold higher throughput than the ELISA-based one we revealed structural differences between different antibody molecules and antibody structure changes affected by various processing conditions. The PCA analysis of antibody molecules clearly demonstrated significant differences between IgG1 and IgG4 subclasses in epitope exposure and folding status. Furthermore, we applied small angle X-ray scattering to decipher mechanistic insights of PCA technology and validate structural information obtained using PCA. These findings enhance our fundamental understanding of mAbs' HOS in general. The PCA analysis of antibody samples from various processing conditions also revealed that antibody aggregation caused significantly higher exposure of antibody epitopes, which potentially led to a "foreign" molecule that could cause immunogenicity. The PCA data correlated well with protein stability results from traditional methods such as size-exclusion chromatography and protein thermal shift assay. Our study demonstrated that high throughput PCA is a suitable method for HOS analysis in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies.

Molecular perspective of antibody aggregates and their adsorption on Protein A resin.

Antibody aggregate is a common issue in therapeutic antibodies, which may compromise product efficacy and cause adverse effects. Antibody aggregate level is normally controlled in bioprocessing by polishing steps after Protein A capture. This paper studied the Higher Order Structures (HOS) of antibody aggregates (dimer H1 and H2) and their adsorption on Protein A resin and thus elucidated the mechanism using Protein A capture for enhanced aggregate removal. The HOS of antibody aggregates and their complex with Protein A were characterized using HDX-MS combined with SEC-MALS, Protein Conformational Array (PCA), and molecular modeling. The aggregate size and Protein A binding ratio suggested that H2 has much more compact structure than H1. HDX-MS and PCA further revealed that H1 was formed by single Fab-Fab interaction while H2 formed by Fab-Fab and likely Fc-Fc interaction. On Protein A resin, both the molar binding ratio and the correlation between protein size and ligand distance support that each monomer can only bind one Protein A ligand, while each dimer can bind two ligands, thus resulting in stronger resin binding. Furthermore, dimer H2 binds stronger than dimer H1 due to its compact structure. By integrating biophysical analysis and molecular modeling with process development, this study revealed the antibody aggregate structures and the mechanism of aggregate removal using Protein A chromatography. It also provided a general strategy for in-depth product and process understanding in antibody and other biologics development.

Effects of cichoric acid extract from Echinacea purpurea on collagen-induced arthritis in rats.

Cichoric acid extract (CAE) from Echinacea purpurea L. was used to investigate the anti-arthritic effect by using collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model. The hind paw swelling volume and the body weight were measured and recorded. All the drug solutions were administered orally to rats for a total of 28 days. On day 28, the rats were anaesthetized and decapitated. The thymus and spleen were weighed for the determination of the organ index. The concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2) in the serum was measured using commercially available ELISA kits. Total and phosphor-NF-κB and Cox-2 protein expression in synovial tissues were determined by histological slides quantification and western blot analysis. Our data showed that administration of all doses of CAE (8, 16, and 32 mg/kg) significantly decreased the paw swelling, restored body weight gain and decreased the organ index of the thymus and spleen compared with that of the CIA group. CAE (8, 16, and 32 mg/kg) treatment significantly reduced the levels of TNFα, IL-1ß and PGE-2 in serum compared with the CIA group. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that CAE has obvious anti-arthritic activity. In addition, CAE (32 mg/kg) significantly decreased the levels of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), TNFα and cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2) in synovium tissues of the ankle joint compared with the CIA group. Furthermore, CAE administration significantly decreased the protein expression of phosphor-NF-κB and Cox-2 in synovium tissues of the knee joint compared with the CIA group. The results suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of CAE may account for its anti-arthritic effect, and CAE could be a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Anti-inflammatory effects of essential oil in Echinacea purpurea L.

Echinacea purpurea L. is a medicinal plant originally from North America. It has become a commonly used herbal medicine worldwide because it contains various biologically active compounds. This study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of essential oils from E. purpurea in both mice and rats. The extract was obtained from flower of E. purpurea by steam distillation. The anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated in vivo by using different animal models such as xylene-induced mouse ear edema, egg-white-induced rat paw edema, and cotton-induced granuloma tissue proliferating inflammation in mice. The serial dosages were used in vivo: the low dosage, the medium dosage and the high dosage. The low, medium and high dosages of extracts produced inhibitions of 39.24%, 47.22% and 44.79% respectively in the ear edema induced by xylene when compare with the control group. Only the high dosage group showed statistically significant inhibition (48.51%) of paw edema formation induced three hours by egg white compared with the control group (P<0.01). Moreover, the granulation formation was also significantly reduced the most by 28.52% in the high dose groups compared with the control group (P <0.05). The pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-α in the blood were reduced in the treated groups. The essential oils from extracts of E. purpurea have anti-inflammatory effects.

Purification of the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab from genetically modified plants using safflower Protein A-oleosin oilbody technology.

Production of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies using genetically modified plants may provide low cost, high scalability and product safety; however, antibody purification from plants presents a challenge due to the large quantities of biomass that need to be processed. Protein A column chromatography is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry for antibody purification, but its application is limited by cost, scalability and column fouling problems when purifying plant-derived antibodies. Protein A-oleosin oilbodies (Protein A-OB), expressed in transgenic safflower seeds, are relatively inexpensive to produce and provide a new approach for the capture of monoclonal antibodies from plants. When Protein A-OB is mixed with crude extracts from plants engineered to express therapeutic antibodies, the Protein A-OB captures the antibody in the oilbody phase while impurities remain in the aqueous phase. This is followed by repeated partitioning of oilbody phase against an aqueous phase via centrifugation to remove impurities before purified antibody is eluted from the oilbodies. We have developed this purification process to recover trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody used for therapy against specific breast-cancers that over express HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), from transiently infected Nicotiana benthamiana. Protein A-OB overcomes the fouling problem associated with traditional Protein A chromatography, allowing for the development of an inexpensive, scalable and novel high-resolution method for the capture of antibodies based on simple mixing and phase separation.

Integrated solid-phase synthesis and purification of PEGylated protein.

We describe an integrated method for solid-phase protein PEGylation and the purification of mono-PEGylated protein thus synthesized. Lysozyme was used as model protein in this study. Methoxy-polyethyleneglycol propionaldehyde (or m-PEG propionaldehyde) was first immobilized on a stack of microporous hydrophobic interaction membranes housed in a module. The membrane-bound m-PEG propionaldehyde was then contacted with lysozyme solution, which also contained sodium cyanoborohydride as a reducing agent. The PEGylated lysozyme thus synthesized remained attached to the membrane, whereas unreacted protein could easily be removed from the module. PEGylated protein was then eluted from the membrane in a partially purified form using salt-free buffer. Two separate steps were thus integrated into a single process: protein PEGylation, followed by purification of mono-PEGylated protein. This solid-phase method is likely to be suitable for PEGylating any protein because it is based on the immobilization of the activated PEG and not the protein being PEGylated.

Enzymatic fragmentation of cation exchange membrane bound immunoglobulin G.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was immobilized on a stack of microporous cation-exchange membranes and pulsed with pepsin solution. Fc fragment and its sub-fragments thus produced were removed along with the reaction flow-through, whereas F(ab')(2) which remained membrane bound could subsequently be eluted in a pure form using salt. The extent of IgG fragmentation and the apparent reaction rate constant were both significantly higher than in equivalent liquid phase reaction, presumably due to a combination of mass transport, steric, and substrate concentration effects. This approach of using a membrane surface as molecule cutting board could be attractive in niche applications such as integrated enzymatic reaction and purification processes involving macromolecular substrates.

Fractionation of different PEGylated forms of a protein by chromatography using environment-responsive membranes.

PEGylation of therapeutic proteins can enhance their efficacy as biopharmaceuticals through increased stability and hydrophilicity, and decreased immunogenicity. A site-specific PEGylated protein (e.g. mono-PEGylated at N-terminus) is frequently desirable as a product. However, multiple-PEGylated forms are frequently produced as byproducts. In this paper we discuss the fractionation of the different PEGylated forms of a protein by hydrophobic interaction chromatography using a stack of hydrophilized PVDF membrane, which has been shown to be environment responsive, as stationary phase. With the model protein examined in this study (i.e. lysozyme), the apparent hydrophobicity in the presence of a lyotropic salt increased with the degree of PEGylation. Based on this, unmodified lysozyme and its mono-, di- and tri-PEGylated forms could each be resolved into separate chromatographic peaks. Such fractionation was not feasible using conventional hydrophobic interaction chromatography using a butyl column. The use of membrane chromatography also ensured that the fractionation was fast and hence suitable for analytical applications such as product purity determination and monitoring of the extent of PEGylation reactions.

Membrane bioreactor separator system for integrated IgG fragmentation and Fab purification.

This paper discusses a membrane based bioreactor system for producing pure Fab from human IgG. The bioreactor consisted of a stack of microporous anion-exchange membrane discs housed in a temperature controlled module. IgG was adsorbed on the membrane followed by its fragmentation with papain under optimized conditions. Fab was recovered in the reaction flow through while other fragments remained membrane bound and were subsequently eluted using high salt concentration buffer. By using the membrane bioreactor-separator system the overall process for producing Fab was simplified and high product purity and recovery were achieved. The pH of the feed solution had a significant effect on Fab recovery. The rate of IgG fragmentation by papain observed with the membrane bioreactor was about three times higher than that in an equivalent liquid phase reaction.

Purification of PEGylated protein using membrane chromatography.

N-terminus-specific PEGylation was used to produce mono-PEGylated lysozyme. However, some di- and tri-PEGylated proteins were also produced due to side chain reaction. The reaction products were characterized by chromatographic and electrophoretic methods. Commercial cation exchange membrane Sartobind S was used for chromatographic purification of PEGylated lysozyme, the basis of separation being the shielding of protein charge by PEG. Using the membrane chromatographic method, lysozyme and mono-, di-, and tri-PEGylated lysozyme could be resolved into separate peaks. Increasing the superficial velocity during chromatographic separation from 24 cm/h to 240 cm/h increased both protein binding capacity and resolution due to enhancement of protein mass transfer coefficient.

Method for studying immunoglobulin G binding on hydrophobic surfaces.

We used a reactant adsorptive membrane bioreactor separator (or RAMBS) system to examine hydrophobic interaction based binding of human immunoglobulin G (HIgG) on synthetic microporous membranes possessing tunable hydrophobicity. Membrane bound HIgG on being pulsed with papain resulted in Fab being obtained in the flowthrough with Fc remaining bound to the membrane. On the other hand, when membrane bound HIgG was pulsed with pepsin, Fc subfragments were obtained in the flowthrough with F(ab')(2) remaining bound to the membrane. These product profiles suggest that HIgG bound to the membrane through its middle region. Enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA), sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and mass spectrometric analysis of eluate samples obtained from the RAMBS experiments provided evidence that the binding of HIgG took place primarily through the segment consisting of the hinge and C(H)2 domain of Fc. The experimental approach described in this paper could potentially be more widely applicable for studying protein interactions with membrane and surfaces in general.

Integrated fragmentation of human IgG and purification of Fab using a reactant adsorptive membrane bioreactor separator system.

This article discusses an integrated separation-reaction-separation scheme for producing Fab fragment directly from human immunoglobulin G (hIgG) present in serum feed. The novel reactant adsorptive membrane bioreactor separator (or RAMBS) system used in the current study consisted of a stack of microporous adsorptive membranes held within a temperature controlled module. The membrane stack, in the presence of salt, selectively and reversibly adsorbed hIgG by hydrophobic interaction while allowing most other serum proteins to flow through. The bound hIgG was then fragmented by pumping a solution of papain through the reactor at controlled temperature and flow rate. The salt concentration and pH for reaction and separation were systematically optimized using pure hIgG as reactant. The Fab fragment was separated from undigested hIgG and other byproducts such as Fc fragment based on their differences in hydrophobicity. Under optimal conditions, Fab was obtained in the reaction flow through while the other proteins remained bound to the membrane, these being subsequently eluted by lowering the salt concentration. The RAMBS system in addition to being convenient from process integration and intensification points of view also showed higher catalytic efficiency of papain in comparison to that in liquid phase reactions.

Purification of a human immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody from transgenic tobacco using membrane chromatographic processes.

Efficient purification of protein biopharmaceuticals from transgenic plants is a major challenge, primarily due to low target protein expression levels, and high impurity content in the feed streams. These challenges may be addressed by using membrane chromatography. This paper discusses the use of cation-exchange and Protein A affinity-based membrane chromatographic techniques, singly and in combination for the purification of an anti-Pseudomonas aerugenosa O6ad human IgG1 monoclonal antibody from transgenic tobacco. Protein A membrane chromatography on its own was unable to provide a pure product, mainly due to extensive non-specific binding of impurities. Moreover, the Protein A membrane showed severe fouling tendency and generated high back-pressure. With cation-exchange membrane chromatography, minimal membrane fouling and high permeability were observed but high purity could not be achieved using one-step. Therefore, by using a combination of the cation-exchange and Protein A membrane chromatography, in that order, both high purity and recovery were achieved with high permeability. The antibody purification method was first systematically optimized using a simulated feed solution. Anti-P. aeruginosa human IgG1 type monoclonal antibody was then purified from transgenic tobacco juice using this optimized method.

Paper-PEG-based membranes for hydrophobic interaction chromatography: purification of monoclonal antibody.

This article discusses the preparation of novel Paper-PEG interpenetrating polymer network-based membranes as inexpensive alternative to currently available adsorptive membranes. The Paper-PEG membranes were developed for carrying out hydrophobic interaction membrane chromatography (HIMC). PEG is normally very hydrophilic but can undergo phase separation and become hydrophobic in the presence of high antichaotropic salt concentrations. Two variants of the Paper-PEG membranes, Paper-PEG 1 and Paper-PEG 2 were prepared by grafting different amounts of the polymer on filter paper and these were tested for their hydraulic properties and antibody binding capacity. The better of the two membranes (Paper-PEG 1) was then used for purifying the monoclonal antibody hIgG1-CD4 from simulated mammalian cell culture supernatant. The processing conditions required for purification were systematically optimized. The dynamic antibody binding capacity of the Paper-PEG 1 membrane was about 9 mg/mL of bed volume. A single step membrane chromatographic process using Paper-PEG 1 membrane gave high monoclonal antibody purity and recovery. The hydraulic permeability of the paper-based membrane was high and was maintained even after many runs, indicating that membrane fouling was negligible and the membrane was largely incompressible.