Analytical chromatography approaches during the synthesis and conjugation of methoxypolyethylene glycol-succinimidyl butanoate (mPEG-SBA) to epoetin beta.

Conjugation of epoetin beta (EPO) with methoxypolyethylene glycol-succinimidyl butanoate (mPEG-SBA) was studied. The compound mPEG-SBA was synthesized from mPEG, and the obtained intermediates and final product were analyzed by a reversed-phase chromatographic system equipped with an evaporative light scattering detector. Labeling the hydroxyl group in PEGs with benzoyl chloride and succinimide with benzylamine was applied to resolve and characterize different PEGs. The synthesized mPEG-SBA was used for the PEGylation of EPO. A size-exclusion chromatographic method monitored the reaction, simultaneously determining the PEGylated and unreacted EPO and protein aggregates. A borate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7.8) and PEG/protein molar ratio of 3:1 produced a maximum amount of monoPEGylated EPO with the minimum amount of polyPEGylated EPO variants. Although EPO is considered a stable glycoprotein hormone that remains monomeric when refrigerated, PEGylation of EPO with mPEG-SBA resulted in the significant formation of EPO dimer. The formation of EPO dimer and polyPEGylated EPO was pH-dependent, showing higher amounts of aggregates and lower amounts of polyPEGylated forms in lower pH values. Accordingly, aggregated EPO should be considered a major PEGylation-related impurity. In conclusion, the present study highlighted the importance of having suitable analytical approaches in controlling mPEG-SBA synthesis and conjugation to EPO.