Alex Xenopoulos

Analysis of host-cell proteins in biotherapeutic proteins by comprehensive online two-dimensional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Assays for identification and quantification of host-cell proteins (HCPs) in biotherapeutic proteins over 5 orders of magnitude in concentration are presented. The HCP assays consist of two types: HCP identification using comprehensive online two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (2D-LC/MS), followed by high-throughput HCP quantification by liquid chromatography, multiple reaction monitoring (LC-MRM). The former is described as a “discovery” assay, the latter as a “monitoring” assay. Purified biotherapeutic proteins (e.g., monoclonal antibodies) were digested with trypsin after reduction and alkylation, and the digests were fractionated using reversed-phase (RP) chromatography at high pH (pH 10) by a step gradient in the first dimension, followed by a high-resolution separation at low pH (pH 2.5) in the second dimension. As peptides eluted from the second dimension, a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer was used to detect the peptides and their fragments simultaneously by alternating the collision cell energy between a low and an elevated energy (MSE methodology). The MSE data was used to identify and quantify the proteins in the mixture using a proven label-free quantification technique (“Hi3” method). The same data set was mined to subsequently develop target peptides and transitions for monitoring the concentration of selected HCPs on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in a high-throughput manner (20 min LC-MRM analysis). This analytical methodology was applied to the identification and quantification of low-abundance HCPs in six samples of PTG1, a recombinant chimeric anti-phosphotyrosine monoclonal antibody (mAb). Thirty three HCPs were identified in total from the PTG1 samples among which 21 HCP isoforms were selected for MRM monitoring. The absolute quantification of three selected HCPs was undertaken on two different LC-MRM platforms after spiking isotopically labeled peptides in the samples. Finally, the MRM quantitation results were compared with TOF-based quantification based on the Hi3 peptides, and the TOF and MRM data sets correlated reasonably well. The results show that the assays provide detailed valuable information to understand the relative contributions of purification schemes to the nature and concentrations of HCP impurities in biopharmaceutical samples, and the assays can be used as generic methods for HCP analysis in the biopharmaceutical industry.

A new, integrated, continuous purification process template for monoclonal antibodies: Process modeling and cost of goods studies

An evolving biopharmaceutical industry requires advancements in biomanufacturing that offer increased productivity and improved economics without sacrificing process robustness. Accordingly, we have developed a new monoclonal antibody purification template comprised of flocculation-based clarification, capture by continuous multi-column protein A chromatography and flow-through polishing. The new process offers a robust, single-use manufacturing solution while significantly reducing overall cost of goods. Modeling studies verify that the individual clarification, capture and polishing solutions offer significant advantages as stand-alone unit operations. These technologies were also designed to be integrated into a continuous purification template. Process modeling studies have been used to highlight both cost and operational advantages of the new process template. Depending on scale, savings of more than 20% and 60% were seen for commercial and clinical operation, respectively. Integrating the technologies into a continuous process consistently offered additional cost advantages. During template development, process modeling was instrumental in highlighting the importance of identifying technologies that provided high product yield and purification factors. Additionally, high product concentration and eliminating the need for intermediate product dilution emerged as important considerations for newly developed unit operations. Combining experimental work with insights from modeling can significantly improve the outcome of product and process development.

Production and purification of plasmid DNA vaccines: is there scope for further innovation?

The demand for plasmid DNA (pDNA) has vastly increased over the past decade in response to significant advances that have been made in its application for gene therapy and vaccine development. Plasmid DNA-based vaccines are experiencing a resurgence due to success with prime-boost immunization strategies. The challenge has always been poor productivity and delivery of pDNA. Plasmid DNA-based vaccines have traditionally required milligram scale of GMP-grade product for vaccination due to the relatively low efficacy and duration of gene expression. However, efforts to increase pDNA vaccine effectiveness are evolving in genetic manipulations of bacterial host, improvements in product recovery and innovative delivery methods. This review summarizes recent advances in large-scale pDNA vaccine manufacturing, ranging from upstream processing, downstream processing and formulation, as such information is usually not available to the scientific community. The article will highlight technology gaps and offer insight on further scope of innovation.

The effect of antiapoptosis genes on clarification performance

Optimal bioreactor harvest time is typically determined based on maximizing product titer without compromising product quality. We suggest that ease of downstream purification should also be considered during harvest. In this view, we studied the effect of antiapoptosis genes on downstream performance. Our hypothesis was that more robust cells would exhibit less cell lysis and thus generate lower levels of cell debris and host‐cell contaminants. We focused on the clarification unit operation, measuring postclarification turbidity and host‐cell protein (HCP) concentration as a function of bioreactor harvest time/cell viability. In order to mimic primary clarification using disk‐stack centrifugation, a scale‐down model consisting of a rotating disk (to simulate shear in the inlet feed zone of the centrifuge) and a swinging‐bucket lab centrifuge was used. Our data suggest that in the absence of shear during primary clarification (typical of depth filters), a 20–50% reduction in HCP levels and 50–65% lower postcentrifugation turbidity was observed for cells with antiapoptosis genes compared to control cells. However, on exposing the cells to shear levels typical in a disk‐stack centrifuge, the reduction in HCP was 10–15% while no difference in postcentrifugation turbidity was observed. The maximum benefit of antiapoptosis genes is, therefore, realized using clarification options that involve low shear, <1 × 106 W/m3 and minimal damage to the cells.