Determination of critical quality attributes for monoclonal antibodies using quality by design principles.

Quality by design (QbD) is a global regulatory initiative with the goal of enhancing pharmaceutical development through the proactive design of pharmaceutical manufacturing process and controls to consistently deliver the intended performance of the product. The principles of pharmaceutical development relevant to QbD are described in the ICH guidance documents (ICHQ8-11). An integrated set of risk assessments and their related elements developed at Roche/Genentech were designed to provide an overview of product and process knowledge for the production of a recombinant monoclonal antibody. This chapter describes the identification of critical quality attributes (CQAs) as an important first step for QbD development of biopharmaceuticals. A systematic scientific based risk ranking and filtering approach allows a thorough understanding of quality attributes and an assignment of criticality for their impact on drug safety and efficacy. To illustrate the application of the approach and tools, a few examples from monoclonal antibodies are shown. The identification of CQAs is a continuous process and will further drive the structure and function characterization of therapeutic proteins.

Comparison of methods for the analysis of therapeutic immunoglobulin G Fc-glycosylation profiles--part 1: separation-based methods.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) crystallizable fragment (Fc) glycosylation is crucial for antibody effector functions, such as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and for their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics behavior. To monitor the Fc-glycosylation in bioprocess development, as well as product characterization and release analytics, reliable techniques for glycosylation analysis are needed. A wide range of analytical methods has found its way into these applications. In this study, a comprehensive comparison was performed of separation-based methods for Fc-glycosylation profiling of an IgG biopharmaceutical. A therapeutic antibody reference material was analyzed 6-fold on 2 different days, and the methods were compared for precision, accuracy, throughput and other features; special emphasis was placed on the detection of sialic acid-containing glycans. Seven, non-mass spectrometric methods were compared; the methods utilized liquid chromatography-based separation of fluorescent-labeled glycans, capillary electrophoresis-based separation of fluorescent-labeled glycans, or high-performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-ultra high performance liquid chromatography of 2-aminobenzamide (2-AB)-labeled glycans was used as a reference method. All of the methods showed excellent precision and accuracy; some differences were observed, particularly with regard to the detection and quantitation of minor glycan species, such as sialylated glycans.

Analytical protein a chromatography as a quantitative tool for the screening of methionine oxidation in monoclonal antibodies.

The presence of oxidized methionine residues in therapeutic monoclonal antibodies can potentially impact drug efficacy, safety, as well as antibody half-life in vivo. Therefore, methionine oxidation of antibodies is a strong focus during pharmaceutical development and a well-known degradation pathway. The monitoring of methionine oxidation is currently routinely performed by peptide mapping/liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques, which are laborious and time consuming. We have established analytical protein A chromatography as a method of choice for fast and quantitative screening of total Fc methionine oxidation during formulation and process development. The principle of this method relies on the lower binding affinity of protein A for immunoglobulin G-Fc domains containing oxidized methionines, compared with nonoxidized Fc domains. Our data reveal that highly conserved Fc methionines situated close to the binding site to protein A can serve as marker for the oxidation of other surface-exposed methionine residues. In case of poor separation of oxidized species by protein A chromatography, analytical protein G chromatography is proposed as alternative. We demonstrate that analytical protein A chromatography, and alternatively protein G chromatography, is a valuable tool for the screening of methionine oxidation in therapeutic antibodies during formulation and process development.

A diet based on high-heat-treated foods promotes risk factors for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: The modern Western lifestyle is characterized by the consumption of high-heat-treated foods because of their characteristic taste and flavor. However, it has been shown that treating food at high temperatures can generate potentially harmful compounds that promote inflammation and cardiovascular disease in subjects with diabetes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether high-heat-treated foods also pose a risk for healthy subjects. DESIGN: A randomized, crossover, diet-controlled intervention trial with 62 volunteers was designed to compare the potential metabolic effects of 2 diets, one that was based on mild steam cooking and another that was based on high-temperature cooking. These 2 diets differed mainly in their contents of Maillard reaction products (MRPs). MRPs were assessed in the diet and in subjects' feces, blood, and urine samples, with N(epsilon)-carboxymethyllysine as an indicator of MRPs. Biological indicators of glucose and lipid metabolism as well as oxidative stress were analyzed in subjects after 1 mo on each diet. RESULTS: In comparison with the steamed diet, 1 mo of consuming the high-heat-treated diet induced significantly lower insulin sensitivity and plasma concentrations of long-chain n-3 (omega-3) fatty acids and vitamins C and E [-17% (P < 0.002), -13% (P < 0.0001), and -8% (P < 0.01), respectively]. However, concentrations of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides increased [+5% (P < 0.01) and +9% (P < 0.01), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: A diet that is based on high-heat-treated foods increases markers associated with an enhanced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in healthy people. Replacing high-heat-treatment techniques by mild cooking techniques may help to positively modulate biomarkers associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.

S-(2-Succinyl)cysteine: a novel chemical modification of tissue proteins by a Krebs cycle intermediate.

S-(2-Succinyl)cysteine (2SC) has been identified as a chemical modification in plasma proteins, in the non-mercaptalbumin fraction of human plasma albumin, in human skin collagen, and in rat skeletal muscle proteins and urine. 2SC increases in human skin collagen with age and is increased in muscle protein of diabetic vs. control rats. The concentration of 2SC in skin collagen and muscle protein correlated strongly with that of the advanced glycation/lipoxidation end-product (AGE/ALE), N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML). 2SC is formed by a Michael addition reaction of cysteine sulfhydryl groups with fumarate at physiological pH. Fumarate, but not succinate, inactivates the sulfhydryl enzyme, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in vitro, in concert with formation of 2SC. 2SC is the first example of spontaneous chemical modification of protein by a metabolic intermediate in the Krebs cycle. These observations identify fumarate as an endogenous electrophile and suggest a role for fumarate in regulation of metabolism.

Identification of N7-(1-carboxyethyl)-arginine, a novel posttranslational protein modification of arginine formed at high hydrostatic pressure.

An aqueous solution of Nalpha-acetylarginine (0.1 mol/L) and glucose (0.3 mol/L) in 0.5 mol/L 3-[N-morpholino]propanesulfonic acid (5 mL; pH 7.0) was incubated at 110 degrees C for 2 h with application of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). After enzymic deacetylation, the arginine modifications formed were separated by ion exchange chromatography. Besides N5-(4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-L-ornithine, the novel arginine modification N7-(1-carboxyethyl)-arginine was identified based on NMR and LC/MS measurements and synthesis-in particular, in samples reacted at a pressure of 600 MPa. As compared to samples treated at normal pressure, both compounds were formed in higher amounts at increased pressure.

Tissue-specific variation in glycation of proteins in diabetes: evidence for a functional role of amadoriase enzymes.

The Amadori product fructoselysine (FL), an intermediate in the formation of many advanced glycation end products, may be deglycated by various pathways. These include spontaneous chemical degradation or enzymatic deglycation by amadoriases. This study was designed to compare changes in FL in various tissues in response to changes in glycemia, thereby testing tissue-specific deglycation. FL content in skin collagen, red cell hemoglobin, and total muscle, liver, and brain protein was analyzed by isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Mean blood glucose increased over fourfold in diabetic versus control rats, whereas changes in glycation of proteins varied from fivefold in collagen to no change in the liver and brain. These results suggest significant differences among tissues in the activity of deglycating enzymes and/or protein turnover.

Model studies on the influence of high hydrostatic pressure on the formation of glycated arginine modifications at elevated temperatures.

Aqueous solutions of Nalpha-acetylarginine and glucose were reacted for 2 h with pressure application from 0 to 600 MPa and varying temperatures between 90 and 120 degrees C. After enzymatic deacetylation of the reaction products, the glycated amino acids were separated by means of a self-assembled preparative ion exchange chromatography system using ninhydrin detection. On the basis of the use of eight synthesized reference compounds known in the literature as posttranslational arginine modifications, first, the presence of several glycated amino acids could be excluded. On the other hand, N5-[[(1-carboxyethyl)amino]iminomethyl]ornithine [N7-(1-carboxyethyl)arginine; N7-CEA; 12] was identified as a previously unknown arginine modification based on LC-MS, NMR measurements, and synthesis. In addition, N5-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl)-L-ornithine (1) was identified as a further major reaction product. In further experiments, the formation of 1 and 12 was quantitatively followed at different pressures and/or temperatures. The results indicated that high hydrostatic pressure at elevated temperatures significantly increased the amounts of both arginine modifications. 2-Oxopropanal, known to form 1 in a reaction with arginine, was also quantified to explain the different yields observed after pressure application. A new formation mechanism leading to 12 by a reaction of the guanidine group or arginine with 2-oxopropanal is discussed.

Chemical modification of muscle protein in diabetes.

Levels of glycation (fructose-lysine, FL) and advanced glycoxidation and lipoxidation end-products (AGE/ALEs) were measured in total skeletal (gastrocnemius) muscle and myofibril protein and compared to levels of the same compounds in insoluble skin collagen of control and diabetic rats. Levels of FL in total muscle and myofibril protein were 3-5% the level of FL in skin collagen. The AGE/ALEs, N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and N(epsilon)-(carboxyethyl)lysine, were also significantly lower in total muscle and myofibril protein, approximately 25% of levels in skin collagen. The newly described sulfhydryl AGE/ALE, S-(carboxymethyl)cysteine (CMC), was also measured in muscle; levels of CMC were comparable to those of CML and increased similarly in response to diabetes. Although FL and AGE/ALEs increased in muscle protein in diabetes, the relative increase was less than that seen in skin collagen. These data indicate that muscle protein is partially protected against the increase in both glycation and AGE/ALE formation in diabetes.