Quality assessment and analysis of Biogen Idec compound library.

A subset of the compound repository for lead identification at Biogen Idec was characterized for its chemical stability over a 3-year period. Compounds were stored at 4 degrees C as 10 mM DMSO stocks, and a small subset of compounds was stored as lyophilized dry films. Compound integrity of 470 discrete compounds (Compound Set I) and 1917 combinatorial chemistry-derived compounds (Compound Set II) was evaluated by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry from the time of acquisition into the library collection and after 3 years of storage. Loss of compound integrity over the 3 years of storage was observed across the 2 subsets tested. Of Compound Set I, 63% of samples retained > 80% purity, whereas 57% of samples from Compound Set II had purity greater than 60%. The stability of the lyophilized samples was superior to the samples stored as DMSO solution. Although storage at 4 degrees C as DMSO solution was adequate for the majority of compounds, the authors observed and quantified the level of degradation within the compound collection. Their study provides general insight into compound storage and selection of library subsets for future lead identification activities.

Expression, purification, and characterization of rat interferon-beta, and preparation of an N-terminally PEGylated form with improved pharmacokinetic parameters.

To identify potential new clinical uses and routes of administration for human interferon-beta-1a (IFN-beta-1a), we have developed an expression and purification procedure for the preparation of highly purified rat interferon-beta (IFN-beta) suitable for testing in rat models of human disease. An expression vector containing the rat IFN-beta signal sequence and structural gene was constructed and transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The protein was purified from CHO cell conditioned medium and purified to > 99.5% purity using standard chromatographic techniques. Analytical characterization indicated that the protein was a heavily glycosylated monomeric protein, with two of the four predicted N-glycosylation sites occupied. Analysis of the attached oligosaccharides showed them to be a complex mixture of bi-antennary, tri-antennary, and tetra-antennary structures with a predominance of sialylated tri-antennary and tetra-antennary structures. Peptide mapping, N-terminal sequencing, and mass spectrometry confirmed the identity and integrity of the purified protein. The purified protein had a specific activity of 2.1x10(8)U/mg when assayed on rat RATEC cells, which is similar in magnitude to the potencies observed for murine IFN-beta and human IFN-beta-1a assayed on murine and human cells, respectively. We also prepared an N-terminally PEGylated form of rat IFN-beta in which a 20 kDa methoxy polyethylene glycol (PEG)-propionaldehyde was attached to the N-terminal alpha-amino group of Ile-1. The PEGylated protein, which retained essentially full in vitro antiviral activity, had improved pharmacokinetic parameters in rats as compared to the unmodified protein. Both the unmodified and PEGylated forms of rat IFN-beta will be useful for testing in rat models of human disease.