Removal of prion infectivity by affinity ligand chromatography during OctaplasLG® manufacturing--results from animal bioassay studies.

BACKGROUND: OctaplasLG(®) is a 2nd-generation virus inactivated pooled plasma for infusion. Prions are removed by the principle of chromatography, utilizing an affinity ligand gel (LG) developed for binding of prion proteins and their infectivity. The goal of this study was to verify, using the gold standard animal bioassay system, whether or not prion infectivity can be removed by the LG affinity step under conditions used in the routine manufacturing process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Aliquots of pooled plasma were spiked with a microsomal/cytosolic (MIC) fraction of brain-derived hamster-adapted scrapie 263K and subjected to the OctaplasLG(®) manufacturing process. Validated Western blot tests and animal bioassays studies were performed to determine the logarithmic reduction factors (RF) and the prion infectivity binding capacity. RESULTS: Bioassay studies demonstrated different logarithmic RFs (i.e. 1·73 and 0·76 log(10)) at two different plasma-to-resin ratios, the latter one representing the actual manufacturing ratio of 100:1, which can be explained by the differences in the study design. However, both bioassay studies showed a reproducible and high prion infectivity binding capacity of ≥5·64 log(10) ID(50)/ml gel. CONCLUSION: Bioassay studies confirmed the capacity of the LG to bind brain-derived MIC prion proteins spiked into plasma. Even through infectivity was still detected following passage over the LG, this can be attributed to the high loads used in the study design, and the binding capacity of the LG still ensures a significant safety margin--binding the prion agents at the levels of prion infectivity that might be present in plasma and beyond.

Prion removal effect of a specific affinity ligand introduced into the manufacturing process of the pharmaceutical quality solvent/detergent (S/D)-treated plasma OctaplasLG.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A new chromatographic step for the selective binding of abnormal prion protein (PrP(Sc)) was developed, and optimization for PrP(Sc) capture was achieved by binding to an affinity ligand attached to synthetic resin particles. This step was implemented into the manufacturing process of the solvent/detergent (S/D)-treated biopharmaceutical quality plasma Octaplas to further improve the safety margin in terms of risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) transmission. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intermediates and Octaplas final container material, spiked with hamster brain-derived PrP(Sc)-containing fractions, were used for experiments to establish the feasibility of introducing this novel chromatography step. The binding capacity per millilitre of ligand gel was determined under the selected manufacturing conditions. In addition, the specificity of the ligand gel to bind PrP(Sc) from human sources was investigated. A validated Western blot test was used for the identification and quantification of PrP(Sc). RESULTS: A reduction factor of > or = 3.0 log(10) could be demonstrated by Western blotting, utilizing the relevant Octaplas matrix from manufacturing. In this particular cell-free plasma solution, the PrP(Sc) binding capacity of the selected gel was very high (> or = 6 log(10) ID(50)/ml, equivalent to roughly 10 log(10) ID(50)/column at manufacturing scale). The gel binds specifically PrP(Sc) from both animal (hamster and mouse) and human (sporadic and variant CJD) sources. CONCLUSION: This new single-use, disposable PrP(Sc)-harvesting gel ensures a very high capacity in terms of removing the pathogenic agent causing vCJD from the new generation OctaplasLG, in the event that prions can be found in plasma from donors incubating the disease and thereby contaminating the raw material plasma used for manufacturing.

Biochemical quality of the pharmaceutically licensed plasma OctaplasLG after implementation of a novel prion protein (PrPSc) removal technology and reduction of the solvent/detergent (S/D) process time.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A new chromatographic step for the selective binding of pathological prion proteins (PrP(Sc)) to an affinity ligand, developed and optimized for PrP(Sc) capture and attached to synthetic resin particles (PRDT, USA; ProMetic BioSciences Ltd, Isle of Man, UK) was implemented into the manufacturing process of the solvent/detergent (S/D) treated biopharmaceutical quality plasma Octaplas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pilot batches of Octaplas with the implemented chromatographic step [labelled as OctaplasLG (ligand gel)] were manufactured by Octapharma PPGmbH, Vienna, Austria. The biochemical quality was compared directly after manufacturing as well as after 18 months storage. All samples were tested on global coagulation parameters, fibrinogen levels, activities of coagulation factors and protease inhibitors, ADAMTS13 levels, as well as markers of activated coagulation and fibrinolysis. In addition, von Willebrand factor multimeric analysis was performed. RESULTS: The incorporation of this novel chromatography into the large-scale routine manufacturing process was shown to be technically feasible and the performance of the column was assessed to be excellent. The biochemical studies showed that Octaplas and OctaplasLG produced without and with the new column, respectively, demonstrate an identical biochemical quality. OctaplasLG remained stable over a period of 18 months stored frozen. A parallel reduction of the S/D virus inactivation step from 4-4.5 to 1-1.5 h led to significantly higher activities of plasmin inhibitor. CONCLUSION: The studies confirmed that the affinity ligand chromatography under the developed conditions can be introduced into the Octaplas manufacturing process, as a mean to reduce potentially present PrP(Sc), without hampering the proven quality of this product.

A biochemical quality study of a pharmaceutically licenced coagulation active plasma (Octaplas) thawed by the SAHARA-III dry tempering system compared to the regular use of a water bath.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The most common way to thaw frozen coagulation-active plasma products for transfusion is the use of a water bath with good circulation at 30-37 degrees C. The aim of this study was to perform an extensive biochemical characterization of the pharmaceutically licenced solvent/detergent-treated plasma, Octaplas, thawed using the SAHARA-III dry tempering system from the company Sarstedt GmbH, Austria. A regular water bath was used in parallel for comparison. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six batches Octaplas with different blood groups were thawed in a water bath or using the SAHARA-III dry tempering system in parallel. Thawed plasma was investigated on screening tests for blood coagulation, as well as on the activities of important coagulation factors and protease inhibitors. In addition, markers of activated coagulation and fibrinolysis were tested and von Willebrand factor multimeric analysis was performed. RESULTS: There were neither significant differences in the blood coagulation parameters, coagulation factors, protease inhibitors, nor of markers of activated coagulation and fibrinolysis when Octaplas thawed by the two different methods was tested. The von Willebrand factor analyses showed no influence on the overall profile of the multimeric pattern when using the SAHARA-III dry tempering system. CONCLUSION: Octaplas can be thawed using the SAHARA-III dry tempering system without any negative influences on the demonstrated quality of this product. The SAHARA-III dry tempering system enables standardized thawing and warming procedure. Furthermore, tempering of Octaplas in the emergency unit or operating theatre, where no water baths can be utilized, is safe and can be fully endorsed.

Normal levels of ADAMTS13 and factor H are present in the pharmaceutically licensed plasma for transfusion (Octaplas) and in the universally applicable plasma (Uniplas) in development.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The pathomechanism of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) is associated with a severe deficiency of ADAMTS13 and factor H. The aim of this study was to quantify the levels of ADAMTS13 and factor H in the pharmaceutically licensed plasma for transfusion, Octaplas, and the universally applicable plasma, Uniplas (development product, working title). Furthermore, Octaplas batches of blood groups A, B, O, AB, and plasmas derived from different sources were compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four Octaplas and three Uniplas batches were selected for the study. ADAMTS13 activities were measured by fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay, ADAMTS13 antigen levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test kit, while factor H antigen levels were detected using radial immunodiffusion (RID) methods. In addition, von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimeric analyses were performed. RESULTS: Both Octaplas, produced from US and European plasma of different blood groups, and Uniplas contain ADAMTS13 antigen and activity levels as well as factor H concentrations at normal levels without significant differences. In addition, Octaplas and Uniplas show a vWF multimeric pattern comparable to normal plasma. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that Octaplas and Uniplas contain normal levels of ADAMTS13 at low batch-to-batch variations. Therefore, both products can substitute the missing or neutralized protease activity in TTP patients and thereby limit vWF-dependent (platelet-related) thrombosis. In addition, both plasma products contain factor H at a physiological level, and, thus can be used efficiently in the treatment of aHUS patients, which have been shown to benefit from plasma administration.

Characterisation of a novel high-purity, double virus inactivated von Willebrand Factor and Factor VIII concentrate (Wilate).

This study summarises the biochemical and functional properties of a new generation plasma-derived, double virus inactivated von Willebrand Factor/Factor VIII (VWF/FVIII) concentrate, Wilate, targeted for the treatment of both von Willebrand disease (VWD) and haemophilia A. The manufacturing process comprises two chromatographic steps based on different performance principles, ensuring a high purity of the concentrate (mean specific activity in 15 consecutive production batches: 122 IU FVIII:C/mg total protein) and, thus, minimising the administered protein load to the patient (specification: < or = 15 mg total protein per 900 IU Wilate). The optimised solvent/detergent (S/D) treatment and prolonged terminal dry-heat (PermaHeat) treatment of the lyophilised product at a specified residual moisture (RM) provide two mechanistically independent, effective and robust virus inactivation procedures for enveloped viruses and one step for non-enveloped viruses. These process steps are aggressive enough to inactivate viruses efficiently, but yet gentle enough to maintain the structural integrity and function of the VWF and FVIII molecules, as proven by state-of-the-art assays covering the diverse features of importance. The VWF multimeric pattern is close to the one displayed by normal plasma, with a consistent content of more than 10 multimers, but a relatively lower portion of the very high multimers. The multimeric triplet structure is normal, underlining the gentle and effective manufacturing process, which does not require the addition of protein stabilisers at any step. The balanced activity ratio of VWF to FVIII is close to that of plasma from healthy subjects, rendering Wilate suitable also for the safe and effective treatment of patients with VWD.