RESUMO
A simple membrane-based purification process for cell culture-derived influenza virus was established that relies on only two chromatographic unit operations to achieve the contamination limits required according to regulatory authorities. After clarification and concentration, a pseudo-affinity membrane adsorber (sulfated cellulose, SCMA) was applied for virus capture. The subsequent polishing step consisted of a salt-tolerant anion exchange membrane adsorber (STMA) to bind residual DNA. For the presented process neither a buffer exchange step nor a nuclease step for further DNA digestion were required. As a starting point, a two-salt strategy (including a polyvalent ion) was employed to screen STMA conditions in a 96-well plate format. After optimization on chromatographic laboratory scale, the virus recovery was up to 97% with a residual DNA level below 0.82%. In addition, the STMA was characterized regarding its dynamic binding capacity and the impact of flow rate on yields and contamination levels. Overall, the total virus yield for influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (H1/N1) of this two-step membrane process was 75%, while the protein and the DNA contamination level could be reduced to 24% and at least 0.5%, respectively. With 19.8µg protein and 1.2ng DNA per monovalent dose, this purity level complies with the limits of the European Pharmacopeia for cell culture-derived vaccines for human use. Overall, the presented downstream process might serve as a generic and economic platform technology for production of cell culture-derived viruses and viral vectors.
Assuntos
Técnicas de Cultura de Células/métodos , Cromatografia Líquida/métodos , Vírus da Influenza A/isolamento & purificação , Virologia/métodos , Adsorção , Animais , Ânions/química , Biotecnologia/métodos , Celulose/análogos & derivados , Cromatografia Líquida/economia , Contaminação por DNA , DNA Viral/isolamento & purificação , Cães , Humanos , Vírus da Influenza A/genética , Vírus da Influenza A/imunologia , Vacinas contra Influenza/química , Vacinas contra Influenza/farmacologia , Células Madin Darby de Rim Canino , Membranas/química , Membranas/virologia , Proteínas Virais/isolamento & purificaçãoRESUMO
Vaccination is still the most efficient measure to protect against influenza virus infections. Besides the seasonal wave of influenza, pandemic outbreaks of bird or swine flu represent a high threat to human population. With the establishment of cell culture-based processes, there is a growing demand for robust, economic and efficient downstream processes for influenza virus purification. This study focused on the development of an economic flow-through chromatographic process avoiding virus strain sensitive capture steps. Therefore, a three-step process consisting of anion exchange chromatography (AEC), Benzonase(®) treatment, and size exclusion chromatography with a ligand-activated core (LCC) was established, and tested for purification of two influenza A virus strains and one influenza B virus strain. The process resulted in high virus yields (≥68%) with protein contamination levels fulfilling requirements of the European Pharmacopeia for production of influenza vaccines for human use. DNA was depleted by ≥98.7% for all strains. The measured DNA concentrations per dose were close to the required limits of 10ng DNA per dose set by the European Pharmacopeia. In addition, the added Benzonase(®) could be successfully removed from the product fraction. Overall, the presented downstream process could potentially represent a simple, robust and economic platform technology for production of cell culture-derived influenza vaccines.
