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The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relative binding and potencies of three inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), used to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and assess their relevance in the context of clinical outcome. Ranibizumab is a 48 kDa antigen binding fragment, which lacks a fragment crystallizable (Fc) region and is rapidly cleared from systemic circulation. Aflibercept, a 110 kDa fusion protein, and bevacizumab, a 150 kDa monoclonal antibody, each contain an Fc region. Binding affinities were determined using Biacore analysis. Competitive binding by sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC) was used to support the binding affinities determined by Biacore of ranibizumab and aflibercept to VEGF. A bovine retinal microvascular endothelial cell (BREC) proliferation assay was used to measure potency. Biacore measurements were format dependent, especially for aflibercept, suggesting that biologically relevant, true affinities of recombinant VEGF (rhVEGF) and its inhibitors are yet to be determined. Despite this assay format dependency, ranibizumab appeared to be a very tight VEGF binder in all three formats. The results are also very comparable to those reported previously.1-3 At equivalent molar ratios, ranibizumab was able to displace aflibercept from preformed aflibercept/VEGF complexes in solution as assessed by SV-AUC, whereas aflibercept was not able to significantly displace ranibizumab from preformed ranibizumab/VEGF complexes. Ranibizumab, aflibercept, and bevacizumab showed dose-dependent inhibition of BREC proliferation induced by 6 ng/mL VEGF, with average IC50 values of 0.088 ± 0.032, 0.090 ± 0.009, and 0.500 ± 0.091 nM, respectively. Similar results were obtained with 3 ng/mL VEGF. In summary Biacore studies and SV-AUC solution studies show that aflibercept does not bind with higher affinity than ranibizumab to VEGF as recently reported,4 and both inhibitors appeared to be equipotent with respect to their ability to inhibit VEGF function.

BAFF (B cell activating factor), a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family cytokine with no amino-terminal tag (Ala134-BAFF) is constructed to characterize the ability of BAFF to form 60-mers in solution and the consequences for functional activity. The results show that the formation of the 60-mer in solution by the BAFF extracellular domain is an intrinsic property of the protein, and hence that this more active form of BAFF might be physiologically relevant.

Receptor binding, signaling, and neuronal survival are studied to clarify whether glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) receptor alpha-1 [GFR(alpha1)], the glycosylphosphatidylinositol ((GPI)-linked coreceptor for GDNF, is also a functional coreceptor for artemin (ART). Using GFR(alpha1)-transfected NB41 A3 cells, ART showed no detectable competition against the binding of (super 125)I-labeled GDNF.

Results demonstrate that post-translational modification of the N-terminus of the Sonic hedgegog sinaling protein by hydrophobic adducts, composed of long-chain fatty acid amides, leads to a 100-fold increases in the potency of the protein. Data indicate that the modifications do not alter protein's receptor affinity.

The biophysical/functional properties of wild-type human Sonic hedgehog (ShhN) have been compared with those of mutants in which some zinc-coordinating residues are mutated to alanine. Properties of the E176A mutant were not distinguishable from those of wild-type ShhN. The residue apparently does not contribute significantly to stabilization of the zinc-binding site. ShhN does not seem to require hydrolase activity for in vitro biological function.

Studies were conducted to measure the affinities of LT[beta]R protein binding to LIGHT and determine the stoichiometries of binding. SEC-LS scattering was used to determine the stoichiometry for protein-protein interactions and the isothermal calorimetric titration of LIGHT with LT[beta]R demonstrated stoichiometries of 1:2.

The binding of mono- and bivalent forms of the receptors B cell maturation protein (BCMA) and B cell activating factor of the TNF family (BAFF) receptor, BAFFR to BAFF and a proliferation-inducing ligand, APRIL are characterized. The quantitative assessment of the affinity of receptor binding to each ligand is made possible by using soluble, mono- and bivalent forms of these candidate receptors.

Subvisible particle formation in monoclonal antibody drug product resulting from mixing and filling operations represents a significant processing risk that can lead to filter fouling and thereby lead to process delays or failures. Several previous studies from our lab and others demonstrated the formation of subvisible particulates in mAb formulations resulting from mixing operations using some bottom-mounted mixers or stirrer bars. It was hypothesized that the stress (e.g., shear/cavitation) derived from tight clearance and/or close contact between the impeller and shaft was responsible for protein subvisible particulate generation. These studies, however, could not distinguish between the two surfaces without contact (tight clearance) or between two contacting surfaces (close contact). In the present study we expand on those findings and utilize small-scale mixing models that are able to, for the first time, distinguish between tight clearances and tight contact. In this study we evaluated different mixer types including a top-mounted mixer, several impeller-based bottom-mounted mixers, and a rotary piston pump. The impact of tight clearance/close contact on subvisible particle formation in at-scale mixing platforms was demonstrated in the gap between the impeller and drive unit as well as between the piston and the housing of the pump. Furthermore, small-scale mixing models based on different designs of magnetic stir bars that mimic the tight clearance/close contact of the manufacturing-scale mixers also induced subvisible particles in mAb formulations. Additional small-scale models that feature tight clearance but no close contact (grinding) suggested that it is the repeated grinding/contacting of the moving parts and not the presence of tight clearance in the processing equipment that is the root cause of protein subvisible particulate formation. When multiple mAbs, Fabs (fragment antigen binding), or non-antibody related proteins were mixed in the small-scale mixing model, for molecules investigated, it was observed that mAbs and Fabs appear to be more susceptible to particle formation than non-antibody-related proteins. In the grinding zone, mAb/Fab molecules aggregated into insoluble particles with neither detectable soluble aggregates nor fragmented species. This investigation represents a step closer to the understanding of the underlying stress mechanism leading to mAb subvisible particulate formation as the result of drug product processing. LAY ABSTRACT: Mixing and fill finish are important unit operations in drug product manufacturing for compounding (dilution, pooling, homogenization, etc.) and filling into primary packaging containers (vials, pre-filled syringes, etc.), respectively. The current trend in adopting bottom-mounted mixers as well as low fill-volume filling systems has raised concerns about their impact on drug product quality and process performance. However, investigations into the effects of their use for biopharmaceutical products, particularly monoclonal antibody formulations, are rarely published. The purpose of this study is three-fold: (1) to revisit the impact of bottom-mounted mixer design on monoclonal antibody subvisible particle formation; (2) to identify the root cause for subvisible particle formation; and (3) to fully utilize available particle analysis tools to demonstrate the correlation between particle count in the solution and filter fouling during sterile filtration. The outcomes of this study will benefit scientists and engineers who develop biologic product manufacturing processes by providing a better understanding of drug product process challenges., (© PDA, Inc. 2017.)

We have identified a small-molecule inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) that promotes subunit disassembly of this trimeric cytokine family member. The compound inhibits TNF-alpha activity in biochemical and cell-based assays with median inhibitory concentrations of 22 and 4.6 micromolar, respectively. Formation of an intermediate complex between the compound and the intact trimer results in a 600-fold accelerated subunit dissociation rate that leads to trimer dissociation. A structure solved by x-ray crystallography reveals that a single compound molecule displaces a subunit of the trimer to form a complex with a dimer of TNF-alpha subunits.

A microtiter plate assay measuring the binding of cells expressing integrins alpha4beta1 or alpha4beta7 to VCAM-1 and MAdCAM-1, expressed as Ig fusion proteins, was used to explore the interplay between the variables of integrin beta-chain, identity and density of ligand, and identity and concentration of activating cations. Both Mn2+ and Mg2+ supported binding of either integrin to either ligand. Ca2+ supported only the binding of alpha4beta1 to VCAM-Ig. Cation concentrations required for half-maximal binding (EC50) ranged from 0.8-280 microM for Mn2+ and 0.8-30 mM for Mg2+, being thus 2-3 logs lower for Mn2+ compared to Mg2+ independent of ligand. EC50 values for binding of alpha4beta1 to VCAM-Ig were 30-45-fold lower compared to MAdCAM-Ig, while alpha4beta7 showed an opposite 3-15-fold selectivity for MAdCAM-Ig over VCAM-Ig. The density of ligand required for adhesion via alpha4beta1 was markedly lower with Mn2+ versus Mg2+, and with VCAM-Ig versus MAdCAM-Ig. These results were interpreted in terms of a coupled equilibrium model, in which binding of activating metal ions and of integrin ligands each stabilizes activated integrin. We conclude that Mn2+ and Mg2+ bind to common regulatory sites with different affinities, producing similar activated states of the integrin. The resulting activated alpha4beta1 binds more strongly to VCAM-Ig versus MAdCAM-Ig by 30-45-fold, while similarly activated alpha4beta7 binds more strongly to MAdCAM-Ig versus VCAM-Ig by 3-15-fold. Inhibition studies showed that Ca2+ also binds to regulatory sites on both integrins. However, the Ca2+-activated state of alpha4beta1 is distinct from that achieved by Mn2+ and Mg2+, possessing increased selectivity for binding to VCAM-1 versus MAdCAM-1.