N-Acetylated-L-arginine (NALA) is an enhanced protein aggregation suppressor under interfacial stresses and elevated temperature for protein liquid formulations

Even though arginine hydrochloride has been recognized as a protein aggregation suppressor in the biopharmaceutical industry, its use has been questioned due to decreasing transition unfolding temperatures (T-m). Four compounds were designed to enhance the role of arginine by changing the length of the carbon chain with removal or N-acetylation of alpha-amino group. Biophysical properties were observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and flow imaging (FI). NAcetyl-L-arginine (NALA) performed the best at minimizing decrease in T-m with arginine at different pH. NALA also demonstrated relatively higher colloidal stability than arginine hydrochloride, especially in the acidic pH, thereby reducing agitation stress of IgG. Moreover, NALA exhibited a cooperative effect with commercially used glycine buffer for WIG to maintain the monomer contents with almost no change and suppressed larger particle formation after agitation with heat. The study concludes that the decreasing T-m of proteins by arginine hydrochloride is due to amide group in the alpha-carbon chain. Moreover, chemical modification on the group compared to removing it will be a breakthrough of arginine's limitations and optimize storage stability of protein therapeutics. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study improved the role of arginine hydrochloride in biopharmaceutical industry by using compound N-Acetyl-L-arginine (NALA), which can significantly minimize the decrease in T-m at different pH, enhance colloidal stability, reduce agitation stress of protein, and cooperate with glycine buffer to maintain monomer content and suppress larger particle formation. The study suggests that the decrease in protein T-m caused by arginine hydrochloride is due to the amide group in the alpha-carbon chain.