Anti-Prolactin Receptor Antibody Formulation Viscosity Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current anti-prolactin receptor antibody formulations face challenges with high protein concentrations, including phase separation, gelation, crystallization, and increased viscosity, which complicate processing and injection, and often require high concentrations of stabilizers that can lead to injection pain due to hypertonic solutions.

Innovation Solution

Development of anti-PRLR antibody formulations with a wide concentration range that are substantially isotonic and low viscosity, using organic or inorganic salts for buffering, along with sugars and surfactants to maintain osmolality and stability, while minimizing salt concentrations to reduce tissue damage and improve processing and injection ease.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If high protein concentrations are used in antibody formulations, then dosage volume is reduced and treatment efficiency is improved, but phase separation, gelation, and crystallization occur leading to formulation instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantibody concentrationVSAvoidformulation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by systematically optimizing pH, ionic strength, and excipient concentrations to stabilize high-concentration antibody formulations. Specific pH ranges (5.5-6.5) and buffer compositions are identified to prevent phase separation and maintain solubility at concentrations up to 150 mg/mL

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses excipients as intermediary substances to mediate between high antibody concentration and formulation stability. Surfactants (e.g., polysorbate 80), sugars (e.g., sucrose, trehalose), and amino acids (e.g., arginine, glycine) act as mediators that prevent aggregation and phase separation while enabling high protein concentrations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If high protein concentrations are used in antibody formulations, then injection volume is reduced, but viscosity increases making processing and injection difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantibody concentrationVSAvoidprocessing and injection ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs parameter changes by optimizing formulation pH and ionic strength to decouple concentration from viscosity. By maintaining pH in the 5.5-6.5 range and controlling salt concentrations, the patent achieves low viscosity even at 150 mg/mL antibody concentration, enabling ease of processing and injection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses specific excipients as intermediaries to reduce viscosity at high concentrations. Amino acids like arginine and glycine, along with sugars, act as viscosity-modulating agents that enable high antibody concentrations while maintaining fluidity for easy injection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If high concentrations of stabilizers are used to maintain protein stability, then formulation stability is improved, but osmolality increases causing injection pain and tissue damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotein stabilityVSAvoidinjection pain and tissue damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the types and concentrations of stabilizers to achieve protein stability at lower osmolality. By selecting specific excipients and controlling their concentrations within defined ranges, the patent maintains protein stability while keeping formulations substantially isosmotic to reduce injection pain

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of high stabilizer concentrations into a benefit by carefully selecting excipients that provide both stabilization and osmolality control. The same excipients that stabilize the antibody (sugars, amino acids) are used at optimized concentrations to maintain isotonicity, turning a potential source of tissue damage into a benefit for patient comfort

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Stability of the object's composition

If salt concentrations are increased to buffer the formulation, then pH stability is improved, but osmolality increases leading to hypertonic solutions and injection pain

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovepH stabilityVSAvoidinjection pain
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing buffer composition and concentration to achieve pH stability with minimal impact on osmolality. By selecting specific buffer systems and controlling ionic strength, the patent maintains pH stability while keeping formulations substantially isosmotic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses excipients that serve multiple functions simultaneously. Sugars and amino acids provide both pH buffering capacity and osmolality control, while also acting as protein stabilizers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional salts that would increase osmolality and cause injection pain

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9023357B2Anti-prolactin receptor antibody formulations
Publication Date: 2015.05.05 BAYER HEALTHCARE LLC

AI summary

Provided are a wide concentration range, especially high concentration anti-prolactin receptor antibody formulations that are substantially isosmotic and of low viscosity.