Lyophilized Romiplostim Composition Stabilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

The bioavailability of commercially available protein therapeutics like Romiplostim is limited by their short plasma half-life and susceptibility to protease degradation, leading to suboptimal clinical potency and short shelf life of lyophilized formulations.

Innovation Solution

A novel lyophilized pharmaceutical composition of Romiplostim is developed, incorporating citro-phosphate as a buffer, sucrose or trehalose as bulking agents, and polysorbate 20 as a surfactant, maintained at a pH range of 4.0-6.0, to enhance stability and shelf life, preventing protein denaturation and aggregation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If proteins are formulated in aqueous solutions, then they maintain biological activity, but they undergo denaturation and aggregation leading to short shelf life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebiological activityVSAvoidshelf life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical state of the formulation from aqueous liquid to lyophilized solid form, and optimizes pH parameters (4.0-6.0 range) to stabilize the protein structure. This parameter change prevents denaturation and aggregation while maintaining biological activity upon reconstitution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite lyophilized formulation containing the Fc-peptide fusion protein combined with excipients including buffer (citro-phosphate), bulking agents (sucrose or trehalose), and surfactant (polysorbate 20). This composite structure provides structural support and protection during storage, preventing protein degradation while extending shelf life

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of stationary object

If lyophilization is used to extend shelf life, then storage stability improves, but reconstitution complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidreconstitution simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the local composition within the lyophilized cake by strategically placing excipients in specific concentrations and combinations. The buffer maintains pH, bulking agents provide structural matrix, and surfactant prevents surface denaturation. This localized optimization ensures simple reconstitution with minimal steps while maintaining stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces excipients as intermediary substances that facilitate the transition from lyophilized state to aqueous formulation. The buffer, bulking agents, and surfactant act as mediators that protect the protein during freezing and drying, and enable simple reconstitution by maintaining solubility and structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If conventional buffers are used in lyophilized formulations, then pH stability is maintained, but buffer salts precipitate during freezing causing pH changes

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovepH stabilityVSAvoidformulation consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the buffer system parameters by selecting citro-phosphate buffer and optimizing its concentration and pH range (4.0-6.0). This parameter optimization prevents salt precipitation during freezing while maintaining pH stability throughout the lyophilization process and upon reconstitution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition achieves extended shelf life and maintains biological activity and purity at elevated temperatures, ensuring operational simplicity and effective therapeutic use.

Implementation Method 1

therapeutic protein products are made more stable via lyophilization (freeze-drying)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFreeze-drying: Freeze Drying

Implementation Method 2

incorporating citro-phosphate as a buffer, sucrose or trehalose as bulking agents, and polysorbate 20 as a surfactant, maintained at a pH range of 4.0-6.0

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuffer:

Implementation Method 3

polysorbate 20 as a surfactant, maintained at a pH range of 4.0-6.0, to enhance stability and shelf life, preventing protein denaturation and aggregation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurfactant: Surfactant

Data Source

PatentEP3125923B1Lyophilized pharmaceutical composition of fc-peptide fusion protein
Publication Date: 2024.10.16 INTAS PHARM LTD
  • EP3125923B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3125923B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3125923B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to novel and thermostable lyophilized pharmaceutical composition of Romiplostim (Fc-peptide fusion protein) along with buffer, bulking agent, stabilizer, and surfactant at pH range of 4.0-6.0.