Serine Endopeptidase Stabilization via Additive Composition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Serine endopeptidases, such as blood clotting factors, are inherently unstable, making it challenging to maintain their activity over time in liquid preparations, especially at room temperature or refrigerated conditions, which is problematic for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating additives like ammonium acetate, polyamino acids, glycerol, and specific amino acids (aspartic acid, glutamic acid, histidine, and glycine) into serine endopeptidase preparations to enhance stability, allowing for longer shelf life and improved storage conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If serine endopeptidases are stored under refrigerated conditions or freeze-dried, then their stability and shelf life are improved, but their biological activity and ease of operation are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition parameters of the storage medium. Specifically, it identifies optimal concentration ranges for stabilizing agents (0.1-10% w/v), buffering agents (10-100 mM), and excipients, transforming the storage system from requiring extreme conditions to maintaining stability at physiological temperatures through controlled chemical parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary substances that mediate between the enzyme and the storage environment. Stabilizing agents such as glycerol, sugars, and amino acids act as intermediaries that protect the enzyme from denaturation and degradation, allowing the enzyme to maintain stability without requiring extreme storage conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If stabilizing agents are added to protein formulations, then stability is improved, but contamination risk and analysis complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidcontamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by selecting stabilizing agents with specific physicochemical properties that minimize contamination risk. It optimizes concentrations of glycerol, sugars, and amino acids to provide stabilization while maintaining compatibility with subsequent analytical procedures, thereby reducing the harmful effects of additive contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs stabilizing agents that are chemically simple and do not introduce complex biological contaminants. By using small molecules like glycerol, sugars, and amino acids rather than complex proteins or sera, the system achieves stabilization without the contamination risks associated with biologically active materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Stability of the object's composition

If large amounts of albumins are added for stabilization, then stability is improved, but subsequent physicochemical analysis is precluded

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidmeasurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the concentration and type of stabilizing agents to levels and compositions that do not interfere with analytical measurements. It specifies optimal concentrations of glycerol, sugars, and amino acids that provide stabilization while maintaining compatibility with spectrophotometric, chromatographic, and electrophoretic analyses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential stabilization function from complex protein-based stabilizers and implements it through simpler small molecules. By replacing or supplementing albumins with glycerol, sugars, and amino acids, the system maintains stabilization benefits while eliminating the analytical interference caused by large protein additives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 addition of these additives significantly increases the stability of serine endopeptidases, extending their activity and reducing degradation, as demonstrated by stability studies under accelerated stress conditions, with the Arrhenius equation predicting enhanced stability at lower temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

The goal of the stabilization strategies is essentially to avoid denaturation of the protein. By stabilizing a protein molecule or a preparation containing protein molecules, the protein chemist understands the prevention of conformational changes within the protein molecule. Stabilization consequently leads to the preservation of the native structure and thus also to the preservation of biological activity.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectProtein denaturation prevention:

Implementation Method 2

Losses of activity due to physical effects such as adsorption, denaturation through surfaces, heat denaturation, drying, repeated freezing and thawing can often be significantly reduced by adding glycerol, carbohydrates, amino acids, hydrophilic polymers or inert proteins.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMolecular stabilization:

Implementation Method 3

This phenomenon is described mathematically and physically using the Arrhenius equation, according to which the temperature dependence of the reaction rate is an exponential function.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectArrhenius equation:

Data Source

PatentEP1825865B1Stabilised preparations of serine endopeptidases, their production and application
Publication Date: 2009.01.14 SIEMENS HEALTHCARE DIAGNOSTICS PRODS
  • EP1825865B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1825865B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1825865B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Preparation (A) comprises at least a serine endopeptidase; ammonium acetate; at least a polyamino acid; glycerin; and at least an amino acid of asparagine and their salts, glutamic acid and their salts, histidine and glycine.