Enhancing Stability and Reducing Viscosity of a Monoclonal Antibody with Co-solutes by Weakening Protein-Protein Interactions.

An understanding of how cosolutes affect the viscosity and storage stability of highly concentrated mAbs as a function of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) would be desirable for improving processing and administration of protein therapeutics. The effects of inorganic and organic cosolutes on the viscosity and stability of mAb5 were determined for concentrations up to 250 mg/mL. Organic electrolytes Arg(HCl) and His(HCl) produced the largest viscosity reductions, indicating screening of local anisotropic short-ranged attractive and hydrophobic interactions. These cosolutes significantly reduced mAb5 aggregate concentration as measured by size-exclusion chromatography after 4 weeks of 40°C storage at 200 mg/mL, with the largest reduction for Arg(Glu). The effects of the cosolutes on storage stability and viscosity are related to their ability to reduce attractive PPIs at high concentration (200 mg/mL), as shown by comparing measurements of structure factor (by small-angle X-ray scattering) and collective diffusion (by dynamic light scattering) with models of hard and attractive spheres. The improved stability of Arg(Glu) over Arg(HCl) despite similar PPI by small-angle X-ray scattering at high concentration is consistent with higher protein conformational stability as determined by differential scanning fluorimetry and differential scanning light scattering.