Large scale purification and characterization of A21 deamidated variant-most prominent post translational modification (PTM) for insulins which is also widely observed in insulins pharmaceutical manufacturing and storage

• Published in: Protein expression and purification 2021-09, Vol.185, p.105895-105895, Article 105895
• Main Authors: Shukla, Vibhava, Srivatsa, Koduru, Madhu Kumar, M.S., Vajpai, Navratna, Agarwal, Neha, Nethra, S., Somesh, B.P., Kulshrestha, Abhishek, Hazra, Partha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase; Deamidation; Freeze Drying - methods; Humans; Impurity isolation and characterization; Insulin; Insulin - analogs & derivatives; Insulin - biosynthesis; Insulin - isolation & purification; Mass spectometry; Mixed-mode anion exchange resin; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Recombinant Proteins - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 1046-5928; 1096-0279
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2021.105895

Biopharmaceutical development demands appropriate understanding of product related variants, which are formed due to post-translational modification and during downstream processing. These variants can lead to low yield, reduced biological activity, and suboptimal product quality. In addition, these variants may undergo immune reactions, henceforth need to be appropriately controlled to ensure consistent product quality and patient safety. Deamidation of insulin is the most common post‐translational modification occurring in insulin and insulin analogues. AsnA21 desamido variant is also the most prominent product variant formed during human insulin manufacturing process and/or during the storage. Often, this deamidated variant is used as an impurity standard during in-process and final product analysis in the QC system. However, purification of large quantity of purified deamidated material is always being challenging due to highly similar mass, ionic, hydrophobic properties, and high structural similarity of the variant compared to the parent product. Present work demonstrates the simplified and efficient scalable process for generation of AsnA21 deamidated variant in powder form with ~96% purity. The mixed-mode property of anion exchange resin PolyQuat was utilized to purify the deamidated impurity with high recovery. Subsequent reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) step was introduced for concentration of product in bind elute mode. Elution pool undergone isoelectric precipitation and lyophilisation. The lyophilized product allows users for convenient use of the deamidated impurity for intended purposes. Detailed characterization by Mass spectrometry revealed deamidation is at AsnA21 and further confirmed that, structural and functional characterization as well as the biological activity of isolated variant is equivalent to insulin. •Novel concept for large scale purification of A21 desamido insulin variant.•Characterization of human insulin variant (+1 Da desamido) was carried out for itsprimary, secondary and tertiary structure.•In-vitro bioassay suggests that A21 desamido insulin and human insulinhave a comparable receptor phosphorylation.•Scalable simplified process for manufacturing insulin deamidated variant will be useful forinsulin manufacturers.