Novel Surfactant Compatibility with Downstream Protein Bioprocesses

Abstract

Downstream processing of antibodies consists of a series of steps aimed at purifying the product and ensuring it is delivered to formulators structurally and functionally intact. The process can be complex and time-consuming, involving multiple filtrations, chromatography, and buffer exchange steps that can interfere with product integrity. This study explores the possibility and benefits of adding N-myristoyl phenylalanine polyether amine diamide (FM1000) as a process aid. FM1000 is a nonionic surfactant that is highly effective at stabilizing proteins against aggregation and particle formation and has been extensively explored as a novel excipient for antibody formulations. In this work, FM1000 is shown to stabilize proteins against pumping-induced aggregation which can occur while transporting them between process units and within certain processes. It is also shown to prevent antibody fouling of multiple polymeric surfaces. Furthermore, FM1000 can be removed after some steps and during buffer exchange in ultrafiltration/diafiltration, if needed. Additionally, FM1000 was compared to polysorbates in studies focusing on surfactant retention on filters and columns. While the different molecular entities of polysorbates elute at different rates, FM1000 flows through purification units as a single molecule and at a faster rate. Overall, this work defines new areas of application for FM1000 within downstream processing and presents it as a versatile process aid, where its addition and removal are tunable depending on the needs of each product.