Method for protection of peptides or proteins against non-enzymatic deamidation
Stabilization of water-containing solutions or lyophilizates of proteins and peptides against non-enzymatic deamidation degradation reactions at asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues is achieved using organic anions, such as saccharin, benzenesulfonic acid, gentisic acide or N-acetyltryptophan which have a pKa within the range of 0.5 to 3.5.
1. A method of protecting the primary structure of peptides or proteins which contain one or more asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues with at least one deamidation prone sequence of -Asn-Gly- against non-enzymatic deamidation at at least said deamidation prone sequence, where the peptides or proteins are present in aqueous formulations or lyophylizates, comprising the step of combining said peptides or proteins with one or more stabilizing anions to form a mixture wherein said stabilizing anions are present in a molar excess to the total number of asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues in said peptides or proteins and are in a molar excess to any destabilizing anions in said mixture, wherein said stabilizing anions are organic compounds that are not zwitterionic where each protic group of said stabilizing anion has a pKa ranging from 0.5 to 3.5, wherein destabilizing anions have at least one protic group that has a pKa of less than 0.5 or greater than 3.5, and wherein said stabilizing anions are selected from the group consisting of saccharin, benzenesulfonic acid, gentisic acid, and N-acetyltryptophan.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing anions include saccharin.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing anions are present at a molar excess of at least 3:1 relative to said total number of asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues in said peptides or proteins.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture includes at least one destabilizing anion and said stabilizing anions are present at a molar excess of at least 3:1 relative to said at least one destabilizing anion.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of combining is performed prior to lyophilization of said mixture.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of combining is performed on or after reconstitution of a dry powder.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said proteins or peptides are selected from the group consisting of: a vaccine antigen, erythropoietin, insulin, a colony stimulating factor, interferon and a monoclonal antibody.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues are flanked on their C terminal side by either a glycinyl or serinyl residue.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues are asparaginyl residues only.
10. A method of protecting the primary, secondary, and tertiary structure of peptides or proteins which contain one or more asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues with at least one deamidation prone sequence of -Asn-Gly- against non-enzymatic deamidation at at least said deamidation prone sequence, where the peptides or proteins are present in aqueous formulations or lyophylizates, comprising the step of combining said peptides or proteins with one or more stabilizing anions to form a mixture wherein said stabilizing anions are present in a molar excess to the total number of asparaginyl or glutaminyl residues in said peptides or proteins and are in a molar excess to any destabilizing anions in said mixture, wherein said stabilizing anions are organic compounds that are not zwitterionic where each protic group of said stabilizing anion has a pKa ranging from 0.5 to 3.5, wherein destabilizing anions have at least one protic group that has a pKa of less than 0.5 or greater than 3.5, and wherein said stabilizing anions are selected from the group consisting of saccharin, benzenesulfonic acid, gentisic acid, and N-acetyltryptophan.
11. A method of protecting the primary and secondary structure of peptides or proteins which contain one or more asparaginyl residues with at least one deamidation prone sequence of -Asn-Gly- against non-enzymatic deamidation at at least said deamidation prone sequence, where the peptides or proteins are present in aqueous formulations or lyophylizates, comprising the step of combining said peptides or proteins with one or more stabilizing anions to form a mixture wherein said stabilizing anions are present in a molar excess to the total number of asparaginyl residues in said peptides or proteins, wherein said stabilizing anions are organic compounds that produce an upfield movement of at least 10 ppb for the hydrogens on the beta carbon of an asparaginyl residue as measured by 1 H NMR, and wherein said stabilizing anions are selected from the group consisting of saccharin, benzenesulfonic acid, gentisic acid, and N-acetyltryptophan.
12. The method as in claim 1 wherein the rate of non-enzymatic deamidation of said protein or peptide is decreased due to the presence of the stabilizer.
13. The method as in claim 12 wherein said reduction in deamidation rate is due to the formation of a complex between said stabilizer and said asparaginyl residue.
14. The method as in claim 13 where said complex comprises a temporary covalent bond.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing anions include gentisic acid.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing anions include benzenesulfonic acid.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein said stabilizing anions include saccharin.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein said stabilizing anions include gentisic acid.
19. The method of claim 10 wherein said stabilizing anions include benzenesulfonic acid.
20. The method of claim 10 wherein said stabilizing anions include N-acetyltryptophan.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing anions include N-acetyltryptophan.