Lyophilized recombinant VWF formulations

1. A stable lyophilized pharmaceutical formulation of a recombinant von Willebrand Factor (rVWF) comprising: (a) a rVWF; (b) one or more buffering agents; (c) one or more amino acids; (d) one or more stabilizing agents; and (e) one or more surfactants;

said rVWF comprising a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:

a) the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 3; and

b) a biologically active analog, fragment or variant of a) which causes agglutination of stabilized platelets in the presence of ristocetin, or of binding to Factor VIII;

wherein said buffer comprises a pH buffering agent selected from the group consisting of citrate and HEPES at 15 mM and said pH is in a range of about 2.0 to about 12.0;

said amino acid is selected from the group consisting of glycine, lysine, and histidine at a concentration of about 1 to about 500 mM;

said stabilizing agent is at a concentration of about 0.1 to about 1000 Mm and is selected from the group consisting of mannitol, lactose, sorbitol, xylitol, sucrose, trehalose, mannose, maltose, lactose, glucose, raffinose, cellobiose, gentiobiose, isomaltose, arabinose, glucosamine, fructose and combinations of these stabilizing agents; and

said surfactant is at a concentration of about 0.01 g/L to about 0.5 g/L.

2. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the rVWF comprises the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 3.

3. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the buffering agent is citrate.

4. The formulation of claim 1 wherein pH is in the range of about 6.0 to about 8.0.

5. The formulation of claim 4 wherein pH is in the range of about 6.5 to about 7.5.

6. The formulation of claim 4 wherein the pH is about 7.3.

7. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the buffering agent is citrate and the pH is about 7.3.

8. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the amino acid is at a concentration range of about 1 mM to about 300 mM.

9. The formulation of claim 8 wherein the amino acid is glycine at a concentration of about 15 mM.

10. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the rVWF comprises the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 3; wherein the buffering agent is citrate and the pH is about 7.3; and wherein the amino acid is glycine at a concentration of about 15 mM.

11. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the stabilizing agents are trehalose at a concentration of about 10 g/L and mannitol at a concentration of about 20 g/L.

12. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of digitonin, Triton X-100, Triton X-114, TWEEN-20, TWEEN-80 and combinations of these surfactants.

13. The formulation of claim 12 wherein the surfactant is TWEEN-80 at about 0.01 g/L.

14. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the rVWF comprises amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 3; wherein the buffering agent is citrate at a concentration of about 15 mM at about pH 7.3; wherein the amino acid is glycine at a concentration of about 15 mM; wherein the stabilizing agents are trehalose at a concentration of about 10 g/L and mannitol at a concentration of about 20 g/L; and wherein the surfactant is TWEEN-80 at about 0.1 g/L.

15. A stable lyophilized pharmaceutical formulation of a recombinant von Willebrand Factor (rVWF) comprising: (a) a rVWF; (b) one or more buffering agents; (c) one or more amino acids; (d) one or more stabilizing agents; and (e) one or more surfactants; wherein the formulation is prepared by lyophilizing a solution comprising:

(a) said rVWF comprising a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 3;

(b) said buffer comprising a pH buffering agent in a range of about 0.1 mM to about 500 mM and having a pH in a range of about 2.0 to about 12.0; wherein the buffering agent is citrate;

(c) said amino acid at a concentration of about 1 to about 500 mM; wherein the amino acid is glycine;

(d) said stabilizing agent at a concentration of about 0.1 to about 1000 mM; wherein the one or more stabilizing agents is mannitol and trehalose; and

(e) said surfactant at a concentration of about 0.01 g/L to about 0.5 g/L; wherein the surfactant is TWEEN-80.

16. A stable lyophilized pharmaceutical formulation of a recombinant von Willebrand Factor (rVWF) comprising: (a) a rVWF; (b) one or more buffering agents; (c) one or more amino acids; (d) one or more stabilizing agents; and (e) one or more surfactants; wherein the formulation is prepared by lyophilizing a solution comprising:

(a) said rVWF comprising a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 3;

(b) said buffer comprising a pH buffering agent in a range of about 0.1 mM to about 500 mM and having a pH in a range of about 6.5 to about 7.5; wherein the buffering agent is citrate;

(c) said amino acid at a concentration of about 1 to about 500 mM; wherein the amino acid is glycine;

(d) said stabilizing agent at a concentration of about 0.1 to about 1000 mM; wherein the one or more stabilizing agents is mannitol and trehalose; and

(e) said surfactant at a concentration of about 0.01 g/L to about 0.5 g/L, wherein the surfactant is TWEEN-80.