Process for the preparation of concentrated liquid formulations containing biomolecules

1. A process for the preparation of a concentrated liquid formulation containing biomolecules from a liquid biomolecule formulation comprising the steps of

(a) a first ultrafiltration UF1;

(b) a first diafiltration DF1;

(c) a second diafiltration DF2; and

(d) a second ultrafiltration UF2;

wherein an aqueous solution of one or more salts, as liquid medium B, is used for step (b) and water or an aqueous solution of one or more salts, as liquid medium C, is used for step (c); wherein the one or more salts used for step (b) are the same or different from the one or more salts used for step (c), wherein the liquid medium B has an ionic strength which is higher than the ionic strength of the liquid medium C, and

wherein the biomolecules comprise positively charged biomolecules and excipient(s) to be removed by the process comprise negatively charged excipient(s).

2. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the liquid medium B has a high ionic strength in the range of from about 20 mM up to 6 M, or from about 100 mM to 1000 mM, or from about 150 mM to 750 mM, or from about 200 mM to 500 mM and

the liquid medium C has a low ionic strength indicated in form of a concentration which is in the range of from about 0 mM to 150 mM, or from about 0 mM to 100 mM, or from about 0 mM to 75 mM, or from about 0 mM to 50 mM.

3. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the liquid medium B has an ionic strength which is higher than the ionic strength of the liquid medium C so that the difference between the ionic strength of the liquid medium B and the ionic strength of the liquid medium C is at least about 100 mM, or at least about 200 mM, or at least about 500 mM.

4. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the liquid biomolecule formulation used in step (a) contains a liquid medium A which is an aqueous solution and contains one or more excipients, the liquid medium A is exchanged with liquid medium C by means of liquid medium B in steps (b) and (c), whereby the liquid biomolecule formulation obtained in step (c) and (d) has a reduced content of said excipient(s).

5. The process according to claim 4 ,

characterized in that

the excipients are selected from a group consisting of

excipients charged in aqueous solution;

the excipients being selected from the group consisting of additives used in the preparation or processing of biomolecules; unwanted substances or ions such as impurities contained in the starting liquid biomolecule formulation; undesired side-products formed during the manufacturing process of the biomolecule; and decomposition or degradation products of starting, intermediate or end products formed during the production of the biomolecule.

6. The process according to claim 5 ,

characterized in that

the additives, unwanted substances or ions originate from cell components or debris, degradation products of bacteria such as endotoxins, DNA, RNA, undesired lipids, HCP (Host cell proteins), lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or parts thereof; sugars; detergents, negatively charged species; any kind of negatively charged ions resulting from salts.

7. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the salts are inorganic salts.

8. The process according to claim 7 ,

characterized in that

the inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of alkali salts and alkaline earth salts of sulfates, nitrates, phosphates, carbonates, halogenides, borates, and silicates.

9. The process according to claim 7 ,

characterized in that

the inorganic salt is a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and is selected from the group consisting of sodium salts; calcium salts; magnesium salts and combinations thereof.

10. The process according to claim 9 ,

characterized in that

the sodium salts comprise sodium halides, sodium sulfate, or sodium borate;

the calcium salts comprise calcium halides, calcium sulfate, or calcium borate;

the magnesium salts comprise magnesium halides, magnesium sulfate or magnesium borate.

11. The process according to claim 10 ,

characterized in that

the halides comprise chlorides.

12. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

liquid medium B comprises sodium chloride from about 150 to about 900 mM, or from about 200 to about 700 mM, or from about 400 to about 600 mM, or from about 450 to about 550 mM.

13. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the salt comprises an organic and/or inorganic buffer.

14. The process according to claim 13 ,

characterized in that

the buffer is selected from the group consisting of N-(2-acetamido)-aminoethanesulfonic acid (ACES) and salts thereof, acetic acid and salts thereof, aconitic acid and salts thereof, adipic acid and salts thereof, ascorbic acid and salts thereof, N-(2-Acetamido)-iminodiacetic acid (ADA) and salts thereof, ammonia and salts thereof, ammonium chloride, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, ammediol (AMPD), N-(1,1-Dimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-3-amino-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (AMPSO) and salts thereof, N,N-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (BES) and salts thereof, benzoic acid and salts thereof, bicarbonates such as sodium hydrogen carbonate, N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-glycine (bicine), Tris buffers such as tris(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane, [bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-imino]-tris-(hydroxymethylmethane) (Bis-Tris), 1,3-bis[tris(hydroxymethyl)-methylamino]propane (Bis-Tris-Propane), boric acid and salts thereof, dimethylarsinic acid (Cacodylate) and salts thereof, 3-(cyclohexylamino)-propanesulfonic acid (CAPS) and salts thereof, 3-(cyclohexylamino)-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid (CAPSO) and salts thereof, carbonic acid and salts thereof, carbonates such as sodium carbonate, cyclohexylaminoethanesulfonic acid (CHES) and salts thereof, citric acid and salts thereof, 3-[N-bis(hydroxyethyl)amino]-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (DIPSO) and salts thereof, formic acid and salts thereof, gluconic acid and salts thereof, glyceric acid and salts thereof, glutamic acid and salts thereof, glycines such as glycylglycine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperazine-N′-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) and salts thereof, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperazine-N′-3-propanesulfonic acid (HEPPS, EPPS) and salts thereof, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperazine-N′-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (HEPPSO) and salts thereof, imidazoles, lactic acid and salts thereof, malic acid and salt thereof, maleic acid and salts thereof, 2-(N-morpholino)-ethanesulfonic acid (MES) and salts thereof, 3-(N-morpholino)-propanesulfonic acid (MOPS) and salts thereof, 3-(N-morpholino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (MOPSO) and salts thereof, phosphoric acid and salts thereof, piperazine-N,N′-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) (PIPES) and salts thereof, piperazine-N,N′-bis(2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid) (POPSO) and salts thereof, pyridines, succinic acid and salts thereof, 3-{[tris(hydroxymethyl)-methyl]-amino}-propanesulfonic acid (TAPS) and salts thereof, 3-[N-tris(hydroxymethyl)-methylamino]-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (TAPSO) and salts thereof, tartaric acid and salts thereof, taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, AES and salts thereof), triethanolamine (TEA), 2-[tris(hydroxymethyl)-methylamino]-ethanesulfonic acid (TES) and salts thereof, and N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)-methyl]-glycine (tricine).

15. The process according to claim 13 ,

characterized in that

the buffer salt or the buffer being a biological buffer which is an amino acid, in an aqueous solution, selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine;

or the buffer salt or the buffer being a biological buffer which is selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid and salts thereof, citric acid and salts thereof, tris, succinic acid and salts thereof, malic acid and salts thereof, tartaric and salts thereof, acetic acid and salts thereof, lactic acid and salts thereof, aconitic acid and salts thereof, ascorbic acid and salts thereof, glutamic acid and salts thereof, ammoniumchloride, triethanolamine, alanine, arginine, glutamine, glycine, histidine, lysine, and proline.

16. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the liquid medium C consists essentially of water.

17. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the biomolecules comprise a positively charged protein.

18. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the process step (b) is repeated several times prior to step (c), or the exchange of liquid medium B is performed with x medium cycles, wherein x=2 to 10, or x=2 to 8, or x=2 to 6.

19. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the process step (c) is repeated several times prior to step (d), or the exchange of liquid medium C is performed with y medium cycles, wherein y=2 to 10, or y=2 to 8, or y=2 to 6.

20. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the ultrafiltration UF1 of step (a) is used to concentrate the liquid biomolecule formulation, up to about 10%-70%, or about 15%-60%, or about 25%-50% compared with the initial concentration of the liquid biomolecule formulation.

21. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the ultrafiltration UF2 of step (d) is used to concentrate the liquid biomolecule formulation to the desired value.

22. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

step (b) and step (c) follow directly one after the other whereby no intermediate process step is performed in between,

and/or step (a) and step (b) follow directly one after the other whereby no intermediate process step is performed in between, and/or

step (c) and step (d) directly follow one after the other whereby no intermediate process step is performed in between.

23. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the biomolecules are selected from the group consisting of small molecules, monomers, biopolymers; lipids, vitamins; hormones, neurotransmitter; amino acids, proteins, and peptides.

24. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the process steps (a) to (d) are performed at room temperature of about 20° C. to about 25° C.

25. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the process steps (a) to (d) are performed using a tangential flow filtration (TFF) system or a centrifugal filtration system.

26. A concentrated liquid formulation containing biomolecules prepared by a process according to claim 1 .

27. The process according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that

the salts are organic salts.