IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,514,925
Granted Patent B2
US 12,514,925 · App. 17/738,870 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Room temperature stable lyophilized protein

Inventors: Xiaolin Tang (Old Tappan, NJ); David Brett Ludwig (New York, NY)
Assignee: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
A61K39/39591A61J1/1412A61K9/0019A61K9/08A61K9/19A61K47/02A61K47/10A61K47/183A61K47/26A61K38/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,514,925
App. No.
17/738,870
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Stable lyophilized therapeutic protein compositions and their methods of manufacture are provided. Specifically, the use of water as a solid cake plasticizer and protein stabilizer is described. Also, the inclusion of a multicomponent stabilizer comprising a larger molecular entity and a smaller molecular entity is described. Also, the inclusion of post-drying annealing under certain conditions improves protein stability. Proteins are predicted to remain stable over 24 months at 25° C.

Claims (30)

1 . A lyophilized cake comprising a peptide or protein, a moisture content of between 3.0% and 6% by weight, a sucrose content between 1.6% and 10% by weight, and at least one excipient selected from the group consisting of:

(i) sorbitol, wherein the ratio of sucrose to sorbitol is between 18.9:1 and 1.88:1.0 by weight;

(ii) glycine, wherein the ratio of sucrose to glycine is between 37.9:1.0 and 3.73:1.0 by weight;

(iii) mannitol, wherein the ratio of sucrose to mannitol is between 19:1.0 and 1.0:1.0 by weight;

(iv) alanine, wherein the ratio of sucrose to alanine is between 37.9:1.0 and 3.9:1.0 by weight;

(v) proline, wherein the ratio of sucrose to proline is between 1.0:1.0 and 0.5:1.0 by weight;

(vi) sorbitol, wherein the ratio of sucrose to sorbitol is between 4.0:1.0 and 1.0:1.0 by weight;

(vii) NaCl, wherein the ratio of sucrose to NaCl is between 19.0:1.0 and 1.0:1.0 by weight;

(viii) glycerol, wherein the ratio of sucrose to glycerol is between 19.1:1.0 and 1.0:1.9 by weight 2.3:1.0 and 0.1:1.0; and

(ix) arginine, wherein the ratio of sucrose to arginine is between 33.0:1.0 and 3.0:1.0 by weight.

2 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said lyophilized cake is annealed.

3 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises a hydrogen bond replacing agent.

4 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient is in an amorphous state in said lyophilized cake.

5 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises mannitol and said ratio of sucrose to mannitol is 1.9:1.0 by weight.

6 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises sorbitol and said ratio of sucrose to sorbitol is between 4.0:1.0 and 1.0:1.0 by weight.

7 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises glycine.

8 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises proline.

9 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises a bulking agent in crystalline state in said lyophilized cake.

10 . The lyophilized cake of claim 9 , wherein the concentration of said bulking agent in said lyophilized cakes is less than 2% by weight.

11 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said peptide or protein is an antibody, an antibody fragment, a Fab region of an antibody, an antibody-drug conjugate, a fusion protein, a therapeutic protein or a drug.

12 . The lyophilized cake of claim 11 , wherein said protein or peptide is selected from the group of aflibercept, rilonocept, and VEGF trap.

13 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said lyophilized cake is an isotonic formulation.

14 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises a nonionic surfactant.

15 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises a viscosity reducer.

16 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said at least one excipient comprises mannitol at about 2.66% by weight in said lyophilized cake.

17 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein the excipient comprises between 19.9% to 82.2% by weight of said lyophilized cake.

18 . The lyophilized cake of claim 17 , wherein said ratio of protein or peptide to excipient by weight is between 1.2:1.0 and 2.0:1.0.

19 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of excipient to protein is 0.2:1.0 to about 6.6:1 by weight.

20 . The lyophilized cake of claim 1 , wherein said ratio of protein or peptide to excipient by weight is between 1.0:1.0 and 3.0:1.0.

21 . A lyophilized cake comprising a peptide or protein, a moisture content of between 2.0% and 6% by weight, a sucrose content between 1.6% and 10% by weight, and an additional stabilizer selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, mannitol, proline, and sorbitol, wherein the total amount of stabilizer makes up from 19.9% to 82.2% of the weight of the lyophilized cake.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2023
From: TANG, XIAOLIN; LUDWIG, DAVID BRETT
To: REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 063396/0819 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15727457 · Oct 6, 2017
Provisional Application 62405610 · Oct 7, 2016
Related Publication 20220257763A1 · Aug 18, 2022
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