Identification and characterization of host cell protein product-associated impurities in monoclonal antibody bioprocessing

ABSTRACT Downstream processing of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has evolved to allow the specific process for a new product to be developed largely by empirical specialization of a platform process that enables removal of impurities of different kinds. A more complete characterization of impurities and the product itself would provide insights into the rational design of efficient downstream processes. This work identifies and characterizes host cell protein (HCP) product‐associated impurities, that is, HCP species carried through the downstream processes via direct interactions with the mAb. Interactions between HCPs and mAbs are characterized using cross‐interaction chromatography under solution conditions typical of those used in downstream processing. The interacting species are then identified by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. This methodology has been applied to identify product‐associated impurities in one particular purification step, namely protein A affinity chromatography, for four therapeutic mAbs as well as the Fab and Fc domains of one of these mAbs. The results show both the differences in HCP–mAb interactions among different mAbs, and the relative importance of product association compared to co‐elution in protein A affinity chromatography. Biotechnol. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 904–912. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This work identifies and characterizes host cell protein (HCP) product‐associated impurities, that is, HCP species carried through the downstream purification processes via direct interactions with the monoclonal antibody (mAb) product. Interactions between HCPs and mAbs are characterized using cross‐interaction chromatography under solution conditions typical of those used in downstream processing. The interacting species are then identified by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry.