The manufacture of protein-based drugs is complex and relies on using biological host systems. This can result in small changes in protein structure during production and formation of protein variants that can have a large impact on functionality. This heterogeneity — variations in the protein size, charge or structure — can significantly impact the safety and activity of the final biotherapeutic or biosimilar therapy, potentially hindering their beneficial effect. It is vital that charged variant profiles of biologics are adequately characterized, as many post-translational modifications (PTMs) may alter the charge of the molecule, in turn impacting its stability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. In this article, Catalent explores protein variants, focusing on charged variants, by outlining their impact on protein-based drugs, and explain how specific characterization techniques can be used to determine product safety and efficacy.
New Strategies for a Better Glycosylation Profile
January 22nd 2025Glycan analysis provides key information on critical quality attributes that could affect stability, safety and efficacy of a protein therapeutic. Specific needs for understanding the glycosylation profiles change throughout the drug development process, but the requirement for high-resolution glycan information remains the same and is essential to help ensure product quality.