Antalet monoklonala antikroppar som används i läkemedel ökar kraftigt. Dessa läkemedel är dyra och risken för förfalskning är stor. Behovet att utveckla en metod för snabb och precis identifiering av monoklonala antikroppar är därför brådskande. För identifiering utfördes analyser med Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS), Capillary Gel Electrophoresis (CGE) and Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE) på nio monoklonala antikroppar. Fokuset var att undersöka huruvida signifikanta fysiokemiska egenskaper och unika aminosyrasekvenser var närvarande och kunde urskiljas. Olika analyser med MALDI-ToF-MS användes till att både separera de monoklonala antikropparna baserat på dess fysiokemiska egenskaper, och annotera aminosyrasekvenser innehållande nyckelfragment. Med metoderna baserade på kapillärelektrofores uppnåddes också separation. CZE föredras framför CGE då mängden data som erhålls från CZE är större och provberedningen är enklare. Sammanfattningsvis utformades ett protokoll för identifieringsprocessen, vilket inleds med MALDI-ToF-MS-analyser av monoklonala antikroppar på reducerad form mot kända referenser. Därefter är en hypotes formulerad utifrån vilka antikroppar som ser mest lika ut. Slutligen analyseras dessa med CZE för fastställning av den monoklonala antikroppens identitet. / The number of monoclonal antibodies used in pharmaceuticals is increasing sharply. These medicines are expensive, and the risk of counterfeiting is high. The need to develop a method for rapid and precise identification of monoclonal antibodies is therefore urgent. For identification, analyses were performed with Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS), Capillary Gel Electrophoresis (CGE) and Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE) on nine monoclonal antibodies. The focus was to investigate whether significant physiochemical features and unique amino acid sequences were present and could be distinguished. Various analyses with MALDI-ToF-MS were used to both separate the monoclonal antibodies based on their physicochemical properties and annotate amino acid sequences containing key fragments. With the methods based on capillary electrophoresis, separation was also achieved. CZE is preferred over CGE as the amount of data obtained from CZE is greater and sample preparation is simpler. In summary, an identification process protocol was designed and is initiated with MALDI-ToF-MS analyses of reduced-form monoclonal antibodies against known references. A hypothesis is then formulated based on which antibodies look the most similar. Finally, these are analysed by CZE to determine the identity of the monoclonal antibody.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a hematopoietic cytokine that stimulates and regulates the proliferation and differentiation of neutrophils precursors cells of the bone marrow. The recombinant hormone (rhG-CSF) non-glycosylated, filgrastim, is used to treat the neutropenia induced by chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation. The hydrophobic protein is a 175 aminoacids chain which contains an extra methionine at its N-terminus, and molecular weight of 18.8 kDa. In the present study, a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method was developed and validated for the analysis of filgrastim in pharmaceuticals. The analyses were performed on a fused-silica capillary (75 μm i.d.; effective length, 72 cm) and background electrolyte consisted of 50 mM sodium tetraborate solution at pH 9.0. The capillary temperature was maintained at 15 °C and the applied voltage was 15 kV. The injection was performed using the hydrodynamic mode at 50 mbar for 6 s, with detection at 195 nm using a PDA detector. The electrophoretic separation was obtained with migration time of 21.8 and 15.8 minutes for the filgrastim and leuprorrelin acetate (internal standard), respectively, and with run time of 30 minutes. The procedure was validated by the parameters of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness, limit of quantitation and limit of detection. The method was linear in the concentration range of 1 200 μg/mL (r2 = 0.9978) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 1 μg/mL, with acceptable validation parameters. The method was applied for the analysis of pharmaceutical formulations, and the results were correlated to the reversed-phase HPLC method (RP-HPLC), size-exclusion HPLC method (SE-HPLC) and in vitro bioassay method. Therefore, the procedures represent valid alternatives which can improve the quality control, assuring the safety and therapeutic efficacy of the biological product. / O fator estimulador da colônia de granulócitos humanos é uma citocina hematopoiética que estimula e regula a proliferação e diferenciação de células precursoras de neutrófilos da medula óssea. O hormônio recombinante (rhG-CSF) sob a forma não-glicosilada, filgrastima, é usado para o tratamento de neutropenia induzida por quimioterapia e transplante de medula óssea. A proteína hidrofóbica é constituída por uma cadeia de 175 aminoácidos com uma metionina N-terminal, e massa molecular de 18,8 kDa. No presente estudo, foi desenvolvido e validado método por eletroforese capilar de zona (CZE) para determinação de filgrastima em formulações farmacêuticas. As análises foram realizadas em capilar de sílica fundida (comprimento efetivo de 72 cm e diâmetro interno de 75 μm) e solução eletrolítica composta de tetraborato de sódio 50 mM, pH 9,0. O capilar foi mantido a temperatura de 15 °C, e a tensão aplicada foi de 15 kV. O tempo de injeção foi de 6 s, com pressão de 50 mbar, e detecção por arranjo de diodos (DAD) a 195 nm. A separação eletroforética foi obtida com tempo de migração de 21,8 e 15,8 minutos para filgrastima e acetato de leuprorrelina (padrão interno), respectivamente, e tempo total de corrida de 30 minutos. O procedimento foi validado, avaliando-se os parâmetros de especificidade, linearidade, precisão, exatidão, robustez, limite de quantificação e limite de detecção. Demonstrou-se linearidade na faixa de concentração de 1 200 μg/mL (r2 = 0,9978) e limite de quantificação (LQ) de 1 μg/mL, com os demais parâmetros de validação aceitáveis. O método foi aplicado para análise de formulações farmacêuticas, e os resultados foram correlacionados com os obtidos por cromatografia líquida em fase reversa (CL-FR) e por exclusão molecular (CLEM), e pelo bioensaio in vitro. Deste modo, os procedimentos pesquisados contribuem para o estabelecimento de alternativas que aprimoram o controle da qualidade, garantindo a segurança e eficácia terapêutica do produto biológico.