Influence of antibody type, temperature and additives on the viscosity of monoclonal antibody therapeutics

The most important factor limiting the injectability of therapeutic monoclonal antibody (mAb) solutions is their high viscosity at the high mAb concentrations required. To overcome this problem, different addditives can be used to modify the interactions determining the phase behavior and the viscosity of mAb therapeutics. Examples include the sugar trehalose as well as the amino acids arginine and proline. Here, we aim at a systematic characterization of the molecular mechanisms of these additives on a set of different proprietary mAb samples provided by Lonza AG (Basel, CH) using SAXS to probe the formation of oligomers which result from a delicate balance of molecular interactions. Thus, SAXS will provide crucial information complementing successful rheology, DLS and neutron spectroscopy experiments (ILL) on mAb solutions in the context of the InnovaXN PhD project of Ilaria Mosca.