Thermodynamic Properties of Monoclonal Antibody Solutions

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a class of proteins that represent the largest single group of protein drugs produced by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; annual sales of mAbs now exceed $100 billion.  All mAbs share extensive common structural features, but very small local changes in structure, including substitution of a small number (1-3) of amino acids, can lead to dramatic changes in thermodynamic and transport properties.  This presentation will cover examples of such changes via a variety of different measurements, with a special focus on the effects of small structural changes.  These include effects on mAb self-interactions, oligomerization, phase behavior, and viscosity.  Potential molecular bases for this sensitivity will be examined.