Merck Millipore adds protein pegylation to service portfolio through Celares collaboration
Services include feasibility studies, process and analytical development and scale-up
Merck Millipore will work with Celares of Berlin, Germany to provide pegylation services to customers developing protein-based therapeutics and biosimilars. The new service includes feasibility studies, process and analytical development, and scale-up from mg to g quantities required for pilot and subsequent commercial scale.
Merck Millipore says pegylation, the attachment of polyethylene glycol to a molecule, can significantly improve the pharmacological and physicochemical properties of peptide and protein therapeutics and reduce side effects. This well-recognised delivery system for biologics can enhance protein stability, bioavailability and solubility, overcoming common challenges in the development of these therapeutics.
The new services will leverage Merck Millipore's range of functionalised PEG products of different molecular weight and activation chemistry, as well as buffers, solvents and excipients, unit operations employed during the pegylation process and subsequent purification including tangential and normal flow filtration and chromatography.
'An optimised formulation can help a promising protein therapeutic reach the clinic and patients in need,' said Dr Frank Leenders, Managing Director of Operations, Celares. 'Our expertise in pegylation combined with the experience and integrated products and unit operations from Merck Millipore will create customised solutions needed by the biopharmaceutical industry to maintain forward progress of promising drug candidates.'
