Prevention of stirring-induced microparticle formation in monoclonal antibody solutions.

Monoclonal antibodies are being widely used for the treatment of various diseases. Microparticle formation in high-concentration protein solutions is a major problem during the manufacture of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, because aggregation leads to fouling of aseptic filters and may lead to an immunogenic reaction in patients. We found that stirring using a traditional bottom-magnetic type stirrer results in extensive and sustained formation of 500-nm diameter protein microparticles arising from shear stress on protein molecules.

A novel CC-chemokine receptor 3 antagonist, Ki19003, inhibits airway eosinophilia and subepithelial/peribronchial fibrosis induced by repeated antigen challenge in mice.

CC-chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3) is a chemokine receptor for which major ligands, CC-chemokine ligand (CCL) 11, CCL24, and CCL26, are known to be involved in chemotaxis for eosinophils. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of a low molecular weight CCR3-receptor antagonist, Ki19003 (4-[[5-(2,4-dichlorobenzylureido)pentyl][1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]amino]butanoic acid), on airway remodeling in a mouse model of allergic asthma. BALB/c mice were sensitized twice by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OA) and exposed daily to 1% OA for 3 weeks.