Factors affecting the physical stability (aggregation) of peptide therapeutics

The number of biological therapeutic agents in the clinic and development pipeline has increased dramatically over the last decade and the number will undoubtedly continue to increase in the coming years. Despite this fact, there are considerable challenges in the development, production and formulation of such biologics particularly with respect to their physical stabilities. There are many cases where self-association to form either amorphous aggregates or highly structured fibrillar species limits their use. Here, we review the numerous factors that influence the physical stability of peptides including both intrinsic and external factors, wherever possible illustrating these with examples that are of therapeutic interest. The effects of sequence, concentration, pH, net charge, excipients, chemical degradation and modification, surfaces and interfaces, and impurities are all discussed. In addition, the effects of physical parameters such as pressure, temperature, agitation and lyophilization are described. We provide an overview of the structures of aggregates formed, as well as our current knowledge of the mechanisms for their formation.