Analytical Similarity of a Proposed Biosimilar BVZ-BC to Bevacizumab
Chuanfei Yu, Feng Zhang, Gangling Xu, Gang Wu, Wenbo Wang, Chunyu Liu, Zhihao Fu, Meng Li, Sha Guo, Xiaojuan Yu, Lan Wang
Abstract
BVZ-BC (bevacizumab-biosimilar candidate) is a proposed biosimilar to bevacizumab. Bevacizumab binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) type A and prevents the interaction of VEGF with its receptors on the surface of endothelial cells, neutralizing angiogenesis required for the growth, persistence, and metastases of solid tumors. An analytical comparison of BVZ-BC and bevacizumab was performed using state-of-the-art analytical techniques, including biochemical and biophysical characterization, biological activity, and immunological properties. Multiple attributes of the molecules were evaluated, including amino acid sequence, disulfide structure, glycan profiles, free thiol content, isoelectric point, protein content, subvisible particles, higher-order structure such as near- and far-ultraviolet circular dichroism and differential scanning calorimetry, product purity and product-related impurities, and process-related impurities. Biological activity assessment employed orthogonal assays such as the VEGF cell-based bioassay and the VEGF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Fc functional assays to interrogate all expected biological activities. An accumulation of 18 batches of bevacizumab (sourced in China, manufactured in Europe, Roche) and 10 batches of BVZ-BC representing unique drug product lots from each individual drug substance lot were utilized in this study. The analytical similarity between BVZ-BC and bevacizumab was assessed and demonstrated the similarities of all of the quality attributes between BVZ-BC and bevacizumab.