Albumin-based Drug Delivery Using Cysteine 34 Chemical Conjugates–Important Considerations and Requirements

Abstract

The long blood circulation time of albumin has been clinically utilized as a half-life extension technology for improved drug performance. The availability of one free thiol for site-selective chemical conjugation offers an alternative approach to current genetic fusion and association-based products. This special report highlights important factors for successful conjugation that allows the reader to design and evaluate next-generation albumin conjugates. Albumin type, available conjugation chemistries, linker length, animal models and influence of conjugation on albumin pharmacokinetics and drug activity are discussed.

Keywords:

• albumin
• conjugation
• cysteine 34
• half-life extension
• in vivo models
• neonatal Fc receptor

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at:www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4155/tde-2017-0038

Financial & competing interest disclosure

This work was supported by the Danish Innovation Fund grant 102–2014–3. Albumedix is a producer of recombinant albumin and markets the Veltis^® technology for half-life extension of drugs using human albumin variants and the Albumus^™ for the investigation of these effects in vivo. Apart from those already disclosed, the authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.