Protein Stability Characterization – the future is here!

by Verna Frasca, Wednesday, 1st March 2017

The NEW MicroCal PEAQ-DSC – the gold standard for thermal stability determination

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is an established biophysical tool for protein stability characterization during drug development. DSC data are used to advance the most stable and ‘developable’ proteins into the pipeline, and optimize the process and formulation conditions which will maintain protein stability during manufacturing and storage. DSC data are also important in higher order structure (HOS) protein characterization, lot-to-lot comparability, and characterization of biosimilar drugs compared to innovators.

Our previous technology, the MicroCal VP-Capillary DSC Automated system, is a mainstay in biopharmaceutical labs, as well as CROs, CMOs, and academic and government research labs around the world. Since this instrument was originally launched in 2002, it was high time for a major update!  On behalf of everyone at Malvern Instruments, I am very proud to announce that we have now released the next generation of differential scanning calorimeters: the MicroCal PEAQ-DSC systems.

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You can watch the launch webinar event ‘on demand’ here: MicroCal DSC Launch

At the very heart of each MicroCal PEAQ-DSC instrument there are two matched tantalum capillary cells, each with an available volume of 130 µL. MicroCal DSC systems from Malvern Instruments continue to incorporate state-of-the art design for detection of the heat changes resulting from biopolymer unfolding as the samples are exposed to increasing temperature.  The PEAQ-DSC temperature range reaches as high as 130°C, with scan rates up to 240°C per hour.

There are two configurations available for you to choose from, depending on the requirements of your lab:

  • MicroCal PEAQ-DSC Automated system, which comes complete with an autosampler for cell filling and washing, and software designed for the applications and high throughput needs of biopharma and contract/service labs.
  • MicroCal PEAQ-DSC system, a non-automated instrument with a cleaning device and equipment to manually fill the DSC cells. This instrument is ideal for academic and other research labs that analyze a few samples at a time. It is possible to add the autosampler at a later date if your throughput demands increase.

Compared to the MicroCal VP-Capillary DSC system, the MicroCal PEAQ-DSC systems have a range of new features and improvements designed to improve productivity during biopharmaceutical discovery and development, and generate high-quality, reproducible, and reliable DSC data:

  • NEW PEAQ-Compliance: For the collection and use of MicroCal PEAQ-DSC data in a regulated environment, such as manufacturing, quality control, or for submission packages to regulatory agencies.
  • NEW PEAQ-Performance: Tools to support performance checks on standards, and optimized DSC cell cleaning protocols to improve data quality and provide confidence in generating reproducible DSC thermograms. There is a cell warm-up feature to eliminate multiple initial water-water scans to establish ‘thermal history’. Using PEAQ-Performance will result in fewer control scans (such as buffer-buffer scans), as well as faster time to results.
  • NEW PEAQ-Smart experimental design software: Intuitive control software for fast, flexible experimental setup, adaptable to the user’s workflow.
  • NEW PEAQ-Smart data analysis software: Automated and objective DSC data analysis, including automated TM detection. PEAQ-Smart includes a new report designer.
  • NEW PEAQ-Compare: Software to simultaneously analyze DSC thermograms and compare them to a reference thermogram. This is designed for comparability and biosimilarity studies.
  • NEW Controller, with connectivity to enable communicating with network and sending emails.
  • NEW Autosampler with reduced sample volume requirements (325 µL per well compared to 400 µL for MicroCal VP-Capillary DSC Automated system) and more robust components, requiring less frequent needle seal replacements. The new autosampler also has faster cell washing (For MicroCal PEAQ-DSC Automated system only).
  • NEW cleaning device and optimized cell filling protocols for the non-automated MicroCal PEAQ-DSC system, including guided workflows.

To see examples of how MicroCal PEAQ-DSC can support your research, discovery and development projects:

If you have any specific questions about MicroCal PEAQ-DSC, please email me at verna.frasca@malvern.com