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Amino acids play a vital role in pharmaceutical development due to their matrix formulation, solubility, stability, modulation and biocompatibility. Pfanstiehl’s range of amino acids consists of L-Arginine, L-Histidine, L-Methionine and L-Glutamine, as well as hydrochloride (HCL) versions of L-Arginine and L-Histidine.

L-Arginine USP EP JP ChP cGMP Injectable Excipient-Grade

L-Arginine is an essential amino acid that fulfils several functions in the body, including its involvement in protein synthesis. It has been studied for its ability to protect and stabilise proteins in liquid and lyophilisation processes, which can cause protein molecules to denature or aggregate when being frozen and dried.

L-Arginine offers the potential to mitigate these challenges while also maintaining solubility, protecting protein structure, reducing ice crystal formation, and reducing viscosity.

https://pfanstiehl.com/en/high-purity-ingredients/arginine/

L-Arginine HCL USP EP JP ChP cGMP Injectable Excipient-Grade

L-Arginine HCl is a type of arginine, an amino acid that is produced naturally by the body and can be found in various foods. The substance’s hydrochloride (HCl) form is used widely in pharmaceutical and biologic production as it offers a wide range of applications and physiological effects.

Pfanstiehl’s L-Arginine HCL is developed specifically for biopharmaceutical manufacturing and produced under full ICH-Q7 cGMP conditions in the US to the highest standards of quality and purity. Our stringent manufacturing specifications and quality systems ensure the product is of the highest quality and consistency and the safest available for your manufacturing or research application.

https://pfanstiehl.com/en/high-purity-ingredients/arginine-hcl/

L-Histidine USP EP BP JP ChP cGMP Injectable Excipient-Grade

L-Histidine is an amino acid used prominently in various biological processes in the human body. It has also garnered attention in the pharmaceutical industry for its capacity to increase the stability of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) during manufacturing processes.

Monoclonal antibodies and other protein-based biologic therapeutics are vulnerable to degradation, aggregation and loss of activity while being manufactured and stored; L-Histidine’s unique chemical properties allow it to address these challenges. The amino acid’s buffering capacity allows it to maintain a stable environment in mAb production and storage, while its metal-chelating properties can help prevent mAbs from metal-catalysed oxidation and degradation.

https://pfanstiehl.com/en/high-purity-ingredients/histidine/

L-Methionine USP EP JP ChP cGMP Injectable Excipient-Grade

The amino acid methionine fulfils several vital roles in protein synthesis and a range of metabolic processes, including the growth and maintenance of cells and tissues in humans and other organisms.

L-Methionine is an essential building block for proteins; as the initiator amino acid in polypeptide chain synthesis, it is the first amino acid incorporated into a growing protein chain during translation. The amino acid is also a precursor for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), a universal methyl donor used in numerous methylation reactions within cells, which are important for regulating gene expression, protein function and various metabolic pathways.

L-Methionine scavenges free radicals and helps protect cells from oxidative damage. The amino acid’s antioxidant properties help protect cells from oxidative stress, which occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) ‒ can damage cellular components such as DNA, proteins and lipids ‒ and the body’s ability to detoxify them.

https://pfanstiehl.com/en/high-purity-ingredients/l-methionine/

L-Glutamine USP JP ChP cGMP Injectable Excipient-Grade

The essential amino acid L-Glutamine is involved in several physiological processes in mammalian cells. In upstream cell culture protein processes, it plays a vital role in supporting cell growth, viability, and protein production.

Among the benefits offered by Pfanstiehl’s L-Glutamine are:

  • Cell growth and viability
    L-Glutamine is a primary energy source for rapidly proliferating cells, which consume L-Glutamine as a substrate for energy production. Sufficient availability of L-Glutamine ensures that cells have all the energy required for cellular processes, including protein synthesis, DNA replication, and cell structure maintenance. Conversely, if L-Glutamine levels are too low, this can cause metabolic stress, which hinders cell growth and viability and ultimately compromises protein production.
  • Protein synthesis
    A vital component in protein synthesis, L-Glutamine provides the amino group required for other amino acids to be synthesised, acting as a precursor for protein and nucleotide synthesis. Optimising the concentration of L-Glutamine in the culture medium is essential for maximising protein yield and ensuring that the expressed protein is folded and modified in post-translation correctly.
  • Osmotic regulation
    L-Glutamine is essential in osmoregulation, as it helps maintain cellular osmotic balance and guard against osmotic stress. The amino acid serves as an osmolyte, regulating intracellular osmotic pressure and protecting cells from osmotic stress. Maintaining appropriate levels of L-Glutamine in the culture medium is essential to avoid osmotic imbalances, which could compromise cell health and protein production.
  • Cell signalling and regulation
    L-Glutamine also functions as a signalling molecule for a range of cellular processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The amino acid can modulate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which determines protein synthesis and cell growth, among other signalling pathways. In addition, it is involved in the synthesis of glutathione, a critical antioxidant molecule that protects cells from oxidative stress and maintains cellular redox balance.

https://pfanstiehl.com/en/high-purity-ingredients/l-glutamine/