(Click to enlarge)

Eshmuno™ is a new and unique family of ion-exchange resins that are designed specifically for highly productive downstream bioprocessing. The first member of the family, Eshmuno™ S, is a smart cation exchanger designed for fast and efficient purification of antibodies in direct capture and steps following protein A chromatography. Eshmuno™ Q is the newest family member. This smart anion-exchange resin coupled Merck KGaA's renowned tentacle structure with the new hydrophilic polyvinyl ether base matrix. As a result, Eshmuno™ Q offers outstanding results in typical anion-exchange applications, such as removing impurities in flow-through mode or separating blood factors in plasma processing.

Superior Productivity for Biomolecule Purification

Eshmuno™ Q exhibits a superior binding capacity for various biomolecules. Figure 1 shows the dynamic binding capacity (DBC) of Eshmuno™ Q for selected macromolecules at different flow rates. High flow rates (2 minutes residence time correspond to ~600 cm/hour) do not affect the high binding capacities at low flow rates.

Figure 1: (Click to enlarge)

More Stability

Unlike conventional anion-exchange resins, Eshmuno™ Q is intrinsically stable against alkaline solutions used in column sanitization. Figure 2 shows the increased stability of Eshmuno™ Q during storage in 1 M sodium hydroxide solution. Eshmuno™ Q retains its high binding capacity, whereas other anion-exchange resins suffer considerable reductions.

Figure 2: (Click to enlarge)

Tangible Savings in Cost and Development Time

Eshmuno™ Q showed remarkably sharp elution of the target molecule in a wide range of applications. Figure 3 shows the elution profile of purified MAb03 at pH 9.5 with 2 minutes residence time (CV = 1 mL), compared with the profile of another surface-grafted anion exchanger. Eshmuno™ Q elutes the antibody in a sharp peak of 12.4 mL; the other resin's eluate volume is 27.6 mL.

Figure 3: (Click to enlarge)

The 130% higher concentration of the target molecule and the 60% reduced elution volume render further concentration steps unnecessary, saving money on buffer solutions and consumables. Our Global Applied Technology Department supports Eshmuno™ users with a global network of applications centers on three continents and with renowned training programs.