This month, AVIA Biosystems introduced its first product, the Model 2304 Automated Protein Denaturation System. Designed to determine protein stability, it automates chemical denaturation measurements. A complement to physical denaturation studies of protein stability, chemical denaturalization enables the measurement of thermodynamic values at a given temperature without the need to extrapolate from a higher temperature, as with differential scanning calorimetry. “The system determines the thermodynamics of protein conformational stability. Conformational stability is a critical aspect that needs to be optimized during the development of biologics,” explained Richard K. Brown, PhD, president and cofounder of AVIA.

According to Dr. Brown, “The AVIA system automatically performs chemical denaturation of proteins and detects the process by monitoring intrinsic or extrinsic fluorescence, which is more sensitive than circular dichroism or UV spectroscopy.“ Using a 96-wellplate format, the system also automates sample preparation and data processing. A denaturation curve is produced for each condition being tested.

Model 2304 can be utilized for a range of protein stability applications. “We expect the primary beneficiaries of this new system will be investigators performing protein stability studies, biologics pre-formulation studies, final product formulations development, protein purification and processing conditions evaluation and development, protein construct stability evaluation, and for some special applications in ligand binding studies,” said Dr. Brown. The system is priced at $145,000–$165,000.