L-glutamine has very important roles in vivo. Glutamine supplies nutritional requirements,
improves intestinal health and enhances the immune system. Glutamine is also being
used in a variety of clinical studies ranging from cancer treatment, radiation and
chemotherapy to treatment of shock and more.
In biotechnology, L-glutamine is an essential component for mammalian cell culture
medium.
Why Use a Dipeptide?
As essential as glutamine is to supporting daily activities, it has one major drawback.
Glutamine is unstable in aqueous solutions and has poor stability in concentrations
required for its use as a nutritional agent.
L-alanyl-L-glutamine (Ala-Gln)
Ala-Gln is a dipeptide with a glutamine amino group joined to an alanyl residue.
It has excellent stability and is readily soluble in aqueous solutions. Its efficacy
has been proven in numerous clinical investigations. Historically, there have been
issues around the use of Ala-Gln as an alternative to L-glutamine:
- The traditional manufacturing process is complicated and costly.
- Due to the use of solvents and protected forms of amino acids, there has been concern
about potential levels of impurities and/or residual solvents in the final product.
Instead of using solvents and extensive purification steps, Ajinomoto discovered
an enzyme that allows amino acid residues to be joined together using a biological
enzymation process. Thus, the production process is greatly improved.
There are also economic and regulatory benefits to using AminoStable to replace
L-glutamine for human therapeutics and biopharmaceutical applications.
Percent Impurities Detected by HPLC
|
Company |
Ajinomoto |
Competitor A
|
Competitor B |
Competitor C |
Competitor D |
Competitor E |
|
Process |
Enzymation |
Chemical Synthesis |
Chemical Synthesis |
Chemical Synthesis |
Chemical Synthesis |
Chemical Synthesis |
|
Lots Analyzed |
3 Lots |
1 Lot |
1 Lot |
1 Lot |
1 Lot |
1 Lot |
|
PCA |
N.D. |
N.D. |
0.11 |
0.13 |
1.29 |
1.30 |
|
Gln |
N.D. |
N.D. |
N.D. |
N.D. |
N.D. |
N.D. |
|
Ala |
N.D. |
0.71 |
1.33 |
2.14 |
7.43 |
3.09 |
|
AlaGlu |
0 - 0.3 |
0.11 |
0.21 |
2.01 |
4.81 |
4.83 |
|
Other |
Trace |
0.48 |
1.22 |
2.85 |
5.21 |
6.28 |
|
Total Impurity |
0 - 0.3 |
1.30 |
2.87 |
7.13 |
18.74 |
15.50 |
|
*Ajinomoto product evaluation is based upon first two production lots. Subsequent
production will require the same rigorous testing before claiming this impurity
profile. |
Ala-Gln Stability Data
