Validation of a Cell Proliferation Assay to Assess the Potency of a Dialyzable Leukocyte Extract Intended for Batch Release

Transferon(®) is a blood product with immunomodulatory properties constituted by a complex mixture of peptides obtained from a human dialyzable leukocyte extract (DLE). Due to its complex nature, it is necessary to demonstrate batch consistency in its biological activity. Potency is the quantitative measure of biological activity and is also a quality attribute of drugs. Here we developed and validated a proliferation assay using Jurkat cells exposed to azathioprine, which is intended to determine the potency of Transferon(®) according to international guidelines for pharmaceuticals. The assay showed a linear response (2.5 to 40 µg/mL), coefficients of variation from 0.7 to 13.6% demonstrated that the method is precise, while r(2) = 0.97 between the nominal and measured values obtained from dilutional linearity showed that the method is accurate. We also demonstrated that the cell proliferation response was specific for Transferon(®) and was not induced by its vehicle nor by other peptide complex mixtures (glatiramer acetate or hydrolyzed collagen). The bioassay validated here was used to assess the relative potency of eight released batches of Transferon(®) with respect to a reference standard, showing consistent results. The collective information from the validation and the assessment of several batches indicate that the bioassay is suitable for the release of Transferon(®).