What: The active entities in many biotech drugs are antibodies, enzymes or peptides. These are molecules that are made by living organisms; most of the time it's either a mammalian cell or bacteria. These drugs are made of the same molecules that make up beef; that is proteins which are polymers made up of amino acids. As such raw beef and unformulated drugs can behave in a similar way. That is, if you leave a fresh piece of beef on a warm counter for an extended period of time it will rot. If you dry it out, the shelf life is expanded by many months. Likewise with biotech drugs. One means of stabilizing these products is lyophilization or better know as freeze drying. This removes the water which inhibits oxidation as well as bacterial contamination. There is much more to this process, but drying can stabilize beef as well as drugs.

Writer: mattyflynn

LCC: QP

Where: Reference Link Has Evaporated

Date: Dec 24 2009 11:19 AM