Pasteurization of IgM-enriched Immunoglobulin

Human plasma proteins are important for therapy or prophylaxis of human diseases. Due to the preparation of human plasma proteins from human plasma pools and risk of contamination with human viruses, different viral reduction treatments such as: pasteurization, solvent/detergent, dry heat treatment, steam treatment, beta-propiolactone/UV and nanofiltration have been implemented. As pasteurization can be performed for liquid protein, this method (a 10-hour heat treatment of the aqueous solutions at 60°C) was introduced into the manufacturing procedure of IgM-enriched immunoglobulin, to improve its safety further. The efficiency of this method for inactivation of viruses was evaluated by the use of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (a non-enveloped virus) and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) Virus (a lipid-enveloped virus). Pasteurization inactivated Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus by 7 log10 and for IBR Virus by 5log10. These findings show a significant added measure of virus safety associated with pasteurization of IgM-enriched immunoglobulin preparation.