HSA- free formulations of interferon-beta

A stabilized HSA-free pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially monomeric interferon-beta (IFN-β) or biologically active variant thereof solubilized in a low-ionic-strength formulation, wherein said low-ionic-strength formulation is a solution that comprises a buffer selected from the group consisting of glycine, aspartic acid, or sodium succinate present at a concentration of about 1 mM to about 10 mM, said composition having a pH of about 3.0 to about 5.0, and wherein said formulation has an ionic-strength that is not greater than about 60 mM.

A stabilized HSA-free pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially monomeric human interferon-beta (IFN-β) or biologically active mutein thereof solubilized in a low-ionic-strength formulation, wherein said low-ionic-strength formulation is a solution that comprises glycine as a buffer, where said buffer is present at a concentration of about 2 mM to about 5 mM, said composition having a pH of about 3.0 to about 4.0, and wherein said formulation has an ionic-strength that is not greater than about 40 mM.

A stabilized HSA-free pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially monomeric human interferon-beta (IFN-β) or biologically active mutein thereof solubilized in a low-ionic-strength formulation, wherein said low-ionic-strength formulation is a solution that comprises aspartic acid as a buffer, where said buffer is present at a concentration of about 2 mM to about 5 mM, said composition having a pH of about 3.5 to about 4.5, and wherein said formulation has an ionic-strength that is not greater than about 40 mM.

A stabilized HSA-free pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially monomeric human interferon-beta (IFN-β) or biologically active mutein thereof solubilized in a low-ionic-strength formulation, wherein said low-ionic-strength formulation is a solution that comprises sodium succinate as a buffer, where said buffer is present at a concentration of about 2 mM to about 5 mM, said composition having a pH of about 4.5 to about 5.0, and wherein said formulation has an ionic-strength that is not greater than about 40 mM.

A method for increasing solubility of interferon-beta (IFN-β) or biologically active variant thereof in a pharmaceutical composition in the absence of human serum albumin, said method comprising preparing said composition with a low-ionic-strength formulation, wherein said low-ionic-strength formulation is a solution that comprises a buffer in an amount sufficient to maintain the pH of said composition within plus or minus 0.5 units of a specified pH, where the specified pH is about 3.0 to about 5.0, said formulation having an ionic strength that is not greater than about 60 mM, and incorporating said IFN-β or biologically active variant thereof into said composition.

A method for preparing an HSA-free pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially monomeric interferon-beta (IFN-β), said method comprising preparing said composition with a low-ionic-strength formulation, wherein said low-ionic-strength formulation is a solution that comprises a buffer in an amount sufficient to maintain the pH of said composition within plus or minus 0.5 units of a specified pH, wherein the specified pH is about 3.0 to about 5.0, said formulation having an ionic strength not greater than about 60 mM, and incorporating said IFN-β or biologically active variant thereof into said composition.