Stability of therapeutic enzymes: Challenges and recent advances

Enzymes are biocatalysts that have found profound applications in the current biotherapeutic industry and play a crucial role in diagnosis, prevention, and biochemical analysis of major diseases. However, stability, protein degradation and immunogenicity in the body present unique challenges that are faced upon sustained use of such enzymes. The present chapter is an attempt to dissect the state-of-the-art in relation to the challenges of development of therapeutic enzymes and the recent advances to address them. At the very outset, diseases where enzymes have found effective applications and the various causes of enzyme instability have been discussed. In recent times, polymer or nano- conjugated resistant delivery methods, as well as mutagenesis have led to manifold increase in enzyme stability against thermal denaturation, acidic gut environment, proteolysis and immunogenicity. Further, methods of analytical characterization of proteins have been highlighted and explored to shape future research directions.