Inactivation of viruses by pasteurization at 60 °C for 10 h with and without 40% glucose as stabilizer during a new manufacturing process of α2-Macroglobulin from Cohn Fraction IV

• Influence of pasteurization on α2-Macroglobulin activity was firstly detected.
• Without stabilizers pasteurization effectively inactivated pseudorabies virus, Sindbis virus, porcine parvovirus, and encephalomyocarditis virus.
• 40% glucose protected α2-M activity from pasteurization and increased the resistance of encephalomyocarditis virus against pasteurization.

Pasteurization is regularly used to inactivate viruses for the safety of plasma derivatives. Influence of pasteurization at 60 °C for 10 h on α2-Macroglobulin activity and virus inactivation were studied. With 40% sugar as stabilizers more than 70% α2-Macroglobulin activity was reserved after pasteurization compared with 20% in control. Glucose presented a better activity protection effect than sucrose and maltose. By pasteurization without stabilizer the virus titers of pseudorabies virus, Sindbis virus, porcine parvovirus and encephalomyocarditis virus were reduced more than 5.88 log10, 7.50 log10, 4.88 log10, and 5.63 log10 respectively within 2 h. By pasteurization with 40% glucose vesicular stomatitis virus was inactivated more than 5.88 log10 within 1 h. Only 2.71 log10 reduction was achieved for encephalomyocarditis virus after 10 h. 40% glucose protected α2-M activity and viruses simultaneously from pasteurization. Other viral inactivation methods need to be incorporated to ensure viral safety of this manufacturing process of α2-Macroglobulin.