Structural insight into the fertility hormone follitropin delta
How do you prove that a complex biopharmaceutical is assembled exactly as intended? In a recent study led by Bio‑Technology General Ltd, researchers tackled a long‑standing analytical challenge by using Diamond’s powerful Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) capabilities to directly visualise the molecular “bridges” that hold the hormone follitropin delta together.
Using Diamond’s high‑brightness X‑ray beams, the team was able to directly visualise the hormone’s internal disulfide bonds - critical molecular “bridges” that ensure correct folding, stability, and biological activity. This approach provided definitive structural evidence that could not be achieved using conventional analytical techniques, offering new confidence in the quality of this advanced protein therapeutic.
Find out what the team discovered, and why it matters for the development, regulation, and assurance of modern biologic medicines.