Implications of the presence of N -glycolylneuraminic acid in recombinant therapeutic glycoproteins

Recombinant glycoproteins produced in animal cell lines often bear the nonhuman sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). Ghaderi et al. show that two monoclonal antibodies in clinical use differ with respect to addition of Neu5Gc and propose that drug developers should consider the consequences of the Neu5Gc modification.