Want to Avoid Problems in Powerful New Drugs? Ask a Roofer

Understanding how proteins clump together is essential in modern pharmaceuticals. When these tiny particles aggregate, they can alter the effectiveness of both vaccines and drugs, especially many of the new, popular formulations derived from monoclonal antibodies. Despite its importance, the industry has yet to find an effective, large-scale way to measure particle clumping accurately. A new reference material, released today by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), aims to solve this protein problem with help from a translucent wonder material that’s often used on stadium roofs.