Lyophilised peptide stability
Why lyophilisation stabilises a peptide as a reagent, how the dry cake should be stored, and what governs its shelf behaviour.
Lyophilisation (freeze-drying) is why a research peptide can sit on a freezer shelf for long periods and still meet its Certificate of Analysis figures. This guide covers the dry state as a reagent.
Why lyophilisation stabilises
Most degradation routes — hydrolysis, deamidation, oxidation — need water and mobility. Removing water as a lyophilised cake slows these dramatically, leaving a solid that is far more stable than the same peptide in solution. The trade-off is that the cake is hygroscopic and must be protected from moisture.
Storage of the dry cake
Store lyophilised material cold and dry: −20 °C for routine use, −80 °C for long-term reference stock, kept desiccated. Warm a vial to room temperature before opening so condensation does not draw moisture onto the cake — a point covered in light and moisture exposure.
Shelf considerations
Shelf behaviour depends on sequence liabilities and storage discipline more than on elapsed time. Track identity and purity on receipt via the analytical verification workflow, and re-verify by HPLC if a long-stored vial is returned to use. Once reconstituted, the clock changes — see freeze-thaw degradation.
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