Project Explores LC-MS Data Analytics Methods to Rapidly Characterize Complex Biomolecules
NEWS SUMMARY:
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Waters expands collaboration with Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR into new areas meant to
accelerate bioprocessing and bioinformatics research.
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Projects include developing analytical workflows for nucleic acid therapeutic products and bioinformatics
research to deliver robust and accurate identification for a variety of biomolecules.
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Researchers seek to improve the speed and accuracy of analytical workflows to help reduce costs, mitigate
risks, and accelerate production of biologics.
MILFORD, Mass. & SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) today announced an expansion of its joint work with the Bioprocessing Technology
Institute (BTI), a research institute of Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Among
their new collaborative projects, Waters and BTI have started work on applying analytics that can rapidly
identify and visualize complex molecules within glycomics and metabolomics data to help ensure overall safety,
accuracy, and speed of biologics manufacturing.
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Waters and BTI are engaging in data analytics research meant to eliminate a major bottleneck in the
characterization of biopharmaceuticals, namely the identification and quantitation of complex biomolecules such
as released N- and O- glycans and metabolites that influence therapeutic function. Isomerism of both glycans and
metabolites is particularly troublesome and can be tackled using Waters’ advanced instruments. However, because
the data generated is massive, advanced bioinformatics approaches and machine learning techniques are needed to
deliver robust and accurate identification for these and other biomolecules to overcome time-consuming and
expensive conventional methods and current analytical software that cannot adequately interpret or visualize the
data.
As part of the project, Waters will contribute scientific expertise and the use of Watersinstruments
including the SYNAPT™ series mass spectrometry system along with a BioAccord™ LC-MS System. The SYNAPT instrument features ion mobility mass spectrometry
technology to provide complete characterization of complex compounds and molecules. The BioAccord system can be
used to monitor product quality attributes in real time that can affect efficacy and safety of innovator drugs
and biosimilars.
“Complex structural analyses of a molecule may hold the key to the development of novel therapies, including
biologics and cell & gene therapies. The understanding of complex glycan and isomeric compound structures is
largely constrained by the ability to rapidly and accurately analyze these structures from raw mass spectrometry
data,” said Associate Professor Andre Choo, Deputy Executive Director of BTI. “Leveraging BTI’s deep domain
expertise in bioprocessing technologies and advanced bioanalytical capabilities, BTI and Waters will develop
methods that combine data analytics with extensive bioinformatics libraries to ease complex data annotation. Our
aim is to make data interpretation easier and faster for scientists to accelerate discovery, for conventional
biologics and novel therapeutics.”
“Our work with BTI spans multiple successful collaborations in the realm of glycomics and bioprocessing
research,” said David Curtin, Vice President of Asia Pacific, Waters Corporation. “They are pioneers in
biomanufacturing innovation in Singapore with world-class expertise in bioprocess science and engineering. This
work aims to help biotherapeutic manufacturers with at-line or in-line measurements of complex molecules to
identify issues quickly during routine production and reduce costs or frequency of failed batches.”
First established in 2014, Waters’ collaborative relationship with BTI has focused on evaluating the performance
of a new N-linked glycan label aimed at biopharmaceutical applications, the GlycoWorks™ RapiFluor-MS™ Glycan Kit, and its complete workflow – from sample
preparation to analysis – for glycosylation profiling.
Additional Resources
About Waters Corporation (https://www.waters.com)
Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT), the world's leading specialty measurement company, has
pioneered chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials, food
and environmental sciences for more than 60 years. With more than 7,400 employees worldwide, Waters operates
directly in 35 countries, including 14 manufacturing facilities, and with products available in more than 100
countries.
Waters, SYNAPT, BioAccord, GlycoWorks and RapiFluor-MS are trademarks of Waters Corporation.
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Queenie Ng
Waters Corporation Asia-Pacific
queenie_ng@waters.com
+65 9150 2523
Kevin Kempskie
Waters Corporation, USA
pr@waters.com
+1 508 482 2814
Source: Waters Corporation