ADCs (Antibody-Drug Conjugates)

With a full analytical package for Biotherapeutics, Quality Assistance provides scientific and technical support to biopharmaceutical companies developing Antibody-Drug Conjugates.

Thanks to our combined experience with small molecule cytotoxics and monoclonal antibodies, we can provide full analytical support for your projects. We offer a wide range of services for all payload categories (maytansine derivatives, auristatins, etc.) and all conjugation strategies (lysine, cysteine, site-specific).

Throughout non-clinical and clinical development, our scientific team provides you with customised solutions in terms of analytical protocols and innovative technologies to help you move your product towards registration.

Your analytical partner providing:

  • customised solutions in terms of analytical protocols and innovative technologies throughout non-clinical and clinical development.
  • a full range of equipment in Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Pharmaceutical Technologies and Microbiology, to meet all the challenges of developing and validating methods.
  • regulatory, scientific and technical excellence with a problem-solving approach
  • compliance with all applicable EMA, FDA and ICH regulations
  • GMP, GLP, GCLP/GCP environment

Your one-stop shop for analytical services

Outsource your analytical needs on one site for more efficiency including:

  • Analytical development
  • Validation of analytical methods as per ICH guidelines
  • Characterisation of ADCs at intact, sub-unit and peptide levels
  • Bioassays
  • Bioanalytical services
  • Stability studies
  • Batch testing
GENERAL QUALITY
Appearance 
pH / Osmolarity (if liquid) 
Water content / residual moisture (if lyophilised)KF titration (Volumetric, coulometric, oven)
Particulate matterOptical microscopy / Light obscuration / Imaging Particle Analysis
Properties after reconstitution 
Zeta potential 
IDENTITY
Intact protein molecular weightMass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF, MALDI-TOF) / 
SDS-PAGE / cGE
IsoformsMass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF, MALDI-TOF, ESI-IonTrap) / IEF / (i)cIEF / (U)HPLC (IEX, RP, SEC, HIC) / 2-D gel / Peptide mapping
Peptide mappingUPLC (UV, QTOF, IonTrap) / MALDI-TOF
Immunological identificationELISA / ECL (MSD) / Luminex / Western blotting / RID / Biacore / Octet (BLI)
Identification of linked cytotoxic payloadUPLC (UV/MS)
N- and C-terminal sequencingESI-IonTrap (ETD) / MALDI-TOF (ISD)
QUANTITY
Protein quantityBCA / Lowry / Bradford / UV / (U)HPLC (UV) / Slope Spectroscopy (SoloVPE)
Absolute protein content determinationICP/MS (S, isotope dilution) / Amino Acid Analysis (AAA) by UPLC (UV or Fluo, ACCQ-TAG Ultra)
Determination of extinction coefficientUV + ICP-MS (S, isotope dilution) or AAA (UPLC-UV or Fluo)
Drug Antibody Ratio (DAR)(U)HPLC (UV) / UV/visible / HIC / Mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF, MALDI-TOF, ESI-IonTrap) / SEC-HPLC (UV/RI/MALS) / A4F (UV/RI/MALS) / icIEF
Detection of free cytotoxic compound(U)HPLC (UV/MS) / UV / 2D-LC (UV/MS)
PURITY & INTEGRITY
Mass distribution profileMass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF, MALDI-TOF, ESI-IonTrap)
Structural integrityCircular Dichroism (CD) / FT-IR
IsoformsIEF / (i)cIEF / (U)HPLC (IEX, RP, SEC, HIC) / 2-D gel / Peptide mapping / Mass Spectrometry
Aggregation, fragment and particle size distributionSEC-(U)HPLC (UV, RI, MALS) / A4F / cGE / DLS / SDS-PAGE /
Imaging Particle Analysis
Glycosylation patternsUPLC (FLUO, QTOF, IonTrap) / MALDI-TOF / CE (LIF) / GC (MS)
Disulfide bridgesSDS-PAGE / cGE / Peptide mapping
Free thiolsFluorescence (NPM) / UV (Ellman, DTNB)
Degradation patterns (oxidation, deamidation, Lys-term truncation, etc.)IEX / RP-(U)HPLC / SEC-(U)HPLC / SDS-PAGE / (U)HPLC (MS) / CE (icIEF, cGE) / 2D-Gel / Peptide mapping
POTENCY
Immunoassays / CytotoxicityELISA / ECL (MSD) / Luminex / Cell-based assays / FACS / Biacore / Octet (BLI)
PROCESS-RELATED IMPURITIES
Residual solventsHS-GC (FID, MS, ECD)
Residual proteins (including HCP, protein A, purification Ab)ELISA / ECL (MSD) / Luminex / UPLC (MS/MS) / Western blotting / 2D-Gel / 2D-DIGE
Buffer components (including BSA, Tween, β-OG, Antibiotics)ELISA / ECL (MSD) / Luminex / Colorimetry / (U)HPLC (UV, MS, RI, ELSD, CAD)
Antifoam agents (PPG, PEG, silicone oil)ICP (MS, OES) / (U)HPLC (ELSD, CAD)
Residual DNAQ-PCR / PicoGreen
Elemental impuritiesICP (OES, MS)
MicrobiologyBioburden / Sterility (filtration, direct inoculation)
Endotoxins and PyrogensLAL (kinetic, end point), Monocyte Activation Test / 
Recombinant Factor C
PACKAGING
Leachables and extractablesGC (FID, ECD, MS) / ICP (OES, MS) / (U)HPLC (UV, ELSD, CAD, MS)
Container Closure System IntegrityBubbling / Dye ingress / Microbial ingress
Cytotoxicity / Biological reactivityCell-based assays / USP <87>
PHARMACOKINETICS & TOXICOKINETICS / BIOMARKERS / IMMUNOGENICITY
Drug / MetabolitesELISA / Electrochemiluminescence (MSD) / Luminex / UPLC (MS/MS) / ICP (OES, MS) / ESI-QTOF
BiomarkersELISA / Electrochemiluminescence (MSD) / Luminex / UPLC (MS/MS)
Vehicles / BuffersELISA / Electrochemiluminescence (MSD) / Luminex / (U)HPLC (UV, RI, DAD, FLUO, ELSD,
CAD, MS) / ICP (OES, MS)
ImmunogenicityELISA / Electrochemiluminescence (MSD) / Luminex / Cell-based assays (neutralisation) /
Biacore
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