Gert Desmet | Authors

An introduction from the guest editor of this special supplement from LCGC Europe revealing recent developments in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC).

The structural complexity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) challenges the capabilities of even the most advanced chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. This study examines the use of micro-pillar array columns in combination with mass spectrometry for peptide mapping of both mAbs and antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs).

Monoclonal antibodies are becoming a core aspect of the pharmaceutical industry. Together with a huge therapeutic potential, these molecules come with a structural complexity that drives state-of-the-art chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) to its limits. This article discusses the use of micro-pillar array columns in combination with mass spectrometry for peptide mapping of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and antibodyÐdrug conjugates (ADCs). Micro-pillar array columns are produced by a lithographic etching process creating a perfectly ordered separation bed on a silicon chip. As a result of the order existing in these columns, peak dispersion is minimized and highly efficient peptide maps are generated, providing enormous structural detail. Using examples from the author’s laboratory, the performance of these columns is illustrated.

This is the third article in a series exploring current topics in separation science that will be addressed at the HPLC 2017 conference in Prague, Czech Republic, from 18–22 June.