This review highlights the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (MS), chromatography data systems (CDS), and related products that were introduced from 2024 to 2025. The review summarizes the technical specifications of each product, and highlights significant user benefits.
The 76th Pittcon was held at the Boston Convention Center in Massachusetts from March 1 to 5, 2025, the first time the event was held in the city. Boston, a perennial tourist favorite, is renowned for its prestigious academic institutions and its role as America’s new pharmaceutical hub. The historic city is one of three rotating Pitcon venues, including San Diego and San Antonio, replacing the former rotational locations of Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, and New Orleans (1).
Table I lists new product introductions, organized alphabetically by vendor name, and categorized into high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems, modules, mass spectrometers (MS), chromatography data systems (CDS), and other software. Each product’s innovative features and benefits are briefly described, along with a summary of its pertinent specifications. The footnotes of Table I provide definitions for common acronyms used in the table and text.
Table I: Summary of new HPLC, MS, and CDS products in 2024–2025
Table I (Continued): Summary of new HPLC, MS, and CDS products in 2024–2025.
This section describes new HPLC, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), preparative LC, and ion chromatography (IC) systems, including their salient features, benefits, and technical specifications.
The updated Infinity III Series includes the1260 (600 bar), 1260 Prime (800 bar, up to 5 mL/min), and 1290 (1300 bar, up to 5 mL/min, binary or quaternary pump). New features include level sensing monitors, a sample ID reader, and laboratory advisor software for LC maintenance. Users can select Infinity III Multisampler, Vialsampler, Hybrid Multisampler, and Multicolumn Thermostats.
The 1290 Infinity III Bio Online LC, 1260 Bio LC, 1260 Prime Bio-inert LC, and Bio 2D-LC instruments are constructed with biocompatible materials, including MP35N, gold, ceramic, and polymers, for enhanced resistance to high-salt mobile phases under extreme pH conditions.
The updated application-specific HPLC systems include those designed for amino acid analysis, method development, multi-method analysis, HDR-1290 DAD impurity analyzer, high-throughput analysis, online SPE analysis.
The Chromaster PLUS 5000 series is an enhanced version of the Chromaster 5000 series, with improved performance for the 5410 UV detector and 5310 column oven.
The Azura UHPLC system is configured for high-throughput (HT) quality control (QC) applications, featuring short cycle times and high sample capacity, utilizing a liquid handler LH 8.1. The system operates at pressures of up to 1240 bar using binary or quaternary pumps, with flow rates of up to 10 mL/min.
Hypersep Flowdrive is an automated platform for process development and large-scale pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing, including the intermediate purification and polishing of peptides, oligonucleotides, mRNA, and other small molecules. Four main systems are available: pilot, process M, L, and XXL, with upper flow rates ranging from 6 L/h to 2500 L/h, temperatures of up to 80 °C, and pressures of up to 100 bar.
The i-series systems are compact, integrated HPLCs with high performance, flexibility, and ecofriendliness. Key features include high performance that is capable of handling pressures up to 70 MPa (10,152 psi); ecofriendly design with reduced energy consumption and compact footprint; advanced control that can be integrated with LabSolutions software for remote operation and control; and detector flexibility that supports a range of detectors, including built-in options for ultraviolet (UV) or photodiode array (PDA), and supporting any external LC detector such as fluorescence, refractive index, evaporative light scattering, electrochemical, MS, and any other chromatographic detector with analog to digital (A/D) compatibility.
The CIC-D160+ IC has a built-in eluent generator, and can perform suppressed or non-suppressed conductivity detection with real-time monitoring and AutoStart functions. It has a metal-free Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) flow path with a maximum flow rate of 10 mL/min and a pressure of up to 42 MPa. This system is ideal for laboratories requiring reliable and automated ion chromatography solutions.
The Sielc Alltesta Gradient Automated Analyzer is a compact and cost-eƒ ective HPLC system featuring an autosampler, a gradient syringe pump (4000 psi), a ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV/vis) detector, and cloud-based CDS. control software.
The Sielc Cromite HPLC System is an isocratic version of the Alltesta gradient analyzer.
In addition to fast sample loading and equilibration, the Vanquish Neo UHPLC system‘s direct injection workflow pushes analysis speed further by eliminating method overhead. Utilizing a two-pump, two-column configuration, the workflow performs column loading, washing, and equilibration offline and in parallel to the analytical gradient to offer increased sample throughput, reduced carryover, and seamless workflow execution.
The Waters Alliance iS Bio HPLC System is tailored for biopharmaceutical quality control (QC) laboratories. The system features MaxPeak HPS (high performance surfaces) technology, bio-inert design, and instrument intelligence with built-in functions to boost efficiency and reduce common errors. The system handles pressures up to 12,000 psi and a pH range of 1 to 13.
The Analytical Liquid Handler LH 8.1 is a high-throughput X-Y-Z autosampler that meets requirements for UHPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) workflows. The system supports injection volumes of 1–80 L with a precision < 0.15% RSD, an injection cycle time of 7 s, and a carryover < 0.005%. The liquid handler supports six sample racks of vials or wall plates per robotic cooler. Clarity CDS controls the handler.
The system mathematically deconvolutes the spectrometer output and plots the concentration of each individual component in real time. Spectral Deconvolution can be configured with Agilent diode array detectors (DADs) and fiber-optic spectrometers. Flow concentration peak purities can be monitored.
The FlowChrom from Testa Analytical Solutions is an automated, non-invasive, real-time monitoring system that provides a continuous digital record of an HPLC system’s performance.
The Hydra detector is unique because it works in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) range of the electromagnetic spectrum where every molecule has a chromophore so it is universal. This detector acquires data across 12 bands which offers a unique level of spectral selectivity. The Hydra detector follows Beer’s Law so it is linear across a broad dynamic range. The Hydra detector integrates seamlessly with most HPLC system stacks and chromatography data systems.
The NeofleX Imaging Profiler is a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) system for tissue imaging designed for “multi-omics” MS imaging (MSI) applications in biopharma, translational, and clinical research. The system is equipped with a 10 kHz 3D laser, which supports multiplexed imaging, allowing the simultaneous mapping of up to 116 proteins in a single tissue section.
The timsTOF Ultra 2 is a trapped ion mobility-TOF MS designed for advanced proteomics and multiomics. This instrument enables deep, high-fidelity 4D proteomics of many sample types, including mammalian cells, cancer cell lines, and tissue biopsies. The system can measure over 1000 proteins from a 25-pg sample.
The QSight 420 LC/MS/MS system can analyze complex food and environmental samples. Its dual-source (ESI and APCI), StayClean Technology, Laminar Flow Ion Guide, and Simplicity 3D software offer high sensitivity and throughput, enabling laboratories to meet stringent regulatory requirements.
The Sciex 7500+ TQ system offers increased resilience across a wide range of sample types and workflows and improved user serviceability. The instrument offers Mass Guard technology, a DJet+ interface, and a 900 MRM/ sec capability supported by new Sciex Operating system functionalities. Other notable features include an enhanced Sciex OS (which enables instrument performance tracking and automated decision-making) and compatibility with dry pumps (which can drastically reduce electricity consumption compared to oil-sealed pumps).
The ZenoTOF 7600+ system is a high-resolution mass spectrometry solution designed for advanced proteomics and biomarker research, utilizing Zeno Trap Technology and Electron Activated Dissociation (EAD) and high-speed scanning of up to 640 Hz for applications such as drug discovery and translational biomarker validation.
The LCMS-TQ Series is a line of LC-TQ instruments comprising three MS/MS models: LCMS-8045RX, LCMS-8050RX, and LCMS-8060RX. The system features advanced CoreSpray technology, a heated ESI source with ultrafast 5-ms polarity switching, and a scan speed of up to 30,000 Da/sec. Specifications include a m/z range of 2–2000 Da and an MS resolution of R < 0.7 Da FWHM.
The ICPMS-2040/2050 Series oƒ ers eco-friendly elemental analysis with an advanced mini-torch system for ionization, boosting sensitivity two times compared to previous models while saving argon consumption. The system also features high-speed cell gas purging and ProActive rinsing, which reduce measurement time by 30% without additional cost. Additionally, it comes with intuitive LabSolutions ICPMS software, which includes preset analytical methods and maintenance alerts, simplifying operations and maintenance.
The Thermo Scientific Stellar MS TQ MS is designed for advanced targeted quantitation and biomarker validation. The system features dual-pressure linear ion trap technology, combining speed and sensitivity to advance precision medicine and translational “omics’ research. It oƒ ers high throughput and sensitivity with ease of use, making it ideal for verifying proteins and metabolites of clinical interest.
Thermo Scientific introduced a MultiOmics, Structural Biology, and BioPharma edition, catering to specific applications. The company introduced a new hardware feature called the Native MS option, which adds to the high mass range mode (increasing Orbitrap detection to m/z 16,000 and ion trap isolation to m/z 8000) by allowing isolation of precursors in the quadrupole to increase from the previous limit of m/z 2000 up to m/z 8000.
The Xevo MRT MS is designed for high-resolution and highspeed MS. The system employs next-generation multi-reflecting TOF (MRT) technology to deliver high resolution and speed without compromising analytical performance. Key features include high resolution and speed, delivering a resolving power of up to 100000 FWHM at 100 Hz with sub-ppm mass accuracy for identifying metabolites in complex matrices. The versatile instrument supports applications such as metabolomic, lipidomic, and metabolite identification studies. The system is designed to meet the needs of large-cohort biomedical research and epidemiology-type studies, providing highquality data in short run times.
The ACQUITY QDa II MS is an upgraded version of the QDa, oƒ ering a 20% increase in mass range (up to 1500 Da), reduced energy consumption, enhanced sensitivity (detects impurities at 0.01%), and improved compliance and traceability.
This version of the software introduces enhancements to optimize workflows and improve data integrity across various industries, including energy, chemical, and pharmaceutical laboratories. Key features include enhanced calibration/ quantification, better data integrity, support for biopharma workflows, and comprehensive migration from legacy systems.
This CDS version enables consolidation of the mass spectrometry laboratory, connecting instruments, users, and data in a centralized, scalable, server-based data system built to meet regulatory guidelines. The system provides access from anywhere and manages all methods, templates, and reports. New data processing capabilities include support for intact mass deconvolution for both isotopically resolved and unresolved structures, MS1–MS3 targeted library searching, data-dependent acquisition (DDA), and MS2 fragment matching targeted quantitation.
The Waters Empower 3.9.0 CDS introduces several enhanced features to improve laboratory eƒiciency, compliance, enhanced scalability, and data integrity, including Windows 11, to help safeguard data with the latest Microsoft updates.
The Waters Connect Data Intelligence Software helps labs visualize and derive insights from their Empower Software data, enabling them to access deeper insights, improve their laboratory operations, and be audit-ready.
KnowItAll Solutions for LC–MS is a comprehensive software platform that streamlines component identification via LC Expert’s automated workflow, which processes, deconvolutes, and searches raw LC–MS chromatograms, including MS/MS and accurate mass data. It features an extensive database collection of 2.7 million spectra, enabling non-targeted and targeted spectral analysis in environmental, pharmaceutical, and forensic research to reach the next level.
Novilytic pioneered an innovative and straightforward technique called Mobile Aƒinity Sorbent Chromatography (MASC). This technique utilizes a fluorescently-labeled aƒinity selector in the mobile phase, enabling titer and aggregate assays with a zonal multitasking MASC Proteometer Reactor (capable of mixing, coding, and SEC zones). See Figure 1 for a schematic diagram on the separation and detection mechanisms of MASC.
Figure 1: Chromatogram and explanations of mobile affinity selection (sorbent) chromatography (MASC) illustrate the concept and process of the new technology for analyzing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The reader is referred to the introductory paper published as an open-access article in Anal. Chem. in 2023 (2).
The Proteometer-L Kit can transform any HPLC into an assay platform for mAbs and other recombinant proteins. The kit identifies and quantifies titer and relative aggregate content in clarified fermentation broth in 10 min for mAbs, multi-specifics, and recombinant proteins containing an Fc domain. The kit contains a reactor, reagents, buƒer, and reconstituted materials, along with instructions.
The Proteometer-UFT Kit (Ultra-Fast Titer) enables at-line titer measurements of mAbs in clarified fermentation broth in under 90 s, eliminating the need for sample preparation or protein A purification. The kit works with a dual-pump HPLC system equipped with fluorescence detectors.
The new Proteometer-CV Kit quantifies charge variants of mAbs, bispecifics, and fusion proteins via direct injection from clarified fermentation broth, providing results in 25 min.
This review provides an overview of the new separation science products introduced in 2024–2025. The review summarizes innovative features, key benefits, and pertinent specifications of these new HPLC, MS, CDS, and other software products.
The Pittsburgh Conference (Pittcon) is North America’s largest laboratory science conference, and I have attended Pittcon for over four decades. Pittcon 2025 Boston has remained an inspiring experience. While the number of exhibitors was reduced post-pandemic to about 500, this year marked a surprising return of Agilent to the expo after a hiatus of more than ten years. The technical program remains extensive, featuring ~1,000 presentations and over 30 short courses. Pittcon remains an excellent venue for meeting old colleagues and making new friends while being inspired by the latest research and innovative analytical instruments.
The author thanks the marketing staff of all manufacturers who provided timely responses to the LCGC questionnaires. Special thanks to my reviewers for providing timely technical and editorial inputs to this article: Alice Krumenaker of Hovione (retired), Alec Valenta of Thermo Scientific, Janice Foley of Waters, He Meng of Sanofi, Willian Barker of Advanced Clinical, Sumit Mukherjee of Actylis, Samuel Seal of Waters, Nitish Sharma of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Nivesh Mittal of Shimadzu, Chengli Zu of Corteva, Justin Shearer of GSK, Mike Shiƒlet of Kenvue, Paul Dreier and Fred Regnier of Novilytic, David Van Meter of Proteome Sciences, plc, and Giorgia Greco of Knauer. Their input is invaluable for the accuracy and clarity of this article.
(1) Dong, M. W. New HPLC, MS, and CDS Products Introduced in 2023–2024: A Brief Review. LCGC International 2024, 1 (4), 16–22. DOI: 10.56530/lcgc.int.yv7970x6
(2) Narasimhan, M. L.; Kim, J.; Regnier F. E.; et al. Mobile Phase Selection Chromatography Analysis of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies. Anal. Chem. 2023, 95 (44), 16115–16122. DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c02180
Michael W. Dong is a principal of MWD Consulting, which provides training and consulting services in HPLC/UHPLC, CMC, method development, pharmaceutical analysis, and drug quality. He was formerly a Senior Scientist at Genentech, a Research Fellow at Purdue Pharma, and a Senior Staff Scientist at Applied Biosystems / PerkinElmer. Michael holds a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He has over 130 publications and two best-seller books in HPLC from Wiley. He is an advisory board member of LCGC International. Direct correspondence to: LCGCedit@mmhgroup.com
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