NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Agilent Technologies and Singapore's Bioprocessing Technology Institute today announced a collaboration to develop new analytical approaches to specific protein-linked sugar compounds.
Aimed at bridging gaps in analytical tests and standards for glycoprotein-based drugs, the collaboration will further develop Agilent's AssayMAP Bravo platform, an automated platform for high-throughput protein sample preparation and purification. Combining the technology with mass spectrometry, BTI researchers will leverage their knowledge in the production of therapeutic glycoproteins to develop optimized workflows and methods for analyzing N- and O-linked glycans, the partners said.
According to the partners, glycoproteins now comprise the majority of approved biopharmaceutical drugs, but current analytical methods for characterizing glycans are time-consuming and are difficult to deploy in commercial settings. Additionally, existing methods have limited abilities to detect and analyze minor glycan species.
"Bringing together expertise from Agilent and BTI will allow us to develop an approach for [the] analysis of therapeutic glycoproteins that requires [less] user intervention while keeping to the high standards of analysis needed," Zhang Peiqing, a BTI research scientist and the lead investigator for the projects under the collaboration, said in a statement.
BTI is a research institute of Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research.