Revolutionizing Biopharma: Waters Unveils Breakthrough Charge Detection Mass Spectrometry for Next-Gen Therapies

Waters Corporation, a global leader in analytical technologies, has announced a monumental leap forward in biopharmaceutical development with the launch of its innovative Waters SELECT SERIES Multi Reflecting Time-of-Flight (MRT) system, now featuring cutting-edge Charge Detection Mass Spectrometry (CDMS) technology.

This groundbreaking advancement is set to dramatically accelerate the discovery and development of next-generation biotherapeutics, including life-saving gene therapies, viral vaccines, and other intricate protein assemblies.

The burgeoning field of biotherapeutics demands increasingly sophisticated analytical tools to tackle the complexities of new drug modalities.

Traditional mass spectrometry methods often struggle with highly heterogeneous samples and the sheer size of molecules like Adeno-Associated Viruses (AAVs) or Virus-Like Particles (VLPs). Waters' new CDMS technology directly addresses these challenges head-on, offering an unprecedented level of insight and speed.

What makes CDMS so revolutionary? Unlike conventional methods that infer charge, Waters' SELECT SERIES MRT with CDMS directly measures the mass and charge of individual ions.

This eliminates the need for time-consuming and often complex charge deconvolution, providing a clearer, more direct path to understanding these complex biological structures. This capability is critical for rapidly characterizing large, intact biomolecules and gaining high-resolution insights into their composition and integrity – a crucial step in ensuring the safety and efficacy of new drugs.

Dr.

Erin Chambers, Vice President of Global Research & Development at Waters Corporation, emphasized the transformative potential of this launch. "Our new CDMS technology represents a significant leap forward, empowering scientists to overcome critical analytical hurdles in the development of gene therapies and vaccines.

By simplifying the characterization of highly complex biotherapeutics, we are helping to bring these vital medicines to patients faster and more reliably."

This innovative technology is particularly impactful for the analysis of AAVs and VLPs, which are foundational to many advanced therapies.

Previously, characterizing the capsid and genome content of these particles was a bottleneck. With CDMS, researchers can now perform these analyses with unparalleled speed and precision, providing essential data for quality control and process development.

Dr. Michael McLellan, Principal Scientist at Waters, highlighted the practical advantages.

"Researchers developing these advanced therapies need robust tools that can provide deep molecular insights quickly. Our CDMS technology delivers this by enabling the direct measurement of large biomolecules without the limitations of traditional MS, opening new avenues for understanding and optimizing these complex therapeutic agents."

The sentiment is echoed by external experts, including Dr.

John Schiel from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), who commended Waters for its collaboration with institutions like the University of Oxford. This partnership underscores a commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific measurement and fostering innovation in biopharmaceutical characterization.

Waters' SELECT SERIES MRT with CDMS is poised to become an indispensable tool in laboratories worldwide, accelerating the pace of innovation and ultimately bringing life-changing treatments to patients sooner.

The technology is available for order globally, with shipments commencing from November 12, 2024, marking a new era in biotherapeutic analysis.