Thermo Fisher Scientific Extends Collaboration Support for Biopharma Discovery and Development

On March 1, 2022, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Symphogen, an affiliate of and the antibody center of excellence within pharmaceutical company Servier, announced the continuation of a collaboration under which the companies are providing biopharmaceutical discovery and development laboratories with innovative tools and streamlined workflows for efficient characterization of complex therapeutic proteins.

Under the initial collaboration, started in 2018, Symphogen adopted new and innovative instruments and software that improves data quality and processes. The implementation of these instruments and software enhanced the ability to develop, test, and routinely implement platform workflows for intact and native mass analysis of therapeutic monoclonal antibody mixtures. More recently, the implementation of the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris MX Mass Detector allows for a high level of data confidence and an efficient workflow by conferring seamless method transfer from development instruments, according to a company press release.

The new system adds to Symphogen’s range of high-resolution accurate mass mass spectrometry technologies, including the Thermo Scientific Q Exactive Plus Orbitrap liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry system and the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris 240 and 480 mass spectrometers. These systems will be controlled with the Thermo Scientific Chromeleon chromatography data system software, which allows for secure, remote operations and data processing from any location in the world. The ability to have remote operations provides working flexibility and improved data protection.

“The extension of our collaborative relationship with Symphogen demonstrates our continued commitment to solve tangible scientific challenges within the biopharmaceutical industry,” said Eric Grumbach, director biopharma, pharma business, chromatography and mass spectrometry, Thermo Fisher, in a company press release. “Further investment in this collaboration enables critical insights that feed directly into the development of new analytical tools, providing meaningful impact to the characterization of complex biotherapeutics.”

“Mass spectrometry is playing an increasingly important role in biopharmaceutical development at Symphogen, as exemplified in 2021, when we analyzed over 10,000 biopharmaceutical samples by intact mass analysis on our Orbitrap mass spectrometers. A multitude of separation techniques are now routinely hyphenated to our mass spectrometers, providing unrivalled insight into product quality, from early discovery to late-stage clinical development,” said Dan Bach Kristensen, principal investigator, Symphogen, in the press release.

Source: Thermo Fisher Scientific