1
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Guimaraes GJ, Kim J, Bartlett MG. Characterization of mRNA therapeutics. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2024; 43:1066-1090. [PMID: 37401740 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) have emerged as powerful tools in the treatment of complex diseases, especially for conditions that lack efficacious treatment. The successful application of this modality can be attributed to its ability to encode entire proteins. While the large nature of these molecules has supported their success as therapeutics, its extended size creates several analytical challenges. To further support therapeutic mRNA development and its deployment in clinical trials, appropriate methods to support their characterization must be developed. In this review, we describe current analytical methods that have been used in the characterization of RNA quality, identity, and integrity. Advantages and limitations from several analytical techniques ranging from gel electrophoresis to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and from shotgun sequencing to intact mass measurements are discussed. We comprehensively describe the application of analytical methods in the measurements of capping efficiency, poly A tail analysis, as well as their applicability in stability studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme J Guimaraes
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Jaeah Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael G Bartlett
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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2
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Li F, Knappe C, Carstensen N, Favorat E, Gao M, Holkenjans W, Hetzel T, Pell R, Lämmerhofer M. Two-dimensional sequential selective comprehensive chiral×reversed-phase liquid chromatography of synthetic phosphorothioate oligonucleotide diastereomers. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1730:465076. [PMID: 38879975 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.465076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, many nucleic acid-based pharmaceuticals have been approved and entered the market, and even a larger number are in late stage clinical trials. Conventional oligonucleotides are facing issues in vivo like fast renal clearance and nuclease degradation. Therefore, to increase their stability, phosphorothioation is a frequent modification of therapeutic oligonucleotides (ONs) which also leads to improved binding affinity facilitating cell internalization and intracellular distribution. At the same time, by replacing a phosphodiester linkage with a phosphorothioate group, a phosphorous stereogenic center is generated which causes the formation of Rp- and Sp-diastereomers. It increases the structural diversity. For example, with 15 of those phosphorothioate (PS) linkages, 32,768 different diastereomers are expected. Since the phosphorothioate is introduced non-stereoselectively, the molecular complexity of the resultant phosphorothioate ON products is tremendously increased impeding the chromatographic separation in the course of quality control. Since distinct phosphorothioate diastereomers have different bioactivities and pharmacological properties, there is increasing interest in implications of stereoisomerism of phosphorothiate oligonucleotides. From a quality and regulatory viewpoint, batch-to-batch reproducibility of the diastereomer profile may be of significant concern. In order to address this issue, this study investigates the stereoselectivity of LC methods for two phosphorothioate oligonucleotide (PSO) compounds differing in their molecular size and numbers of PS linkages. Diastereoselectivity of ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC), RPLC without ion-pairing agents and LC with chiral polysaccharide-based column were evaluated for model PSOs and an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of PSO with trivalent N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) conjugate. Due to the structural complexity of PSOs, the separation power for the diastereomer mixture was increased by using sequential selective comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography with an amylose tris(α-methylbenzylcarbamate)-immobilized chiral stationary phase (CSP) in the first dimension and ion-pair RPLC with ethylammonium acetate in the second dimension. Improved diastereomer selectivity was obtained and a larger number of peaks could be separated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyang Li
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cornelius Knappe
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Niklas Carstensen
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Enrico Favorat
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mimi Gao
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceutical Division, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 217-333 42117 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Wiebke Holkenjans
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceutical Division, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 217-333 42117 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Terence Hetzel
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceutical Division, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 217-333 42117 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Reinhard Pell
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceutical Division, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 217-333 42117 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Michael Lämmerhofer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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3
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Fiserova B, Minarik M, Nahunek M, Kysilka R, Minarik M. Improvement of oligonucleotide separation using a repetto high-performance liquid chromatography recycling approach. J Sep Sci 2024; 47:e2400252. [PMID: 38822226 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202400252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
A new approach for the improvement of separation of oligonucleotides by recycling ion-pairing chromatography is described. In the so-called repetto process, segments of separated compounds are sequentially returned to the inlet for multiple passages through the column without a need to pass a pump and with the possibility of detecting the level of separation between individual passages. Unlike in the recently described twin-column recycle approach in which eluents are repeatedly transferred between two separation columns, with the repetto method a single column is sufficient, and the detector is not exposed to high back pressure. The repetto principle was used for the separation of synthetic oligonucleotides, resulting in a multi-fold improvement in single nt resolution of long (> 50 nt) synthetic oligonucleotide fragments with high gas chromatography (guanine-cytosine) content > 40% and their separation from impurities of the original synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Fiserova
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | | | | | - Marek Minarik
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Watrex Praha s.r.o., Prague, Czech Republic
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4
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Bui QD, Deschrijver T, Noten B, Verluyten W, Vervoort N, Eeltink S. Optimization of elution conditions and comparison of emerging biocompatible columns on the resolving power and detection sensitivity of oligonucleotides by ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1720:464793. [PMID: 38484639 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
A generic performance comparison strategy has been developed to evaluate the impact of mobile-phase additives (ion-pairing agent / counter ion systems), distinct stationary phases on resulting resolving power, and MS detectability of oligonucleotides and their critical impurities in gradient IP-RPLC. Stationary-phase considerations included particle type (core-shell vs. fully porous particles), particle diameter, and pore size. Separations were carried out at 60°C to optimize mass transfer (C-term). The incorporation of an active column preheater mitigated thermal mismatches, leading to narrower peaks and overcoming peak splitting. Acetonitrile as organic modifier outweighed methanol in terms of peak-capacity generation and yielded a 30% lower back pressure. Performance screening experiments were conducted varying ion-pairing agents and counter ions, while adjusting gradient span achieved an equivalent effective retention window. Hexafluoromethylisopropanol yielded superior chromatographic resolution, whereas hexafluoroisopropanol yielded significantly higher MS detection sensitivity. The 1.7 µm core-shell particle columns with 100 Å pores provided maximum resolving power for small (15-35 mers) oligonucleotides. Sub-min analysis for 15-35 polyT ladders was achieved operating a 50 mm long column at the kinetic performance limits. High-resolution separations between a 21-mer modified RNA sequence oligonucleotides and its related (shortmer and phosphodiester) impurities and complementary strand were obtained using a coupled column set-up with a total length of 450 mm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quang-Dong Bui
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Department of Chemical Engineering, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tiny Deschrijver
- Janssen Pharmaceutica, Process Analytical Research - Chemical Process Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Bart Noten
- Janssen Pharmaceutica, Process Analytical Research - Chemical Process Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Willy Verluyten
- Janssen Pharmaceutica, Analytical Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Nico Vervoort
- Janssen Pharmaceutica, Process Analytical Research - Chemical Process Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Sebastiaan Eeltink
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Department of Chemical Engineering, Brussels, Belgium.
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5
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Abdullah AM, Sommers C, Rodriguez JD, Zhang D, Kozak D, Hawes J, Sapru M, Yang K. Decoding Complexity in Synthetic Oligonucleotides: Unraveling Coeluting Isobaric Impurity Ions by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2024; 96:904-909. [PMID: 38158374 PMCID: PMC10794994 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Analyzing coeluting impurities with similar masses in synthetic oligonucleotides by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) poses challenges due to inadequate separation in either dimension. Herein, we present a direct method employing fully resolved isotopic envelopes, enabled by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), to identify and quantify isobaric impurity ions resulting from the deletion or addition of a uracil (U) or cytosine (C) nucleotide from or to the full-length sequence. These impurities may each encompass multiple sequence variants arising from various deletion or addition sites. The method utilizes a full or targeted MS analysis to measure accurate isotopic distributions that are chemical formula dependent but nucleotide sequence independent. This characteristic enables the quantification of isobaric impurity ions involving sequence variants, a capability typically unavailable in sequence-dependent MS/MS methods. Notably, this approach does not rely on standard curves to determine isobaric impurity compositions in test samples; instead, it utilizes the individual isotopic distributions measured for each impurity standard. Moreover, in cases where specific impurity standards are unavailable, the measured isotopic distributions can be adequately replaced with the theoretical distributions (calculated based on chemical formulas of standards) adjusted using experiment-specific correction factors. In summary, this streamlined approach overcomes the limitations of LC-MS analysis for coeluting isobaric impurity ions, offering a promising solution for the in-depth profiling of complex impurity mixtures in synthetic oligonucleotide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Abdullah
- Division
of Complex Drug Analysis, Office of Testing and Research, Office of
Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Cynthia Sommers
- Division
of Complex Drug Analysis, Office of Testing and Research, Office of
Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Jason D. Rodriguez
- Division
of Complex Drug Analysis, Office of Testing and Research, Office of
Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Deyi Zhang
- Division
of Therapeutic Performance I, Office of Research and Standards, Office
of Generic Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20903, United States
| | - Darby Kozak
- Division
of Therapeutic Performance I, Office of Research and Standards, Office
of Generic Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20903, United States
| | - Jessica Hawes
- Division
of Systems Biology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas 72079, United States
| | - Mohan Sapru
- Division
of New Drug Product III, Office of New Drug Product, Office of Pharmaceutical
Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20903, United States
| | - Kui Yang
- Division
of Complex Drug Analysis, Office of Testing and Research, Office of
Pharmaceutical Quality, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
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6
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Stoll D, Sylvester M, Meston D, Sorensen M, Maloney TD. Development of multiple heartcutting two-dimensional liquid chromatography with ion-pairing reversed-phase separations in both dimensions for analysis of impurities in therapeutic oligonucleotides. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1714:464574. [PMID: 38103311 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Oligonucleotides constitute an emerging and highly complex bioanalytical challenge and it is becoming increasingly clear that 1D methodologies are unable to fully resolve all possible impurities present in these samples. 2D-LC therefore constitutes a perfect solution wherein critical pairs can be sampled from a steep gradient 1D and separated in a shallower 2D gradient. Herein, we provide a facile 2D-LC method development approach to quickly generate high selectivity gradients utilizing ion pairing reverse phase (IPRP-IPRP). In particular we demonstrate how to iteratively generate a 12 % gradient from two training runs and then to utilize that data to predict retentions of analytes with a 2 % gradient with retention prediction errors as low as 3 and 11 %, respectively. This iterative method development workflow was applied to impurity profiling down to 1:1000 for the full-length product and phosphorothioate modified impurities. Additionally, we demonstrated the elucidation of critical pairs in complex crude pharmaceutical oligonucleotide samples by applying tailored high selectivity gradients in the second dimension. It was found that the iterative retention modeling approach allows fast and facile 2D-LC method development for complex oligonucleotide separations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwight Stoll
- Department of Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA.
| | - Maria Sylvester
- Department of Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA
| | - Daniel Meston
- Department of Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA
| | - Matt Sorensen
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46285, USA
| | - Todd D Maloney
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46285, USA
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7
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Vosáhlová Z, Kalíková K, Gilar M, Szymarek J, Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska M, Studzińska S. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry for the separation and identification of antisense oligonucleotides impurities and nusinersen metabolites. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1713:464535. [PMID: 38039623 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
With the development of therapeutic oligonucleotides for antisense and gene therapies, the demand for analytical methods also increases. For the analysis of complex samples, for example plasma samples, where the use of mass detection is essential, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography is a suitable choice. The aim of the present work was to develop a method for separation and identification of the oligonucleotide impurities and metabolites by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. First of all, the effects of different chromatographic conditions (e.g. pH of the aqueous part of the mobile phase, buffer concentration, column temperature) on the retention and separation of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides standards on the amide stationary phase were investigated. A set of model oligonucleotides containing a fully modified 21mer and its typical impurities (shortmers and oligonucleotides with different number of thiophosphate modifications) was used. The results showed that the concentration of the salt in the mobile phase as well as its pH, are the most influential parameters with regard to peak shape and separation. The knowledge gained was applied to the analysis of an unpurified 18mer oligonucleotides, analogues of the drug nusinersen used for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. The successful separation and identification of twenty-six and twenty-eight impurities was performed with the developed HILIC method. The method was applied to analysis of nusinersen metabolites of serum samples of patients treated with Spinraza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Vosáhlová
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, 12800, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Květa Kalíková
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, 12800, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Martin Gilar
- Waters Corporation, 34 Maple Street, Milford, MA 01757, USA
| | - Jakub Szymarek
- Department of Developmental Neurology, Medical University of Gdansk, 7 Dębinki Str., PL-80-952, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | - Sylwia Studzińska
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, 12800, Prague, Czech Republic; Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 7 Gagarin Str., PL-87-100 Toruń, Poland; Centre for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 4 Wilenska St., 87-100 Toruń, Poland.
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8
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Hannauer F, Black R, Ray AD, Stulz E, Langley GJ, Holman SW. Review of fragmentation of synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides by tandem mass spectrometry from 2014 to 2022. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2023; 37:e9596. [PMID: 37580500 PMCID: PMC10909466 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
The fragmentation of oligonucleotides by mass spectrometry allows for the determination of their sequences. It is necessary to understand how oligonucleotides dissociate in the gas phase, which allows interpretation of data to obtain sequence information. Since 2014, a range of fragmentation mechanisms, including a novel internal rearrangement, have been proposed using different ion dissociation techniques. The recent publications have focused on the fragmentation of modified oligonucleotides such as locked nucleic acids, modified nucleobases (methylated, spacer, nebularine and aminopurine) and modification to the carbon 2'-position on the sugar ring; these modified oligonucleotides are of great interest as therapeutics. Comparisons of different dissociation techniques have been reported, including novel approaches such as plasma electron detachment dissociation and radical transfer dissociation. This review covers the period 2014-2022 and details the new knowledge gained with respect to oligonucleotide dissociation using tandem mass spectrometry (without priori sample digestion) during that time, with a specific focus on synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Hannauer
- Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Rachelle Black
- New Modalities & Parenteral Development, Pharmaceutical Technology & Development, OperationsAstraZenecaMacclesfieldUK
| | - Andrew D. Ray
- New Modalities & Parenteral Development, Pharmaceutical Technology & Development, OperationsAstraZenecaMacclesfieldUK
| | - Eugen Stulz
- Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - G. John Langley
- Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Stephen W. Holman
- Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Technology & Development, OperationsAstraZenecaMacclesfieldUK
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9
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Sorensen MJ, Paulines MJ, Maloney TD. Evaluating orthogonality between ion-pair reversed phase, anion exchange, and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography for the separation of synthetic oligonucleotides. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1705:464184. [PMID: 37419013 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
The orthogonality of separation between ion-pair reversed phase (IP-RP), anion exchange (AEX), and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) was evaluated for oligonucleotides. A polythymidine standard ladder was first used to evaluate the three methods and showed zero orthogonality, where retention and selectivity were based on oligonucleotide charge/size under all three conditions. Next, a model 23-mer synthetic oligonucleotide containing 4 phosphorothioate bonds with 2' fluoro and 2'-O-methyl ribose modifications typical of small interfering RNA was used for evaluating orthogonality. The resolution and orthogonality were evaluated between the three modes of chromatography in terms of selectivity differences for nine common impurities, including truncations (n-1, n-2), addition (n + 1), oxidation, and de-fluorination. We first evaluated different ion-pairing reagents that provided the best separation of the key impurities while suppressing diastereomer separation due to phosphorothioate linkages. Although different ion-pairing reagents affected resolution, very little orthogonality was observed. We then compared the retention times between IP-RP, HILIC, and AEX for each impurity of the model oligonucleotide and observed various selectivity changes. The results suggest that coupling HILIC with either AEX or IP-RP provide the highest degree of orthogonality due to the differences in retention for hydrophilic nucleobases and modifications under HILIC conditions. IP-RP provided the highest overall resolution for the impurity mixture, whereas more co-elution was observed with HILIC and AEX. The unique selectivity patterns offered by HILIC provides an interesting alternative to IP-RP or AEX, in addition to the potential for coupling with multidimensional separations. Future work should explore orthogonality for oligonucleotides with subtle sequence differences such as nucleobase modifications and base flip isomers, longer strands such as guide RNA and messenger RNA, and other biotherapeutic modalities such as peptides, antibodies, and antibody-drug-conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Sorensen
- Synthetic Molecule Design and Development, Lilly Research Labs, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46285, United States
| | - Mellie June Paulines
- Synthetic Molecule Design and Development, Lilly Research Labs, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46285, United States
| | - Todd D Maloney
- Synthetic Molecule Design and Development, Lilly Research Labs, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN 46285, United States.
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10
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Liu Y, Wu Z, Armstrong DW, Wolosker H, Zheng Y. Detection and analysis of chiral molecules as disease biomarkers. Nat Rev Chem 2023; 7:355-373. [PMID: 37117811 PMCID: PMC10175202 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-023-00476-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The chirality of small metabolic molecules is important in controlling physiological processes and indicating the health status of humans. Abnormal enantiomeric ratios of chiral molecules in biofluids and tissues occur in many diseases, including cancers and kidney and brain diseases. Thus, chiral small molecules are promising biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis, adverse drug-effect monitoring, pharmacodynamic studies and personalized medicine. However, it remains difficult to achieve cost-effective and reliable analysis of small chiral molecules in clinical procedures, in part owing to their large variety and low concentration. In this Review, we describe current and emerging techniques that detect and quantify small-molecule enantiomers and their biological importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoran Liu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Zilong Wu
- Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Daniel W Armstrong
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
| | - Herman Wolosker
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Yuebing Zheng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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11
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Guan B, Yan W, Stolee JA. Trace analysis of dimethoxytrityl alcohol (DMT-OH) in oligonucleotide matrices using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 15:1054-1061. [PMID: 36722996 DOI: 10.1039/d2ay02020c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A liquid chromatography (LC) method with ultraviolet (UV) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) detection was developed to quantify dimethoxytrityl alcohol (DMT-OH), a small molecule byproduct generated during the detritylation reaction in oligonucleotide synthesis. The pros and cons of quantification via multiple analytical methods including LC coupled with UV, selected ion monitoring (SIM), and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) were evaluated. The MRM method was ultimately selected for further qualification and exhibited good linearity (R2 = 0.997 from 0.5 to 64 ng mL-1), accuracy (recoveries ranging 75-90% with ≤ 2% RSD), repeatability (<5% RSD), and sensitivity (LOQ of 1.6 ng mL-1). The MRM method was further applied to analyze DMT-OH in various oligonucleotide intermediates and drug substances. Similar MRM methods for six other small molecule impurities (aniline, benzamide, isobutyramide, 2-phenylacetamide, succinamide, and uny-CTP) as well as their application are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Guan
- Biogen Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wuming Yan
- Biogen Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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12
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Enmark M, Samuelsson J, Fornstedt T. Development of a unified gradient theory for ion-pair chromatography using oligonucleotide separations as a model case. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1691:463823. [PMID: 36716595 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.463823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Ion-pair chromatography is the de facto standard for separating oligonucleotides and related impurities, particularly for analysis but also often for small-scale purification. Currently, there is limited understanding of the quantitative modeling of both analytical and overloaded elution profiles obtained during gradient elution in ion-pair chromatography. Here we will investigate a recently introduced gradient mode, the so-called ion-pairing reagent gradient mode, for both analytical and overloaded separations of oligonucleotides. The first part of the study demonstrates how the electrostatic theory of ion-pair chromatography can be applied for modeling gradient elution of oligonucleotides. When the ion-pair gradient mode is used in a region where the electrostatic surface potential can be linearized, a closed-form expression of retention time can be derived. A unified retention model was then derived, applicable for both ion-pair reagent gradient mode as well as co-solvent gradient mode. The model was verified for two different experimental systems and homo- and heteromeric oligonucleotides of different lengths. Quantitative modeling of overloaded chromatography using the ion-pairing reagent gradient mode was also investigated. Firstly, a unified adsorption isotherm model was developed for both gradient modes. Then, adsorption isotherms parameter of a model oligonucleotide and two major synthetic impurities were estimated using the inverse method. Secondly, the parameters of the adsorption isotherm were then used to investigate how the productivity of oligonucleotide varies with injection volume, gradient slope, and initial retention factor. Here, the productivity increased when using a shallow gradient slope combined with a low initial retention factor. Finally, experiments were conducted to confirming some of the model predictions. Comparison with the conventional co-solvent gradient mode showed that the ion-pairing reagent gradient leads to both higher yield and productivity while consuming less co-solvent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Enmark
- Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, SE-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Jörgen Samuelsson
- Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, SE-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden.
| | - Torgny Fornstedt
- Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, SE-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden.
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13
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Togawa H, Okubo T, Nonaka Y, Yamaguchi T, Obika S. Retention behavior of short double-stranded oligonucleotide and its potential impurities by anion-exchange chromatography under non-denaturing conditions. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1691:463808. [PMID: 36706652 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.463808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Small interfering RNA (siRNA), consisting of two complementary single-stranded RNAs with overhanging bases, is being adopted as a potent and specific inhibitor of target gene expression. However, non-duplexed single strands and undesired double strands composed of impurities (e.g., n-1 mer) could be produced in addition to the target double strand in the siRNA manufacturing process. Compared to the liquid chromatography analysis of single strands, the analysis of the duplexes under non-denaturing conditions is challenging, since restricted chromatographic conditions are required to maintain the Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds. This study reports the analysis of double-stranded oligomers having approximately 20 base pairs with some overhanging bases as non-denatured forms by anion-exchange chromatography (AEX). Optimization of the chromatographic conditions could potentially achieve the adequate separation of excess single strands from the double strand. Non-optimal duplexes, such as duplexes with long overhangs or bulge structures, were prepared by intentionally deleting terminal or middle nucleotide(s) of either the sense or the antisense strand, and these non-optimal duplexes were eluted at different retention times in most of the cases. Interestingly, under alkaline chromatographic conditions (pH 9.0), non-optimal duplexes containing a shortmer tended to exhibit a stronger retention than their parent duplexes, although they possessed a less negative charge. This study demonstrated some retention behavior of double strands with overhangs by AEX under non-denaturing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Togawa
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; CERI Hita, Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan, 3-822 Ishii-machi, Hita, Oita 877-0061, Japan
| | - Takashi Okubo
- CERI Hita, Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan, 3-822 Ishii-machi, Hita, Oita 877-0061, Japan
| | - Yumi Nonaka
- CERI Kurume, Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan, 3-2-7 Miyanojin, Kurume, Fukuoka 839-0801, Japan
| | - Takao Yamaguchi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Satoshi Obika
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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14
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Kushwah BS, Thummar MM, Yadav AS, Dhiman V, Samanthula G. Development of stability-indicating method for separation and characterization of benidipine forced degradation products using LC-MS/MS. Biomed Chromatogr 2023; 37:e5517. [PMID: 36200917 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.5517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The present study describes forced degradation of benidipine (BEN) as per Q1A (R2) and Q1B guidelines of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use. BEN degraded under hydrolysis (neutral, acidic, and alkaline), hydrogen peroxide induced oxidation, and UV light mediated photolytic degradation. A total of 14 degradation products (DPs) were found in all degradation studies, comprising 4 hydrolytic DPs, 8 oxidative DPs, and 4 photolytic DPs. A selective stability-indicating method was developed using an XBridge BEH C18 column with gradient elution program consisting of ammonium acetate (10 mM, 4.8 pH, acetic acid) and acetonitrile. The flow rate was maintained at 1 ml min-1 . All DPs were separated well using the developed HPLC method and were characterized using LC-MS/MS data. As this method is effective in identifying and separating BEN and its DPs with sufficient resolution, it can be used in laboratories for quality control of drugs in daily routine analysis and stability studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhoopendra Singh Kushwah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Mohit M Thummar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Amrej Singh Yadav
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Vivek Dhiman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Gananadhamu Samanthula
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
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15
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Studzińska S, Li F, Szumski M, Buszewski B, Lämmerhofer M. Cholesterol Stationary Phase in the Separation and Identification of siRNA Impurities by Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314960. [PMID: 36499291 PMCID: PMC9738757 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this research was to develop a simple and efficient ion-pair reagent-free chromatographic method for the separation and qualitative determination of oligonucleotide impurities, exemplified by synthesis of raw products of the two single strands of patisiran siRNA. The stationary phases with mixed hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties (cholesterol and alkylamide) were firstly used for this purpose with reversed-phased high-performance liquid chromatography. Several different chromatographic parameters were tested for their impact on impurities separation: type, concentration, pH of salt, as well as organic solvent type in the mobile phase. The pH was the most influential factor on the separation and signal intensities in mass spectrometry detection. Finally, the optimized method included the application of cholesterol stationary phase, with mobile phase containing 20 mM ammonium formate (pH 6.5) and methanol. It allowed good separation and the identification of most impurities within 25 min. Since not all closely related impurities could be fully resolved from the main peak in this oligonucleotide impurity profiling, two-dimensional liquid chromatography was used for peak purity determination of the target oligonucleotides. The Ethylene Bridged Hybrid (BEH) Amide column in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography was applied in the second dimension, allowing additional separation of three closely related impurities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Studzińska
- Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 7 Gagarin Str., 87-100 Toruń, Poland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-56-6114753
| | - Feiyang Li
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michał Szumski
- Centre for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 4 Wilenska St., 87-100 Toruń, Poland
| | - Bogusław Buszewski
- Chair of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 7 Gagarin Str., 87-100 Toruń, Poland
| | - Michael Lämmerhofer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio-)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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16
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Lardeux H, Goyon A, Zhang K, Nguyen JM, Lauber MA, Guillarme D, D'Atri V. The impact of low adsorption surfaces for the analysis of DNA and RNA oligonucleotides. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1677:463324. [PMID: 35858489 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As interest in oligonucleotide (ON) therapeutics is increasing, there is a need to develop suitable analytical methods able to properly analyze those molecules. However, an issue exists in the adsorption of ONs on different parts of the instrumentation during their analysis. The goal of the present paper was to comprehensively evaluate various types of bioinert materials used in ion-pairing reversed-phase (IP-RPLC) and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) to mitigate this issue for 15- to 100-mer DNA and RNA oligonucleotides. The whole sample flow path was considered under both conditions, including chromatographic columns, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) system, and ultraviolet (UV) flow cell. It was found that a negligible amount of non-specific adsorption might be attributable to the chromatographic instrumentation. However, the flow cell of a detector should be carefully subjected to sample-based conditioning, as the material used in the UV flow cell was found to significantly impact the peak shapes of the largest ONs (60- to 100-mer). Most importantly, we found that the choice of column hardware had the most significant impact on the extent of non-specific adsorption. Depending on the material used for the column walls and frits, adsorption can be more or less pronounced. It was proved that any type of bioinert RPLC/HILIC column hardware offered some clear benefits in terms of adsorption in comparison to their stainless-steel counterparts. Finally, the evaluation of a large set of ONs was performed, including a DNA duplex and DNA or RNA ONs having different base composition, furanose sugar, and modifications occurring at the phosphate linkage or at the sugar moiety. This work represents an important advance in understanding the overall ON adsorption, and it helps to define the best combination of materials when analyzing a wide range of unmodified and modified 20-mer DNA and RNA ONs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honorine Lardeux
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, CMU-Rue Michel Servet 1, Geneva 4 1211, Switzerland; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, CMU-Rue Michel Servet 1, Geneva 4 1211, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Goyon
- Small Molecule Pharmaceutical Sciences, Genentech Inc., DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Kelly Zhang
- Small Molecule Pharmaceutical Sciences, Genentech Inc., DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | | | - Davy Guillarme
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, CMU-Rue Michel Servet 1, Geneva 4 1211, Switzerland; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, CMU-Rue Michel Servet 1, Geneva 4 1211, Switzerland
| | - Valentina D'Atri
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, CMU-Rue Michel Servet 1, Geneva 4 1211, Switzerland; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, CMU-Rue Michel Servet 1, Geneva 4 1211, Switzerland.
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17
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Fioretti I, Müller-Späth T, Weldon R, Vogg S, Morbidelli M, Sponchioni M. Continuous countercurrent chromatographic twin-column purification of oligonucleotides: the role of the displacement effect. Biotechnol Bioeng 2022; 119:1861-1872. [PMID: 35338661 PMCID: PMC9322279 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Oligonucleotides (ONs) are breaking through in the biopharmaceutical industry as a promising class of biotherapeutics. The main success of these molecules is due to their peculiar way of acting in the cellular process, regulating the gene expression and hence influencing the protein synthesis at a pre-translational level. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) already approved a few ON-based therapeutics, their production cost strongly limits large scale manufacturing: a situation that can be alleviated through process intensification. In this work, we address this problem by developing an efficient and continuous chromatographic purification process for ONs. In particular, we considered the chromatographic purification of a ON crude prepared by chemical synthesis using anion exchange resins. We demonstrate that in this system the competitive adsorption of the various species on the same sites of the resin leads to the displacement of the more weakly adsorbing species by the more strongly adsorbing ones. This phenomenon affects the behavior of the chromatographic units and it has been investigated in detail. Then, we developed a continuous countercurrent solvent gradient purification (MCSGP) process, which can significantly improve the productivity and buffer consumption compared to a classical single-column, batch chromatographic process. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismaele Fioretti
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20131, Italy
| | | | - Richard Weldon
- YMC ChromaCon, Technoparkstrasse 1, 8005, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Vogg
- YMC ChromaCon, Technoparkstrasse 1, 8005, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Massimo Morbidelli
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20131, Italy
| | - Mattia Sponchioni
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20131, Italy
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18
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Rentel C, Gaus H, Bradley K, Luu N, Kolkey K, Mai B, Madsen M, Pearce M, Bock B, Capaldi D. Assay, Purity, and Impurity Profile of Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotide Therapeutics by Ion Pair-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Nucleic Acid Ther 2022; 32:206-220. [PMID: 35238617 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The relatively large molecular size, diastereoisomeric nature, and complex impurity profiles of therapeutic phosphorothioate oligonucleotides create significant analytical challenges for the quality control laboratory. To overcome the lack of selectivity inherent to traditional chromatographic approaches, an ion pair liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) method combining ultraviolet and mass spectrometry quantification was developed and validated for >35 different oligonucleotide drug substances and products, including several commercialized drugs. The selection of chromatographic and spectrometric conditions, data acquisition and processing, critical aspects of sample and buffer preparation and instrument maintenance, and results from method validation experiments are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus Rentel
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Hans Gaus
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Kym Bradley
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Nhuy Luu
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Kimmy Kolkey
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Bao Mai
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Mark Madsen
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Megan Pearce
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Brandon Bock
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Daniel Capaldi
- Analytical Development Quality Control, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
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19
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Enmark M, Häggström J, Samuelsson J, Fornstedt T. Building machine-learning-based model for retention time and resolution predictions in ion pair chromatography of oligonucleotides. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1671:462999. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.462999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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20
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Wei B, Wang J, Cadang L, Goyon A, Chen B, Yang F, Zhang K. Development of an ion pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for characterization of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats guide ribonucleic acid. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1665:462839. [PMID: 35093620 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.462839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Guide ribonucleic acid (gRNA) is a critical reagent in clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 genome editing. The single stranded guide RNA (sgRNA) is the most commonly used gRNA in application. Evaluation of the impurity profile of synthetic sgRNA is important for any CRISPR genome editing experiments. However, the large molecular size, complex impurity profile and unique secondary structure pose many challenges in the analysis of sgRNA by ion pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC), the commonly used method. In this work, we developed a generic IP-RPLC method for guide RNA analysis. We found that large pore size of stationary phase was the most critical column parameter to achieve high resolution separation of sgRNA while particle structure, particle size and surface chemistry had less impact. Our results indicated that charge interaction was the most critical mechanism for retention and mass transfer had less impact on the performance of separation. An IP-RPLC/mass spectrometry (MS) method was also developed with a specific practice to reduce adducts and enable intact MS analysis of sgRNAs. The generic IP-RPLC method demonstrates its feasibility to serve as a release, stability, characterization and in-process control testing method for synthetic sgRNA products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingchuan Wei
- Genentech Research and Early Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Jenny Wang
- Genentech Research and Early Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Lance Cadang
- Pharma Technical Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Alexandre Goyon
- Genentech Research and Early Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Bifan Chen
- Genentech Research and Early Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Feng Yang
- Pharma Technical Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Kelly Zhang
- Genentech Research and Early Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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21
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Demelenne A, Nys G, Nix C, Fjeldsted JC, Crommen J, Fillet M. Separation of phosphorothioated oligonucleotide diastereomers using multiplexed drift tube ion mobility mass spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1191:339297. [PMID: 35033277 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.339297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to drift tube ion mobility spectrometry (DTIMS) was used to separate diastereomers of five-unit oligonucleotides containing 0, 1, 2 or 3 phosphorothioate (PS) linkages. Multiplexed DTIMS (where ions are pulsed into the drift tube according to a pre-encoded sequence) and post-acquisition processing using an innovative demultiplexing tool were investigated. The electric field inside the drift tube was optimized to achieve the highest resolving power. The entrance voltage providing the best two-peak resolution was -1000V with 3-bit multiplexing. Under optimized conditions, the eight diastereomers of an oligonucleotide with three PS linkages (5'-TC∗G∗T∗G-3') could be separated unambiguously. Indeed, those diastereomers differed in their collision cross section (CCS) values. The minimal CCS values difference between two adjacent diastereomers was 0.9% with maximal RSD on CCS values of 0.3%. The use of multiplexed ion mobility and the novel high-resolution demultiplexing tool represents a real breakthrough for resolution enhancement of diastereomers in linear DTIMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Demelenne
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Gwenael Nys
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Cindy Nix
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | | | - Jacques Crommen
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Marianne Fillet
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000, Liege, Belgium.
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22
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Guimaraes GJ, Sutton JM, Gilar M, Donegan M, Bartlett MG. Impact of Nonspecific Adsorption to Metal Surfaces in Ion Pair-RP LC-MS Impurity Analysis of Oligonucleotides. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2021; 208:114439. [PMID: 34742118 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Nonspecific adsorption has been a consistent challenge in the analysis of oligonucleotides. Nonspecific adsorption is a result of interactions between charged acidic analytes and adsorption sites present in metallic surfaces located in the fluidic path of chromatography systems. Due to their high surface area, adsorption to column frits is especially concerning. Poor peak shape, low recovery and compromised LOQ have been associated with this phenomenon. Alternative methods including substitution of stainless steel for different hardware materials and mobile phase additives have been explored in an attempt to minimize this issue. Chemical modification of metal surfaces using hybrid surface technology (HST) by-passes the limitation of stainless steel construction material by forming a hybrid organic/inorganic layer that acts as a barrier and limits nonspecific interactions. In this study we explore the implications of this new technology in sensitive analysis and determination of relative impurity levels of oligonucleotides. Higher relative impurity levels and better reproducibility were obtained with columns using HST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme J Guimaraes
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 250W. Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - J Michael Sutton
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 250W. Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Martin Gilar
- Waters Corporation, Milford, Massachusetts 01757, United States
| | - Michael Donegan
- Waters Corporation, Milford, Massachusetts 01757, United States
| | - Michael G Bartlett
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 250W. Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States.
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23
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Largy E, König A, Ghosh A, Ghosh D, Benabou S, Rosu F, Gabelica V. Mass Spectrometry of Nucleic Acid Noncovalent Complexes. Chem Rev 2021; 122:7720-7839. [PMID: 34587741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids have been among the first targets for antitumor drugs and antibiotics. With the unveiling of new biological roles in regulation of gene expression, specific DNA and RNA structures have become very attractive targets, especially when the corresponding proteins are undruggable. Biophysical assays to assess target structure as well as ligand binding stoichiometry, affinity, specificity, and binding modes are part of the drug development process. Mass spectrometry offers unique advantages as a biophysical method owing to its ability to distinguish each stoichiometry present in a mixture. In addition, advanced mass spectrometry approaches (reactive probing, fragmentation techniques, ion mobility spectrometry, ion spectroscopy) provide more detailed information on the complexes. Here, we review the fundamentals of mass spectrometry and all its particularities when studying noncovalent nucleic acid structures, and then review what has been learned thanks to mass spectrometry on nucleic acid structures, self-assemblies (e.g., duplexes or G-quadruplexes), and their complexes with ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Largy
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Alexander König
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Anirban Ghosh
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Debasmita Ghosh
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Sanae Benabou
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Frédéric Rosu
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, IECB, UMS 3033, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Valérie Gabelica
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France
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24
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Sutton JM, Kim J, El Zahar NM, Bartlett MG. BIOANALYSIS AND BIOTRANSFORMATION OF OLIGONUCLEOTIDE THERAPEUTICS BY LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2021; 40:334-358. [PMID: 32588492 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Since 2016, eight new oligonucleotide therapies have been approved which has led to increased interest in oligonucleotide analysis. There is a particular need for powerful bioanalytical tools to study the metabolism and biotransformation of these molecules. This review provides the background on the biological basis of these molecules as currently used in therapies. The article also reviews the current state of analytical methodology including state of the art sample preparation techniques, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods, and the current limits of detection/quantitation. Finally, the article summarizes the challenges in oligonucleotide bioanalysis and provides future perspectives for this emerging field. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Michael Sutton
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
| | - Jaeah Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
| | - Noha M El Zahar
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
- Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Organization of African Unity Street, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Michael G Bartlett
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
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25
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Demelenne A, Servais AC, Crommen J, Fillet M. Analytical techniques currently used in the pharmaceutical industry for the quality control of RNA-based therapeutics and ongoing developments. J Chromatogr A 2021; 1651:462283. [PMID: 34107400 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The number of RNA-based therapeutics has significantly grown in number on the market over the last 20 years. This number is expected to further increase in the coming years as many RNA therapeutics are being tested in late clinical trials stages. The first part of this paper considers the mechanism of action, the synthesis and the potential impurities resulting from synthesis as well as the strategies used to increase RNA-based therapeutics efficacy. In the second part of this review, the tests that are usually performed in the pharmaceutical industry for the quality testing of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) will be described. In the last part, the remaining challenges and the ongoing developments to meet them are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Demelenne
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Department of Pharmacy, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, CHU, B36, Liege 4000, Belgium
| | - Anne-Catherine Servais
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Department of Pharmacy, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, CHU, B36, Liege 4000, Belgium
| | - Jacques Crommen
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Department of Pharmacy, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, CHU, B36, Liege 4000, Belgium
| | - Marianne Fillet
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, Department of Pharmacy, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, CHU, B36, Liege 4000, Belgium.
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26
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Stulz R, Milligan F, Stovold C, Love I, Strömberg R, Andersson S, Dahlén A. 34S-SIL of PCSK9-Active Oligonucleotide as Tools for Accurate Quantification by Mass Spectrometry. Nucleic Acid Ther 2021; 31:375-381. [PMID: 33978476 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2020.0915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stable isotope labeling (SIL) of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) is a well-established technique for the accurate quantification of small-molecule drugs. As the scope of active ingredients is expanding into areas of larger molecules, such as oligonucleotides (ONs), the development of new quantification techniques is critical. Herein, we describe the analysis of a 34S-SIL anti-PCSK9 gapmer-type antisense ON. A new method for the quantification of this API in complex biological matrices was developed and applied to mouse, dog, and monkey tissue homogenates, which gave improved accuracy and reproducibility compared with the use of auxiliary ONs as internal standard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rouven Stulz
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, NEO, S-14183 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Fiona Milligan
- Bioanalysis Department, Charles River Laboratories, Elphinstone Research Centre, Tranent, United Kingdom
| | - Craig Stovold
- Integrated Bioanalysis, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Iain Love
- Bioanalysis Department, Charles River Laboratories, Elphinstone Research Centre, Tranent, United Kingdom
| | - Roger Strömberg
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, NEO, S-14183 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Shalini Andersson
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.,DMPK, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anders Dahlén
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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27
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Sutton JM, Guimaraes GJ, Annavarapu V, van Dongen WD, Bartlett MG. Current State of Oligonucleotide Characterization Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry: Insight into Critical Issues. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2020; 31:1775-1782. [PMID: 32812756 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.0c00179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
As interests increase in oligonucleotide therapeutics, there has been a greater need for analytical techniques to properly analyze and quantitate these biomolecules. This article looks into some of the existing chromatographic approaches for oligonucleotide analysis, including anion exchange, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, and ion pair chromatography. Some of the key advantages and challenges of these chromatographic techniques are discussed. Colloid formation in mobile phases of alkylamines and fluorinated alcohols, a recently discovered analytical challenge, is discussed. Mass spectrometry is the method of choice to directly obtain structural information about oligonucleotide therapeutics. Mass spectrometry sensitivity challenges are reviewed, including comparison to other oligonucleotide techniques, salt adduction, and the multiple charge state envelope. Ionization of oligonucleotides through the charge residue model, ion evaporation model, and chain ejection model are analyzed. Therapeutic oligonucleotides have to undergo approval from major regulatory agencies, and the impurities and degradation products must be well-characterized to be approved. Current accepted thresholds for oligonucleotide impurities are reported. Aspects of the impurities and degradation products from these types of molecules are discussed as well as optimal analytical strategies to determine oligonucleotide related substances. Finally, ideas are proposed on how the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics may improve to aid in future analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Sutton
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 250 W. Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602-2352, United States
| | - Guilherme J Guimaraes
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 250 W. Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602-2352, United States
| | - Vidya Annavarapu
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 250 W. Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602-2352, United States
| | | | - Michael G Bartlett
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 250 W. Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602-2352, United States
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28
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Tsunehiro M, Sasaki K, Kinoshita-Kikuta E, Kinoshita E, Koike T. Phos-tag-based micropipette-tip method for analysis of phosphomonoester-type impurities in synthetic oligonucleotides. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2020; 1151:122198. [PMID: 32512534 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2020.122198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Various chromatographic techniques, combined with mass spectrometry, have been developed for the analysis of impurities in oligonucleotide drugs, but those methods have generally been less focused on possible phosphomonoester-type compounds. Here, we introduce a simple method for separating terminally phosphorylated impurities from parent oligonucleotides by using a phosphate-affinity micropipette tip (Phos-tag tip). All steps for the phosphate-affinity separation (binding, washing, and elution) are conducted in aqueous buffers at neutral pH. The entire separation protocol requires less than 30 min per sample. In practical examples, we demonstrated that phosphorylated impurities in natural-type and chemically modified oligonucleotides can be efficiently separated by the Phos-tag tip method and subsequently characterized by using ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (IP-RPLC-MS). Thus, a combination of the Phos-tag tip method and IP-RPLC-MS is useful for characterizing and identifying phosphomonoester-type impurities in oligonucleotide drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Tsunehiro
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan; Analytical Research Department, Production Technology and Supply Chain Management Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenji Sasaki
- Analytical Research Department, Production Technology and Supply Chain Management Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Osaka, Japan
| | - Emiko Kinoshita-Kikuta
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Eiji Kinoshita
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
| | - Tohru Koike
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
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29
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Catani M, De Luca C, Medeiros Garcia Alcântara J, Manfredini N, Perrone D, Marchesi E, Weldon R, Müller-Späth T, Cavazzini A, Morbidelli M, Sponchioni M. Oligonucleotides: Current Trends and Innovative Applications in the Synthesis, Characterization, and Purification. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e1900226. [PMID: 32298041 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oligonucleotides (ONs) are gaining increasing importance as a promising novel class of biopharmaceuticals. Thanks to their fundamental role in gene regulation, they can be used to develop custom-made drugs (also called N-to-1) able to act on the gene expression at pre-translational level. With recent approvals of ON-based therapeutics by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a growing demand for high-quality chemically modified ONs is emerging and their market is expected to impressively prosper in the near future. To satisfy this growing market demand, a scalable and economically sustainable ON production is needed. In this paper, the state of the art of the whole ON production process is illustrated with the aim of highlighting the most promising routes toward the auspicated market-size production. In particular, the most recent advancements in both the upstream stage, mainly based on solid-phase synthesis and recombinant technology, and the downstream one, focusing on chromatographic techniques, are reviewed. Since ON production is projected to expand to the large scale, automatized multicolumn countercurrent technologies will reasonably be required soon to replace the current ones based on batch single-column operations. This consideration is supported by a recent cutting-edge application of continuous chromatography for the ON purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Catani
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via L. Borsari 46, Ferrara, 44121, Italy
| | - Chiara De Luca
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via L. Borsari 46, Ferrara, 44121, Italy
| | - João Medeiros Garcia Alcântara
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta,", Politecnico di Milano, via Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20131, Italy
| | - Nicolò Manfredini
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta,", Politecnico di Milano, via Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20131, Italy
| | - Daniela Perrone
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via L. Borsari 46, Ferrara, 44121, Italy
| | - Elena Marchesi
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via L. Borsari 46, Ferrara, 44121, Italy
| | - Richard Weldon
- ChromaCon AG, Technoparkstrasse 1, Zürich, 8005, Switzerland
| | | | - Alberto Cavazzini
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via L. Borsari 46, Ferrara, 44121, Italy
| | - Massimo Morbidelli
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta,", Politecnico di Milano, via Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20131, Italy
| | - Mattia Sponchioni
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta,", Politecnico di Milano, via Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20131, Italy
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30
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Goyon A, Yehl P, Zhang K. Characterization of therapeutic oligonucleotides by liquid chromatography. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2020; 182:113105. [PMID: 32004766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Marketed therapies in the pharmaceutical landscape are rapidly evolving and getting more diverse. Small molecule medicines have dominated in the past while antibodies have grown dramatically in recent years. However, the failure of traditional small and large molecules in accessing certain targets has led to increased R&D efforts to develop alternative modalities. Therapeutic oligonucleotides (ONs) can accurately be directed against their ribonucleic acid (RNA) target and represent a promising approach in previously untreated diseases. Established automated synthesis of ONs coupled with chemical improvements and the advance of new drug delivery technologies has recently brought ONs to a heightened level of interest. The first part of the present review describes the different classes of oligonucleotides, namely antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA), aptamer and immunostimulatory ON, with a focus on their delivery systems relevant for future analytical characterization. The second part reviews the typical impurities in therapeutic ON products. The third part discusses the use of historical methods anion exchange chromatography (AEX), ion-pair reversed phase liquid chromatography (IP-RP), mixed-mode chromatography (MMC) and recent analytical methodologies of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) mass spectrometry for the characterization of ASO and siRNA modalities. The effects of physicochemical properties of RPLC columns and ion-pair agents on ON separation are specifically addressed with possible future directions for method development provided. Finally, some innovative analytical developments for the analysis of siRNAs and their delivery materials to pave the way toward the use of multi-attribute methods in the near future are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Goyon
- Small Molecules Pharmaceutical Sciences, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Peter Yehl
- Small Molecules Pharmaceutical Sciences, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Kelly Zhang
- Small Molecules Pharmaceutical Sciences, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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31
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Enmark M, Bagge J, Samuelsson J, Thunberg L, Örnskov E, Leek H, Limé F, Fornstedt T. Analytical and preparative separation of phosphorothioated oligonucleotides: columns and ion-pair reagents. Anal Bioanal Chem 2019; 412:299-309. [PMID: 31814048 PMCID: PMC6992550 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-02236-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Oligonucleotide drugs represent an emerging area in the pharmaceutical industry. Solid-phase synthesis generates many structurally closely related impurities, making efficient separation systems for purification and analysis a key challenge during pharmaceutical drug development. To increase the fundamental understanding of the important preparative separation step, mass-overloaded injections of a fully phosphorothioated 16mer, i.e., deoxythymidine oligonucleotide, were performed on a C18 and a phenyl column. The narrowest elution profiles were obtained using the phenyl column, and the 16mer could be collected with high purity and yield on both columns. The most likely contribution to the successful purification was the quantifiable displacement of the early-eluting shortmers on both columns. In addition, the phenyl column displayed better separation of later-eluting impurities, such as the 17mer impurity. The mass-overloaded injections resulted in classical Langmuirian elution profiles on all columns, provided the concentration of the ion-pairing reagent in the eluent was sufficiently high. Two additional column chemistries, C4 and C8, were also investigated in terms of their selectivity and elution profile characteristics for the separation of 5-20mers fully phosphorothioated deoxythymidine oligonucleotides. When using triethylamine as ion-pairing reagent to separate phosphorothioated oligonucleotides, we observed peak broadening caused by the partial separation of diastereomers, predominantly seen on the C4 and C18 columns. When using the ion-pair reagent tributylamine, to suppress diastereomer separation, the greatest selectivity was found using the phenyl column followed by C18. The present results will be useful when designing and optimizing efficient preparative separations of synthetic oligonucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Enmark
- Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden.,Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Box 574, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joakim Bagge
- Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Jörgen Samuelsson
- Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden.
| | - Linda Thunberg
- Early Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Eivor Örnskov
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Hanna Leek
- Early Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Limé
- Nouryon, Separation Products, 445 80, Bohus, Sweden
| | - Torgny Fornstedt
- Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden.
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32
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Madsen M, Roussis S, Schniepp E, Rentel C, Capaldi D. Assay determination by mass spectrometry for oligonucleotide therapeutics. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2019; 33:1774-1780. [PMID: 31278794 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.8516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Phosphorothioate oligonucleotide drugs typically contain product-related impurities that are difficult to resolve chromatographically from the parent oligonucleotide due to the size of these compounds and the large number of stereoisomers that comprise the parent. The presence of co-eluting impurities hinders the process of determining assay based on chromatographic separation alone. A mass spectrometry-based purity assessment of the main chromatography peak can be used to quantify co-eluting impurities and enable the accurate determination of assay, but a more direct measure of assay was desired due to the complexity of measuring all co-eluting impurities by mass spectrometry. Therefore, we developed an assay method that utilizes the specificity of mass spectrometry to measure the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient in a sample, which eliminates the need for chromatographic separation of impurities from the product. This procedure uses a single quadrupole mass spectrometer and incorporates an internal standard that is co-sprayed with the analyte to compensate for the drift commonly associated with mass spectrometry-based quantitation. Using the mass spectrometry response ratio for sample to internal standard enables the method to achieve excellent linearity (R2 = 0.998), repeatability (relative standard deviation = 0.5%), intermediate precision (0.6%), and accuracy, with measured assay values consistently within 2.0% of expected. The results indicate the method possesses the accuracy and precision required for measuring assay in clinical and commercial stage pharmaceutical products. Since the method is based on the specificity of the mass spectrometer, and does not rely on chromatographic separation of impurities, the procedure should be applicable to a wide variety of oligonucleotide therapeutics regardless of sequence or chemical modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Madsen
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | | | - Eric Schniepp
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | - Claus Rentel
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
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33
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Shakouri A, Parvan R, Adljouy N, Abdolalizadeh J. Purification of hyaluronidase as an anticancer agent inhibiting CD44. Biomed Chromatogr 2019; 34:e4709. [PMID: 31630417 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.4709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Hyaluronidase (Hyal) can be employed to accomplish a diversity of complications related to hyaluronic acid (HA). Hyal contains some classes of catalysts that cleave HA. This enzyme is detected in several human tissues as well as in animal venoms, pathogenic organisms and cancers. Destructive cancer cells regularly increase the CD44 receptor existing in a cell membrane. This receptor acts as an exact receptor for HA, and HA is recognized to motivate the migration, spread, attack and metastasis of cancer cells. Nearly all of the methods used to purify Hyal are highly costly and not proper for industrial applications. This survey aims to review different methods of Hyal purification, which acts as an anticancer agent by degrading HA in tissues and thus inhibiting the CD44-HA interaction. Hyal can be successfully employed in the management of cancer, which is associated with HA-CD44. This review has described different methods for Hyal purification to prepare an origin to develop a novel purification technique for this highly appreciated protein. Using multiple columns is not applicable for the purification of Hyal and thus cannot be used at the industrial level. It is better to use affinity chromatography of anti-Hyal for Hyal with one-step purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Shakouri
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Reza Parvan
- Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nasim Adljouy
- Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Jalal Abdolalizadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Paramedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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34
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Importance of probe design for bioanalysis of oligonucleotides using hybridization-based LC-fluorescence assays. Bioanalysis 2019; 11:1917-1925. [PMID: 31637930 DOI: 10.4155/bio-2019-0154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The importance of the length and/or structure of fluorescently labeled PNA (peptide nucleic acid) probes for quantitative determination of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) is demonstrated in human plasma using hybridization-based LC-fluorescence assays. The length of the PNA probes impacts the peak shape and chromatographic separation of the resulting PNA/ODN hybridization complexes and affects assay sensitivity, dynamic range and carryover. Methods: For quantitative determination of an 18-mer phosphodiester ODN (DNL1818) in human plasma, an assay utilizing an Atto dye-labeled 12-mer PNA probe provided a linear quantitation range of 0.1-50 ng/ml with excellent accuracy and precision (within -5.3-7.73%). Conclusion: This method provides a convenient method for sensitive and specific quantification of ODNs in biological matrix with limited sample volume and no special extraction.
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35
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Investigation of factors influencing the separation of diastereomers of phosphorothioated oligonucleotides. Anal Bioanal Chem 2019; 411:3383-3394. [PMID: 31020370 PMCID: PMC6543027 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-01813-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
This study presents a systematic investigation of factors influencing the chromatographic separation of diastereomers of phosphorothioated pentameric oligonucleotides as model solutes. Separation was carried out under ion-pairing conditions using an XBridge C18 column. For oligonucleotides with a single sulfur substitution, the diastereomer selectivity was found to increase with decreasing carbon chain length of the tertiary alkylamine used as an ion-pair reagent. Using an ion-pair reagent with high selectivity for diastereomers, triethylammonium, it was found the selectivity increased with decreased ion-pair concentration and shallower gradient slope. Selectivity was also demonstrated to be dependent on the position of the modified linkage. Substitutions at the center of the pentamer resulted in higher diastereomer selectivity compared to substitutions at either end. For mono-substituted oligonucleotides, the retention order and stereo configuration were consistently found to be correlated, with Rp followed by Sp, regardless of which linkage was modified. The type of nucleobase greatly affects the observed selectivity. A pentamer of cytosine has about twice the diastereomer selectivity of that of thymine. When investigating the retention of various oligonucleotides eluted using tributylammonium as the ion-pairing reagent, no diastereomer selectivity could be observed. However, retention was found to be dependent on both the degree and position of sulfur substitution as well as on the nucleobase. When analyzing fractions collected in the front and tail of overloaded injections, a significant difference was found in the ratio between Rp and Sp diastereomers, indicating that the peak broadening observed when using tributylammonium could be explained by partial diastereomer separation.
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36
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Oligonucleotide analysis by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the absence of ion-pair reagents. J Chromatogr A 2019; 1595:39-48. [PMID: 30772056 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Improving our understanding of nucleic acids, both in biological and synthetic applications, remains a bustling area of research for both academic and industrial laboratories. As nucleic acids research evolves, so must the analytical techniques used to characterize nucleic acids. One powerful analytical technique has been coupled liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). To date, the most successful chromatographic mode has been ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), in the absence of ion-pair reagents, has been investigated here as an alternative chromatographic approach to the analysis of oligonucleotides. By combining a mobile phase system using commonly employed in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) - i.e., water, acetonitrile, and ammonium acetate - and a new, commercially available diol-based HILIC column, high chromatographic and mass spectrometric performance for a wide range of oligonucleotides is demonstrated. Particular applications of HILIC-MS for the analysis of deoxynucleic acid (DNA) oligomers, modified and unmodified oligoribonucleotides, and phosphorothioate DNA oligonucleotides are presented. Based on the LC-MS performance, this HILIC-based approach provides an attractive, sensitive and robust alternative to prior ion-pairing dependent methods with potential utility for both qualitative and quantitative analyses of oligonucleotides without compromising chromatographic or mass spectrometric performance.
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