中文 / CN
Deutsch / DE
日本語 / JP
한글 / KR
Contact Us
菜单
CRO Services
Drug Development Expertise Empowering Research Services for Biologics

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) Services

Our cutting-edge LC-MS services enable precise molecular analysis, providing you with invaluable insights into your biologics.

 

  • Detailed characterization of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) by intact mass analysis
  • HTP intact mass analysis for protein confirmation and quick glycan analysis (96-well plate)
  • Detailed peptide mapping for sequence coverage, post-translational modifications (PTMs), and sequence variant analysis
  • Disulfide mapping analysis to determine unknown disulfide linkage
  • N-glycan analysis by LC-Fluorescence-MS/MS for complex glycosylation
 
Request a Quote

Our LC-MS services enable precise molecular analysis, providing you with invaluable insights into your biologics.

Intact Mass LC-MS Service Details:

(For Protein Samples)

Service Item Description Quantity Test Window Request A Quote
Intact mass LC-MS
(simple protein & vanilla antibody）

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >20 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Sample preparation: reduce/non-reduce; degly/without degly option provided

 

3. Deliverables:

 

  1. Confirm protein sequence: main peak ID
  2. Check sequence homogeneity: >10% (MS intensity%) minor impurity ID
 1-10 samples <1 week Request A Quote 
11-20 samples 1-2 weeks
>20 samples 2 weeks
Intact mass LC-MS
(protein with more than 2 glycosylation sites & bi-,tri-specific and fusion protein）

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >50 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Sample prep: reduce/non-reduce option provided

 

  1. Unique deglycosylation protocol to remove complex glycan and reduce heterogenicity if necessary

 

3. Deliverables:

 

  1. Confirm protein sequence: main peak ID
  2. Check sequence homogeneity: >10% (MS intensity%) minor impurity ID
 1-10 samples <1 week
11-20 samples 1-2 weeks
>20 samples 2 weeks

Intact mass LC-MS after IdeS digestion （Quick N-glycan）
  1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >50 ug, concentration >0.5mg/ml1
  2. Sample prep: reduce intact after IdeS digestion;
  3. Deliverables:
  • Confirm protein sequence: main peak ID
  • Report major glycosylation forms and percentage Now
 1-10 samples <1W
1-10 samples <1W
11-20 samples 1-2W

High-throughput protein ID by intact mass LC-MS

(96 well plate antibody confirmation)

 

1. Sample and sequence requirement: (96 well plate format) >20 ug, here concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Sample prep: reduce/non-reduce; degly/nondegly option (generally deglycosylation not needed)

 

3. Deliverables:

 

  1. Confirm protein sequence: main peak ID
  2. Check sequence homogeneity: >50% (MS intensity%) minor impurity ID
 >20 samples 2 weeks
50-96 samples <1 week
MS spectrum and peak list only

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount (96 well plate format) >20 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Sample prep: reduce/non-reduce; degly/without degly option provided

 

3. Deliverables: MS spectrum and peak list only

 No limit 2 days

 

Note:
1. For sample amount and concentration lower than specified requirement, please consult with BD
2. For other special needs, please consult with BD

Peptide Map LC-MS Service Details:

(For Protein Samples)

Service Item Description Quantity Test Window Request A Quote
Peptide mass analysis
(Mass ID confirm）

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >30 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Deliverables:

 

  1. Confirm protein sequence: sequence coverage map
 1-3 samples 2 weeks Request A Quote 
3-5 samples 2-3 weeks
>5 samples 3-4 weeks
Peptide mass analysis
(Based on software）

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >50 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Deliverables:

 

  1. Confirm protein sequence: sequence coverage map
  2. Software-based identification for PTM, SV and fragment et al analysis.
 1-3 samples 2-3 weeks
3-5 samples 3-4 weeks
>5 samples 4-5 weeks

Peptide mass analysis
(Based on software & manual check）

 

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >50 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Deliverables:

 

  1. Confirm protein sequence: sequence coverage map
  2. Check sequence homogeneity: software-based identification for PTM, SV and fragment et al analysis.
  3. Check sequence homogeneity: manual check for all components with user defined intensity threshold (>1%) for detailed PTM, SV and fragment et al analysis
 1-3 samples TBD
3-5 samples TBD
>5 samples TBD

 

Note:
1. For sample amount and concentration lower than specified requirement, please consult with BD
2. For other special needs, please consult with BD

Disulfide LC-MS Service Details:

(For Protein Samples)

Service Item Description Quantity Test Window Request A Quote
Disulfide mapping analysis
(To confirm known disulfide linkage）

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >50 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Deliverables:

 

  1. Confirm known disulfide linkage information
  2. Report free cysteine amount and any mis-linked disulfide bond with >5% abundance2

 

 1-3 samples 2-3 weeks Request A Quote
3-5 samples 3-4 weeks
>5 samples 4-5 weeks
Disulfide mapping analysis
(To determine unknown disulfide linkage）
  1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >50 μg, concentration >0.5 mg/ml1

 

2. Deliverables: determine unknown disulfide linkage for every cystein

 1 sample 3 weeks

 

Note:
1. For sample amount and concentration lower than specified requirement, please consult with BD
2. For user-defined threshold and any other special needs, please consult with BD

N-glycan LC-MS Service Details:

(For Protein Samples)

Service Item Description Quantity Test Window Request A Quote
N-glycan analysis

1. Sample and sequence requirement: sample amount >100 μg, concentration >0.5mg/ml1

 

2. Deliverables:

 

  1. Report any glycan relative abundance >1% based on fluorescence2
  2. Report glycan ID based on mass spec results

 

 1-5 samples 2 weeks   Request A Quote  
>5 samples 2-3 weeks

 

Note:
1. For sample amount and concentration lower than specified requirement, please consult with BD
2. For user-defined threshold and any other special needs, please consult with BD

LC-MS Based Protein Quantification Service Details:

Service Item Description Quantity Test Window Request A Quote
LC/MS-based protein quantification Pilot testing for feasibility evaluation and experimental protocol set up (including 5 sample testing) 1 sample TBD Request A Quote  
Protein quantification without enrichment step 1-10 samples 2 weeks
10-30 samples 2 weeks
>30 samples 2 weeks
Protein quantification with affinity enrichment step 1-10 samples 2 weeks
10-30 samples 2 weeks
>30 samples 2 weeks

 

Note: Intact mass analysis

Frequently Asked Questions for LC-MS

Q: What is your throughput for Intact MS analysis, and how much sample is required?

A: Our Intact MS platform is built for high-throughput operation. Across all biologics, such as monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, we analyze ~300 samples per day, most of which are with unique sequences. For reliable Intact MS results (including both reduced and non-reduced analyses), we typically require ~2 µg of total protein per sample, with slightly higher input for non-reduced analysis. This amount consistently delivers high-quality spectra suitable for confident interpretation.

Q: How do you quantify PTMs such as oxidation or deamidation and obtain site-specific quantitative information?

A: PTM quantification is performed using peptide mapping with LC-MS/MS, guided by in silico sequence analysis to prioritize high-risk motifs, especially PTM sites in CDR regions. After enzymatic digestion, we use LC-MS/MS to get spectra and are able to locate PTMs from MS/MS fragments. Quantification is achieved by comparing the relative abundance of modified versus total peptides (modified and unmodified) at each site. Forced degradation studies are often included to confirm whether a PTM represents a true hotspot that may require protein engineering.

Q: Do you perform tryptic peptide proteomics directly from biofluids such as plasma or serum?

A: Yes. Mass spectrometry-based peptide analysis from biofluids can be performed, particularly for PK studies. To improve sensitivity and reproducibility, we use sample concentration strategies like anti-peptide enrichment and/or depletion of high-abundance background proteins (e.g., albumin, IgGs). These approaches reduce matrix complexity and enable robust detection of therapeutic proteins from serum, plasma, and related matrices.

Q: How does early Mass Spec analysis help reduce CMC risks in early-stage discovery?

A: Mass Spectrometry plays a critical risk-mitigation role early in discovery by confirming correct protein sequence and expression by Intact MS, detecting sequence variants or rare PTMs, and identifying developability liabilities (e.g., hotspots, truncations). Even PTMs that do not affect protein activity can increase molecular heterogeneity, which might further complicate downstream process development. Early detection guides protein engineering and further enables the selection of better candidates before entering CMC.

Q: What is your general strategy for reducing heterogeneity in highly glycosylated proteins?

A: Highly glycosylated proteins often affect the quality of Mass Spec spectra and increase interpretation difficulty. Our approach typically combines protein denaturation, de-glycosylation, and careful cleanup to ensure MS compatibility. We use optimized, proprietary workflows to maximize de-glycosylation efficiency such as elevated temperature or adding detergent.

Q: What LC-MS columns do you use for bispecific antibody analysis?

A: For LC-MS analysis, we primarily use reverse-phase columns. In reduced MS workflows, achieving clear chromatographic separation between heavy and light chains is essential for reliable interpretation.

Q: Can you detect light chain swapping in bispecific antibodies using Mass Spec?

A: Yes, but enzymatic digestion is often required. By cleaving the antibody before the hinge region, we generate two Fab and one Fc fragments with larger mass differences, making it easier to distinguish correct versus incorrect chain pairing. This approach is effective for diverse bispecific antibody formats.

Q: How do you combine Mass Spectrometry with other orthogonal methods to resolve unknown species?

A: SEC-HPLC is often used to detect aggregation or shoulder peaks, but it cannot always identify the nature of those species. By combining Mass Spectrometry and SEC-HPLC or SEC-MALS, we can determine whether a peak represents aggregation, isoforms, or distinct molecular species, providing actionable insights from orthogonal detection methods.

More FAQs

 

 

Your Project. Our Expertise.

Contact Us