Sygnature’s state-of-the-art non-GLP bioanalysis service brings together the latest instrumentation and technology, which combined with the wealth of experience across the team, is used to provide quantitative measures of metabolites for the purpose of pharmacokinetics, toxicokinetics, bioequivalence and exposure-response studies.

Whilst semi-quantitative analysis (i.e. without the use of an external calibration curve) allows the cost-effective comparison of individual samples, the use of matrix-matched calibration curves yields full quantification of unknown samples. For most drug discovery applications our UPLC-MS/MS services allow rapid, accurate and sensitive quantification from a wide variety of biological matrices.

Using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) on a range of different columns provides a significant improvement in resolution and throughput over conventional high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Combining this with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) as the detector guarantees excellent specificity and sensitivity. This allows the bioanalysis of a wide range of compounds, from very small polar molecules using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) to more conventional drug-like molecules and peptides.

We have recently expanded our LC-MS/MS capabilities with the acquisition of a Thermo Scientific™ TSQ Altis™ Triple Quadrupole mass spectrometer and another Thermo Scientific™ Q Exactive™ Focus Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap™. Both instruments have the Thermo Scientific™ Vanquish™ Binary UPLC systems which are state-of-the-art UPLC systems, allowing higher throughput, improved separations and robustness. The Q Exactive has proven to be invaluable for metabolite identification, and additionally offers an alternative to multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) by utilising the high-resolution capability of the orbitrap either using high resolution full scan MS or MS/MS, or selected ion monitoring (SIM) for quantitation. This makes it ideal for screening and quantitation of compounds in numerous assays without the need for optimising compounds, thereby saving time.