Comprehensive N-Glycan Mapping using Parallel Reaction Monitoring LC-MS/MS

MS-Based Glycome Characterization of Biotherapeutics With N- and O-Glycosylation

With the increasing FDA approvals of glycoprotein-based biotherapeutics including monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, and enzyme treatments, the significance of glycosylation in modulating drug efficacy and safety becomes central. This review highlights the crucial role of mass spectrometry (MS) in elucidating the glycome of biotherapeutics that feature N- and O-glycosylation, directly addressing the challenges posed by glycosylation complexity and heterogeneity. We have detailed the advancements and application of MS technologies including MALDI-TOF MS, LC-MS, and tandem MS in the precise characterization of glycoprotein therapeutics. Emphasizing MS-based strategies for detecting immunogenic glycans and ensuring batch-to-batch consistency, this review highlights targeted approaches for glycoprotein, glycopeptide, and glycan analysis tailored to meet the stringent analytical and regulatory demands of biopharmaceutical development.

Assessment of monoclonal antibody glycosylation: a comparative study using HRMS, NMR, and HILIC-FLD

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent the largest class of therapeutic protein drug products. mAb glycosylation produces a heterogeneous, analytically challenging distribution of glycoforms that typically should be adequately characterized because glycosylation-based product quality attributes (PQAs) can impact product quality, immunogenicity, and efficacy. In this study, two products were compared using a panel of analytical methods. Two high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) workflows were used to analyze N-glycans, while nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to generate monosaccharide fingerprints. These state-of-the-art techniques were compared to conventional analysis using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled with fluorescence detection (FLD). The advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed along with a comparison of the identified glycan distributions. The results demonstrated agreement across all methods for major glycoforms, demonstrating how confidence in glycan characterization is increased by combining orthogonal analytical methodologies. The full panel of methods used represents a diverse toolbox that can be selected from based on the needs for a specific product or analysis.