Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of co-administered trastuzumab and pertuzumab

Regulated bioanalysis of antibody-drug conjugates using LC-MS

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are emerging as powerful tools in cancer therapy. Evaluating their drug disposition requires the development and validation of analytical methods to obtain accurate quantitative results, which depend on understanding the ADC structural properties and selecting appropriate analytical platforms. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a key technology for ADC bioanalysis, enabling the quantification of payloads, linkers, total antibodies, ADCs, and drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR). This review highlights the strategies and challenges in developing analytical methods for quantifying ADC components in biological samples using LC-MS with a focus on their constituent units. In addition, it addresses the validation requirements of these quantitative analytical methods during drug development.

A liquid chromatography - Tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of ocrelizumab in serum of patients with multiple sclerosis

Ocrelizumab is a second generation recombinant humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis that selectively target B cells expressing the CD20 antigen. This study aimed to develop and validate a UPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of ocrelizumab in human serum, which can be used in clinical applications for therapeutic drug monitoring. The analysis of ocrelizumab was performed using a bottom-up approach on a liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry detection. The method involved immunoglobulin precipitation with cold methanol followed by peptide digestion with trypsin. The resulting specific peptides were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column at 55 °C using gradient elution. The method was validated according to European Medicines Agency (EMEA) guidelines and demonstrated intra- and inter-assay precision with coefficients of variation ranging from 1.6 % to 6.1 % and accuracies between 90.2 % and 107.2 %. Stability testing, including autosampler, long-term and freeze-thaw stability, showed no more than 15 % variation. The method was successfully applied to 169 patient samples, revealing ocrelizumab concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 21.8 mg/L in patients on 6-month dosing regimen and 20.5-65.0 mg/L in 16 patients receiving an initial two-week dose of 300 mg. The newly developed UPLC-MS/MS method met all criteria for accuracy, precision and stability, confirming its suitability for clinical use in monitoring ocrelizumab levels in multiple sclerosis patients.

Development of an LC-TOF/MS Method to Quantify Camrelizumab in Human Serum

With the advantages of a high specificity, a long half-life, and a high safety, the use of antibody biologic drugs, including camrelizumab, has been rapidly increasing in clinical practice. Camrelizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor and humanized monoclonal antibody, is used to treat several advanced solid cancers. Measuring its concentration supports personalized dosage adjustments, influences treatment decisions for patients, strengthens the control of disease activity through therapeutic drug monitoring, and helps evaluate and prevent drug interactions in combination therapy. Because antibodies are present in complex biological matrices, quantifying monoclonal antibody drugs is challenging, and must rely on precise, selective, and reliable analytical methods. In this study, a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry TripleTOF 6600+ (AB SCIEX, Framingham, MA, USA) system equipped with a Turbo V ion source was used for the qualitative analysis of monoclonal antibodies using the data-dependent acquisition (IDA) MS/MS mode, followed by quantitative analysis using a targeted MRMHR workflow. This method showed a good linear relationship within the range of 4-160 μg/mL, with a correlation coefficient of R2 ≥ 0.996. It demonstrated an acceptable accuracy (88.95-101.18%) and precision (≤15%). Furthermore, the lower limit of quantification was found to be 4 μg/mL, with the lowest detection limit of 0.3217 μg/mL, indicating that this method is rapid, accurate, and reliable for the quantitative analysis of camrelizumab in human serum.

High-throughput, low-cost quantification of 11 therapeutic antibodies using caprylic acid precipitation and LC-MS/MS

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic drug monitoring of treatment with therapeutic antibodies is hampered by the application of a wide range of different methods in the quantification of serum levels. LC-MS based methods could significantly improve comparability of results from different laboratories, but such methods are often considered complicated and costly. We developed a method for LC-MS/MS based quantification of 11 therapeutic antibodies concomitantly measured in a single run, with emphasis on simplicity in sample preparation and low cost.

RESULTS

After a single-step sample purification using caprylic acid precipitation to remove interfering proteins, the sample underwent proteolysis followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. Infliximab is used as internal standard for sample preparation while isotope-labeled signature peptides identified for each analyte are internal standards for the LC-MS/MS normalization. The method was validated according to recognized guidelines, and pipetting steps can be performed by automated liquid handling systems. The total precision of the method ranged between 2.7 and 7.3 % (5.1 % average) across the quantification range of 4-256 μg/ml for all 11 drugs, with an average accuracy of 96.3 %. Matrix effects were xamined in 55 individual patient samples instead of the recommended 6, and 147 individual patient samples were screened for interfering compounds.

SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY

Our method for simultaneous quantification of 11 t-mAb in human serum allows an unprecedented integration of robustness, speed and reduced complexity, which could pave the way for uniform use in research projects and clinical settings alike. In addition, the first LC-MS protocol for signature peptide-based quantification of durvalumab is described. This high throughput method can be readily adapted to a drug panel of choice.

Integration of protein L-immobilized epoxy magnetic bead capture with LC-MS/MS for therapeutic monoclonal antibody quantification in serum

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the thriving monoclonal antibody (mAb) industry due to the wide utilization of mAbs in clinical therapies. Robust and accurate bioanalytical methods are required to enable fast quantification of mAbs in biological matrices, especially in the context of pharmacokinetics (PKs)/pharmacodynamics (PDs) and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) studies. In this investigation, we presented a novel immuno-magnetic capture coupled with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method designed for the quantification of immunoglobulin G-kappa-based mAbs in biological fluids. The immunoaffinity absorbent for mAb drug purification was meticulously crafted by immobilizing protein L onto monosize, magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (m-pGMA) beads, synthesized through dispersion polymerization. The microspheres were acquired with an average size of 1.6 μm, and the optimal binding of mAbs from the aqueous mAb solution was determined to be 45.82 mg g-1. The quantification of mAbs in 10 μL serum samples was achieved through affinity purification using m-pGMA@protein L beads (employing rituximab as an internal standard (IS)), on-bead reduction, and rapid tryptic digestion. Remarkably, the entire process, taking less than 2.5 hours, held significant potential for simplifying pretreatment procedures and minimizing analytical time. Furthermore, the developed method underwent validation in accordance with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines. The assay demonstrated commendable linearity within the 2-400 μg mL-1 range for both daratumumab and pembrolizumab. Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation fell within the range of 0.7% to 13.4%, meeting established acceptance criteria. Other validation parameters also conformed to regulatory standards. Ultimately, the efficacy of the method was substantiated in a pharmacokinetic study following a single-dose intravenous administration to mice, underscoring its applicability and reliability in real-world scenarios.

Simultaneous quantification of co-administered trastuzumab and pertuzumab in serum based on nano-surface and molecular-orientation limited (nSMOL) proteolysis

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are pivotal therapeutic agents for various diseases, and effective treatment hinges on attaining a specific threshold concentration of mAbs in patients. With the rising adoption of combination therapy involving multiple mAbs, there arises a clinical demand for multiplexing assays capable of measuring the concentrations of these mAbs. However, minimizing the complexity of serum samples while achieving rapid and accurate quantification is difficult. In this work, we introduced a novel method termed nano-surface and molecular orientation limited (nSMOL) proteolysis for the fragment of antigen binding (Fab) region-selective proteolysis of co-administered trastuzumab and pertuzumab based on the pore size difference between the protease nanoparticles (∼200 nm) and the resin-captured antibody (∼100 nm). The hydrolyzed peptide fragments were then quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this process, the digestion time is shortened, and the produced digestive peptides are greatly reduced, thereby minimizing sample complexity and increasing detection accuracy. Assay linearity was confirmed within the ranges of 0.200-200 μg mL-1 for trastuzumab and 0.300-200 μg mL-1 for pertuzumab. The intra- and inter-day precision was within 9.52% and 8.32%, except for 12.5% and 10.8% for the lower limit of quantitation, and the accuracy (bias%) was within 6.3%. Additionally, other validation parameters were evaluated, and all the results met the acceptance criteria of the guiding principles. Our method demonstrated accuracy and selectivity for the simultaneous determination of trastuzumab and pertuzumab in clinical samples, addressing the limitation of ligand binding assays incapable of simultaneously quantifying mAbs targeting the same receptor. This proposed assay provides a promising technical approach for realizing clinical individualized precise treatment, especially for co-administered mAbs.

Recent Contributions of Mass Spectrometry-Based "Omics" in the Studies of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most heterogeneous groups of cancer. As every biotype of BC is unique and presents a particular "omic" signature, they are increasingly characterized nowadays with novel mass spectrometry (MS) strategies. BC therapeutic approaches are primarily based on the two features of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and estrogen receptor (ER) positivity. Various strategic MS implementations are reported in studies of BC also involving data independent acquisitions (DIAs) of MS which report novel differential proteomic, lipidomic, proteogenomic, phosphoproteomic, and metabolomic characterizations associated with the disease and its therapeutics. Recently many "omic" studies have aimed to identify distinct subsidiary biotypes for diagnosis, prognosis, and targets of treatment. Along with these, drug-induced-resistance phenotypes are characterized by "omic" changes. These identifying aspects of the disease may influence treatment outcomes in the near future. Drug quantifications and characterizations are also done regularly and have implications in therapeutic monitoring and in drug efficacy assessments. We report these studies, mentioning their implications toward the understanding of BC. We briefly provide the MS instrumentation principles that are adopted in such studies as an overview with a brief outlook on DIA-MS strategies. In all of these, we have chosen a model cancer for its revelations through MS-based "omics".

Advances in minimal residual disease monitoring in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the clonal expansion of plasma cells and the excretion of a monoclonal immunoglobulin (M-protein), or fragments thereof. This biomarker plays a key role in the diagnosis and monitoring of MM. Although there is currently no cure for MM, novel treatment modalities such as bispecific antibodies and CAR T-cell therapies have led to substantial improvement in survival. With the introduction of several classes of effective drugs, an increasing percentage of patients achieve a complete response. This poses new challenges to traditional electrophoretic and immunochemical M-protein diagnostics because these methods lack sensitivity to monitor minimal residual disease (MRD). In 2016, the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) expanded their disease response criteria with bone marrow-based MRD assessment using flow cytometry or next-generation sequencing in combination with imaging-based disease monitoring of extramedullary disease. MRD status is an important independent prognostic marker and its potential as a surrogate endpoint for progression-free survival is currently being studied. In addition, numerous clinical trials are investigating the added clinical value of MRD-guided therapy decisions in individual patients. Because of these novel clinical applications, repeated MRD evaluation is becoming common practice in clinical trials as well as in the management of patients outside clinical trials. In response to this, novel mass spectrometric methods that have been developed for blood-based MRD monitoring represent attractive minimally invasive alternatives to bone marrow-based MRD evaluation. This paves the way for dynamic MRD monitoring to allow the detection of early disease relapse, which may prove to be a crucial factor in facilitating future clinical implementation of MRD-guided therapy. This review provides an overview of state-of-the-art of MRD monitoring, describes new developments and applications of blood-based MRD monitoring, and suggests future directions for its successful integration into the clinical management of MM patients.

Aptamer-based sample purification for mass spectrometric quantification of trastuzumab in human serum

In this study, we developed a simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay to quantify trastuzumab in human serum using aptamers for sample purification. Trastuzumab was extracted from serum samples using the capture probe based on its aptamer CH1S-3, followed by reduction, alkylation, trypsin digestion, and quantification using LC-MS/MS. Additionally, a unique peptide, FTISADTSK, was employed as a surrogate peptide and quantified, and *FTISADTSK (¹³C₉¹⁵N-labeled phenylalanine) was used as an internal standard to minimize variability in detection among the samples. The detection range for this method was 0.5-250 μg/mL, with a high correlation coefficient (r² > 0.99). The intra- and inter-day precision (%CV, the coefficient of variation) of the quality control samples was less than 12.7%, and the accuracy (%bias) was below 8.64%. After optimization and verification, this assay was used to determine trastuzumab levels in clinical human serum samples. The results indicated that the trastuzumab concentrations had an approximate 4-fold difference among ten patients (range: 11.80-41.90 μg/mL). This study provides a novel approach for the accurate and quantitative monitoring of the mAb-trastuzumab.

Analysis of 2′-hydroxyflavanone (2HF) in mouse whole blood by HPLC–MS/MS for the determination of pharmacokinetic parameters

Given the lack of investments, structure, and difficulty of metabolite isolation, promising natural product studies do not progress to preclinical studies, such as pharmacokinetics. 2′-Hydroxyflavanone (2HF) is a flavonoid that has shown promising results in different types of cancer and leishmaniasis. For accurate quantification of 2HF in BALB/c mouse blood, a validated HPLC-MS/MS method was developed. Chromatographic analysis was performed using C18 (5μm, 150 mm × 4.6 mm). The mobile phase consisted of water containing 0.1% formic acid, acetonitrile, and methanol (35/52/13 v/v/v) at a flow rate and total running time of 0.8 mL/min and 5.50 min, respectively, with an injection volume of 20 µL. 2HF was detected by electrospray ionization in negative mode (ESI-) using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The validated bioanalytical method showed satisfactory selectivity without significant interference for the 2HF and IS. In addition, the concentration range between 1 and 250 ng/mL showed good linearity (r = 0.9969). The method showed satisfactory results for the matrix effect. Precision and accuracy intervals varied between 1.89% and 6.76% and 95.27% and 100.77%, respectively, fitting the criteria. No degradation of 2HF in the biological matrix was observed since stability under freezing and thawing conditions, short duration, postprocessing, and long duration showed deviations less than 15%. Once validated, the method was successfully applied in a 2HF oral pharmacokinetic study with mouse blood, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were determined. 2HF demonstrated a Cmax of 185.86 ng/mL, a Tmax of 5 min, and a half-life (T1/2) of 97.52 min.

Changing the drug development and therapeutic paradigm with biologic drug combinations and bispecifics: How to choose between these two approaches?

Biologics are increasingly being co-developed in combination or as novel constructs like bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) with the goal of targeting multiple, non-redundant mechanisms of action. Rational design of combinations and dual-targeting approaches that consider disease complexities have the potential to improve efficacy and safety, to increase duration of clinical benefit, and to minimize clinical resistance mechanisms. Here we summarize examples of BsAbs and biologic combinations that have been approved by health authorities and present drug development considerations when deciding between these two strategies. These include an understanding of target biology, nonclinical safety risks, dose optimization strategies, the regulatory framework, pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity, and bioanalytical assay considerations. The disease biology, target dynamics, and pharmacology objectives were identified as important factors in early drug development to decide between a BsAb versus a combination. Nonclinical safety assessment and dose optimization strategies can also pose challenges for BsAb versus combinations. High unmet medical needs and lack of treatment options are often the common denominators for deciding to develop a BsAb or a combination. Future development of biologic triple combinations and BsAbs combinations with other biologics will further increase drug development complexities and hold promise for more effective treatment options for patients.

2021 White Paper on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis: Mass Spec of Proteins, Extracellular Vesicles, CRISPR, Chiral Assays, Oligos; Nanomedicines Bioanalysis; ICH M10 Section 7.1; Non-Liquid & Rare Matrices; Regulatory Inputs (Part 1A - Recommendations on Endogenous Compounds, Small Molecules, Complex Methods, Regulated Mass Spec of Large Molecules, Small Molecule, PoC & Part 1B - Regulatory Agencies' Inputs on Bioanalysis, Biomarkers, Immunogenicity, Gene & Cell Therapy and Vaccine)

The 15th edition of the Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (15th WRIB) was held on 27 September to 1 October 2021. Even with a last-minute move from in-person to virtual, an overwhelmingly high number of nearly 900 professionals representing pharma and biotech companies, contract research organizations (CROs), and multiple regulatory agencies still eagerly convened to actively discuss the most current topics of interest in bioanalysis. The 15th WRIB included 3 Main Workshops and 7 Specialized Workshops that together spanned 1 week in order to allow exhaustive and thorough coverage of all major issues in bioanalysis, biomarkers, immunogenicity, gene therapy, cell therapy and vaccines. Moreover, in-depth workshops on biomarker assay development and validation (BAV) (focused on clarifying the confusion created by the increased use of the term "Context of Use - COU"); mass spectrometry of proteins (therapeutic, biomarker and transgene); state-of-the-art cytometry innovation and validation; and, critical reagent and positive control generation were the special features of the 15th edition. This 2021 White Paper encompasses recommendations emerging from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to enable advances in scientific excellence, improved quality and better regulatory compliance. Due to its length, the 2021 edition of this comprehensive White Paper has been divided into three parts for editorial reasons. This publication (Part 1A) covers the recommendations on Endogenous Compounds, Small Molecules, Complex Methods, Regulated Mass Spec of Large Molecules, Small Molecule, PoC. Part 1B covers the Regulatory Agencies' Inputs on Bioanalysis, Biomarkers, Immunogenicity, Gene & Cell Therapy and Vaccine. Part 2 (ISR for Biomarkers, Liquid Biopsies, Spectral Cytometry, Inhalation/Oral & Multispecific Biotherapeutics, Accuracy/LLOQ for Flow Cytometry) and Part 3 (TAb/NAb, Viral Vector CDx, Shedding Assays; CRISPR/Cas9 & CAR-T Immunogenicity; PCR & Vaccine Assay Performance; ADA Assay Comparabil ity & Cut Point Appropriateness) are published in volume 14 of Bioanalysis, issues 10 and 11 (2022), respectively.

A rapid and universal liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry-based platform, refmAb-Q nSMOL, for monitoring monoclonal antibody therapeutics

Accurate multiplexed quantitation of unique signature peptides derived from monoclonal antibody therapeutics with a universal reference antibody refmAb-Q using Fab-selective proteolysis nSMOL coupled with LC-MS/MS.

Development and validation of a UPLC-MS/MS method to quantitate anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody (Toripalimab), and comparison with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay

Toripalimab, a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) against programmed death receptor-1, is being extensively studied to treat various malignancies. At present, there is no complete methodology reported for quantifying toripalimab, except for an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) mentioned in several clinical studies. Therefore, a sensitive and robust ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed to accurately detect toripalimab levels, compared with the ECLIA. Plasma samples were pretreated by a five-step process, encompassing denaturation, reduction, alkylation, enzymatic hydrolysis and quenching. And a unique, sensitive and stable enzymatic peptide (ASGYTFTDYEMHWVR) selected as surrogate of toripalimab was eluted and monitored by UPLC-MS/MS system with the linear range of 5.0375-201.5 μg/mL. After fully validated, the UPLC-MS/MS method was applied to determine 77 plasma samples from 29 patients in a phase I clinical trial, and compared with ECLIA based on 56 samples. Wilcoxon paired samples test showed toripalimab levels by UPLC-MS/MS were significantly higher than that by ECLIA (p < 0.001), though a strong correlation was observed (r = 0.96). Moreover, Passing-Bablok regression analysis exhibited constant and proportional biases: UPLC-MS/MS = 2.25 + 1.21 * ECLIA. This discrepancy could be mainly attributed to different forms determined: total mAb for UPLC-MS/MS and free mAb for ECLIA, respectively. As a result, this UPLC-MS/MS method may be complementary to ECLIA to monitor different forms of toripalimab. Beyond that, it can be easily modified to simultaneously quantitate multiple-analyte with a small volume of plasma.

Cross-Validation of a Multiplex LC-MS/MS Method for Assaying mAbs Plasma Levels in Patients with Cancer: A GPCO-UNICANCER Study

BACKGROUND

Different liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods have been published for quantification of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in plasma but thus far none allowed the simultaneous quantification of several mAbs, including immune checkpoint inhibitors. We developed and validated an original multiplex LC-MS/MS method using a ready-to-use kit to simultaneously assay 7 mAbs (i.e., bevacizumab, cetuximab, ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, rituximab and trastuzumab) in plasma. This method was next cross-validated with respective reference methods (ELISA or LC-MS/MS).

METHODS

The mAbXmise kit was used for mAb extraction and full-length stable-isotope-labeled antibodies as internal standards. The LC-MS/MS method was fully validated following current EMA guidelines. Each cross validation between reference methods and ours included 16-28 plasma samples from cancer patients.

RESULTS

The method was linear from 2 to 100 µg/mL for all mAbs. Inter- and intra-assay precision was <14.6% and accuracy was 90.1-111.1%. The mean absolute bias of measured concentrations between multiplex and reference methods was 10.6% (range 3.0-19.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and cross-validated a simple, accurate and precise method that allows the assay of up to 7 mAbs. Furthermore, the present method is the first to offer a simultaneous quantification of three immune checkpoint inhibitors likely to be associated in patients.