Agilent InfinityLab Bio-inert LC Solution

Importance of Bio-Inert LC Solutions

Bioanalysis requires maintaining the native structure and activity of biomolecules during separation and detection. Metal surfaces and reactive components can induce adsorption, degradation, and sample loss, compromising data quality and reproducibility. The Agilent InfinityLab Bio-inert LC Solution addresses these challenges by offering a fully bio-inert flowpath and corrosion-resistant hardware, enhancing confidence in biopharmaceutical research, development, and quality control.

Objectives and Overview

This brochure presents a comprehensive, end-to-end liquid chromatography platform optimized for biomolecule analysis. Key goals include:

• Preservation of sample integrity through a metal-free flowpath and titanium solvent delivery.
• Flexible method development for diverse workflows such as affinity, size–exclusion, ion exchange, reversed-phase, and HILIC analyses.
• Improvement of daily laboratory efficiency via automation, high throughput, and reduced maintenance.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The solution is built on the Agilent 1260 Infinity II LC System and includes:

• Bio-inert Pump: Titanium, gold, platinum-iridium, sapphire, ceramic, and polymeric components for high salt and extreme pH tolerance.
• Bio-inert Multisampler: Metal-free sample path upstream (titanium, gold, PTFE) and downstream (PEEK, ceramic) of introduction, minimizing carryover.
• Multicolumn Thermostat (MCT) with bio-inert heat exchangers for precise temperature control of up to four columns.
• Diode Array Detector WR: Spectral acquisition from 190–950 nm at up to 120 Hz, with sapphire and zircon oxide flow cell options.
• Quick-Change Valves: PEEK and ceramic flowpath for automated column selection and regeneration.
• Software: Agilent Buffer Advisor for four-solvent gradient creation and Agilent OpenLAB for data processing, review, and reporting.

Key Results and Discussion

• Charge Variant Analysis: Dynamic mixing of four solvents via Buffer Advisor accelerated pH scouting and gradient optimization for ion exchange separations.
• Aggregation Analysis: Combining AdvanceBio SEC columns with multi-angle light scattering enhanced detection of aggregates in originator and biosimilar rituximab samples.
• Peptide Mapping: Use of AdvanceBio Peptide Mapping columns reduced analysis time to under 16 minutes, enabling rapid confirmation of primary structure.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Robust biomolecule integrity across workflows including affinity, SEC, IEX, RP, and glycan analysis.
• Streamlined method development and buffer preparation using automated solvent blending.
• Increased laboratory throughput through high sample capacity and low carryover injection technology.
• Enhanced system uptime and reproducibility with corrosion-resistant, bio-inert components.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Advances in bio-inert LC systems will support trends towards multi-attribute methods, coupling with mass spectrometry, and integration of AI-driven method development. Expanded automation and real-time data analytics promise further gains in speed, accuracy, and regulatory compliance in biopharmaceutical analysis.

Conclusion

The Agilent InfinityLab Bio-inert LC Solution offers a unified, bio-inert platform that preserves sample integrity, accelerates workflow development, and enhances reliability for critical biomolecule analyses in research, development, and quality control environments.

References

• Agilent Technologies. Agilent InfinityLab Bio-inert LC Solution brochure, Publication 5991-7361EN, 2017.
• Agilent Technologies. Application Note 5991-7442EN: pH scouting with Buffer Advisor, 2017.
• Agilent Technologies. Application Note 5991-7476EN: Multi-Detector Bio-SEC Solution, 2017.
• Agilent Technologies. Application Note 5990-6192EN: AdvanceBio Peptide Mapping, 2017.