Scale up your biopharmaceutical experiments on our most flexible instrument

Elevate your analytical capabilities and successfully characterize your most complex products from peptides to native protein characterization with the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Ascend BioPharma Tribrid Mass Spectrometer.  Achieve greater coverage for oligonucleotide sequences and analyze even the largest and most complex molecules.

Maximize convenience and efficiency

Recommended alternate fragmentation techniques enable detailed structural elucidation.

Automated Auto-Ready ion source and application-specific pre-built method templates streamline instrument setup.

On-demand Webinar: Direct analysis of heterogeneous biotherapeutics

“The Orbitrap Ascend BioPharma MS combines two fundamental features that make it perfect for characterizing intact biopharmaceuticals. Multiple ion activation types are complemented by PTCR to simplify complex mass spectra and facilitate their interpretation. And the Native MS option increases the Orbitrap m/z range up to m/z 16,000. Together they enable researchers to perform sophisticated ion manipulations and analyze the most diverse molecules.”

 

Prof. Luca Fornelli, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Oklahoma

 


Applications

Comprehensive native analysis of complex therapeutic proteins using Native MS option and PTCR
 

Complex protein therapeutics often generate undecipherable spectra due to their high level of intrinsic heterogeneity.

 

The Orbitrap Ascend BioPharma Tribrid Mass Spectrometer combines the Native MS option and data-independent acquisition with proton transfer charge reduction (DIA-PTCR) making it the ultimate tool for comprehensive characterization of biotherapeutics. DIA-PTCR method acquisition simplifies heterogenous spectra into interpretable results that can reveal a heterogeneous mixture of multiple modified protein forms, including phosphorylated and glycosylated molecules.

 

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Comprehensively characterize antibody-drug conjugates combining orthogonal fragmentation techniques

 

Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a highly promising class of biotherapeutics. Accurate determination of the Drug to Antibody Ratio (DAR) and localization of the drug conjugate sites is important for ADC characterization.

 

The Orbitrap Ascend BioPharma MS allows scientists to do simpler “middle-down” analysis of ADCs and get very accurate, intact results of the number and type of drug bound to their target. They are then able to fragment those nearly intact chains using multiple orthogonal fragmentation techniques (HCD, ETD, EThcD and UVPD) and get nearly complete sequence coverage, allowing for the exact localization of the conjugation site.

 

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Enhanced speed and sensitivity for high sequence coverage and low abundant PTM identifications in peptide mapping experiments

 

The incredible speed and sensitivity of the Orbitrap Ascend Biopharma MS enables 100% sequence coverage of the light and heavy chains of Trastuzumab at analytical flow rates. Furthermore, the instrument can detect low abundant modifications that constitute <1% of the unmodified peptide’s relative intensity. Detection and characterization of the deamidation event at 0.9% relative abundance is easily achieved at a 300 µl/min flow rate.

 

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Improved sensitivity allows highly confident identification of ppb Host Cell Proteins at analytical flow rates

 

One of the biggest challenges for Host Cell Protein (HCP) analysis is to detect low abundant HCP peptides co-eluting with the concentrated highly abundant biotherapeutic drug product peptides. The faster scan speed and higher sensitivity of the Orbitrap Ascend Biopharma MS enables confident HCP characterization and monitoring over a wide concentration dynamic range.

 

Here, we show over 250 representative HCPs identified from a NIST mAb native trypsin digest down to 7 ppb at 300 µl/min flow rate.

 

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Characterize intact sgRNA up to 100 base pairs using low-q CID fragmentation

 

Single guide RNA (sgRNA) plays a crucial role in the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system by guiding the Cas9 enzyme to specific genomic locations, enabling precise and targeted modifications of the DNA sequence. Characterization of this type of RNA is vital to ensure selectivity and precision of future therapies.

 

Using the Orbitrap Ascend BioPharma MS low-q CID fragmentation, it is possible to get de novo level fragmentation patterns of intact sgRNA; achieving nearly 100% sequence coverage of a 100 base pair structure with low levels of internal fragmentation.

 

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Unparalleled characterization of low-abundant modifications in oligonucleotides

 

Our cutting-edge solution for tRNA analysis enables unprecedented identification of modified tRNA molecules, confidently detecting isodecoders and under modified variants. Using high-resolution accurate mass LC-MS data from the Orbitrap Ascend BioPharma MS; you can precisely locate and extensively characterize tRNA modifications, such as the yW-14 modification.

 

Take advantage of our state-of-the-art methodologies, equipped with MS3-based collision-induced dissociation (CID) and recommended ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) fragmentation capabilities; Unleashing the full potential of your tRNA research. 

 

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Native MS option

Extends Orbitrap detection up to m/z 16,000, and quadrupole isolation up to m/z 8,000 with an isolation width down to m/z 5 amu.

EASY-IC/ETD/PTCR Ion Source

Easy-IC allows highly accurate scan-to-scan recalibration. ETD provides orthogonal fragmentation used in many applications, including top-down protein analysis and glycopeptides characterization. PTCR reduces the average charge of the parent ions, shifting to higher m/z, simplifying complex ion populations.

Ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD)

Includes a Class 1, 213 nm laser system, delivering >1.2 μJ per pulse. Powerful orthogonal fragmentation technique for dissociation of intact proteins, lipids, oligos and beyond.


Orbitrap Ascend MultiOmics Orbitrap and BioPharma Editions

Orbitrap Ascend MultiOmics Tribrid MS

For comprehensive proteomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, glycopeptidomic and glycomic sample analysis.

Orbitrap Ascend Structural Biology Tribrid MS

For seamless identification and exploration of native complex structures.


Vanquish UHPLC System

Precision high-performance LC instruments

HPLC and UHPLC Columns

Quality columns that generate quality results.

FAIMS Pro Duo Interface

Break free from sample complexity.

Ardia Platform

Thermo Scientific Ardia Platform connects and organizes projects, people, and instruments, enabling scientists to collaborate efficiently and gain faster insights.

BioPharma Finder Software

Simplify and streamline your analysis workflows from batch processing to in-depth data analyses with Thermo Scientific BioPharma Finder Software.

Proteome Discoverer Software

Thermo Scientific Proteome Discoverer Software, which delivers comprehensive data analyses, is the ultimate toolbox for protein research scientists.