Characterisation of the glycosylation of Humira (adalimumab) and Erbitux (Cetuximab) by high resolution mass spectrometry

Due to their mode of production, therapeutic mAbs present diverse and heterogeneous glycosylations.

Their analysis may require the use of orthogonal techniques in order to fully characterize their nature and location. In this application note, the use of mass spectrometry as a powerful tool for Adalimumab and Cetuximab glycosylation characterization is presented.

Using a comprehensive workflow combining several analytical methods at the subunit, peptide, and released glycan levels, we extensively characterised the N-glycosylation of adalimumab and cetuximab with great consistency.

This comprehensive workflow is fully applicable to potentially any mAb or ADC, using small quantities of sample, and in a reduced amount of time. Other analytical methods are available at Quality Assistance to complete the study of therapeutic mAbs glycosylation, such as relative quantification of the fucosylation, sialylation profiling by mixed-mode chromatography, and MALDI TOF profiling.