Waters Corporation Launches New OligoWorks™ SPE Kits in High-Growth Therapeutic Market
Waters Corporation (WAT:NYSE) has announced the launch of OligoWorks™ SPE (solid phase extraction) Kits and components. These tools are designed to enhance sample preparation for LC-MS-based bioanalytical quantitation of therapeutic oligonucleotides. The field of therapeutic oligonucleotides is experiencing significant growth and expansion after a series of challenges and successes. Since the landmark approval of the first oligonucleotide for medical use in 1998, a total of 15 oligonucleotide-based drugs have been successfully introduced to the market, with many more currently in advanced stages of clinical development. Notably, the commercial success of nusinersen/Spinraza which generated $1.8B in sales in 2022 has underscored the substantial potential of oligonucleotide drugs. Over 40 companies are actively involved in bringing oligonucleotide-based molecules to market or advancing them through late clinical development stages in over 500 development programs, with notable contributions from dedicated oligonucleotide-focused biotech firms like Ionis Pharmaceuticals and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, as well as pharmaceutical giants such as Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Novartis, and AstraZeneca.
Erin Chambers, Vice President of Consumables and Lab Automation at Waters Corporation, highlights the significance of their latest innovation. “As a leader in supporting drug development, Waters is committed to solving customer pain points, and enabling greater analytical performance and productivity. Our new OligoWorks SPE Kits directly address oligonucleotide bioanalysis sample prep challenges across diverse oligo therapeutics,” she states. “The science and societal effects of these therapies are exploding given their ability to address human health issues. Our workflow and kits will drive an acceleration of oligo bioanalysis projects and drug development timelines; ultimately improving the experience for drug candidates.”
The OligoWorks SPE Kits deliver multiple advantages that have the potential to improve the oligonucleotide therapeutic analysis landscape through multiple features. The kits offer an increase of up to 2x in oligonucleotide recovery from biofluids compared to competing products. This elevated recovery rate results in superior quantitation precision and reduced reliance on repeated experiments. Waters Corporation’s believes its kits also provide greater reproducibility and LC-MS sensitivity. These key improvements enable lower limits of quantitation, making it easier to detect even trace amounts of oligonucleotides, and subsequently, improve the accuracy of analytical results. Furthermore OligoWorks SPE Kits simplify laborious sample preparation workflows, making them more efficient and repeatable. Additionally, these kits are supported by standardized protocols. The kits employ an innovative, enzyme-enhanced, and detergent-free sample pretreatment process. This approach reduces washing steps and enhances compatibility with mass spectrometry, allowing for direct injection LC-MS analysis. Finally, OligoWorks SPE Kits can be fully automated, enhancing productivity and streamlining the analysis process. Automation not only improves efficiency but also reduces the potential for human error.