GEN-MKT-18-7897-A
Nov 18, 2015 | Blogs, Forensic | 0 comments
Facts about Synthetic Cannabinoids and why you need to pay attention to evolving science
Mass spectrometry has proven an excellent tool for testing due to its flexibility to add new analytes as soon as new references become available. Even more compounds have been added to the DEA’s list of controlled substances.
Forensic screening methods for JWH-018 and JWH-073 and their metabolites (two of the main ingredients found in synthetic cannabinoids) using QTRAP technology have already been developed. In 2010, and this validated forensic screening method has been updated to detect JWH-081 and JWH-250 and their metabolites. This is important news when it comes to drug enforcement since the DEA initially announced they would be controlling five synthetic cannabinoids (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47, and CP47-C8 homologue). Meanwhile, replacement compounds quickly emerged to include JWH- 081 and JWH-250.
You can read about the results in, “Detecting a New Wave of K2/Spice in Human Urine.” The main takeaways from the article are this:
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As an analytical strategy, middle-down mass spectrometry (MS) workflows characterize biotherapeutic proteins by analyzing large, digested protein fragments or defined subunits, rather than fully intact proteins (top-down) or digested peptides (bottom-up). A middle-down strategy combines the strengths of top-down and bottom-up approaches by delivering high sequence coverage and structural specificity while maintaining relatively simple sample preparation. In practice, middle-down analysis enables accurate mass measurement, rapid sequence confirmation, and localization of key post-translational modifications (PTMs) on protein subunits that are directly relevant to product quality.
In biopharmaceutical development, sequence variants (SV) are considered an inherent risk of producing complex proteins in living systems. Sequence variants are unintended changes to the amino acid sequence of a biotherapeutic and can be caused by errors in transcription or translation in the host cell, or cell culture and process conditions. Detailed analysis of SVs is important in process and product development to ensure the drug’s safety and efficacy. Even low‑level sequence variants can have significant implications for product quality, safety, and efficacy, making their accurate detection and characterization a critical requirement across development, process optimization, and regulatory submission.
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