Development of Analytical Method for the Quantitation of Monoclonal Antibodies Solutions via Raman Spectroscopy: The Case of Bevacizumab

TL;DR

This paper presents a new Raman spectroscopy method to accurately measure monoclonal antibody concentrations, specifically bevacizumab, in solutions.

Contribution

A novel Raman spectroscopy-based analytical method for quantifying bevacizumab in solutions is developed and validated.

Findings

The detection limit of bevacizumab using the developed Raman method was found to be 1.06 mg/mL.

Bevacizumab concentration was found to be highest at the coffee ring formed during droplet drying.

The lowest detection limit of 0.53 mg/mL was achieved at a specific location on the coffee ring.

Abstract

Personalized dosages of monoclonal antibodies are being used more regularly to treat various diseases, rendering their quantitation more essential than ever for the right dose administration to the patients. A promising alternative, which overcomes the obstacles of the well-established chromatographic techniques regarding the quantification of biopharmaceuticals, is Raman spectroscopy. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel analytical method for the quantitation of bevacizumab in solutions via Raman spectroscopy. For this purpose, a droplet of the solution was left to dry on a highly reflective carrier and a home-made apparatus was employed for rotation of the sample. Hence, each recorded Raman spectrum was the average of the signal acquired simultaneously from multiple points on a circular circumference. The method was validated, and the detection limit of the antibody was found to be 1.06 mg/mL. Bevacizumab was found to be highly distributed at the formed coffee ring of the dried droplet, though this was a function of solution concentration. Finally, Raman spectra at different distances on the coffee ring were obtained from the four quarters. The lowest bevacizumab detection limit was found at a distance of 75 μm from the external side of the coffee ring and it was determined to be equal to 0.53 mg/mL.

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