Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are widely adopted vehicles for oligonucleotide-based therapeutics and vaccines. LNPs are composed of helper lipids, PEGylated lipids, and ionizable lipids. Their detailed characterization and related impurities are of major importance for developing a successful product. Specifically, N-oxide-based impurities, leading to the loss in function of mRNA, pose a major concern.
In this webinar, Adam Crowe looks at how an ionizable lipid, commonly known as DLin-MC3-DMA (MC3), was analyzed with liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using electron-activated dissociation (EAD), a novel type of low-energy electron-impact fragmentation.
During this talk we discuss:
- The localization of double bonds, their saturated impurities, and differentiation of different oxidated species, including N-oxide localization
- The applicability of this method for other types of ionizable lipids and derived impurities
- Which levels of N-oxides are problematic for mRNA efficacy
