Thermo Fisher Scientific said that the MetQuest software is designed to provide researchers performing drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) studies time and cost savings when compared to traditional multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) methods.
In combination with Thermo Scientific LTQ Orbitrap or Exactive families of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) systems, MetQuest software is expected to enable researchers to routinely perform quantitative and qualitative analyses in the same run. This solution is designed to offer substantial time and cost savings compared to triple quadrupole MRM approaches for metabolic studies.
The patented Orbitrap technology is ideal for compound identification and high-throughput screening for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analyses. Its ultra-high mass resolution up to 1,00,000 filters out chemical noise such as isobaric interferences from biological matrices, enabling low detection limits and fewer false positives.
Reportedly, the patents-pending processing methods in MetQuest software have been developed to automatically process full-scan high resolution data for compound identification from even complex biological matrices without the need for pre-defined mass-to-charge values.
Thermo Fisher Scientific claimed that because MetQuest software does not require time-consuming MS/MS method development and optimisation, acquisition methods are more simple to set up and a single method can be used for multiple compounds.
Patrick Bennett, director of marketing for scientific instruments at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said: “Obtaining both quantitative and qualitative information effectively and earlier in the discovery process is paramount for the pharmaceutical industry.
“MetQuest software allows users to quantify and identify compounds and their metabolites simultaneously, and interrogate data later for additional information without having to re-run the entire experiment, which typically includes sample preparation and LC/MS analysis.”
