Access Agilent eNewsletter May 2016

Agilent Automated Purification Solutions help researchers to purify complex compounds

Andreas Tei, Agilent Global Pharma Segment Manager

The purification and analysis of valuable and complex compounds can be a time-consuming process for many research laboratories. Agilent Automated Purification Solutions provide high-performance instruments and software to streamline these processes for fast, accurate, and reproducible results. In this article, learn how Agilent works with Taros—a contract research company with a mission: enhance the quality of human lives—to help the company achieve its goals.

Based in Dortmund, Germany, the privately owned company employs scientists with expertise in organic chemistry, drug discovery, and a broad range of therapeutic specialties. Together, they support their customers’ research and development endeavors with creative, cost-effective solutions.

Founded in 1999, Taros has completed more than 10,000 projects for its customers, who include pharma, chemical, and biotech firms from around the world. Projects include the design, synthesis, and purification of compounds that range from new materials to new drug candidates.

Figure 1. Alexander Piechot, Chief Operating Officer at Taros.

Unprecedented chemistry

“In the beginning, there’s nothing more than an idea, and we have to explore the nonexistent,” says Taros’ Chief Operating Officer, Alexander Piechot, PhD. “We have to develop the chemistry from scratch.” Because most of the chemistry performed at Taros is unprecedented, Piechot points out that it requires a great deal of research and optimization. As a result, their efforts are devoted to problem solving and troubleshooting. He says, “We are not restricted to some specific chemistry at all, so we try to address everything that is possible in terms of organic synthesis and modern approaches.”

“Agilent provides a perfect platform for analytical and purification issues—and the platform is easy to use, even for nonexpert analytical chemists.”

Optimized platform for analysis and purification

To investigate all that is possible, Piechot states that the company needs the right devices to address the issues at hand, including everything necessary to provide dense information about the compounds. That is why Taros partners with Agilent, which supplies the lab with GC/MS, HPLC/MS, other HPLC-detectors, applications & workflow consulting, and services. “Agilent is one of the world leaders in separation technology and provides a perfect platform for analytical and purification issues—and the platform is easy to use, even for non-expert analytical chemists,” Piechot says. “The possibility to seamlessly fine-tune all parameters and use preruns for optimizing the separation runs is very convenient and has a big impact on our workflows.”

“Agilent was in the position to provide a perfectly fitting system for our workflow. Its superior MS-based detection and analytical infrastructure yields impressive separation power, even for complex reaction mixtures and purely UV-detectable molecules,” Piechot says.

Figure 2. Raquel Ortega-Martinez, Purification Team Lead at Taros.

Time-savings of 30 to 40 percent

Raquel Ortega-Martinez, PhD, who manages the purification and analytical department at Taros, puts it this way: “The systems were set-up here in the company in the short timeframe, and working with Agilent to customize the software for our needs went really smoothly.”

By adopting the Agilent platform, both Piechot and Ortega-Martinez note that Taros has recognized time savings of 30 to 40 percent.

“Our collaboration with Agilent helps us attain very good results in terms of purification,” Ortega-Martinez adds. “The separation with these machines is really good. Also, when the samples are very complicated—different mixtures of different compounds—and sometimes even when the UV activity is not very high, we manage to purify as many of the compounds as we need.”

To learn more about how Taros is now able to purify complex compounds in a much shorter timeframe with the Agilent Automated Purification Solutions, watch this video.

Then read the Technical Overviews 5991-6146EN and 5991-4115EN, which describe an automated purification process for a compound mixture, and shows cross-platform compatibility between various analytical LC systems and the Agilent 1260 Infinity Automated LC/MS Purification System.