Biopharma will look to the new columns for higher efficiency in chromatography, as well as greater resolution, speed and sensitivity, though there are other similar products on the market, Nicole Cotta, product marketing manager for the new offering, told BioPharma-Reporter.com
“While there are other solid-core columns on the market, Cortecs Columns enable higher performance due to their sub-2-µm particle size, low dispersion column hardware and optimized packing process,” Cotta said, noting that preliminary data from collaborators and beta testers show they “were impressed with what they can achieve” in terms of higher USP plate counts and resolution.
“They are being purchased and used by companies in all different markets and applications, including pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, environmental and food testing, forensic, etc.” she added. “Of particular interest to biopharmaceutical makers is an application where Cortecs Columns are used for the analysis of insulin and five analogues for an improved sensitivity and peak shape, leading to a 2X improvement in detection limits.”
The column particles feature a solid, impermeable silica core encased in a porous silica outer layer where the interactions between the stationary phase and the analytes occur. The three column chemistries and their intended uses are:
- Cortecs C18, a high-efficiency, reversed-phase column offering balanced retention of acids, bases, and neutrals at low and mid-range pH;
- Cortecs C18+, a general-purpose reversed-phase column with a positively charged surface that delivers excellent peak shape for basic compounds at low pH.
- Cortecs HILIC Column is for the retention of extremely polar analytes while offering orthogonal selectivity versus C18 columns.
Cotta added that the columns are intended for UHPLC systems with lower dispersion and higher back pressure capability.