Automation is revolutionizing bioanalytical research, driving advancements in efficiency and precision. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, researchers can ensure consistency, scalability, and accuracy, ultimately enhancing the reliability of their results. This is particularly critical in data analysis, where automation reduces the likelihood of human error and allows scientists to focus more on interpreting findings rather than processing raw data.

Tomás de Garay, a product manager at Refeyn, has years of hands-on experience with mass photometry. As a technology expert, he has the goal of shaping mass photometry as an impactful solution for research and development, and beyond. Drug Discovery News spoke with de Garay to learn more about the role of automation in data analysis, with a particular focus on Refeyn's StreamlineMP software platform and its impact on improving the consistency and efficiency of antibody analysis, while also considering its broader implications for scientific discovery.

Can you explain how automation in data analysis contributes to advancing bioanalytical research? 

Automation can make things more efficient, scalable, and consistent. It can be helpful whenever there are many repetitive tasks to do, and when they must be undertaken the same way each time. This ultimately supports the quality of research results.

Regarding data analysis in bioanalytics, automation can free up researchers or scientists to focus more on interpreting and acting on their results. It reduces the likelihood of human error and makes it easy to implement the same analysis protocol over and over – so results are reliable and reproducible. 

Automation also allows for faster, more accurate, and scalable analyses, which are crucial for advancing our understanding of complex biological systems and driving therapeutic innovation.

What are the benefits of automating data processing for large mass photometry datasets?

One of the main advantages of mass photometry is that measurements are fast and straightforward compared to some alternative bioanalytical methods. Once a sample is loaded, it takes just one minute to obtain the results, and someone can learn to use a mass photometer in less than a day. Therefore, automating the processing of mass photometry data in turn further expands these advantages – speed and ease of use – to data analysis. 

Sample delivery and data acquisition can also be automated to maximize the walk-away time. This makes mass photometry an even more efficient analytical platform to facilitate frequent and repeated testing of samples. In addition to antibodies, mass photometry can analyze proteins, nucleic acids, and adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), enabling the study of interactions, oligomerization, sample purity, and other important aspects of biological samples and systems.

What are the main advantages of using the StreamlineMP software platform? How does StreamlineMP complement the existing DiscoverMP?

Refeyn’s DiscoverMP software is a powerful and intuitive, fully integrated data analysis and visualization tool for mass photometry data sets. This versatility is highly desirable for many users as it can be applied to measurements from any application or sample type. However, for some users who want a standardized analysis workflow for a specific application across many datasets, this is often time consuming.

In recognition of these needs, the specialized automated analysis modules featured on our new StreamlineMP modular software platform power up mass photometry for specific applications where large datasets are generated and specific analyses are needed. 

StreamlineMP modules apply automated, standardized analysis workflows and provide robust statistics for specific applications, streamlining the analysis process. This delivers more consistent results in a shorter period.

How does StreamlineMP ensure consistency in analytical parameters?

The StreamlineMP software is designed so that it is easy and intuitive to define and save the crucial parameters for each application. The data analysis is performed automatically by the software based on those few initial parameters. This means that these parameters can be applied again and again to each dataset with a standardized analytical routine, ensuring the results are independent of the operator. 

Taking the case of the StreamlineMP Antibody Stability Module as an example, the user only needs to input the expected mass of antibody monomers.  These values are then applied to every data set the user wishes to analyze, and the abundance of oligomers is determined automatically, ensuring consistency. 

The first application-specific module to be added to the new StreamlineMP software suite is Refeyn’s Antibody Stability Module. How does its application enhance the analysis and development of antibody data?

The Antibody Stability Module for StreamlineMP automatically analyzes antibody aggregation, which is a key quality attribute during the development and production of therapeutic antibodies. This is because it affects product safety, efficacy, and stability, making it important to assess. Mass photometry is an ideal way to measure antibody aggregation because it is fast and easy to use, even enabling direct measurements from nanomolar concentration samples in IV bags. It also requires little sample and returns intuitive and accurate aggregation data. 

Aggregation is routinely measured in forced degradation studies, which involve exposing different antibodies to different stressors. Once replicates are added, you can quickly end up with more than 100 samples to analyze. Mass photometry can measure those samples quickly, but it could then take several hours to analyze the data from each measurement manually. Using the Antibody Stability Module, you can import all the results, group the replicates, set up the parameters, and obtain plots and statistics for each measurement and each group in less than 20 minutes – this represents an 80% cut in typical manual analysis time. Moreover, the reduction in manual steps increases the consistency of results across operators and locations.

So, when you combine the speed of mass photometry with this dedicated streamlined analysis, these types of studies become dramatically faster, less laborious, and more consistent. This means you can perform them as often as needed to optimize and ensure product quality.  We see our first software application for StreamlineMP, the Antibody Stability Module, becoming an essential tool for in-process purity and stability analysis for therapeutic antibodies.

How might the application of the StreamlineMP platform influence future developments in the automation of data analysis across various scientific fields?

We are constantly seeking feedback from our customers and are working to understand where this type of analysis can be most beneficial. This knowledge guides our development of additional new application modules to help address further key analytical bottlenecks. Our vision as a company is to accelerate discovery through innovation, and the StreamlineMP platform is one important way we can achieve that. 

Beyond improving efficiency and consistency, we also seek to create an excellent user experience. We try to design intuitive, user-centric software and hope that this approach inspires others to adopt similar principles because empowering people with well-designed tools enables them to achieve their best work.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.