Advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry applied to pharmaceuticals in 2020: A whole new age of information

Abstract

Continuous improvements in mass spectrometry (MS) have resulted in the widespread availability and adoption of high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) across laboratories worldwide. The capabilities and the associated advantages of HRMS make it an invaluable analytical tool for analyte characterization, screening, and quantification methodologies for a wide scope of applications across pharmaceutical development. These applications include drug discovery, product characterizations of both small molecules and novel drug modalities, in vitro and in vivo metabolism studies, post-approval quality control, and pharmacovigilance. This review gives an overview of the current capabilities of HRMS and its pharmaceutical applications in 2020, and provides a perspective on the future of HRMS within the pharmaceutical industry.