What is Bioanalytical Assay Development and Assay Validation?
Bioanalytical Assay Development and Validation: Reproducible and Reliable Quantitation of Analytes
Bioanalytical assay development helps determine the design implications, limitations, favorable conditions, and suitability of a drug for the intended treatment. Before biological assay development and validation can be initiated, it is recommended to understand the physiochemical properties of the analyte. Bioanalytical assay development is considerably informed by the details on protein binding and in vivo/in vitro metabolism along with essential aspects of prior work on the method. Bioanalytical assays play a crucial role in the discovery and development of pharmaceutical products given their ability to discern purity, identity, performance, and potency of these compounds. Furthermore, the involved techniques allow reproducible and reliable quantitation of analytes in various biological matrices, such as plasma, urine, blood, or serum.
In vitro assay development is another critical component in the bioanalytical process. It involves creating and optimizing assays that can accurately mimic the biological environment of the analyte in a controlled laboratory setting. This step is vital for understanding the drug’s behavior under specific conditions and ensuring that the assay is suitable for its intended purpose.
Biological Assay validation services and assay qualification are performed for the analysis of drugs, metabolites, and biomarkers to ensure that the test results are precise and accurate, and the generated data is reasonably robust in supporting drug development and other intended purposes. Several method characteristics play a significant role during each stage of biological assay development and validation, including specific chemistry of analyte, sample clean-up to analysis methodology, and desired method sensitivity. The selectivity and sensitivity of bioanalytical assays developed for drug and metabolite quantitation thoroughly impact the success of preclinical and clinical studies. Thus, careful sample preparation, HPLC column, and mobile phase selection, and choice of detector and quantitation method are critical during LC-MS assay development.
The purpose of assay development, validation, and assay qualification is to find a suitable method applicable to a chosen analyte in a specific biological matrix. The analysis outcome might be inaccurate if the assay is not validated correctly and deemed unreliable. This assay inadequacy could be due to low sensitivity, selectivity, precision, accuracy or any other reason. Given the significance of this topic, the FDA has published guidance to provide guardrails around assay development and validation discussions. Generally, the assay can be used with full confidence to produce reliable data if the FDA method development guidance is followed and all its outlined criteria are met. Thus, assay development and validation are carried out with appropriate technology so that compliance with regulatory and scientific requirements can be achieved. Additionally, analytical information obtained from already existing bioanalytical assays may sometimes be effectively utilized.
In vitro assay development is also a critical aspect of this process. By designing assays that replicate the biological environment in controlled conditions, researchers can better understand how an analyte behaves in vitro, leading to more accurate and reliable data. This step is essential in ensuring that the assay is not only suitable for its intended use but also compliant with regulatory guidelines.
In summary, bioanalytical method development and validation enable reliable quantitation of analytes and biomarkers in various biological matrices to test drug safety and efficacy. We understand your invaluable bioanalytical assay data is reproducible and dependable only if generated using fully validated methods and platforms by qualified scientists. NorthEast BioLab offers meticulous assay development and assay qualification for your PK, TK, immunogenicity, or biomarker testing needs.