Agilent Expands Altura Portfolio with Inert Size Exclusion and PLRP-S Columns for Biotherapeutic Analysis

Key Terms

size exclusion chromatography technical

A laboratory technique that separates molecules based on size by passing a liquid sample through a column filled with porous beads; larger molecules flow around the pores and come out first while smaller ones enter the pores and elute later. Like sorting balls through a series of sieves, it lets scientists measure purity, detect aggregates, and characterize products. That information matters to investors because it affects drug quality, manufacturing consistency, regulatory review, and commercial reliability.

glp-1 medical

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a natural hormone in the body that helps regulate blood sugar levels and appetite. Its significance to investors lies in its role as the basis for a class of medications that address conditions like type 2 diabetes and obesity, which are large and growing markets. Advances or investments in GLP-1-based treatments can signal opportunities in healthcare innovation and potentially impact pharmaceutical companies’ growth.

lc/ms technical

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS) is a laboratory technique that first separates complex mixtures into individual components, like sorting letters into piles, then identifies and measures each piece by weight, like a sensitive scale. Investors care because LC/MS is a key tool in drug development, quality control and regulatory testing: its results underpin safety, efficacy and purity claims that can affect approvals, product launches and a company’s commercial prospects.

monoclonal antibodies medical

Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made proteins designed to bind a single, specific target on cells or viruses, like identical keys cut to fit one lock. They are used as medicines, tests, or targeted delivery tools and can precisely block or mark disease processes. Investors care because they can become high-value drugs with large sales, long patent protection, and binary risks tied to clinical trial results, regulatory approval, manufacturing scale and pricing.

mrna medical

mRNA, short for messenger ribonucleic acid, is a biological molecule that carries instructions from a cell’s genetic blueprint to make specific proteins — like a recipe or software code that tells a kitchen or computer what to produce. Investors care because mRNA is used as a flexible drug and vaccine platform that can be developed and scaled faster than many traditional medicines; its commercial prospects, manufacturing needs, regulatory approval path, and patent position can strongly affect a company’s value.

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SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced the latest expansion of its Altura HPLC column portfolio with the introduction of Altura size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and Altura PLRP-S columns, designed to support critical analytical workflows in biopharmaceutical development and production.

The new SEC and PLRP-S columns support critical analytical workflows across a range of biotherapeutic modalities, including peptides, proteins, oligonucleotides, and conjugated therapeutics. Applications such as aggregate characterization, molecular weight confirmation and size distribution analysis remain essential for evaluating product quality, stability and performance, while drug-to-antibody ratio determination is critical for characterizing antibody-drug conjugates and other conjugated therapeutics as drug modalities continue to increase in complexity.

“Customer reception of the first wave of Altura columns has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting strong demand for high-performance inert column solutions," said David Edwards, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Chemistries and Supplies Division. "By extending the Altura HPLC columns with Ultra Inert technology to SEC and PLRP-S columns, we are expanding access to inert separation technologies that help scientists achieve more reliable, accurate and reproducible results across critical biopharma analytical workflows."

Aggregate analysis is a critical quality attribute for a wide range of biotherapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and emerging modalities. Altura SEC columns build on the success of the Agilent AdvanceBio SEC columns while incorporating Ultra Inert technology to enhance peak shape and aggregate recovery. For aggregate analysis of GLP-1 peptides, Altura SEC columns deliver up to double the sensitivity of inert competitor columns, improving detection of low-level impurities.

For liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) workflows, Altura PLRP-S columns are designed to deliver robust performance under demanding conditions. These capabilities support molecular weight confirmation across protein-based therapeutics and complex biopharmaceutical modalities.

The new columns are engineered to deliver faster conditioning, improved peak shape and enhanced sensitivity for challenging analytes. These performance improvements support a broad range of therapeutic modalities, from peptide therapeutics such as GLP-1 to oligonucleotides and large biomolecules including monoclonal antibodies and mRNA. As analytical demands continue to evolve, laboratories require robust and reproducible solutions to support development and quality workflows.

"In our core lab, we depend on columns that can handle a wide range of applications and complex matrices," said Yanan Yang, Ph.D., director of the MS Center at MBC BioLabs. "Agilent's Altura columns — especially HILIC-Z, Eclipse Plus and PLRP-S — have delivered excellent peak shape, strong reproducibility and reliable performance even after hundreds or even thousands of injections across challenging workflows."

Altura columns are part of Agilent's broader portfolio of inert liquid chromatography solutions, designed to provide a fully optimized sample flow path when used in conjunction with Agilent instrumentation and supplies. This integrated approach helps laboratories improve workflow efficiency while maintaining data quality and consistency. The Altura SEC and Altura PLRP-S columns are available globally.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global leader in analytical and clinical laboratory technologies, delivering insights and innovation that help our customers bring great science to life. Agilent’s full range of solutions includes instruments, software, services, and expertise that provide trusted answers to our customers’ most challenging questions. The company generated revenue of $6.95 billion in fiscal year 2025 and employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. To receive the latest Agilent news, subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Kate Coyle
Agilent Technologies Inc.
+1 302-633-7490
kate.coyle@agilent.com

Source: Agilent Technologies Inc.