Aldevron Breakthrough Blog
Presentation: LCMS Assays for mRNA CQAs
January 14, 2026 by Aldevron
A development story from Aldevron
As mRNA-based therapeutics continue to gain momentum, there’s growing interest in better understanding the structural features that influence their stability and function—particularly the 5′ cap and poly(A) tail. These regions are critical for translation efficiency and immune evasion yet are often challenging to characterize with conventional methods.
In this presentation, Alex Johnson, Ph.D., a senior scientist at Aldevron who focuses on analytical method development, shares a practical liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) approach to quantitatively analyze the 5′ capping efficiency of several mRNAs, allowing us to distinguish between different cap structures and assess capping efficiency, accurately and reproducibly.
He also expands on how workflows for Aldevron’s clients can be applied to both high-res mass spectrometers and single quad mass analyzers. On the poly(A) tail attribute, Johnson provides an overview of an LCMS workflow to measure heterogeneity for both enzymatic and encoded tails.
This workflow highlights how Aldevron’s mass spectrometry services can offer deeper insights into mRNA structure and help ensure the consistency and performance of these complex biomolecules in therapeutic applications.
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Aldevron is a premier manufacturing partner, producing high-quality plasmid DNA, mRNA, proteins, and other key components for the development of vaccines, gene and cell therapies, immunotherapies and other treatments. As a part of the Danaher Corporation family of global science and technology companies, Aldevron supports thousands of scientists who are developing revolutionary, lifesaving treatments for millions of people. You can follow the company on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.