Evolving Multiscale Separation Capabilities Towards High-Throughput Microgram Purification and Analysis

Amgen Synthetics Separations Group supports several stages of the pipeline, from early drug discovery to commercial therapeutics. Chromatography technologies such as supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) have been employed for various purification needs to support the portfolio throughout the years. But trends in drug development have focused on creating more complex and targeted molecules at the same time as a shift in embracing greener, more sustainable research and development practices. 

Our group has worked to overcome these new challenges by expanding chiral and achiral screening platforms, utilization of software-based method optimization and offline chromatographic modeling, and leveraging mass-directed purification systems for our parallel synthesis libraries. The results are reduced solvent consumption, increased efficiency, and enhanced selectivity for the standard workflows, and a creation of a ugHTPP scale purification platform.

Presenter: Kevin Crossley (Scientist, Amgen)

Kevin Crossley has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 23 years and acquired extensive purification and chromatography experience. Kevin graduated from CSUN (California State University of Northridge) in 1998 with a B.A. in Biology with an emphasis in animal physiology. He began his scientific career as a bench chemist and purification scientist performing large scale extractions and isolations of natural products at Miravant Medical Technologies and later found an opportunity to work with Dr. Greg Cauchon, learning analytical techniques for the characterization of polymers and mAbs and renewing his scientific ambitions. In 2008, Kevin moved to Amgen supporting FIH through commercial products with impurity isolations, and large scale (multigram to kilogram) purifications of chiral and achiral molecules by SFC, RPLC and NPLC. In 2019, he joined Larry Miller’s group, utilizing a multitude of analytical and preparative skills to advance the Discovery pipeline and expand the purification capabilities. Kevin is a recipient of the EPA Green Chemistry Award (Greener Reaction Conditions) in the 2017 Green Chemistry Challenge, the Amgen SMP&PD Green Chemistry Award in 2011, patent holder and contributor to several publications.