Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices by Merck: Accelerate & Automate Plasma Protein Binding Determination

Bioanalytical labs face strict requirements for plasma protein binding studies and plasma protein binding assays, but traditional methods are slow and complex. Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices by Merck reduce workflow time by approximately two-thirds, support full automation, and deliver reproducible, high-quality results for drug discovery workflows. This page covers key benefits, technology details, and ordering options.

Benefits of Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices for Plasma Protein Binding Studies

• 3× faster workflow and throughput: Provides more than threefold higher throughput and time savings compared with rapid equilibrium dialysis workflows.
• Reduces total plasma protein binding sample preparation time from about 6 hours with rapid equilibrium dialysis to under 2 hours with Supel™ BioSPME.
• Completely removes phospholipids to support cleaner samples than rapid equilibrium dialysis methods.
• Supports high throughput operation with a universal 96-pin format that is compatible with standard consumables.
• Enables a simple workflow that can be fully automated or performed manually, supporting total automation where needed.
• Provides accuracy and precision comparable to equilibrium dialysis and rapid equilibrium dialysis data.
• Demonstrates proven reproducibility across batches and across each 96-sample device for consistent ongoing performance.
• Generates consistent protein binding values across a range of compounds, including those spanning molecular weights from 230 to 1500 Da and logP values from 1 to 7.

Key Features of Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices

• Solid Phase Microextraction-based 96-pin device format: Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices use Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) technology in a universal 96-pin format.
• Compatibility with standard labware: Designed to fit into wells of standard 96-well plates and to work with common lab consumables.
• Automation ready design: The 96-pin format is compatible with high throughput automation, and the workflow is amenable to total automation or manual operation.
• Pin construction: Each device uses pins with tips coated with a thin layer of adsorbent particles.
• Selective coating chemistry: The coating contains a patented binder that enables small analytes of interest to bind, while larger macromolecules cannot.
• Direct immersion sampling: Supel™ BioSPME pin plates are immersed directly into biological samples for extraction using the coated portion of the pins.
• Non-exhaustive extraction approach: The design supports a selective non-exhaustive extraction process.
• Application fit: The extraction approach is suitable for both qualitative and quantitative applications.

Technical Specifications

• Format compatibility: Universal 96-pin format designed to fit into wells of standard 96-well plates.
• Workflow time (method comparison): Supel™ BioSPME workflow total <2 hours; rapid equilibrium dialysis workflow total 6 hours.
• Step times reported for Supel™ BioSPME: Prepare and incubate samples, 60 min; condition, 20 min; wash, 0.2 min; extraction, 15 min; wash, 1 min; desorption, 15 min.
• Sample volume: Sample volumes as small as 100 µL; Table 1 binding values reported using 200 µL sample volumes (n = 8).
• Compound coverage demonstrated: Molecular weight range 230 to 1500 Da; logP range 1 to 7.
• Plate requirement noted for higher logP analytes: Analytes with logP > 3.4 extracted from glass-lined plates.
• Phospholipid remaining after processing: Supel™ BioSPME, 5 samples, average <0.1% phospholipid remaining with RSD <0.01; rapid equilibrium dialysis, 5 samples, average 56% phospholipid remaining with RSD 7.8.
• Lot to lot protein binding reproducibility (carbamazepine): 3 lots evaluated; same protein binding value obtained for all batches and lots with 1 to 2% RSD; overall average across 54 plates 76.8 ± 2.2%.
• Across device precision (carbamazepine, 8 + 88 setup): Average extracted amount across 88 plasma samples 7.31 ± 0.4 ng/mL (RSD 4.8%); average percent binding for the 88 samples 75.9 ± 1.3%.
• Non-depletive extraction criterion for calculations: Equations 7 and 8 provide accurate values when the extracted amount is less than 5% of the total analyte.

Application and Usage of Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices in Plasma Protein Binding Studies

• Typical application areas
  • Plasma protein binding determination
  • Protein binding determination for drug discovery
  • Determination of free fraction of drug in plasma and buffer
• How Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices are used in these workflows
  • Use the universal 96-pin format by fitting the device into the wells of standard 96-well plates.
  • Run the workflow either on automation robots such as Hamilton® STARlet or by manual maneuvering.
  • Pre-condition the pins with an organic solvent.
  • Wash off the organic solvent using a quick immersion into water.
  • Lower the pins into the biological sample of choice for extraction by immersing the pin plate directly into the sample.
  • After extraction, dip the pins into water to remove nonspecifically adhering proteins.
  • Desorb into an organic solvent.
  • Use the resulting extracts from plasma and buffer to determine free and bound fractions for protein binding determination.

Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices Product Variants

Chemical Express, with over 23 years of experience supporting analytical and bioanalytical laboratories, is the official distributor for Merck and Supelco analytical products. Purchase Supel™ BioSPME 96-Pin Devices and related bioanalytical solutions from Chemical Express to ensure genuine products, reliable supply, and local technical support.