Preventing False Positives in Nitrosamine Testing

The Hidden Risk in Your Analytical Protocol

Pharmaceutical companies face mounting pressure to detect and quantify nitrosamines – genotoxic impurities that pose serious patient safety risks. But what happens when your testing method creates the very contamination you’re trying to detect?

This isn’t a theoretical concern. False positive results can trigger a cascade of costly consequences: unnecessary product recalls, regulatory scrutiny, financial losses, and most critically, disruptions to the drug supply chain that impact patient access to essential therapies.

Watch: A Breakthrough in Nitrosamine Testing Accuracy

In this video, Resolian analytical scientist Tracy shares groundbreaking research that reveals a critical gap in standard nitrosamine testing protocols—and presents a practical solution that could transform how pharmaceutical companies approach these challenging analyses.

Tracy investigated N-Nitrosopseudoephedrine formation in drug products containing pseudoephedrine and discovered something that many analytical labs may be overlooking: acidic conditions commonly used in sample preparation can actually create nitrosamines during testing, not just detect them.

What You’ll Learn in This Video:

  • How nitrosamine formation can occur during analytical testing itself
  • Experimental evidence demonstrating the scope of this problem
  • A validated solution using Vitamin E as a nitrite scavenger
  • Practical implementation guidance for LC-MS/MS methods
  • The broader implications for regulatory compliance and patient safety

The research demonstrates that a simple modification to sample preparation protocols can effectively suppress artifact formation without compromising method performance – offering pharmaceutical companies a reliable way to enhance analytical accuracy and avoid costly false alarms.

Why This Matters for Your Testing Program

Nitrosamine testing continues to evolve as regulatory agencies refine their expectations and scientists uncover new analytical challenges. Understanding the potential for artifact formation during sample preparation is essential for:

  • Ensuring test results accurately reflect product quality
  • Maintaining regulatory compliance with confidence
  • Protecting supply chains from unwarranted disruptions
  • Preserving patient access to critical medications

Expert Support When You Need It

Having a trusted partner who understands both the chemistry and the compliance landscape is essential when navigating complex analytical challenges like nitrosamine testing.

Resolian’s analytical sciences department specializes in supporting pharmaceutical companies with nitrosamine method development, validation, and troubleshooting. Whether you’re concerned about potential false positives, developing new testing protocols, or investigating unexpected findings, our team brings the expertise to guide you through every step.

Download Poster

Download a copy of the Nitrosamines poster here.

Ready to discuss your nitrosamine testing challenges?

Contact our analytical sciences team to learn how we can support your specific needs.

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Zhiyang Zhao, Ph.D.

Chief Scientific Officer

Zhiyang Zhao, Ph.D., serves as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at Resolian. Dr. Zhao has over 30 years of pharmaceutical industry experience with special focus on drug metabolism and bioanalysis of small and large molecules in drug discovery and development. Dr. Zhao has previously held positions at Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Amgen. Before joining Resolian in 2015, Dr. Zhao served as Site Director of Preclinical Research at Amgen in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for over a decade. 

Currently, Dr. Zhao serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Eshelman School of Pharmacy of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and as Editor-in-Chief of Drug Metabolism & Bioanalysis Letters, a journal by Bentham Science, which publishes in all areas of drug metabolism and bioanalysis. Dr. Zhao received his Ph.D. degree in Medicinal Chemistry from Virginia Polytechnic and State University (popularly known as Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. 

 

Patrick Bennett

Chief Executive Officer

Patrick Bennett has over 35 years of experience in pharmaceutical analysis and laboratory management. Now Chief Business Officer at Resolian, Patrick’s experience includes the roles of Strategic Marketing Director for Pharma with Thermo Fisher Scientific, LabCorp, and Vice President of Strategy and Development with PPD. 

Patrick earned a B.S. degree in Toxicology and a M.S. degree in Pharmacology from the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health at St. John’s University and an M.B.A in International Marketing from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.