Summary
Glycans consist of long branching chains of different sugars. They adorn proteins of all types. Some viruses use glycans to enhance the probability of infection. Some tumors hide from the immune system by using “stealth” glycoproteins on their surfaces. Most of the top drugs by revenue are glycoproteins, and their glycans affect drug safety and efficacy. This places a premium on making sure that their glycans are well-characterized and carefully managed. The complexity of glycan structures makes it difficult to control their structure on therapeutic drugs. Conventional glycan characterization
