TotalLab and BioPhorum Sign Agreement to Integrate High-Risk Host Cell Protein Database into SpotMap MS LC-MS Software

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 28/04/2026, TotalLab Ltd, the specialist software developer for the life science industry, and BioPhorum, the global biopharmaceutical collaboration network, today announced a strategic agreement that brings BioPhorum’s industry-leading high-risk host cell protein (HCP) database directly into TotalLab’s SpotMap MS LC-MS analysis software.

The integration eliminates a long-standing pain point in biopharmaceutical quality control: the need to manually cross-reference LC-MS results against external databases to assess the risk profile of identified host cell proteins. From the next release of SpotMap MS, paid subscribers to the BioPhorum Host Cell Protein Data Platform will see peer-reviewed, expert-verified HCP risk characterization appear automatically within their analysis step, alongside their LC-MS results.

Why this integration matters for biopharmaceutical QC teams

Host cell proteins are process-related impurities that can co-purify with biologics and impact patient safety, drug efficacy, and product stability. The BioPhorum HCP Data Platform is a peer-reviewed, industry-aligned reference resource compiled through a 26-company collaboration of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical organizations. It classifies “high-risk” HCPs by their potential impact on immunogenicity, biological activity, enzymatic degradation of product or excipients, and difficulty of removal.

Until now, analysts using LC-MS to identify HCPs in their drug substance had to take their list of identified proteins, switch context to the BioPhorum platform, search each protein manually, and document the risk assessment separately. With this integration, that workflow collapses into a single, automated step inside SpotMap MS.

What the integration delivers

For paid users of the BioPhorum HCP Data Platform running SpotMap MS, the integration delivers:

• Automated risk characterization in one place. Identified HCPs are matched to BioPhorum’s high-risk classifications in real time during the analysis step, with no manual cross-referencing required.
• Peer-reviewed, expert-verified data. Risk calls come from the industry’s most authoritative HCP knowledge base, compiled and maintained by BioPhorum’s Development Group HCP Workstream.
• Workflow optimization and automation. Analysts spend less time on data wrangling and more time on decision-making, supporting the BioPhorum platform’s stated goal of reducing time from pipeline to commercialization.
• Audit-ready documentation. When combined with TotalLab’s AuditSafe platform, results and risk assessments are captured in a 21 CFR Part 11 and GMP-compliant manner suitable for regulated environments.
• A single source of truth. No more reconciling spreadsheets, screenshots, or copied database extracts. Everything is in the analysis file.

A statement from TotalLab

“This is exactly the kind of integration our customers have been asking for,” said Dr Steven Dodd, Head of Sales and Business Development at TotalLab. “SpotMap MS was built from the ground up for HCP analysis rather than repurposed from generic proteomics tools, and that focus is what makes a partnership like this possible. By bringing BioPhorum’s peer-reviewed risk data directly into the analysis step, we are removing one of the most time-consuming and error-prone parts of the LC-MS HCP workflow. Analysts get a clear, defensible risk picture without ever leaving the software.”

Availability

The SpotMap MS integration with the BioPhorum Host Cell Protein Data Platform will be available in the next scheduled release of SpotMap MS. Risk data will be accessible to users who hold an active BioPhorum HCP Data Platform subscription. Existing SpotMap MS customers will receive the update as part of their standard maintenance.

To request a demonstration or arrange a free trial of TotalLab’s LC-MS host cell protein analysis software, SpotMap MS, visit the product page. Customers focused on antibody coverage workflows can also explore TotalLab’s HCP antibody coverage software, SpotMap 2D. Information on the BioPhorum HCP Data Platform is available at biophorum.com.

About TotalLab

TotalLab is a UK-based specialist software developer working exclusively in the life sciences. With over two decades of digital engineering experience, TotalLab builds off-the-shelf analysis products including SpotMap MS, SpotMap 2D, PlateLogic, TrendLab, SameSpots, and Phoretix 1D, develops OEM analysis software for global instrument manufacturers, and delivers custom 21 CFR Part 11 and GMP-compliant software (powered by its AuditSafe platform) for the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. TotalLab’s mission is to simplify and automate scientific analysis workflows so customers can bring safer biotherapeutics to patients faster. Learn more at www.totallab.com.

About BioPhorum

BioPhorum is a global collaboration network bringing together more than 3,800 active participants from across the biopharmaceutical industry. Through its phorums covering drug substance, development, fill-finish, cell and gene therapy, technology roadmapping, IT, and supply partners, BioPhorum drives industry alignment on the challenges that matter most. The Host Cell Protein Data Platform is a flagship resource of BioPhorum’s Development Group, providing peer-reviewed, expert-verified data on high-risk HCPs to support patient safety, product quality, and process efficiency.

Press contact

TotalLab Ltd, Dr Steven Dodd, Head of Sales and Business Development
Email: steven.dodd@totallab.com 
www.totallab.com