Apparatus and method for analyzing a metabolite profile

An apparatus adapted to analyze a drug and/or metabolite profile in a biological sample containing at least one drug and/or metabolite, wherein the biological sample can be divided into aliquoted samples, the apparatus comprising:

• an input unit adapted to input at least one drug and/or metabolite to be screened;
• a controlling unit coupled to an input unit and connected to a database, the controlling unit being adapted to determine a parameter set for at least one drug and/or metabolite preparation and for mass spectrometry analyses depending on the input of the kind of the at least one drug and/or metabolite to be screened;
• a treatment unit adapted to prepare the at least one drug and/or metabolite to be screened depending on the at least one determined parameter set, the treatment unit comprising an automated liquid handling system, and at least one device adapted to derivatize the at least one drug and/or metabolite present in the sample and to subsequently extract the derivatives, the device comprising
• (A) one or more wells,
• (B) one or more inserts located in the wells, wherein the insert comprises a support comprising a sorbent material for liquids which support is impregnated with at least one organic internal standard;
• and
• (C) a retainer holding the insert within the well with a distance between the insert and the walls and the bottom of the well in order to allow a free circulation of fluids around the insert;
• a mass spectrometer adapted to perform mass spectrometry analyses on the at least one prepared drug and/or metabolite depending on the parameter set;
• and
• a database coupled to an evaluation unit, the database being adapted to store results of analyzing and parameter sets for drug and/or metabolite preparation and for mass spectrometry analyses;
• wherein the database is adapted to include updated information derived from comparing the results of the mass spectrometry with reference results stored in the database, wherein the results of mass spectrometry are evaluated by the evaluation unit utilizing reference results stored in the database to output an analysis of the drug and/or metabolite profile.