Serum-Free Media for CHO Cells
Chemically defined, protein-free, animal-origin-free media for Chinese hamster ovary cells — optimised for monoclonal antibody production, therapeutic protein expression, and biosimilar manufacturing in fed-batch and perfusion formats.
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- SimplaceX – serum-free HEK293T medium
- SimplaceCDX – chemically defined HEK293T medium
- NaivaCore – naïve iPSC medium (HENSM)
- Serum-free CHO cell culture media
- CelliMax® MetaCHO & Versa – CHO basal media
- CelliMax® CHO feeds – FGa, FGa plus, FGb
- Serum-free MSC medium
- Serum-free iPSC & hESC medium
- OrganoMedium – organoid expansion medium
- Custom cell culture media – bespoke formulation
CelliMax® CHO platform: chemically defined basal and feed media
Two basal media and three feeds, manufactured by our partner CelluPro and supplied in the EU by SeamlessBio. All are chemically defined powders without L-glutamine and phenol red; the basal media and FGa/FGa plus are free of animal-derived components and hydrolysates, and FGb contains only amino acids. One basal medium plus FGa (or FGa plus) and FGb form a complete fed-batch system for high-density CHO growth and protein expression.
| Product | Type | Cat. no. | CHO cell lines | Working conc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CelliMax® MetaCHO | Basal medium | CPDP050 | CHO-K1, CHO-DG44, CHO-DXB11 | 21.55 g/L |
| CelliMax® Versa | Basal medium | CPRD098 | CHO-K1, CHO-DG44, CHO-S, GS-knockout CHO | 25.45 g/L |
| CelliMax® CHO FGa | Feed (protein- and growth-factor-free) | CPDP062 | CHO-K1, CHO-DG44, CHO-S, CHO-DXB11 | 164.50 g/L |
| CelliMax® CHO FGa plus | Feed | CPDP067 | CHO-K1, CHO-DG44, CHO-S, CHO-DXB11, GS-knockout CHO | 164.50 g/L |
| CelliMax® CHO FGb | Feed (amino acids only) | CPDP064 | CHO-K1, CHO-DG44, CHO-S, CHO-DXB11, GS-knockout CHO | 88.00 g/L |
What to know before you test
- Glutamine: none of the media contains L-glutamine – add L-glutamine or a stabilised dipeptide according to your cell line and process.
- Basal media: support cell thawing, passaging, fed-batch culture and cryopreservation; final pH 7.00–7.30; osmolality 270–330 mOsmol/kg (MetaCHO) or 300–350 mOsmol/kg (Versa).
- Preparation: powder dissolved in high-purity water (e.g. WFI), pH-adjusted and sterile-filtered at 0.2/0.22 µm through a low-binding membrane; recommended minimum batch 3 L (basal) or 1 L (feeds).
- Storage and shelf life: powder sealed at 2–8 °C, protected from light; 24 months unopened.
- Intended use: research use and manufacture of cell-culture-derived biological products; not for direct administration to humans or therapeutic use.
Evaluation: free samples, the manufacturer's instructions for use and a fed-batch evaluation protocol are available on request – typically one basal medium (MetaCHO or Versa) plus FGa or FGa plus with FGb. Samples of transient-transfection media for CHO and HEK293 can be provided as well. Request an evaluation set →
Compatible CHO Cell Lines
Most widely used CHO host cell line. Suitable for transient expression and stable cell line development for therapeutic proteins and biosimilars.
Suspension-adapted CHO variant for scalable bioreactor production. High growth rate and tolerance for serum-free suspension culture.
DHFR-deficient CHO line for gene amplification. Standard platform for high-expression stable cell line development with MTX selection.
Alternative DHFR-negative line for gene amplification. Compatible with both DHFR and glutamine synthetase (GS) selection systems.
Optimised for Your Process Format
Batch Culture
Basal medium for standard batch culture in shake flask and bioreactor. Consistent performance for process development and early-stage production.
Fed-Batch Culture
Basal medium paired with matched concentrated feed supplements. Extended culture duration with maintained viability and product quality. Compatible with bolus and continuous feeding strategies.
Perfusion Culture
Chemically defined formulation supporting high-density perfusion processes with ATF, TFF and hollow-fibre systems. Maintains cell viability above 90% at high specific perfusion rates.
Applications
Monoclonal Antibody Production
Chemically defined CHO medium for IgG1, IgG4 and bispecific antibody manufacturing. High-titre expression with consistent glycosylation profiles across batches.
Therapeutic Protein Expression
Recombinant enzymes, fusion proteins, cytokines and growth factors. Protein-free formulation simplifies downstream purification with reduced host cell protein contamination.
Biosimilar Development
Defined, consistent medium for biosimilar programmes requiring tight control of critical quality attributes (CQA) including glycosylation, charge variants and aggregation.
Stable Cell Line Development
Chemically defined medium for CHO clone selection, single-cell cloning and early-stage expansion. Compatible with DHFR, GS and CRISPR-based selection systems.
Fc-Fusion Proteins
Optimised for Fc-fusion protein expression in CHO with maintained Fc receptor binding activity. Used for TNFR-Fc, EPO-Fc and receptor-ligand fusion platforms.
Process Development & DoE
Consistent, defined medium as the basis for systematic media optimisation studies. Compatible with high-throughput ambr15/ambr250 micro-bioreactor platforms.
Why Chemically Defined CHO Medium?
| Parameter | Chemically Defined (SeamlessBio) | FBS-Supplemented |
|---|---|---|
| Batch consistency | ✅ Excellent — defined composition | Variable — FBS lot-dependent |
| Host cell protein (HCP) | ✅ Lower — no serum proteins | High — serum protein background |
| Downstream purification | ✅ Simplified, higher yield | Complex — serum protein removal required |
| Glycosylation control | ✅ Consistent — defined nutrients | Variable — serum components affect glycosylation |
| Regulatory filing (BLA/MAA) | ✅ Clean documentation path | ⚠️ BSE/TSE risk — additional documentation |
| GMP compatibility | ✅ Preferred for clinical manufacturing | ⚠️ Acceptable but not preferred |
| Scale-up | ✅ Consistent performance across scales | Scale-dependent FBS effects |
Product Information
| Compatible cell lines | CHO-K1, CHO-S, CHO DG44, CHO-DHFR⁻ and derivatives |
| Classification | Serum-free · Chemically defined · Protein-free · Animal-origin-free |
| Process formats | Batch · Fed-batch · Perfusion |
| Feed supplements | Available — concentrated liquid and dry powder, matched formulations |
| Volumes | 500 mL – 1000 L · Liquid and powder formats |
| Production | EU — ISO-controlled conditions |
| Quality documentation | CoA, CoO, endotoxin, sterility, osmolality, pH, cell growth performance |
| GMP pathway | Documentation for regulated manufacturing on request — contact us with your requirements |
| Custom formulation | Available — DoE-based clone-specific optimisation |
| Regulatory status | Research use and manufacture of cell-culture-derived biological products; not for direct administration to humans |
| Lead time | Standard: 5–10 days · Custom: 4–16 weeks |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chemically defined CHO medium and why does it matter?
Chemically defined (CD) medium contains all components at known, fixed concentrations — no undefined serum proteins. This gives maximum batch-to-batch consistency, cleaner downstream processing, and the regulatory documentation required for GMP manufacturing and BLA/MAA submissions.
Are feed supplements available for fed-batch culture?
Yes — matched concentrated feed supplements are available in liquid (10–20×) and dry powder formats. Feed formulations are compatible with bolus, linear and exponential feeding strategies. Custom feed development is also available for clone-specific optimisation.
Can the medium be used in perfusion systems?
Yes. Our CHO CD formulations are compatible with ATF, TFF and hollow-fibre perfusion systems. Perfusion-specific formulations (higher nutrient density, reduced osmolality drift) are available on request.
Can you develop a medium specific to my CHO clone?
Yes. Our custom media development service covers DoE-based nutrient screening, amino acid optimisation, lipid and trace element adjustment, and feed strategy development — all targeting your specific clone's productivity and CQA requirements.
Related Products & Guides
Request Your CHO Serum-Free Medium
Standard chemically defined formulations or custom clone-specific development. Feed supplements available. EU documentation included.
Not for direct administration to humans or therapeutic use.
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