Analyzing Serum-Free Media For Cell Therapy Applications

The clinical cell therapy industry is transitioning to cell media platforms that exclude serum and other animal-derived raw materials, aiming to enhance consistency, reduce contamination risk and immunogenicity, and decrease costs. Traditional media have often incorporated fetal bovine serum (FBS), which supports cell growth, but its use raises safety and regulatory issues. This has led to the creation of defined serum-free media formulations, offering a more uniform and controllable environment and potentially improving clinical effectiveness. The REBEL device can accurately detect low nutrient levels, including amino acids, without serum protein interference, aiding in the identification of the most suitable media platform for specific cell growth, such as CAR T-cells. The uniqueness of each patient's cell population introduces variability to the cell therapy manufacturing process, stressing the importance of in-process controls. Process analytical technologies (PATs) offer real-time process feedback for optimization and faster product release.