Sartorius Cell Culture Media for CHO & HEK (Chemically Defined, AOF)

You’re scaling mammalian cell culture from seed to GMP production and need media that stays consistent as you move from shake flasks to single-use bioreactors. Sartorius Cell Culture Media deliver chemically defined, animal-origin-free (AOF) formulations in liquid or powder, with matched basal media and feeds for batch, fed-batch, and perfusion—optimized for CHO and HEK workflows so you can hit higher viable cell density, longer runs, and predictable titers.

Applications & Use Cases for CHO/HEK Cell Culture Media

From early clone screening to commercial production, you can align a single media system to multiple modalities without re-engineering your upstream platform. Typical fit includes monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins with CHO, plus AAV/lentiviral vectors and vaccines with HEK—across batch, fed-batch, and intensification/perfusion strategies. Expect consistent growth and viability with formulations designed for high density and downstream predictability.

• Cell lines & phases: CHO (DG44, K1, S, GS) and HEK293; seed train to production.
  
• Products: mAbs, recombinant proteins, AAV, lentivirus, VLPs, and viral-vector vaccines.
  
• Modes: batch, fed-batch, and perfusion (perfusion-ready options available).

Product Families & Formats: Basal, Feeds, Supplements (Powder/Liquid)

Start with a basal medium tuned for your cell line, then pair matched feeds to extend the productive phase and lift titers. Sartorius 4Cell® CHO portfolios (e.g., TCX6D, CHOlean, SmartCHO) and 4Cell® HEK ranges (e.g., ViP NB/NX, TF, GM) are available as ready-to-use liquids or powders in bottles, bags, and buckets for straightforward tech transfer. SmartCHO and XtraCHO media systems also provide set-piece bundles so you can adapt cells, run fed-batch, and benchmark quickly with fewer variables.

Key Technologies: Chemically Defined, AOF & High-Density Formulations

To reduce variability and de-risk filings, these media are 100% chemically defined and animal-component-free, minimizing lot-to-lot drift and regulatory friction. Formulations balance osmolality, buffering, amino acids, trace elements, and shear resilience to maintain high viability deeper into runs—so lactate/ammonia don’t dictate your harvest window. Optimized filterability and solubility further simplify prep at scale, whether you’re mixing in bags or inline adding feeds.

Compatibility & Workflow Integration (Ambr®, BIOSTAT®, Perfusion/Fed-Batch)

Sartorius designs media to behave predictably on Sartorius platforms: ambr® 15|250 for DOE and scale-down models, and BIOSTAT® single-use reactors for scale-up. That alignment helps your feed profiles and CPPs translate with fewer surprises, and portfolio data show clean progression from development to manufacturing. Media and feeds are offered in packaging that fits single-use mixing, closed transfers, and routine filtration—so you can keep upstream connected end-to-end.

How to Choose: Cell Line, Process Mode & AOF/CD Criteria

Begin with the cell system and expression strategy, then pick process mode and form factor. For CHO protein production, choose a basal (e.g., TCX6D or SmartCHO PM) and pair SmartCHO/XtraCHO feeds for fed-batch; for HEK-based gene-therapy workflows, select ViP NB/NX or TF for transient transfection and add FS_2 to boost productivity. Decide liquid vs. powder based on mixing capability and speed, and keep AOF/CD as the default to simplify comparability and compliance.

If you’re switching from another vendor, plan a short adaptation window and verify growth kinetics before locking your feed schedule.

Featured SKUs & Specifications (Sartorius 4Cell® Portfolio)

Below are representative, in-stock Sartorius eShop items to anchor your build. We list type, form, size, and intended use so you can map them to your current SOPs; all items and details come directly from Sartorius product pages.

FAQs: Media vs Feeds, Fed-Batch vs Perfusion, Powder vs Liquid

1. What’s the difference between basal media and feeds? 

Basal drives growth and expression; feeds add concentrated nutrients to extend the productive phase and lift titers.

2. When is perfusion the better option? 

Use it to maintain high viability at steady state or intensify seed trains; choose perfusion-ready media where offered.

3. Powder or liquid? 

Liquids shorten prep and reduce mixing risk; powders favor shipping, storage, and large-scale make-up flexibility.

4. Are these media AOF and chemically defined? 

Yes—Sartorius CHO and HEK lines are formulated as CD/AOF to minimize variability and ease compliance.

Get a Quote & Technical Guidance

Tell us your cell line (CHO/HEK), target titer, and process mode, and we’ll recommend a starting basal + feed set with initial feed timing, plus equivalent SKUs in your preferred format. Need CoAs, DMF details, or side-by-side runs in ambr®? We’ll share documents and help you plan a quick, low-risk media swap.