For many years, microbial bioproduction systems have played a major role in the manufacture of life-saving biopharmaceuticals. As with the growth of all living cells, E. coli cultures require a specialized medium containing all the essential nutrients necessary for cell growth. However, despite the long-standing popularity of E. coli for microbial bioprocessing, the options for growth media have been traditionally limited compared to eukaryotic production systems.

New opportunities for E. coli

Limitations caused by the lack of complex cell structures present in E. coli, combined with the emergence of CHO cells for bioproduction, meant that the need for a CD E. coli media was a relatively low priority for the broader industry. Despite the lower production costs and higher levels of productivity that can be achieved with E. coli cells compared to mammalian cells, their lack of complex post- translational modification pathways significantly restricted their use.

A game-changing breakthrough

After much research and development, the goal of a commercially available CD microbial medium was finally achieved in early 2021 by Thermo Fisher Scientific with the release of Gibco™ Bacto™ CD Supreme Fermentation Production Medium (FPM).

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them