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Enhance your cell culture performance

We offer an extensive portfolio of nutritionally diverse animal origin (AO) and animal origin-free (AOF) peptones to supplement a variety of cell culture media.

  • Alternative to serum—Offers essential nutrients shown to increase performance and production in a variety of vaccine applications.
  • Protective effects—Fortifies cell culture medium to improve cultivation, productivity, and anti-apoptosis properties during scale-up.
  • Performance enhancer—Helps to reduce time to market with high-performance products that meet stringent quality standards and rigorous raw sourcing policies.

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Download our brochure: Peptones for Vaccines ›

Ready to add peptones to your bioprocess but unsure where to start?

Starter Pak products provide conveniently packaged 100 g samples of the peptones most commonly used in mammalian cell culture and microbial fermentation bioproduction processes as a perfect starting point to your peptones screening.

Starter Pak No. 1

Ultra-filtered peptones ideal for human health applications*

Includes yeast and soy peptones with ultra-filtered options that work to reduce endotoxin levels, while yeast products add a mixture of peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates (simple and complex), nucleosides and vitamins.

Includes:

  • Difco TC Yeastolate UF
  • Bacto TC Yeastolate
  • Difco Yeast Extract UF
  • Bacto Yeast Extract, Technical
  • Difco Phytone Supplement, UF

Get Starter Pak No. 1 ›

Starter Pak No. 2

Animal origin–free and animal origin peptones best suited for vaccine production*

Includes peptones includes animal origin and animal origin-free peptones with many essential nutrients needed for the production of human and animal vaccines.

Includes:

  • Bacto Yeast Extract
  • Phytone Peptone
  • Difco Soytone
  • Bacto Proteose Peptone No. 2
  • Bacto Proteose Peptone No. 3
  • Bacto Casamino Acids

Get Starter Pak No. 2 ›

Starter Pak No. 3

Animal origin–free peptones for animal and human vaccine production*

Provides a variety of yeast and soy products, ideal for processes when an animal origin–free medium is preferred.

Includes:

  • Bacto Yeast Extract
  • Gibco Yeast Extract
  • Bacto TC Yeastolate
  • Phytone Peptone and Difco Soytone
  • Bacto Malt Extract

Get Starter Pak No. 3 ›

*Sample sizes are non-GMP versions of the GMP manufactured catalog equivalents
: Gibco Peptones Preview Pak includes animal origin free peptones such as wheat, cotton, yeast, and soy.

Looking for something new?

Including easy-to- test-pack of animal origin free peptones, the Peptone Preview Pak  features our wheat, cotton, soy, and yeast peptones which provide unique nutritional profiles compared to other cell culture supplements.

Try the Preview Pak now ›

For further assistance in your peptone screening process download out the peptones technical reference guide and refer to the Protocols section for supplement titration and blending protocols to help quickly identify the right peptone supplementation for your process.

Download our reference guide ›

To see a complete list of peptones, visit our Gibco Peptones page ›

Need help? Request to get in contact with you sales rep ›

Case Study: Using peptones to increase titer in scale-up optimization

Review the significant impact of not only adding peptones as a supplement to your cell culture, but also the importance of concentration and timing as a feed strategy for unlocking optimal titer yields. This case study shows that by considering all these factors, we were able to increase titer by 100%.

Read now

Think peptones

Fact: Our peptones provide a high level of consistency through strict manufacturing processes, raw material specifications, and tight quality control. And filing for peptone-containing therapeutics is no different than that for chemically defined (CD) media with regulatory agencies requiring deep data-driven application detail (which we are happy to provide).

Sources of bioprocessing variation: raw material contribution

Understanding and controlling variability is essential to having a robust manufacturing process for our customers. In this example, we dispel the common myth that peptones are the only cause of variability in a media formulation.

Mn2+ Levels ppm Chart
Panel A. Mn 2+ levels (ppm) in the peptone
Mn levels ppm vitamins
Panel B. Mn levels (ppm) in a vitamin present in the medium

Figure 1. Panel A depicts the manganese levels in 23 different lots of one our most popular peptones that are used in our customers base media formulations. While there is some variation because it is a natural substance, it is within a narrow range due to our very strict process controls. Panel B illustrates a test for variation in manganese levels of a vitamin being added to the same base media and clearly depicts a much wider range of variability.

It is important to understand that most media are formulated with a variety of raw materials and trace metal contamination can be introduced via any one of them. All raw materials have variability and “chemically defined” does not mean chemically pure.

If you are going to add one key supplement to your media formulation to achieve performance, why not leverage the most nutrient rich, process-controlled supplements you can possibly get?

Protein quality

Fact: Did you know that peptones can be used to optimize protein quality?

Leveraging peptones to achieve an acceptable glycan profile

While increasing and maintaining protein titer continues to be a key bioprocessing goal, ensuring acceptable protein quality has become an equally, if not greater, critical process specification. This is especially relevant to the ever-increasing number of biosimilar therapeutics being developed where it is absolutely essential that characteristics such as glycosylation and charge variant profiles match those of originator molecules.

Leveraging peptones to achieve an acceptable glycan profile

Figure 2. This figure illustrates the overall glycan composition where the goal was to shift the profile. The dark blue bar reflects the chemically defined (CD) control medium. The light blue bar shows the peptone supplementing the control media and the gray and yellow show the CD media supplement.

Whether adding the peptone or either CD supplement, the control media yielded similar shifts in the profile.

Peptones created equally

Fact: Established in 1895, the Difco product brand represents more than a century of knowledge in innovating, designing and enhancing culture media and supplements.

A history of pioneering the future in culture media and supplements

By integrating with Thermo Fisher Scientific, we combine the trusted Difco and Gibco premier brands to provide comprehensive supplements and media solutions in one portfolio–delivering even greater value to our customers. Our long and proven history of developing peptones specifically for the bioproduction industry means we have spent many years determining the key nutrient drivers associated with cellular metabolism and fermentation. Let us show you the depth of our analytical capabilities and support you in identifying the key performance drivers in your process.

History Pioneering Future

Figure 3. A history of pioneering the future.

Helping ensure consistency in processes with peptones

To meet vendor requirements:

  • Products developed for bioprocessing applications
  • Bioprocessing-focused release testing
  • Specialized analytical capabilities for complex formulations

    To meet process requirements:

    • Early, comprehensive peptone screening as part of medium development
    • Identify key drivers that impact consistent performance
    • Partner with a vendor with technical expertise in using peptones in bioprocessing
    Gibco peptomes

    Fact: We support some of the leading pharmaceutical companies and provide products used in the manufacture of more than 150 biopharmaceutical drugs—including 15 of today’s blockbusters—in the human and animal health markets. Our peptones are also part of the development of the next generation of biopharmaceutical innovations with a robust pipeline.

    Need an edge? Our experience in premium supplementation is decades long and now more than ever, as part of the Gibco media portfolio, we can help accelerate your product development timeline.

    Peptones are a powerful optimization tool

    Our peptones are proven supplements for enhancing bioproduction applications and continue to be widely used for the production of today’s blockbuster biotherapeutics.

    Peptones are a powerful optimization tool

    Figure 4. Our team took a chemically defined (CD) medium and, through a simple optimization, were able to achieve a 1.5-fold increase in antibody yield. Our team then added a peptone to the process and achieved an additional 2-fold increase over the initial optimization. After adding a peptone feed to the optimized CD medium with peptone, the team was able to yield a final 2-fold increase. Through process scaleup, optimization, and the addition of a peptone, an overall 5.5-fold increased yield was achieved relatively quickly for this CHO line.

    Gibco peptones drive performance

    Fact: Peptones provide a rapid, cost effective solution through accelerated media development and moderate raw material costs. Coupled with the regulatory support for your filing needs and our deep analytical support for data packages, we can help to strike a balance across multiple bioprocessing requirements and industry challenges.

    Peptones enable rapid optimization—achieving process target faster

    Peptones enable rapid optimization–achieving process target faster

    Figure 5. Our team optimized media with the goal of achieving a viable cell density of 10 million cells by day 5. A peptone-containing formulation was identified after the initial studies that met the design criteria. The best performing chemically defined (CD) medium required additional optimization. After an additional nine months of work, the optimized CD medium showed improved performance, but still did not meet the production goal.

    Difco peptones

    Fact: With a wide range of natural nutritive components, peptones offer essential ingredients shown to increase performance in a variety of vaccine applications.

    Performance of adherent vero cells in serum replacement supplement (SRS)

    VERO serum replacement

    Figure 6 (A). VERO serum replacement supplement—cumulative population doublings.

    Average doubling time from eight consecutive passages

    Figure 6 (B). Average doubling time from eight consecutive passages.

    Our team demonstrated that peptone containing serum replacement supplement (SRS) can result in cell performance that is comparable to 10% serum (Figure 6).

    Cells cultured in serum replacement supplement (SRS) containing animal origin-free peptones divided faster with lower doubling time and high cumulative population doublings (CPD) in comparison to 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS).

    Cells adapted quickly to SRS formulation from serum and no senescence of cells was observed even after 45 consecutive passages.

    While there is no “drop in” replacement for serum, peptones represent one of the most nutrient rich alternatives and we can work with you to help determine what will work best in your application. And we have an entire line of animal origin-free peptones at our disposal that will likely significantly reduce your costs.

    Why completely reformulate when we can offer balanced nutrition to meet the specific requirements of most cell types. And who knows? Your performance may improve!

    • Select a good base medium—more enriched base media yield better results than deficient media
    • Select a wide variety of peptones to evaluate—consider different substrates and multiple products from the same substrate
    • Create a thorough experimental design—test multiple concentrations and individual and blended conditions
    • Characterize the culture throughout the process using analytical techniques—establish baseline data using spent media in multiple runs with multiple lots of peptone
    • Evaluate performance on proliferation, production, and protein quality—monitoring only one attribute is not always predictive of overall performance
    Peptones can be incorporated throughout the development process. However, the earlier you add peptones into your process and optimize your process with peptones incorporated, typically, the better your outcomes. Since all components in base medium can contribute to variability, as could the addition of a supplement, it is important to have an understanding of your medium as you optimize and reduce sources of variability for process consistency.
    upstream-bioprocessing

    Figure 7. Peptones should be incorporated as early as possible in the upstream process and at any step throughout the development cycle.

    Peptones have a flexible application and can increase performance when used as a feed. Our products have been used in batch, fed-batch, and perfusion processes across a number of applications to improve protein production and quality.

    peptone-batch-chart

    Figure 8. Peptones have a flexible application and when used as a feed can increase performance.

    With the addition of one supplement, peptones bring numerous benefits to your cell culture.  Peptones offer versatility through a balanced composition to meet specific requirements of all cell types.

    Figure 9. Peptones are versatile and can be used for a broad range of cell types.

    Peptone release testing focused for bioproduction needs

    Our stringent traditional and specialized testing covers a range of industries. In addition to the traditional testing performed on peptones designed for use in a range of industries, such as the food industry, we also offer specialized testing for the bioproduction market.

    Traditional tests

    Specialized tests

    pH

    Loss on drying

    Solubility

    Solution clarity

    Bioburden

    Coliforms

    Solution appearance

    Endotoxin

    Amino nitrogen

    Total nitrogen

    Filterability

    Mycoplasma

    Ash

    Residue on ignition

    Osmolality

    Cell culture performance

    Sodium chloride

    Tests specific to use of peptones in a cell culture process

     

    Peptone sources and applications

    Product

    Source

    Application

     

     

    Mammalian cell culture

    Microbial fermentation

    Insect cell culture

    Difco Beef Extract

    Bovine (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Beef Extract, Desiccated

    Bovine (AO)

     

     

    Gibco Beef Extract Powder

    Bovine (AO)

     

     

    Biosate Peptone

    Mixed animal source (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Casamino Acids

    Bovine, casein (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Casitone

    Mixed animal source (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Peptone

    Mixed animal source (AO)

     

    Polypeptone Peptone

    Mixed animal source (AO)

     

    Bacto Proteose Peptone

    Mixed animal source (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Proteose Peptone No. 3

    Porcine (AO)

     

    Bacto TC Lactalbumin Hydrolysate

    Mixed animal source (AO)

    Trypticase™ Peptone

    Bovine, casein (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Neopeptone

    Mixed animal source (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Tryptone

    Mixed animal source (AO)

     

     

    Bacto Tryptose

    Mixed animal source (AO)

    Bacto Malt Extract

    Barley (AOF)

     

     

    Difco Soytone

    Soy (AOF)

     

    Bacto TC Yeastolate

    Soy (AOF)

    Gibco Yeast Extract

    Yeast (AOF)

    Bacto Yeast Extract

    Yeast (AOF)

    Difco Yeast Extract LD (Low Dusting)

    Yeast (AOF)

     

    Bacto Yeast Extract Technical

    Yeast (AOF)

     

    Difco Yeast Extract UF

    Yeast (AOF)

     

    Gibco Cotton 100 UF

    Cotton (AOF)

     

    Gibco Cotton 200 UF

    Cotton (AOF)

     

    Gibco Soy 100

    Soy (AOF)

     

    Gibco Wheat 100 UF

    Wheat (AOF)

     

    Difco TC Yeastolate UF

    Yeast (AOF)

     

     

    Difco Phytone UF

    Soy (AOF)

     

     

    Starter Pak No. 1*

    Yeast, soy (AOF)

     

    Starter Pak No. 2*

    Yeast, soy, mixed animal source (AO/AOF)

     

    Starter Pak No. 3*

    Yeast, soy, malt (AOF)

     

    *Starter Paks are non-GMP and for evaluation use only.

     

     

     

     
    Peptones can be used across the development phases to commercialization

    Peptones in mammalian, microbial fermentation, and insect cell culture

    Peptones are widely used to support human and animal health, vaccines, and diagnostics. Peptones provide tailored solutions for specific applications, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and recombinant proteins. Specifically, in the biopharmaceutical industry, the requirement for high-performance processes has prompted a greater focus on cell culture media and process optimization. As a result, improvements in cell culture media, supplements, and feeds have enabled significant advancements including:

    • Increased protein titers, sometimes exceeding 10 grams per liter
    • Cost-effective production levels with desirable protein quality

     

    • Biosimilar characteristics, such as glycosylation and charge variant profiles, that match those of originator molecules
    • Process development that ensures desired target molecule(s)

    Rich in amino acids, peptides, vitamins, carbohydrates, nucleosides, minerals, and other components, peptones are well suited for use as supplements and feeds. They provide critical nutritional and environmental support for mammalian cell culture, microbial fermentation in drug production, and recombinant protein production from bacteria and yeast hosts. The advantages of using peptone-containing media are that they are relatively inexpensive, they support a wide variety of growth from a large group of microorganisms, they promote the growth of the more fastidious organisms, they stimulate toxin production, and they routinely produce higher yields.

    With a wide range of components and nutritional buffers, peptones can be incorporated throughout the development process, although we suggest incorporating peptones into the process as early as possible. Peptones offer balanced composition to meet specific requirements of all cell types while increasing specific productivity and promoting increased cell densities.

    Enhance performance

    Our trusted peptones help customers achieve high performance and process consistency. Peptones increase specific productivity, promote increased cell densities and improve cell performance with higher cell titers and yield.

    Specializing in the needs of the biopharmaceutical industry, we deliver reliable, consistent performance.

    cho-performance-chart

    Figure 10. Peptones are nutrient rich. Increased performance over chemically defined formulations.

    Our peptones are manufactured specifically for the biopharma industry and provide high level of consistency through strict manufacturing controls and raw material specifications. Although not completely defined, peptones are well characterized and long-established cell culture supplements and feeds which can enhance cell growth and/or protein titer while helping achieve or maintain desired protein quality.

    Manufacturing high-quality cell culture media and supplements

    As leaders in the cell culture industry, we are focused on designing, developing, and manufacturing high-quality products. Our highly trained and skilled associates have many years of experience in scaling and manufacturing cell culture supplements and media. Our experience and expertise improve upstream processes and reduce project timelines allowing us to exceed our customers’ goals and requirements.

    Our commitment to quality is achieved through customer-focused continuous improvement and effective quality systems. Our validated methodologies are based upon regulations according to FDA in the United States and EMA in Europe and focus on:

    • Corrective and preventive actions
    • Production and process controls
    • Equipment and facility controls
    • Record, document, and change controls
    • Material controls
    • Design controls
    • Raw material sourcing

    Our dedicated animal origin-free facility operates under a quality system with considerations of 21 CFR Parts 210 and 211 regulations for the manufacture of finished pharmaceuticals and is ISO 9001 certified.

    Peptone manufacture

    Most peptones are manufactured similarly, with steps for hydrolysis and downstream processing. Yeast extract manufacture is an exception because it is an autolysate but the basic steps are the same. The figure below outlines the key steps of peptone manufacture: hydrolysis/digestion, centrifugation, filtration, concentration, and drying. Protein and demineralized water are combined to form a thick suspension of protein material in large-capacity digestion vessels, which are stirred continuously throughout the hydrolysis process. The protein suspension is then adjusted to the optimal pH for the specific enzyme chosen for the hydrolysis.

    Peptone Manufacture

    Figure 11. Basics steps of peptone manufacture.

    Ultrafiltration

    Ultrafiltration (UF) is a membrane filtration process used to separate or concentrate constituents of protein solutions based on molecular weight. We offer several peptone and yeast extract products that are ultra-filtered, using a molecular weight cut off (MWCO) membrane. The result is a retentate containing molecules over the cut off, which may include fats, larger MW polypeptides and proteins, and a permeate that contains salts, sugars, peptides, smaller polypeptides, and other compounds. Additionally, ultrafiltration reduces the presence of endotoxins known to cause illness in humans or negatively impact the production process.

    Figure 12. Ultrafiltration steps within the process of peptone manufacture.

    Peptones in mammalian, microbial fermentation, and insect cell culture

    Peptones are widely used to support human and animal health, vaccines, and diagnostics. Peptones provide tailored solutions for specific applications, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and recombinant proteins. Specifically, in the biopharmaceutical industry, the requirement for high-performance processes has prompted a greater focus on cell culture media and process optimization. As a result, improvements in cell culture media, supplements, and feeds have enabled significant advancements including:

    • Increased protein titers, sometimes exceeding 10 grams per liter
    • Cost-effective production levels with desirable protein quality

     

    • Biosimilar characteristics, such as glycosylation and charge variant profiles, that match those of originator molecules
    • Process development that ensures desired target molecule(s)

    Rich in amino acids, peptides, vitamins, carbohydrates, nucleosides, minerals, and other components, peptones are well suited for use as supplements and feeds. They provide critical nutritional and environmental support for mammalian cell culture, microbial fermentation in drug production, and recombinant protein production from bacteria and yeast hosts. The advantages of using peptone-containing media are that they are relatively inexpensive, they support a wide variety of growth from a large group of microorganisms, they promote the growth of the more fastidious organisms, they stimulate toxin production, and they routinely produce higher yields.

    With a wide range of components and nutritional buffers, peptones can be incorporated throughout the development process, although we suggest incorporating peptones into the process as early as possible. Peptones offer balanced composition to meet specific requirements of all cell types while increasing specific productivity and promoting increased cell densities.

    Enhance performance

    Our trusted peptones help customers achieve high performance and process consistency. Peptones increase specific productivity, promote increased cell densities and improve cell performance with higher cell titers and yield.

    Specializing in the needs of the biopharmaceutical industry, we deliver reliable, consistent performance.

    cho-performance-chart

    Figure 10. Peptones are nutrient rich. Increased performance over chemically defined formulations.

    Our peptones are manufactured specifically for the biopharma industry and provide high level of consistency through strict manufacturing controls and raw material specifications. Although not completely defined, peptones are well characterized and long-established cell culture supplements and feeds which can enhance cell growth and/or protein titer while helping achieve or maintain desired protein quality.

    Manufacturing high-quality cell culture media and supplements

    As leaders in the cell culture industry, we are focused on designing, developing, and manufacturing high-quality products. Our highly trained and skilled associates have many years of experience in scaling and manufacturing cell culture supplements and media. Our experience and expertise improve upstream processes and reduce project timelines allowing us to exceed our customers’ goals and requirements.

    Our commitment to quality is achieved through customer-focused continuous improvement and effective quality systems. Our validated methodologies are based upon regulations according to FDA in the United States and EMA in Europe and focus on:

    • Corrective and preventive actions
    • Production and process controls
    • Equipment and facility controls
    • Record, document, and change controls
    • Material controls
    • Design controls
    • Raw material sourcing

    Our dedicated animal origin-free facility operates under a quality system with considerations of 21 CFR Parts 210 and 211 regulations for the manufacture of finished pharmaceuticals and is ISO 9001 certified.

    Peptone manufacture

    Most peptones are manufactured similarly, with steps for hydrolysis and downstream processing. Yeast extract manufacture is an exception because it is an autolysate but the basic steps are the same. The figure below outlines the key steps of peptone manufacture: hydrolysis/digestion, centrifugation, filtration, concentration, and drying. Protein and demineralized water are combined to form a thick suspension of protein material in large-capacity digestion vessels, which are stirred continuously throughout the hydrolysis process. The protein suspension is then adjusted to the optimal pH for the specific enzyme chosen for the hydrolysis.

    Peptone Manufacture

    Figure 11. Basics steps of peptone manufacture.

    Ultrafiltration

    Ultrafiltration (UF) is a membrane filtration process used to separate or concentrate constituents of protein solutions based on molecular weight. We offer several peptone and yeast extract products that are ultra-filtered, using a molecular weight cut off (MWCO) membrane. The result is a retentate containing molecules over the cut off, which may include fats, larger MW polypeptides and proteins, and a permeate that contains salts, sugars, peptides, smaller polypeptides, and other compounds. Additionally, ultrafiltration reduces the presence of endotoxins known to cause illness in humans or negatively impact the production process.

    Figure 12. Ultrafiltration steps within the process of peptone manufacture.

    Ordering information

    Despite the growing interest in animal origin-free peptone material, peptones from animal proteins remain effective and reliable for many cell culture and bioprocessing applications. Animal origin (AO) peptones are used in reducing or eliminating serum needs in certain media formulations, and commonly promote strong cell growth and toxin titers for vaccine production. AO peptones are derived from reliable and highly regulated raw materials and they provide a well-performing, cost-effective media component or supplement, particularly in processes and applications with less rigorous animal origin requirements.  

    • Tissue-based peptones are proteins from animal sources that have been hydrolyzed into amino acids and peptides. Sources of animal protein for peptones can include various tissues, like muscle or pancreas; these tissues derive from animals highly regulated for human consumption.
    • Milk-based peptones are derived from bovine milk, which is sourced under the same conditions as milk produced for human consumption. Milk is a complex material, consisting of water, lactose, lipids, salts, and proteins. Casein (80%) and whey (20%) are the fundamental protein components in milk.

     

    Historically, microbial and mammalian cell lines have been propagated in media containing animal components, including serum. In recent years, media formulators have been moving to eliminate animal-sourced components in media formulations, motivated by BSE/TSE outbreaks in the 1990s. In response, we have developed a broad offering of yeast extracts, soy peptones, and other animal origin-free media and supplements.

    Peptones derived from animal origin-free sources provide unique nutritional profiles suitable for both bacterial fermentation and mammalian cell culture applications. Yeast extracts and yeastolates offer a different range of nutritional choices to enhance production. Soy peptone, one of the first successful plant-based peptones to be optimized into cell culture, is processed in several different ways to provide various nutrient mixes to meet different needs. In addition to these more common animal origin-free components, many other plant-based products have been developed, including malt, cotton, and wheat sourced peptones, which offer an additional breadth of supplements with strong and varied performance characteristics.

    Related products and services

    Bioprocessing resources

    Access a targeted collection of scientific application notes, case studies, posters, white papers and more for bioprocessing:

    For Research Use or Further Manufacturing. Not for diagnostic use or direct administration in to humans or animals.