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REVIEW

Synthetic Alternatives to Fetal Bovine Serum: Platforms, Technologies, and Prospects for Industrial Vaccine Production.

Biotechnology and bioengineering · 31 July 2026 · DOI 10.1002/bit.70324

Alternatives to fetal bovine serum for industrial vaccine manufacturing were assessed across Vero, BHK-21, HEK293 and MDCK cell cultures. The review covered fully specified media formulations, recombinant supplements made through precision fermentation, plant hydrolysates, human platelet lysate, secretions from induced pluripotent stem cell cultures, and engineered microbial production systems. None can yet substitute for serum in every use case, but combining defined media, biological products and precision fermentation may help address ethical, regulatory, consistency, supply and contamination concerns.

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