Low-DMSO Cryopreservation of MSCs with Optibumin 25 Recombinant Albumin

Published on 15 June 2025

Application Note

Overview

This application note demonstrates the use of Optibumin® 25—an animal-origin-free recombinant HSA—for low-DMSO cryopreservation of UC-MSCs. Optibumin matched or outperformed blood-derived HSA, even at DMSO levels as low as 1%, supporting safer, regulatory-friendly workflows for cell therapy manufacturing.

Key Findings

• Maintains MSC viability at 1–2.5% DMSO
• Reduces apoptosis vs. no-albumin controls
• Performs as well or better than human blood-derived HSA
• Supports closed-system, regulatory-friendly manufacturing

Materials & Methods

UC-MSCs from two donors were expanded to passage 4 and cryopreserved at 7 million cells/mL in conditions composed of CryoStor CS10, CS5, or CS2 diluted 1:1 with Plasmalyte A. Albumin (either Optibumin or blood-derived HSA) was added at 2.5%, 5%, or 10% final concentration where indicated. The 1:1 dilution of CryoStor CS10, CS5, and CS2 with Plasmalyte A (with or without albumin) resulted in final DMSO concentrations of 5%, 2.5%, and 1%, respectively. Following freezing in Mr. Frosty™ device at -80°C, cells were rapidly thawed in 37°C water bath and held in cryopreservation medium for 2 hours at room temperature before being plated in standard culture media. This 2-hour post-thaw hold was designed to mimic the typical delay between thaw and administration in clinical workflows. Live-cell imaging was used to assess viability, apoptosis, and recovery post-thaw.

Featured Solution

Optibumin 25 – Recombinant Human Albumin for Low-DMSO Cryopreservation

Optibumin 25 is a recombinant, animal-origin-free human serum albumin designed to replace blood-derived HSA in cryopreservation workflows. In chemically defined conditions, Optibumin 25 supports post-thaw MSC recovery and viability at DMSO levels as low as 1–2.5%, while also reducing apoptosis compared to no-albumin controls. By eliminating the risks of adventitious agents and lot-to-lot variability associated with plasma-derived albumin, Optibumin 25 enables safer, scalable, and regulatory-compliant cryopreservation. Its availability in bottle and bag formats further supports closed-system manufacturing, helping biomanufacturers streamline workflows for cell therapy applications

Learn more about Optibumin 25

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