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BASF offers the world's largest portfolio of chemical raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring the needs of our partners are always met. Every step of biopharmaceutical manufacturing requires high-quality raw materials delivered through a transparent, sustainable supply chain. BASF Biopharma Ingredients is committed to meeting your requirements for every ingredient we supply to the biologics industry. At BASF, we create excipients that are safe, effective, and convenient for your customers. Whether you’re developing orally disintegrating formulations that require taste-masking or modified release tablets, BASF has ingredients to deliver the precision you need, every time. At BASF, we offer a comprehensive range of cutting-edge solubilization polymers, and have an unparalleled understanding of the corresponding process technologies. BASF offers an unparalleled portfolio of excipients for topical formulations, enabling you with the tools to overcome formulation challenges. With products based on over 150 years of industry experience, BASF is committed to maintaining the highest level of quality across the product spectrum. BASF offers a broad portfolio of chemistries designed to simplify the product development process. Coating polymers are suitable for a variety of oral formulation challenges. As multifunctional excipients, ethoxylated solubilizers are known for their utility across a large range of dosage form classes. BASF's pharma grade lipid-based excipients are manufactured in GMP-compliant facilities with high quality and reliability in mind. BASF's portfolio of poloxamers are renown for their best-in-class quality. Consisting of a broad portfolio of polyethylene glycols (PEGs), BASF's portfolio of ethoxylated polymer-solubilizers is known for its versatility across a myriad of dosage forms. BASF offers a broad portfolio of functional excipients including our pharmaceutical grade polysorbate and sorbitan esters. Povidones, copovidones, and crospovidones are versatile materials that serve as the foundation of oral solid dosage forms. BASF's portfolio of solvents and co-solvents are suitable for a wide range of applications and processing methodologies. BASF offers a broad portfolio of brand families that are suitable for oral, topical, parenteral, and biologic applications. Coprocessed excipients are combination, all-in-one solutions. Kollicoat® coating polymers are suitable for a variety of oral formulation challenges. Kollicream® pharma grade solvents and emollients are manufactured in GMP-compliant facilities with high quality and reliability in mind. Kollidon® povidones, copovidones, and crospovidones are versatile materials that are most commonly used for solid oral dosage forms. Kolliphor® solubilizers, emulsifiers, co-emulsifiers, and surfactants enable the development of safe and effective formulations. Kollisolv® solubilizers and solvents are suitable for a wide range of applications and processing methodologies. Kolliwax® structuring agents, moisture barriers, and lubricants enable the formulation of various dosage forms. Novata® hard fats are structuring agents and matrix builders. Soluplus® is a novel solubilizer, crystallization inhibitor, and a matrix forming polymer. Explore this collection of resources to learn more about our innovative research and pharma solutions.

Introducing a new shear protectant: Kolliphor® P188 Cell Culture

On March 11th, 2024, BASF Pharma Solutions officially announced the launch of Kolliphor® P188 Cell Culture – This new shear protectant is a GMP material for bioprocessing applications where a lower average molecular weight poloxamer could be beneficial.

Kolliphor® P188 Cell Culture joins Kolliphor® P188 Bio as a portfolio of products designed for bioprocessing applications. Both products offer good shear protection showcasing high viability and viable cell density, and can have a positive impact in viable cell density under high shear conditions (Fig. 1).

In the past decades, the bioprocessing industry has made significant technological strides that have led to higher cell densities and more final drug product output1. Raw materials in cell media play a fundamental role in running bioprocesses that are both efficient and high-yielding. Reagents in media, and buffers make up a great part of the Cost of Goods of a bioprocess and underperforming raw materials can lead to costly disruptions2,3. As the complexity and intensity of bioprocesses continues to grow, efforts in identifying which raw materials are introducing irregularities and their impact are being evaluated across the industry. Bioprocess interruptions or failures have an impact not only on economic but also sustainability goals4,5.

Poloxamer 188, a critical raw material in biomanufacturing, has a history of impacting cell performance due to hydrophobic6, differences in average molecular weight have been shown to have an impact in cell performance7 and foaming8.

Kolliphor® P188 Cell Culture, a poloxamer of lower average molecular weight, can offer great shear protection under high shear conditions while also producing a less stable, faster dissipating foam. ​

“The addition of Kolliphor® P188 Cell Culture to our portfolio is another step in offering the biologics market high quality raw materials that fit their manufacturing needs and reducing raw material variability. At BASF we continue to learn how poloxamer 188 impacts the bioprocess so we can continue to support our customer’s present and future needs”. - Nadya Morales-Cummings, Global Technical Marketing Manager, Biopharma Ingredients, BASF Pharma Solutions


To download the new product brochure and learn more, visit our new Kolliphor® P188 Cell Culture product webpage.

1Dryden, W.A et. al. 2021, Biochem Eng Jour 167:107892

2Dickens, J. et al. 2018 Curr Op Chem Eng 22: 236-243​9

3Mahal, H. et. al. 2021. Biotech. Bioeng. 118:3468-3485

4 Madabhushi, S. et. al. 2018. Biotechnol. Prog. 34 (6): 1566-73​

5Budzinski, K., et al. N Biotechnol. 49, 2019: 37-42

6Chang, D. et. al. 2017. Colloids Surfaces156:358-65​

7Safta, J. et. al. 2024 Biochem Eng J 202: 109146​​

8Zhang, S. et. al. 1992. J Biotech 25:289-306​