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IMDM MAX cell culture medium

PurMa™Iscove’s Modified Dulbecco’s Medium MAX (IMDM-MAX)

(43 customer reviews)

PurMa™ Iscove’s Modified Dulbecco’s Medium MAX (IMDM‑MAX) is a premium IMDM with L alanyl Lglutamine  cell culture medium optimized for demanding mammalian cells. Unlike standard IMDM, IMDM‑MAX uses stable L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine instead of L‑glutamine. This provides a longer shelf life, stronger buffering capacity, and reduced risk of contamination, helping you achieve more consistent, reliable cell culture performance.

SKU: N/A Categories: Cell Culture Media, Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium (IMDM) Tags: Cell Culture, glucose, L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine, Mammalian Cells, MAX, Phenol Red, Without Phenol Red

Description

PurMa™ Iscove’s Modified Dulbecco’s Medium MAX (IMDM‑MAX)

Product Description

PurMa™ IMDM MAX cell culture medium is an advanced  form of IMDM cell culture medium designed for high‑performance mammalian cell culture. It is ideal for labs that need robust, reproducible growth conditions for hybridomas, lymphocytes, and other fastidious cell lines.

The defining feature of IMDM‑MAX is its use of L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine instead of conventional L‑glutamine. This unique MAX formulation is proprietary to PurMa Biologics and is engineered to support modern cell culture workflows with improved stability and reliability.

Why choose IMDM‑MAX over Regular IMDM?

While iscoves modified dulbeccos medium IMDM is widely used, it has key limitations for long or sensitive cultures. IMDM‑MAX offers several practical advantages:

  • L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine instead of L‑glutamine
    L‑glutamine is chemically unstable in aqueous solution and degrades over time, producing ammonia that can stress cells. IMDM‑MAX replaces it with dipeptide L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine, which is far more stable during storage and incubation.

  • Longer shelf life
    Because L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine is more stable, IMDM‑MAX maintains glutamine availability for a longer period. This helps preserve the functional quality of the medium over its entire shelf life, reducing waste and re‑preparation.

  • Higher buffering capacityMDM‑MAX is formulated to better maintain pH under typical CO₂ incubator conditions. Stronger buffering helps keep your cultures in a more consistent environment, even with frequent door openings or higher metabolic activity.

  • Lower risk of contamination events
    More stable nutrients and better pH control mean fewer stressful medium changes and less handling. Reduced handling often translates into fewer contamination opportunities and more consistent results across experiments.

Together, these differences make IMDM MAX cell culture medium a strong upgrade path for users of traditional IMDM iscoves modified dulbecco medium who need longer, cleaner, and more controlled cultures.

Key Features and Benefits

  • MAX formulation unique to PurMa Biologics
    Only PurMa Biologics uses the MAX designation, which specifically indicates the use of L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine in this IMDM MAX cell culture medium.

  • Optimized for mammalian cell culture
    Supports a wide range of mammalian cells, including suspension and adherent lines that demand a rich, balanced nutrient profile.

  • Improved stability during storage and use
    L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine reduces glutamine breakdown and ammonia buildup, helping maintain a healthier culture environment over time.

  • Stronger pH control
    Enhanced buffering capacity supports stable pH across longer culture intervals, improving experimental consistency.

  • Lower contamination risk through fewer interventions
    More stable medium can reduce the frequency of complete medium changes, decreasing the number of manipulations and potential contamination points.

  • Consistent, reproducible performance
    Designed for labs that depend on stable cell performance across multiple passages, assays, and production runs.

Typical Applications

  • Expansion and maintenance of mammalian cell lines
  • Hybridoma and antibody‑producing cell culture
  • Immunology, oncology, and vaccine research
  • Pre‑production and process development runs
  • Long‑term or higher‑density cultures where stability is critical

How IMDM‑MAX Compares in Daily Lab Use

Researchers moving from standard IMDM often notice:

  • More consistent growth curves over extended culture periods
  • Reduced variability between flasks and batches
  • Fewer culture failures linked to pH drift or glutamine degradation
  • Lower need for frequent medium replacement

These practical gains can save time, reduce cost per usable culture, and improve confidence in downstream data and product quality.

PurMa Biologics manufactures 142 types of IMDM including IMDM with LalanylLglutamine without phenol red which is used a lot by laboratories.

Storage and Handling

  • Store at the recommended temperature (typically 2–8 °C; check product label)
  • Protect from light where applicable
  • Use aseptic technique for all transfers and medium changes
  • Do not use if the medium shows turbidity, unexpected color change, or precipitates

FAQ

Q1. What is IMDM‑MAX and how is it different from standard IMDM?
IMDM‑MAX is PurMa™ Iscove’s Modified Dulbecco’s Medium formulated with L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine instead of L‑glutamine. This MAX formulation is unique to PurMa Biologics and provides improved stability, longer shelf life, and better pH control compared to conventional IMDM preparations.

Q2. How does IMDM‑MAX differ from regular IMDM?
The major difference is the use of L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine in IMDM MAX cell culture mediumrather than L‑glutamine in regular IMDM. This makes the IMDM MAX cell culture medium more stable, with higher buffering capacity and a lower probability of contamination due to fewer required medium changes and interventions.

Q3. Why is L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine beneficial in cell culture media?
L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine is a stable dipeptide that slowly releases glutamine over time. It resists degradation and ammonia formation better than free L‑glutamine, helping to maintain a healthier environment for mammalian cells during storage and incubation.

Q4. Which cell types are suitable for IMDM‑MAX?
IMDM‑MAX is suitable for a broad range of mammalian cells, including suspension and adherent cell lines. It is especially useful for hybridomas, lymphocytes, and other demanding cells that benefit from a stable, nutrient‑rich IMDM MAX cell culture medium.

Q5. Does IMDM‑MAX reduce contamination in my cultures?
IMDM MAX cell culture medium cannot eliminate contamination, but its improved stability and buffering reduce the need for frequent medium changes and handling. Less handling typically means fewer opportunities for contaminants to enter your cultures.

Q6. Can I switch from regular IMDM to IMDM‑MAX directly?
Many labs can transition from Regular IMDM to IMDM‑MAX with a brief adaptation phase. It is good practice to test the IMDM MAX cell culture medium in parallel with your current medium and monitor growth, viability, and product expression before fully switching.

Q7. How should I store IMDM‑MAX?
Store IMDM‑MAX at the temperature specified on the product label, typically 2–8 °C, and protect it from light if indicated. Always use sterile technique, and discard the bottle if you notice turbidity, unexpected color changes, or precipitates.

Q8. Is IMDM‑MAX supplied with serum or supplements?
Check the specific catalog number for details. IMDM‑MAX is available as a basal IMDM MAX cell culture medium that can be combined with your preferred serum and supplements, allowing you to match your existing protocols.

Formulation

Complete formulation click here: IMDM-MAX Formulation 

References

  • Plaque production by the polyoma virus. DULBECCO R, FREEMAN G. 1959 Jul;8(3):396-7. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(59)90043-1. PMID: 13669362.
  • Complete replacement of serum by albumin, transferrin, and soybean lipid in cultures of lipopolysaccharide-reactive B lymphocytes. J Exp Med. 1978 Mar 1; 147(3): 923–933. doi: 10.1084/jem.147.3.923 PMCID: PMC2184195
  • Development of an infusible-grade solution for non-cryopreserved hematopoietic cell storage. Burger SR, Hubel A, McCullough J. 1999;1(2):123-33. doi:10.1080/0032472031000141250. PMID: 19746589
Parameter Specification
Appearance Red, clear liquid
pH  7.2 ± 0.1
Osmolality  275-360 mOsm/L
Endotoxin  NMT< 2EU/mL
Mycoplasma Negative
Suitability  Suitable for mammalian cell culture
Additive  Sodium pyruvate
Indicator  Phenol red
Mycoplasma Detection Negative
Sterility Tested  Sterile filtered using 0.22 µm filter
Form Liquid
Shipping Condition  Room temperature

Additional information

Condition

IMDM-MAX Standard Formulation, IMDM-MAX Standard Formulation, ATCC Formulation, IMDM-MAX w/o Phenol Red, IMDM-MAX w/o Sodium Bicarbonate, IMDM-MAX w/o Sodium Pyruvate, IMDM-MAX w/o Glucose, IMDM-MAX w/o HEPES, IMDM-MAX w/o Phenol Red, w/o Sodium Bicarbonate, IMDM-MAX w/o Sodium Bicarbonate, w/o Sodium Pyruvate, IMDM-MAX Low Glucose (1.5 g/L), IMDM-MAX 15 mM HEPES (3.6 g/L), IMDM-MAX 15 mM HEPES (3.6 g/L), Low Sodium Bicarbonate (1.5 g/L), IMDM-MAX w/o Sodium Pyruvate, w/o Phenol Red, IMDM-MAX w/o Sodium Pyruvate, w/o HEPES, IMDM-MAX w/o Phenol Red, with 15 mM HEPES (3.6 g/L), IMDM-MAX w/o Sodium Pyruvate, with 15 mM HEPES (3.6 g/L), IMDM-MAX w/o Phenol Red, Low Sodium Bicarbonate (1.5 g/L), IMDM-MAX w/o Sodium Pyruvate, Low Sodium Bicarbonate (1.5 g/L)
Format

Liquid, Powder
Size

10 X 1000ml, 10 X 500ml, 1 x 500 ml, 6 x 500 ml, 1 x 1000 ml, 6 x 1000 ml, 1 x 10 L, 1 x 50 L

43 reviews for PurMa™Iscove’s Modified Dulbecco’s Medium MAX (IMDM-MAX)

  1. azadi@live.ca –

    Review: we have purchased Lipid Depleted FBS , DMEM F12 …. they were good quality and decent price
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 29-Jan-2025 23:10:30
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  2. Anonymous –

    Review:
    Have you purchased:
    Time of submission: 21-Feb-2025 15:30:00
    Ease of placing the order: ‘not given’

  3. Gregory-Mullen@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: We buy *all* of our cell culture media, fetal bovine sera, and lipid-depleted sera from PurMa. The quality of their reagents is absolutely top-notch, giving us reliable, repeatable results in our experiments. We highly recommend PurMa!
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 21-Feb-2025 15:46:22
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  4. Anonymous –

    Review:
    Have you purchased:
    Time of submission: 24-Feb-2025 13:50:14
    Ease of placing the order: ‘not given’

  5. lrothblu@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: Serum worked beautifully. Cells grew well and had their usual cycle time. Tissue culture medium also worked very well.
    Have you purchased: It is my first Purchase
    Time of submission: 24-Feb-2025 13:53:22
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  6. Anonymous –

    Review:
    Have you purchased:
    Time of submission: 27-Feb-2025 17:42:44
    Ease of placing the order: ‘not given’

  7. Anonymous –

    Review:
    Have you purchased:
    Time of submission: 05-Mar-2025 16:31:44
    Ease of placing the order: ‘not given’

  8. michael-rudolph@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: I have worked directly with PurMa biologics on a number of projects ongoing in my lab. I find the media and the specialty Lipid Depleted Serum to be high quality and very consistent among batches, which is critical to our adipogenesis projects using primary stem cells. Also, the service from PurMa is outstanding for my lab.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 05-Mar-2025 16:35:21
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  9. Anonymous –

    Review:
    Have you purchased:
    Time of submission: 05-Mar-2025 17:29:13
    Ease of placing the order: ‘not given’

  10. Anonymous –

    Review:
    Have you purchased:
    Time of submission: 10-Mar-2025 14:32:38
    Ease of placing the order: ‘not given’

  11. jkurien@hausbio.com –

    Review: We have been working with PurMa biologics for the past several years , we buy cell culture related media like DMEM F12 and EMEM and Fetal Bovine Serum . We appreciate the high quality and reasonable price, and great customer service.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 12-Mar-2025 12:34:09
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  12. hyeungk1968@gmail.comthe –

    Review: I used Lipid Free horse serum of PurMa Biologics.
    The quality is great!
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 17-Mar-2025 12:09:58
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  13. jaya-krishnan@omrf.org –

    Review: I started my lab using the regular Gibco media components. We have shifted to Purma past 6 months and see no difference in the quality of our cell culture. Simply saying that Purma is cheaper, quicker to deliver and as good as Gibco. The best part was that Purma customized several media for our fish cell lines which was really helpful. Lastly, Seif walked through the customization of media over Zoom, that gave a lot of confidence for using those media solutions.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 17-Mar-2025 14:22:58
    Ease of placing the order: 4/5

  14. tayyab-afzal@omrf.org –

    Review: We bought Premium FBS and DMEM cell culture media from PurMa Biologics. We are using them for several mammalian cell line and primary cell culture and the cell growth is perfectly fine. We are totally satisfied with the product quality. Importantly as local vendor, we can have the product available as per our demand ASAP.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 18-Mar-2025 10:01:50
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  15. Fitzkr@gmail.com –

    Review: We purchase everything we need related to cell and tissue culture from PurMa, reagents like: DMEM, LL15, EMEM, FBS, trypsin, antibiotics mix100X and…
    Always great quality, fast processing and shipping.
    We are totally satisfied.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 22-Mar-2025 10:47:00
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  16. vmadka@ouhsc.edu –

    Review:
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 24-Mar-2025 15:02:40
    Ease of placing the order: 4/5

  17. Anupam-Mandal@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: Excellent
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 24-Mar-2025 15:05:43
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  18. rohan-varshney@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: Reliable and dependable products. We purchased lipid-depleted FBS (LD-FBS) from PurMa Biologics and it worked great. We cross-checked the lipid content in the serum by GC-MS and Triglyceride assay and as advertised, did not find any lipids in the FBS.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 24-Mar-2025 15:06:38
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  19. Surendra-Shukla@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: Very fast, efficient, and economic service. Great for new PIs like me.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 25-Apr-2025 14:00:04
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  20. vmadka@ouhsc.edu –

    Review:
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 24-Mar-2025 15:02:40
    Ease of placing the order: 4/5

  21. Anupam-Mandal@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: Excellent
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 24-Mar-2025 15:05:43
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  22. anil-singh@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: NA
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 25-Mar-2025 10:11:14
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  23. Surendra-Shukla@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: Best quality products, best price.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 18-Apr-2025 09:51:03
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  24. madhusmita-rout@ouhsc.edu –

    Review:
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 21-Apr-2025 11:15:46
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  25. alexholloway@mesogen.com –

    Review: This serum appears to be a high quality product and worked well for our needs. Purma has an extensive catalog for cell culturing supplies which we are glad we came across.
    Have you purchased: It is my first Purchase
    Time of submission: 24-Apr-2025 16:54:29
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  26. jkurien@hausbio.com –

    Review: We have been working with PurMa biologics for the past several years , we buy cell culture related media like DMEM F12 and EMEM and Fetal Bovine Serum . We appreciate the high quality and reasonable price, and great customer service.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 12-Mar-2025 12:34:09
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  27. lrothblu@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: Serum worked beautifully. Cells grew well and had their usual cycle time. Tissue culture medium also worked very well.
    Have you purchased: It is my first Purchase
    Time of submission: 24-Feb-2025 13:53:22
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  28. hyeungk1968@gmail.comthe –

    Review: I used Lipid Free horse serum of PurMa Biologics.
    The quality is great!
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 17-Mar-2025 12:09:58
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  29. jaya-krishnan@omrf.org –

    Review: I started my lab using the regular Gibco media components. We have shifted to Purma past 6 months and see no difference in the quality of our cell culture. Simply saying that Purma is cheaper, quicker to deliver and as good as Gibco. The best part was that Purma customized several media for our fish cell lines which was really helpful. Lastly, Seif walked through the customization of media over Zoom, that gave a lot of confidence for using those media solutions.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 17-Mar-2025 14:22:58
    Ease of placing the order: 4/5

  30. michael-rudolph@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: I have worked directly with PurMa biologics on a number of projects ongoing in my lab. I find the media and the specialty Lipid Depleted Serum to be high quality and very consistent among batches, which is critical to our adipogenesis projects using primary stem cells. Also, the service from PurMa is outstanding for my lab.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 05-Mar-2025 16:35:21
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  31. tayyab-afzal@omrf.org –

    Review: We bought Premium FBS and DMEM cell culture media from PurMa Biologics. We are using them for several mammalian cell line and primary cell culture and the cell growth is perfectly fine. We are totally satisfied with the product quality. Importantly as local vendor, we can have the product available as per our demand ASAP.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 18-Mar-2025 10:01:50
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  32. Fitzkr@gmail.com –

    Review: We purchase everything we need related to cell and tissue culture from PurMa, reagents like: DMEM, LL15, EMEM, FBS, trypsin, antibiotics mix100X and…
    Always great quality, fast processing and shipping.
    We are totally satisfied.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 22-Mar-2025 10:47:00
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  33. Gregory-Mullen@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: We buy *all* of our cell culture media, fetal bovine sera, and lipid-depleted sera from PurMa. The quality of their reagents is absolutely top-notch, giving us reliable, repeatable results in our experiments. We highly recommend PurMa!
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 21-Feb-2025 15:46:22
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  34. azadi@live.ca –

    Review: we have purchased Lipid Depleted FBS , DMEM F12 …. they were good quality and decent price
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 29-Jan-2025 23:10:30
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  35. Ravi-Gor@ouhsc.edu –

    Review: I recently had the pleasure of interacting with Dr. Seif Azadi, and I want to express my gratitude for his expertise and timely assistance. His knowledge and dedication were instrumental in addressing our lab’s needs efficiently.
    Have you purchased: It is my first Purchase
    Time of submission: 25-Jun-2025 12:00:09
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  36. xiangpeng-li@ou.edu –

    Review: PurMa helped us with the customized medium. They are professional and friendly. I appreciate their great work.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 14-Aug-2025 12:59:31
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  37. jianhua.song@appliedstemcell.com –

    Review: it is reliable vendor!
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 07-Oct-2025 17:14:12
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  38. Zhenghui.Liu@appliedstemcell.com –

    Review: We always buy our agarose from PurMa and have never been disappointed.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 08-Oct-2025 11:17:53
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  39. ravi-gor@ou.edu –

    Review: I recently had the pleasure of interacting with Dr. Seif Azadi from Purma Biologics, and I cannot thank him enough for his expertise and prompt assistance. His deep knowledge and dedication were instrumental in meeting our laboratory’s needs with remarkable efficiency.
    We ordered FBS, DMEM, and Trypsin from Purma Biologics, and I’m thrilled to report that all the products have performed exceptionally well. They consistently deliver reproducible results, significantly enhancing the reliability of our experiments.
    Thank you, Team Purma Biologics, for your good products and support!
    Have you purchased: It is my first Purchase
    Time of submission: 23-Oct-2025 17:30:25
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  40. info@takbiotechs.com –

    Review: We are extremely satisfied with the quality and consistency of PURMA Biologics products. Both the FBS and cell culture media have delivered excellent performance in our applications, with reliable batch-to-batch consistency. Highly recommended for research and bioprocessing use.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 11-Apr-2026 14:49:27
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  41. aslan.batur@aytakbiotech.com –

    Review: We’ve had a great experience with PURMA Biologics products. In particular, their FBS has shown excellent consistency and performance, and their DMEM media has worked very well in our cell culture applications. Overall, very reliable quality.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 11-Apr-2026 14:57:39
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  42. maya.hart@takbiomed.com –

    Review: It’s been a pleasure working with PURMA Biologics. Their service is efficient, delivery is fast, and the quality of their products has met our expectations consistently. Very smooth collaboration overall.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 11-Apr-2026 15:06:47
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

  43. hajipour@etsu.edu –

    Review: PurMa products are of excellent quality and highly reliable.
    Have you purchased: Yes
    Time of submission: 11-Apr-2026 16:23:59
    Ease of placing the order: 5/5

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

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