TITERMAX Profile

Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) has been used for over 50 years for producing antisera in animals. The severity of its toxicity was recognized immediately, but attempts to find a less toxic and equally effective alternative have not been successful. With advances in many areas of the biological sciences and increasing concern for the welfare of experimental animals, there is increased pressure to ban or restrict the use of FCA. In 1990, we introduced TiterMax®, which has the reliability and effectiveness of FCA without the toxic side effects.

Now, data from an independent testing laboratory confirm that a single injection of TiterMax ®can produce significantly higher titers than two or more injections of antigen in other commercially available adjuvants. Based on our experience, TiterMax®can be expected to perform at least as well as FCA with almost any antigen. With many antigens, TiterMax®performs significantly better. Thus, it is an attractive alternative to FCA.

After years of research to identify and characterize the scientific basis for adjuvant activity, Dr. Robert L. Hunter led the team which developed TiterMax®. It was designed to meet the specific needs of investigators for an immunoadjuvant that is at least as effective as FCA, but safer and easier to use. The key to the potency of TiterMax®lies both in the immunostimulatory activity of CRL-8941 and in its ability to form a stable water-in-oil emulsion. TiterMax® contains three essential ingredients:

• Block copolymer CRL-8941 
• Squalene, a metabolizable oil
• A unique microparticulate stabilizer

Like FCA, TiterMax® can be used with a wide variety of antigens because it can entrap any antigen in a water-in-oil emulsion.