The price of using FBS or a replacement is one thing, the FBS related costs in production are the larger part of the equation.

As discussed under safety there are upfront costs to minimize contamination risks. But besides that cell growth is a delicate process and no FBS batch is the same. There are upstream and downstream reasons for not using FBS.

Upfront it became standard procedure to test batches, adapt cells to new batches and when lots successfully pass the testing, buy quantities for 2-3 years that are then stored frozen. The storage should be done in single use aliquots and when the serum is thawed, even in refrigerators, and regularly mixed, some precipitation may occur which then have to be removed by centrifuging.

In the downstream process tedious and expensive purification will be necessary and that will take extra handling also.  

A defined medium like XerumFree™ will not have any of these costly disadvantages. As we see quality of the highest urgency we only have cGMP-produced versions of XerumFree™. You will simply order and use it as before, with no batch testing, no costly storing and with minimal downstream operations.