A linear relationship was found between the antibody production rate (q(mAb)) and the glucose and lactate consumption rate (q(GL)) in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Under a series of q(mAb)-perturbing conditions, q(GL) was determined and a linear relationship between q(mAb) and q(GL) was further established (R-2 = 0.914). Mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity was monitored in all the qmAb-perturbing conditions and showed a linear correlation with q(GL) (R-2 = 0.874) as well as with q(mAb). Taken collectively, our results establish that the metabolic parameter, q(GL), is linearly correlated with q(mAb); this finding strengthens our current understanding of process optimization for antibody production.