Streptavidin agarose consists of cross-linked agarose covalently coupled with pure streptavidin under controlled conditions. The stable linkage to the resin minimizes leaching of the streptavidin while maintaining full binding activity. The matrix is suitable for use in column and batch formats for any application that requires high biotin binding capacity and low non-specific binding. The resin has no detectable protease, DNase, or RNase contamination.