Project description
A revolutionary, human-like multi-organ drug testing platform is on the horizon
Animal testing of drug efficacy and toxicity is increasingly regulated. Aside from ethical issues, the tests fall short in delivering on their intended purpose. The French SME Cherry Biotech is developing a revolutionary organ-on-chip/microphysiological system (MPS) solution based on microfluidic technology and using human tissue to effectively emulate human physiology and pathology. The MPS technology can reproduce complex processes including vascularisation and circulating metastasis and complex systems such as the immune system and multi-organ interconnection. With the European Innovation Council-funded IDEFIX project, the team will optimise and test their demonstrator in conjunction with two European pharmaceutical companies and a hospital/research centre using vascularised liver, adipose and breast cancer tissues.
Objective
To address the critical problem of the failure of animal testing to predict drug effects (toxicity and efficacy) in humans, Cherry Biotech develops a breakthrough organ-on-chip/MPS solution based on microfluidic technology. Using human tissue, our IDEFIX technology mimics multiorgan physiology and physiopathology. Our MPS platform aims to be the new standard as an alternative to animal experimentation in preclinical studies. Indeed, our solution succeeds in tackling all major industry bottlenecks: seamless adaptability to current workflows, compatibility with all standard multiwell cell cultures and tissues, as well as full microenvironment control and measure while providing a state-of-the-art reconstruction of complex tissues (vascularisation, immune system, circulating metastasis, multiorgan interconnection). This is now achievable by combining the patent-pending gas mixers technology (FR2109230, TRL-3 coming from H2020-FET-OPEN project ELECTROMED) with Cherry Biotech proprietary microfluidic technologies in gas enrichment and simultaneous liquid flow (EP3712244; FR3094012; US2020299631) and our unique know-how in tissue engineering.
Within the Transition project, the IDEFIX demonstrator will be completed as a modular platform, with stackable modules (gas, flow, temperature, biosensing, microscopy & imaging control), allowing users to customise the platform according to their respective needs and budget. The final qualification will be conducted in relevant environments, with two European pharmaceutical companies and a hospital/research centre using vascularized liver, adipose and breast cancer tissues. We will test our models to predict the efficacy and toxicity of various known molecules and compare them to previous preclinical animal experimentations and clinical results (retrospective study). By the end of this project, the IDEFIX demonstrator will reach TRL-6, be investment-ready/IRL-7, and be prepared for pre-commercialisation to early adopters.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug safety
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsmicrofluidics
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologytissue engineering
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesmicrotechnologyorgan on a chip
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinetoxicology
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinator
93100 Montreuil
France
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.