The aim of this proof-of-concept (PoC) project was to make initial steps in translating the high-density microelectrode array (HD-MEA) chip technology, which has been developed at ETH Zurich into a commercial product, suitable for drug discovery applications. The project was performed in collaboration with the spin-off company MaxWell Biosystems AG (
http://www.mxwbio.com(öffnet in neuem Fenster)). The initial steps undertaken in this PoC included (i) the development of a multi-well-plate prototype, suitable for drug discovery applications, that can host a CMOS microelectrode array in each well. Moreover, we (ii) developed the needed soft- and hardware to prove the feasibility of integrating the chip system prototype into cell-culture automation platforms, and we (iii) obtained initial data from commercially available human induced-pluripotent-stem-cell (iPSC) -derived neurons. Human iPSCs and derived cell-types are currently considered to hold great potential for personalized medicine and drug screening, as they enable emulating of human healthy and diseased states in vitro. In order to rapidly screen and characterize multiple human iPSC-derived cell lines, a technology is required that enables the detailed assessment of cell functional activity at high throughput. The CMOS microelectrode arrays allow for a rapid and detailed characterization of the electrical properties of iPSC-derived neurons and for detecting subtle changes upon compound administration.
The development of the platform was accompanied by an assessment of the potential market and IP-landscape, the protection of developed IP, and the establishment of relevant collaborations and partnerships to enter the drug screening market. This PoC project and the proposed prototype now serve as a basis to develop a business model for a scaled-up version of the originally proposed system and to obtain further funding for developing a high-throughput platform for characterization of iPSC-derived neurons and disease models.
This ERC-PoC constituted a significant contribution to the successful initial startup and growth of the spin-off company MaxWell Biosystems AG. As of January 2019, the company has now 17 employees with 13.5 FTEs, which is more than twice that of the company at the start of the project. Most importantly, the prototype, fabricated within the project, allowed MaxWell Biosystem to successfully explore the market interest in multiwell systems. Given the fact that the market for such systems is large enough, MaxWell Biosystem is now committed to launch a product within the next 6-12 months.
The project also included technology development for iPSC research with the following benefits for economy and society: (1) The use of iPSC technology eliminates ethical issues related to the use of human embryonic stem cells in medical research. (2) In vitro experiments on human iPSCs can potentially reduce the need for animal testing. This is in agreement with the “principles of 3R” (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement), a framework with the goal to minimize the use of animals in experimental research. (3) For drug screening purposes, the use of human cell models is assumed to be more predictive than currently used animal models and immortalized cell lines. Therefore, iPSC technology has the potential to increase drug screening efficiency before going into human clinical trials.
