Project description
The first ready-to-use 3D cell culture system for drug discovery screening
Cell-based assays are the primary tools used for the screening of new compounds in drug discovery. 2D cell-based assays are a simple, fast and cost-effective approach for early stage testing, but conditions significantly differ from the human tissue. In contrast, 3D cell culture systems have a better predictable power as they can more properly mimic the tissue microenvironment. Swiss company Ectica Technologies has developed a ready-to-use, pre-assembled 3D cell culture system for preclinical screening. The system is based on a patented process for manufacturing and encapsulating the cell growth matrix hydrogel inside 96-microtiter plates. The EU-funded 3DProSeed project aims to assess the technical and financial feasibility of commercialisation of an upgraded and fully automated line for this 3D cell-based assay.
Objective
Capital investment in new pharmaceuticals to get from bench to clinical trial is estimated to be $1 billion per successful molecule, and only 10% of the compounds progress successfully through clinical development. Cell-based assays screenings are the key tool used to assess the potential efficacy of a new compound in drug discovery, as it provides a simple, fast, and cost-effective approach to avoid large-scale and cost-intensive animal testing at early stages. Therefore, the development of in vitro cell-based systems that can more realistically mimic the in vivo cell behaviours is a raising market, with a CAGR2013-2018 of 12.4% growth rate and quantified in $21.6 billion by 2018. Drug research cell-based assays are mostly conducted with cell cultures on flat surface (2D), but they differ from human tissues significantly and can respond aberrantly to stimuli, resulting in missed discoveries and late-stage clinical failures of drugs in development. In contrast, 3D cell systems have a greater predictable power as they can better mimic the physiological environment in organs and tissues. Still, 2D cell culture systems offer advantages like the simplicity of handling and high data reproducibility that are not found in the current 3D cell systems. The last ones are very difficult to handle and not ready-to-use ones, giving poor consistency, data reproducibility and poor workflow integration. In response, we have developed 3DProSeed, the first ready-to-use solutions in the 3D cell culture market. Based on a patented novel process for manufacturing and encapsulating the cell growth matrix, known as hydrogel, inside 96-microtiter plates, we will be able to launch to the market the first ready-to-use, pre-assembled, hydrogel-based consumable products for pre-clinical screening development. As a result, 3DProSeed will reduce the operative cost up of R&D to 15%, will increase predictive efficacy of assays, impacting on our company with €15.22 M revenues after 5-years period.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.2.1.2. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Nanotechnologies
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.2.1.5. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Advanced manufacturing and processing
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H2020-EU.2.1.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Advanced materials
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H2020-EU.2.3.1. - Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
8050 ZURICH
Switzerland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.