Periodic Reporting for period 3 - OrganoPlate Graft (Organ-on-a-Chip technology for in vitro grafting and vascularisation of 3D tissues)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-09-01 bis 2022-02-28
PROBLEM – The drug development cycle, from basic research to testing efficacy, toxicity, and safety of new therapeutics, is largely depending on animal models. However, animal biology and pathology differ from human biology at crucial points. The sector is aware of the significant complications in their usage but lacks better alternatives. Highly advanced technology exists for the culture of cell systems, organs, tumors, etc. outside the body (‘in vitro’). However, the existing culture models lack functional blood vessels – a vital structure inside the body (‘in vivo’). There is a great unmet need for better models of human biology, to speed up both basic research on human biology as well as the development of novel, much needed therapeutic solutions.
SOLUTION – The OrganoPlate® Graft project involved the development to market readiness of the first high-throughput in vitro culture system for vascularized tissue that is unrivalled in biological performance, speed and ease of use. An extensive proof of concept (PoC) for this method has been obtained. The new product will be launched within 6-months post-project and allow for the study and manipulation of human tissues with functional human vascularization at an industrial scale and quality.
RESULTS – The aimed result of the 3-year OrganoPlate® Graft project was to empower users by aiding them to grow tissues with human vascularization in vitro – enabling a dramatic reduction in the need for animal experiments and enabling the design of completely novel experiments in research, development, and clinical settings. This is expected to aid the development of better drugs at a reduced financial and ethical cost. We established the OrganoReady Vascular Bed product, with a finalized manufacturing strategy implemented and roll out of the beta testing program. The first shipments to customers have been successfully executed and customer application developments have initiated. One of our showcase applications is currently under peer review.
SOLUTION – The OrganoPlate® Graft project involved the development to market readiness of the first high-throughput in vitro culture system for vascularized tissue that is unrivalled in biological performance, speed and ease of use. An extensive proof of concept (PoC) for this method has been obtained. The new product will be launched within 6-months post-project and allow for the study and manipulation of human tissues with functional human vascularization at an industrial scale and quality.
RESULTS – The aimed result of the 3-year OrganoPlate® Graft project was to empower users by aiding them to grow tissues with human vascularization in vitro – enabling a dramatic reduction in the need for animal experiments and enabling the design of completely novel experiments in research, development, and clinical settings. This is expected to aid the development of better drugs at a reduced financial and ethical cost. We established the OrganoReady Vascular Bed product, with a finalized manufacturing strategy implemented and roll out of the beta testing program. The first shipments to customers have been successfully executed and customer application developments have initiated. One of our showcase applications is currently under peer review.
During the OrganoPlate® Graft project we have identified and licensed the required cell culture materials required to produce a functional vascular bed for commercial use (WP1&4). We have initiated the development of an automated production pipeline and have successfully executed alpha-testing shipments of the product to prospective Users (WP2). Furthermore, we've established a robust production and shipping procedure which has been tested in the Early Access Program with several early customers (WP2&3) The first protocols for vascularizing tissues have been set up with the first applications on liver and tumor vascularisation currently under peer review. Further organ models have been grafted on the vascular bed with more developments ongoing in other internal projects (WP1 follow up). Further dissemination of the research potential of the product is continuously done through regular social media posts and webinars as well as active participation of MIMETAS’ scientists at international scientific conferences, that due to the COVID pandemic have been held primarily online including the 3D-cember tissue culture event. As of 2022, it has again been possible to showcase the product in person at international conferences with new leads generated (WP3). The approach for regulatory approval has been finalized (WP4) and the deliverables for the action have all been submitted (WP4).
OrganoPlate® Graft has already moved research beyond the state of the art through the development of an in vitro high throughput set up for researching the addition of functional blood vessels to 3D tissues. We have made this product available to beta-testers with a full product launch in 2021. We will continue to develop standard protocols with the OrganoPlate® Graft for different tissues and research applications, broadening the product’s potential to support development of better drugs and therapy selection to new therapeutic areas.