The Organ-on-Chip Revolution: A Technology Enhancing Drug Development

Organ-on-Chip (OOC) technologies are an innovative approach that replicates human organ structures and functions on microfluidic platforms, providing detailed insights into complex physiological processes. This technology enables a more precise imitation of cellular behavior in vitro, facilitating precision medicine.

To advance this technology, the European Commission has funded the project Unlocking Data Content of Organ-On-Chips (UNLOOC) - HORIZON-KDT-JU-2023-1-IA. The project is supported by Chips Joint Undertaking (Grant Agreement No. 101140192) and its members, including additional funding from Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, and Spain. This work has also received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI).  
The project is bringing together 51 organizations from academia, research, and technology companies across 10 European countries. 

The OOC technology developed in the UNLOOC project will not only facilitate controlled drug testing but also model the pathophysiology of various diseases, thereby eliminating the need for animal models in the process.  

BeCytes Biotechnologies will be a key industrial partner in UNLOOC, focusing on generating a biorepository of highly characterized human liver and lung cells to:

• Create 3D spheroid organ models, building the infrastructure, production, and cryopreservation of this AI-based drug testing model.
• Develop a multi-OOC comprising liver, gut, and gut microbiome, integrated into a Single-Organ OOC Multi-well Plate (SOMP) format with non-invasive sensors to enable the prediction of oral bioavailability of compounds and patient stratification.
• Create a new Lung-on-Chip (LOC) that allows real-time measurement methods to assess the safety of new drug candidates on lung tissue. The LOC will mimic perfusion and breathing motion and monitor barrier function using electrical impedance measurements. Additionally, an AI engine will be applied for safety assessment prediction, reducing the need for additional readouts for LOC safety evaluation.  

BeCytes' involvement promises significant scientific and technological advancements, amplifying UNLOOC’s potential for groundbreaking discoveries in liver and lung research.  

On May 14, Jordi Xapelli, CEO, and Marta Duran Güell, PhD, Scientific Project Manager, attended the launch meeting in Jena, Germany. The event was organized by microfluidic ChipShop GmbH.  

This is just the beginning of an ambitious project that has the potential to revolutionize drug validation and eliminate the need for animal models in research.