Development of first ‘OrganoReady® Vascular Bed’
Oegstgeest, January 3, 2022 – In 2019, MIMETAS was granted two-year funding and support by the SME instrument for the project 'OrganoPlate Graft'. The project resulted in the development of the first OrganoReady® Vascular bed: a ready-to-use OrganoPlate® Graft with pregrown vascular beds, enabling scientists to achieve in vitro grafting and vascularization of 3D tissues.
About the project ‘OrganoPlate Graft’
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 human cell systems, organs, tumors, etc. outside the body (‘in vitro’). Still, 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.
The OrganoPlate Graft project involves the development to market readiness of the first high-throughput in vitro culture method for vascularized tissue that is unrivaled by the available in vitro options. An extensive proof of concept (PoC) for this method has been obtained. The results of the 2-year OrganoPlate Graft project empower users by aiding them to grow tissues with human vascularization in vitro – enabling the replacement of a wealth of animal experiments and the design of completely novel experiments in research, development, and clinical settings. This by the SME instrument supported project resulted specifically in the development of the OrganoReady® Vascular bed. This is a ready-to-use OrganoPlate Graft with pregrown vascular beds, enabling scientists to achieve in vitro grafting and vascularization of 3D tissues.
In addition to these ready-to-use plates, pharmaceutical and academic researchers now also have access to the OrganoPlate® Graft platform and can develop their unique models under the guidance of our established protocols. All protocols have been made publicly available in MIMETAS’ Knowledge Center such as:
- “OrganoPlate® Graft - Vascular network formation”
- “OrganoPlate® Graft - Automated tissue placement”.
About the SME-instrument
The SME instrument of Horizon 2020 targets highly innovative SMEs showing a strong ambition to develop, grow and internationalise, regardless of whether they are high-tech and research-driven or non-research conducting, social or service companies. The SME Instrument provides full-cycle business innovation support. It has three phases, including a coaching and mentoring service.
>> Learn more about the SME instrument
