Axol Bioscience and French partner unveil organs-on-chip innovation
NETRI, a French neuro-organs-on-chip startup, and Cambridge biotech Axol Bioscience have agreed to commercialise novel kits in this highly specialised field; they will comprise NETRI’s organs-on-chip devices and Axol’s hiPSC-derived cells.
Initially the partnership will aim to offer three sets of models to customers based on current applications using Axol’s hiPSC-derived cells in NETRI’s microfluidic devices for a range of conditions. These are peripheral nerve injury; peripheral neuropathic pain and Allodynia, nociceptive pain and sensitive skin syndrome.
For each of these applications, NETRI and Axol will commercialise kits that will include NeoBento™ NeuroFluidics™ devices, hiPSC vials, and both tuned cell culture and standard readouts protocols using high throughput content platforms.
The partners will also engage in joint R & D framework programmes to expand applications using Axol’s hiPSC-derived cells in NETRI’s current and future devices.
The partnership represents a significant advance in organs-on-chip adoption by the pharmaceutical industry, including compound manufacturers, Contract Research Organisations and regulatory bodies.
Liam Taylor, Axol’s CEO, said: “The Axol/NETRI collaboration will provide the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries with an innovative, high throughput technology platform using NETRI’s microfluidic chip combined with first-in-class cellular reagents from Axol Bioscience.
“NETRI has advanced the organ on a chip/microfluidic technology to a state-of-the-art level, and we are delighted to be able to supply our human iPSC-derived cells for this platform.
“The current collaboration uses Axol’s human iPSC-derived sensory neurons in combination with human skin cells and will provide an in vitro platform suitable for investigating skin sensitisation and chronic pain as well as for identifying and testing drug targets and treatments for pain relief.”
NETRI is an industrial start-up that designs and manufactures standardised neuro organs-on-chip for life science companies focused on neurological disorders, pain and dermo-cosmetics.
With more than 45 collaborators, including 12 PhDs part of a mutlidisciplinary team (engineering, biology and digital), NETRI is located in Lyon with 300 m² of clean room facilities and P2 labs.
Axol is a leading provider of product and service solutions in the iPSC-based neuroscience, immune cell, and cardiac modelling for research, drug discovery and screening markets.
Its custom research capabilities in gene editing, electrophysiology, reprogramming and differentiation means it can offer customers validated ready-to-use cell lines and a suite of services bolstered by deep scientific expertise and robust functional data – all with shorter lead times.