Insphero Announces Agreement With Pfizer To Develop Novel Assays For Predicting Drug-Induced Liver Injury
Research effort will use InSphero 3D InSight™ Human Liver Microtissues to develop novel assays to predict and evaluate certain mechanisms that cause drug-induced liver injury (DILI).
InSphero AG, the leading supplier of assay-ready 3D cell culture models for accelerating drug discovery and development, has entered into an agreement with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), one of the world’s premier biopharmaceutical companies, to develop a novel predictive toxicology assay using InSphero 3D InSight™ Human Liver Microtissues. This novel mechanistic in vitro assay will aim to leverage the enhanced sensitivity and longevity of InSphero 3D liver models, which may allow for the multiplexing of several endpoints to help detect and predict mechanisms of drug toxicity.
InSphero CEO and co-founder, Dr. Jan Lichtenberg, says “Our 3D liver models enable researchers to better predict potential toxicity and side-effects using more biologically relevant cell based assays. These models may also help reduce dependency on animal models that add significant cost, delay time to market, and often fail to accurately reflect how humans will respond to a drug. We already have a long-standing relationship with Pfizer and this new agreement will enable the development of assays with potentially even greater utility and predictive power for Pfizer’s early drug development.”
Dr. Simon Messner, who will lead the project for InSphero adds, “The longevity and organotypic nature of 3D InSight™ Human Liver Microtissues highly correlates to that of native liver, exhibiting appropriate cellular organization, cytochrome P450 enzyme responsiveness, and metabolic functionality. Using this 3D model could result in improved accuracy and precision by which certain DILI mechanisms are predicted in vitro.”
The agreement commences in April 2017 and involves InSphero scientists in the USA (Brunswick, ME) and Schlieren (Switzerland) facilities, with input from Pfizer scientists.
For more information about InSphero, visit www.insphero.com.
InSphero contacts
Dr. Randy Strube
Director of Global Marketing
Phone +1 800-779-7558 ext. 102
[email protected]
Dr. Jan Lichtenberg
Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder
Phone +41 44 5150490
[email protected]
About InSphero
InSphero sets the standard for in vitro testing of novel drugs in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry with comprehensive solutions that provide greater confidence in decision making. Its robust and highly physiologically relevant suite of 3D InSight™ Microtissues and Services are used by major pharmaceutical companies worldwide to increase efficiency in drug discovery and safety testing. InSphero patent-pending technologies and methods enable largescale, reproducible production of scaffold-free 3D microtissues driven solely by cellular selfassembly. The company specializes in delivering assay-ready and custom 3D models derived from liver, pancreas, and tumor tissues, to provide unrivalled biological insight into liver toxicology, metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes and liver diseases), and oncology (with a focus on immunooncology). All InSphero microtissues are thoroughly validated to ensure the highest quality, certified for use in a variety of assays, and shipped globally to customers in a patented, easy-touse spheroid-optimized platform, ready for research. Field application scientists and research staff with expertise in working with 3D models help ensure efficient integration and onsite training as needed. For customers who prefer an outsourcing strategy with fast turnaround, InSphero also offers contract research services utilizing their 3D microtissue models.
InSphero 3D InSight™ solutions drive significant findings in peer-reviewed journals, through collaborative industry initiatives such as EU-ToxRisk and HeCaToS, and have gained validation in the world’s largest government institutions and pharmaceutical, chemical and cosmetics companies.
Founded in 2009, the privately held company is headquartered in Switzerland, with subsidiaries in the United States and Germany. It has been recognized for its scientific and commercial achievements with several national and international awards.