Medicines Discovery Catapult, the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Drug Safety Science (CDSS), based at the University of Liverpool, and the National Centre for the Replacement Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), are combining forces to advance the UK’s position in organ on a chip (OOAC) technology.
Organ on a chip
To achieve this task, these organisations are bringing together experts in the field of OOAC technology at an event taking place at the Sensor City in Liverpool today (Tuesday 15 May). The event aims to establish an understanding of existing OOAC technology and capabilities, specifically within the UK, and define a plan of action and strategy to advance — particularly important in light of Brexit.
Attendees at the event include experts from academia, research, pharma, small UK companies and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The outcomes and future direction ascertained from the meeting will be published in a white paper.
OOAC technology has the potential to revolutionise approaches to drug discovery, providing sophisticated models of human organ systems that better mimic what happens when patients receive drug molecules; providing patient relevant data, enabling risk-free biomedical testing and reducing the need for animal disease models.
Through this technology, it should be possible for the UK drug discovery community to save time, resource and money as well as reduce the number of failed trials and disappointments further down the line.
A report published earlier this year ‘The State of the Discovery Nation’, highlighted the importance of performing clinical trials on cell models that more closely represent the human patient, rather than animal models.
“We recognise that OOAC models are an expensive and specialist technology, inaccessible to much of the UK’s SME community whose work is essential to identify potential new drugs and advance medicine for patients,” said Dr Peter Simpson, chief scientific officer of the Medicines Discovery Catapult. “Our role is to support these communities, whilst helping to ensure the UK remains at the heart of scientific innovation, which is why we are committed to establishing access to specialist OOAC technology here at our facility at the Medicines Discovery Catapult in Cheshire.”
“The OOAC technology will provide human data not currently available until Phase I and Phase II clinical trials that is crucial for scientists to understand both harmful and beneficial effects of drugs,” added Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed of the MRC CDSSat the University of Liverpool. “It is vital that the UK becomes a leading participant to improve our ability to screen and withdraw drugs that are not viable candidates earlier in the drug development process.”
“Our aim is to drive scientific and technological developments that replace, reduce or refine the use of animals in research and provide researchers with tools more reflective of human biology for basic and applied science,” commented Dr Anthony Holmes, director of Science and Technology at the NC3Rs. “We are incredibly proud to support the development of OOAC technology as it has the potential to not only support drug discovery but also revolutionise our approach to research.”
