Epistem licenses Hubrecht Organoid Technology
Epistem expands in vitro model portfolio with multi-species organoid models for identification of off-target intestinal toxicities.
Epistem Limited, a UK-based pre-clinical and clinical research services company, has expanded its in vitro model portfolio through an agreement with Hubrecht Organoid Technology (HUB). The deal enables Epistem to offer a wider range of multi-species organoid models to identify off-target or off-tissue intestinal toxicities associated with various therapeutics. The company aims to help its customers prioritize lead compounds by determining the presence of human toxicity issues early on in the drug development process.
Organoids are adult stem cell structures that maintain epithelial functionality and are genetically stable. These structures are simplified replicas of the organ from which they were derived, and they can be used to evaluate the effects of new drugs in a quick, highly controlled, and robust manner.
Epistem’s Commercial Director, Dr. Benjamin Reed, said, “Organoids will be a key addition to our portfolio of services and will enable our customers [to] identify toxicity issues using a model that is indicative of the outcome when dosing animals and humans.”
CEO Dr. Catherine Booth added that organoids, alongside well-designed in vivo studies, will help Epistem’s customers make informed decisions and improve the efficiency of their drug development process.
HUB’s Head of Business Development, Dr. Bahar Ramezanpour, said, “Epistem’s services will help expand our toxicology services to support pharmaceutical and biotech companies identify early-stage toxicity issues with new compounds.”
