SINERGIA · advanced technologieS for drug dIscovery and precisioN mEdicine: in vitRo modellinG human physiology and diseAse

advanced technologieS for drug dIscovery and precisioN mEdicine: in vitRo modellinG human physiology and diseAse

A key step in the drug development process is to predict information on safety, efficacy and mechanisms of action of a candidate molecule as early as possible in the pipeline (drug screening). To accomplish this aim, physiological and pathological pre-clinical models that closely approximate the human body are required. The limited capabilities of most of the existing pre-clinical screening tools, unable to meet the physiological relevance required to screen out failing drug candidates, reflect in the current weak performances of drug discovery: high attrition rates indeed affect the process of taking drugs from lab to market. Despite emerging new technologies exist with potential for advancing the field of in vitro modelling, their successfully implementation in the drug discovery pipeline to make it more efficient is still challenging. This is also imputable to a lack of structured dialogue between academic technology providers, market-oriented and regulatory-aware CROs, Biotech and Pharma companies, which finally affects the research, training and development pipeline. SINERGIA aimed at integrating a training network where academic and non-academic actors contribute to unravel the potential of the synergistic and rational use of four key bioengineering technologies. SINERGIA involved academic leading experts of i) organs-on-chip and microfabrication technologies; ii) bioreactor and tissue engineering; iii) 3D Bioprinting; iv) induced-pluripotent human stem cells. These techniques are deployed to CROs and Biotech Consortium members that will ensure rational development, exploitation, validation and compliancy with regulatory and industrial aspects. This concerted action lead to advanced models of human physiology and diseases to be introduced in preclinical stages of an innovative and improved drug discovery pipeline. SINERGIA aimed to provide breakthrough strategies for the implementation of new in vitro preclinical platforms in terms of innovative technologies, biological models and drug screening approaches in the effort of bridging the gap between current, simplistic in vitro cultures and faithful and effective future physiological models. SINERGIA aimed at improving the dialogue among the main stakeholders in the drug discovery field, and at developing advanced models of human physiology and diseases, to be ultimately introduced in the preclinical stages of the drug discovery pipeline. SINERGIA provided career development and training opportunities for 15 young researchers. The Consortium enrolled 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs): 9 ESRs based at Universities, 4 ESRs at companies, and 2 ESRs at hospitals.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз