Introduction

BiomimX, a recently established Spinoff Company of Politecnico di Milano, has developed uBeat  (PCT/IB2016/052410), a microscaled platform able to generate in vitro 3D human microtissues and to provide them with a physiological or pathological mechanical stimulation, resembling the native active microenvironment.

Technical features

BiomimX S.r.l. develops beating organs-on-chip platforms as advanced in vitro drug screening tools. The Company has developed a technological platform enabling for the controlled mechanical stimulation of microscale 3D cell cultures (uBeat, PCT/IB2016/052410). uBeat trains cells, generating mature and functional miniaturized organs adequate to test compounds toxicity/functionality. uBeat mimics a wide range of organs and pathologies with un unprecedented level of precision.

• uHeart, first BiomimX’s product, recreates a miniaturized human heart generating cardiac tissues with realistic beating functions and allowing for the first time the early detection of QT Syndromes in 3D (main cause of drug attrition) thanks to the integration of the second BiomimX’s patent-protected technology (uECG);
• uKnee, the most recent product, recreates the conditions found in the human joint, allowing to establish the first reliable osteoarthritis in vitro model.

Possible Applications

• Detection of drug cardiotoxicity;
• Screening of drug efficacy on human 3D functional models of heart, cardiac fibrosis and osteoarthritic cartilage;
• Development of 3D realistic models of human organs and pathologies for mechanistic studies and identification of new therapeutic targets;
• Generation of patient-specific models of pathologies for precision medicine.

Advantages

• Generation of in vitro models of organs and pathologies closely mimicking the native ones;
• Human-based models (overcome the inter-species variability affecting animal models);
• Miniaturization: save in money (e.g. less cells, reagents, drugs is required), save in time (native-like responses are obtain in shorter time).