Self-organizing organoids resembling specific regions of the nervous system, including human cortical organoids (hCO), can be generated and used as disease models. However, the application of hCOs is precluded by several limitations, including the lack of integration into in vivo circuits that generate behavioral outputs. To overcome these issues, transplantation of hCOs into intact living brains has been proposed.
Sengine Precision Medicine Inc. is conducting a study utilizing its high-throughput patient-derived organoid drug screening technology to identify novel therapeutic targets in progressive anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Emulate Inc. has launched a new adeno-associated virus (AAV) transduction application for the Liver-Chip that enables gene therapy researchers to test the delivery efficiency and safety of AAV vectors in a validated, human-relevant model of the liver and get results in weeks.
Sengine Precision Medicine Inc. boosted its total fundraising to $19 million with the recent closing of a $10 million series A2 led by the Washington Research Foundation with support from Alethea Fulcrum Fund, Vincere Capital Biotech LLC, Bangarang Group and others. The A2 follows on an earlier $5 million raised in the original series A. Sengine’s Paris Test predicts drug responses using a patient’s cancer cells to grow a tumor organoid that replicates the functionality and genomic characteristics of the original tumor, enabling hyper-personalization of cancer treatment.
Xilis Inc. added $19 million to its series A financing round, bringing the total amount raised to over $89 million. FPV Ventures led the extension, with participation from Alexandria Venture Investments and EQT Life Sciences, Mubadala Capital Management, Pear Ventures, GV, the Duke Angel Network, Catalio Capital Management, Two Sigma Ventures, Felicis Ventures and Alix Ventures.
Japanese researchers have created complex 3D kidney organoids that could lead the way to better kidney research and even artificial kidneys for human transplant.
Two teams of researchers have developed miniature models of the human heart that beat and function like the full-size organ. The team from Michigan State University (MSU) and Washington University in St. Louis developed a human heart organoid (hHO) that recapitulates embryonic heart development, providing an unmatched view into congenital heart defects. The organoid created by the researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Clemson University mimics the tissue dysfunction that occurs following a heart attack.
LONDON – New human brain organoids that precisely model the three hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease – amyloid plaque-like lesions, progressive neuronal death and abnormal accumulations of tau – are now ready to be developed for use in high-throughput drug screening.
Technical challenges at the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) meeting led to at least one lively exchange of stem cell jokes in the chat box as the audience waited for talks to resume, including stem cell parental advice: “You can be anything you want when you grow up!”