Bridging the academia-to-industry gap: organ-on-a-chip platforms for safety and toxicology assessment

Several organ-on-a-chip (OoC) systems have been shown to recapitulate human physiology and pathology, and have demonstrated similar or better predictive ability for drug evaluation than static cellular cultures and animal models. Ongoing advances in the development of OoCs have emphasized the development of multi-organ platforms, termed 'human-body-on-a-chip', that establish physiologic flow between organs to produce organ–organ interactions and permit the analysis of interdependent pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicokinetics/toxicodynamics relationships in vitro. In the past decade advances in OoC technology have led to several OoC/multi-OoC startup companies. Regulatory agencies have also launched initiatives to support the development of drug development tools including OoCs for regulatory use. Some organ-on-a-chip (OoC) systems for drug evaluation show better predictive capabilities than planar, static cell cultures and animal models. One of the ongoing initiatives led by OoC developers is to bridge the academia-to-industry gap in the hope of gaining wider adoption by end-users – academic biological researchers and industry. We discuss several recommendations that can help to drive the adoption of OoC systems by the market. We first review some key challenges faced by OoC developers before highlighting current advances in OoC platforms. We then offer recommendations for OoC developers to promote the uptake of OoC systems by the industry. Some organ-on-a-chip (OoC) systems for drug evaluation show better predictive capabilities than planar, static cell cultures and animal models. One of the ongoing initiatives led by OoC developers is to bridge the academia-to-industry gap in the hope of gaining wider adoption by end-users – academic biological researchers and industry. We discuss several recommendations that can help to drive the adoption of OoC systems by the market. We first review some key challenges faced by OoC developers before highlighting current advances in OoC platforms. We then offer recommendations for OoC developers to promote the uptake of OoC systems by the industry. an appreciably harmful or unpleasant reaction resulting from the administration of a drug. the sprouting of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. the design and production of systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. the degree to which a drug (or equivalent) can damage an organism. the measure of the ability of the drug to treat the intended condition. a complex molecular network of noncellular components that provides physical support and biochemical/biophysical cues for tissue development and homeostasis. an in vitro multi-organ system aimed at recapitulating in vivo organ–organ crosstalk. unpredictable adverse effects that cannot be explained by the known mechanisms of action (i.e., pharmacology, safety, and toxicology). the intermediate or final product of a metabolic reaction catalyzed by an enzyme that occurs naturally within cells. the tissue that is responsible for the function of a particular organ. the pharmacologic disciplines that study the effects of the body on the drug (PK) and the effects of the drug on the body (PD). the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of cells/tissue. the strain of coronavirus that is responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. a 3D, usually spherical, cellular aggregate.