"ORGANS-ON-A-CHIP": EVALUATION OF APPLICATION PERSPECTIVES IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

Abstract. This article is dedicated to organ-on-chip, the possibility of its application in preclinical research (PR) and perspectives of this application. Organ-on-Chip is a system that combines 3D cell culture and microfluidic systems technologies. It's a model of a human organ on which real processes of the body can be simulated. Already at the stage of PR chip-based research methods should give a realistic picture of application of the drug under development. As of today, the following types of organs-on-a-chip are known: lung-on-a-chip, liver-on-a-chip, heart-on-a-chip, and human-on-a-chip. The technology differs, but there are certain common features - a microarchitecture of human organs is created on a plastic plate (polydimethylsiloxane, polystyrene, polycarbonate, etc.) by lithography or layer-by-layer printing and sensors are implanted. The tubules or wells are then populated with live cells of human tissues (liver, intestines, lungs, heart, etc.), which remain viable for about one month. When multi-component chips are created, cells from different organs create a matrix and begin to interact as in a living organism, which allows the simulation of organs much more accurately than 2D-cultures of cells. It is too early to talk about full-fledged replacement of animals with chips in PR, but from ethical and practical points of view this technology will help bring drug development to a new level. To date, the following companies offer their developments on the market: the German company TissUse (HUMIMIC), the American company Emulate (Zoë-CM2™) and the British biotechnology company Kirkstall Ltd (Quasi Vivo®).