InSphero launches platform for gastrointestinal toxicity

(CONNECT) InSphero has announced the launch of a new standardized high-throughput screening solution for drug discovery. The 3D InSight Drug-Induced Gastrointestinal Toxicity (DIGIT) platform detects gastrointestinal risks early on in drug discovery. Because such an in-vitro tool was previously lacking, the toxic effect of drugs in the gastrointestinal tract is one of the most frequent causes of dose limitations and the discontinuation of clinical trials in late phases. The spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, founded in 2009 and based in the Bio-Technopark Schlieren-Zurich, now aims to close this gap with its DIGIT platform.

It combines patient-derived human intestinal organoids cultured on the scalable Gri3D technology with automated phenotypic imaging at single organoid resolution. For safety profiling that includes liver risks, the new gut platform can be used together with InSphero's established 3D InSight DILI testing, which is based on 3D liver microtissues.

The new DIGIT platform is the result of the recent acquisition of DOPPL. The Lausanne-based organoid specialist had built up extensive expertise in patient-based intestinal models using its proprietary Gri3D platform, which were primarily used in customer-specific research projects.

"With the acquisition of DOPPL, our vision was clear," David Fluri, Vice President Model Innovation and Commercialization at InSphero, is quoted as saying. "We wanted to combine their expertise in patient-derived intestinal organoids with our proven operating model for standardized safety testing." Today, this vision is a reality. This is not just a mere rebranding, says Fluri: "Our teams have developed a truly integrated solution that brings the same precision and ease of use that has made our DILI service the gold standard to an entirely new organ system." ce/mm