Improving Drug Development Efficiency with Human-Relevant 3D Systems

Human-relevant 3D cell culture models offer a remarkable alternative to animal models for drug screening and development. Bringing more human-relevant models into pre-clinical drug screening efforts will make them more efficient and is critical for identifying drug candidates that will pass clinical trials and make it to market. There are several key pain points that make large-scale adoption of organoid models difficult, such as a lack of standardization in protocols, the potential complexity of achieving consistent results, and a need for real-time data analysis.

Organoid scale-up and culture

The complex 3D structure of organoids and a lack of standardized development and culture methods make large-scale screening with organoids a difficult task. It can take months to grow and develop organoids for screening assays. Assuring consistency between screening replicates is essential for obtaining successful outcomes using these models. This could be achieved with tools like automated organoid culturing and screening platforms, which automate many of the time-consuming steps involving precise timing involved in organoid culture and molecular screens.

Imaging complex 3D multicellular systems

The imaging of 3D cell cultures provides meaningful data on ion gradients, cellular dynamics, gene expression, and other biological and biochemical variables in response to molecule dosing. Integrated automation and machine learning can make imaging processes and interpretation more efficient. A helpful platform to automate image capture and streamline interpretation with AI/ML is Molecular Device’s ImageXpress Confocal HT.ai High Content Imaging System. Along with AI integration, this system uses laser illumination and automated water immersion to lower exposure times. It also employs AI/ML data interpretation to image complex 3D multicellular systems up to 2× faster and provide more predictive, physiologically relevant results.

High-throughput and reliable data acquisition

During drug testing, organoids are subjected to several assays. The more a culture is manipulated, the higher chance of confounding variables and inconsistent results. A solution to this problem could be Leica Microsystems’ Mica Microhub, which allows for simultaneous imaging with sample incubation, removing many difficult steps from live-cell imaging processes. Mica enables the generation of 4× more data with 100% spatiotemporal correlation from a single exposure, improving the reliability of assay results.

To truly transform drug discovery using human-relevant systems and widen their applications, technological innovations that solve the practical challenges associated with 3D cell culture use must be adopted. Find out more and talk to an expert at lifesciences.danaher.com.