Noriko Ogawa, Holland Innovation Network Tokyo (Innovatie Attaché Netwerk Tokio)
Origineel gepubliceerd op de site van RVO
Bijgaande rapportage (Engels) schetst de recente vorderingen in Japan op gebied van ‘body on a chip’ technologie, alsmede kansen voor Nederland om hierop aan te haken. Zo is Japan actief op zoek naar de juiste formule voor publiek-private samenwerking om de technologie door te ontwikkelen en te gebruiken voor drug-discovery.
“Body on a chip” Technology – Kyoto University developed the material for the mass-culture of iPS cells by Nano-fiber
– The development of Kyoto University published in “Biomaterials” magazine of Elsevier
“Organs on chips” technology for testing toxicology for new drug development
On April 11, 2017, FDA announced a collaborative research and development agreement with a startup company, Emulate Inc to evaluate “Organ on chips” technology as a toxicology testing platform(1). “Organs on chips” have been the focus of a public-private collaboration between FDA, the federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the U.S. since 2013(2). Human organs on chips technology is a revolutionary concept, derived from the challenges of using microfluidic technology by researchers and cell tissue engineers(3). The human body cells lined on a chip function as the human organs and re-create the human disease model. In the process of the new drug development, various evaluations are required such as pharmacological effect of the compound, pharmacokinetics, side effects in the preclinical study stage. However, the pharmaceutical companies frequently discontinue the development because the result of clinical studies with the human body failed due to response to drugs which are under development. Therefore it takes over 10 years before launching new drugs on the market.
This organs on chips technology is expected to contribute to reduce cost and time in the evaluation processes, and be able to deliver new drugs to the patients speedily. It is also expected to apply for personalized medicine for effective use of drugs in the future and the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics companies are all eagerly looking forward to the implementation of the organs on chips technology. To develop the organs on chips, the collaboration work for medical, pharma and engineering technology with public-private sectors are the key to progress the research. The consortium of stem cell biology and engineering technology in the Netherlands, such as hDMT(4) is an excellent model for Japan. The advanced consortium structure and the participant partners of the Netherlands in this area attract attentions of Japanese companies and organisations for future collaboration.
- FDA and Emulate agreement https://emulatebio.com/press/fda-collab-agreement-emulate/
- FDA voice April 2017 https://blogs.fda.gov/fdavoice/index.php/2017/04/organs-on-chips-technology-fda-testing-groundbreaking-science/?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
- “Progress and Challenges of Microfluidic Technology-Based Organ-on-a-Chip in Drug Discovery “Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology Japan”, 76 (2016) No.4,P238-242, Dr.H.Kimura et al.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jpstj/76/4/76_238/_article
- hDMT https://www.hdmt.technology/
New development of Kyoto University – Challenges of “Body on a chip” for the tool of drug development using Nano-technology
An associate professor Ken-ichiro Kamei at the Institute for Integrate Cell-Material Science (iCeMS) of Kyoto University in Japan published the article on his new technology, “Nano-on-micro fibrous extracellular matrices for scalable expansion of human ES/iPS cells” in Dutch “Biomaterials” magazine of Elsevier (Volume 124, April 2017, Pages 47–54). (5)(6) (7)
Professor Kamei focuses on recapitulating living systems into a micro-chip named “Body on a Chip”. His research approach is based on a new methodological development that integrates micro/nanotechnology, materials science, stem cell biology, and imaging technology to create artificial cellular microenvironments. Using Nano technology, he developed a fiber-like culture materials, enable to mass culture high quality iPS cells with the top 10 textile manufacturer in Japan, GUNZE Limited. (8)
This new technology will shorten the clinical study processes, contribute to decrease the cost of drug development and hold great potentials for applications for various evaluations. Compared to the conventional methods of culturing cells, this technology can increase the cells with 10 times the speed, which is about 40-50 times per week(9). Professor Kamei and GUNZE developed a layered Nano-on-micro fibrous cellular matrix mimicking ECM, named “fiber-on-fiber (FF)” matrix, which enables easy handling and manipulation of cultured cells, consists of the combination of gelatin nanofiber and high biocompatible polyglycolic acidmicrofiber. The difference between these two chips are: the organ on chips restructures the function of mono organ on the chip, while this new technology, “Body on a chip” enables to integrate multiple organs and functions of tissue on the chip. The research of organs on chips is expanding including lung, kidney, intestine, blood vessels and more at institutions worldwide. It is very important to increase the iPS cells in shorter time and yet maintain high quality. There are many studies of microfluidic devices at universities in Japan such as Professor Teruo Fujii, the Institute of Industrial Science, Unversity of Tokyo(10). In development of biomedical products such as the organ/body on chips, the collaborations of industry and academia, in the area of medical, pharma and engineering studies are the key to advance the research.
(5) Professor Kenichiro Kamei https://ken1kamei.wordpress.com/
(6) iCeMS, Kyoto University http://www.icems.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/wwa/
(7) “Biomaterials” magazine Abstract of Elsevier April 2017 https://ken1kamei.wordpress.com/2017/02/10/20170210j/7
(8) GUNZE limited http://www.gunze.co.jp/english/corporate/
(9) Nikkan Kogyo Newspaper 10 February 2017
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jpstj/76/4/76_238/_article
(10) Professor. T.Fujii, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo
http://www.microfluidics.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index.html
Enhancing the development of the platform technology for evaluations by Japanese government
After the Japanese scientist of iPS cells research, Shinya Yamanaka. M.D. PhD won the Nobel Prize in 2012, the Japanese government has positioned the regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy using iPS cells as the strategic area and strengthen investigating the further possibility including development of organs on chips technology. Currently the Japanese pharmaceutical industry enhancing investments on stem cell therapy for drug discovery and development. Similar to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the U.S. budgeted for this technology from 2012, the Japanese government, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and industry also put additional budget on the platform technology, the organs on chips from this fiscal year started in April 2017. The government and industry promote investments for further open innovations by exchanging personnel and providing funds for the research with potentials. The implementation of Body on chips developed by Kyoto University for culturing a large amount of iPS cells for drug development will realise by active cooperation of Medical, Pharma and Engineering fields. The Japanese government and companies are enthusiastic to advance the research with overseas and they offer a broad range of support in building the platform technology which will lead to further expansion of the market.
Noriko Ogawa, Innovatie Attaché Tokio, 25 April 2017
‘Het IA-Netwerk verbindt in opdracht van het ministerie van Economische Zaken kennis over internationale innovatieve ontwikkelingen en daaraan gerelateerde trends aan Nederlandse bedrijven, kennisinstituten en overheden.’
