ZEISS Ventures, the venture capital arm of the ZEISS Group from Germany, has invested in the 3D cell culture research of InSphero, a biotechnology firm based in Schlieren in the canton of Zurich. As ZEISS explains in a press release, the investment amounts to an eight-figure sum, although the company did not disclose an exact figure. This strategic financing, announced as part of a financing round, is closely related to the Switzerland-based ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions division. In this context, ZEISS is seeking to further advance the use of 3D micro-tissues in research and drug development activities.
InSphero is a pioneer in this field. Its three-dimensional cell aggregates, referred to as 3D organ-on-a-chip technology, have the capacity to mimic tissue and microtumors. The InSphero drug discovery and testing platforms combine scalable 3D technology, ISO quality-controlled 3D human tissue models and 3D-optimized media, in addition to customized laboratory services (arrays) and support services.
The FDA Modernization Act from January 2023 is providing a boost to this technology. It states that animal testing will no longer be required for drug approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and, moreover, that alternative methods will now be authorized. “InSphero has uniquely positioned itself with its highly industrialized platform solution to address this market opportunity”, comments Gerrit Schulte, Head of ZEISS Ventures, in the press release.
Following the ratification of this law, “efficient, automation-compatible, and scalable 3D models” are quickly needed, according to Dr. Jan Lichtenberg, co-founder and CEO of InSphero, who adds that the company is now on its way to “becoming the biggest 3D microtissue biobank in the world”.
InSphero was founded in 2016 in the form of a spin-off from the University of Zurich (UZH) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). The company is headquartered at the Bio-Technopark Schlieren-Zurich. mm
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