Monitoring the effects that drugs have on liver tissue is one of the primary tests used in the early phases of drug development and toxicological screening. Today, hepatotoxicity is tested either on cell lines (in vitro) or laboratory animals. But the current solutions are not delivering a long-term culture of human primary hepatocytes and are still dependent on cell lines (cancer cells) and animal models. 

Czech Inocure’s HepaMATRIX, therefore, delivers a solution to an unmet clinical need  — reliable models of liver tissue. The testing of novel drugs, the prevention of the toxic effects of drugs on the liver, knowledge about molecule biotransformation and liver pathologies need reliable models of human hepatic tissues. It is a novel technology enabling a culture of human primary hepatocytes in a better environment. The idea is focused on delivering ready-to-use artificial matrices — microplates with HepaMATRIX membranes - for in vitro production of liver models used in drug development, toxicological screening, basic research of liver diseases and diagnosis of patients with liver diseases. 

Inocure’s CEO Matej Buzgo speaks with Andrew Wrobel about his start-up’s path to designing next-generation drug delivery systems and the multiple challenges he faces and offers valuable advice to potential researchers and founders working on innovative health solutions.