Customized 3D Bioengineered IBD Models

Human tissue testing is an essential part in the field of drug discovery and development and is the cornerstone for assessing drug safety and efficacy. In vitro assays in 3D bioengineered tissues are increasingly used in the early stages of drug development to characterize lead compounds for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 3D bioengineered IBD models can mimic colonic epithelial immune responses to better mimic the physiological responses of the human intestinal epithelium compared to traditional 2D cell culture systems. In addition, the scientists utilized co-cultures with human primary monocyte-derived macrophages layered underneath the epithelial layer, mimicking intestinal tissue organization.

Fig. 1. Colonoid and macrophage cultivation scheme in the 3D bilayer system. (Roh et al., 2019)

Our In Vitro 3D IBD Tissue Models

At Ace Therapeutics, we offer customized in vitro 3D IBD tissue models to advance clients' drug development programs. The model has the following features:

• The model contains immune cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells that are bioengineered to mimic key features of the intestinal mucosa in IBD.
• The model can be cultured for up to 3 weeks and can undergo prolonged or repeated exposure to test compounds.
• The model contains active immune components that mimic the immune cell infiltration of the intestinal mucosa in IBD.
• Using stimulatory substances similar to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cytokines, the model is able to induce key inflammatory features of inflammatory bowel disease.
• Structural and functional changes in barrier integrity, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, and other changes induced by inflammation can be observed and quantified.

Applications of 3D Bioengineered IBD Models

Our 3D bioengineered IBD models allow us to help clients gain insight into IBD and develop therapies for disease without the need for animal testing.

• Identify novel molecular targets: Reveal new molecular dynamics and start discover new available drug targets.
• Discover New Drugs: Leverage 3D tissue models to increase throughput and use predictive and prescriptive assays to identify new drug candidates for IBD.
• Develop drugs: Our advanced 3D bioengineered IBDs provide an alternative to traditional animal research testing. Scale up your validation and toxicity studies to reduce costs.

Our Contract Testing Services in 3D IBD Tissue Models

We offer contract testing services in 3D bioengineered IBD models to better translate preclinical data. We can perform multiple endpoint measurements to evaluate the therapeutic effect of your test compound on IBD.

• Cytokine and chemokine analysis
• Marker quantification
• Trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements
• Transporter analysis
• Histologic evaluation
• Immunohistochemical analysis
• Cell ligation analysis and quantification (PCR and Western blot)
• Electron microscopy analysis
• ECM quantification

With years of experience, Ace Therapeutics supports the construction of 3D bioengineered IBD models with structures and functions to match that of the human body. We provide high-quality contract research services to help you study inflammation, barrier integrity, and fibrosis. Please contact us to learn more.