ORGANOID TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES DRUG TESTING AND DISEASE RESEARCH

CHENGDU, NOVEMBER 10 /SRNA/ – Technology for growing miniature human organs from stem cells could significantly improve drug testing, enable more accurate disease research and reduce the need for animal experiments, said Qixin Jing, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Chinese biotechnology company Junhui Bio.

Jing explained that organoids, i.e. miniature structures that mimic the functions of human organs, are created in laboratory conditions using stem cells. They can be used to study diseases and test new drugs before they undergo clinical trials in humans. He said that the company was developing brain, heart, lung, liver and skin organoids, adding that the technology enabled more accurate testing of how the human body reactions. "More than 90 percent of drugs that successfully pass preclinical testing fail during the clinical trial phase in humans. One of the main reasons is the differences between animal and human organisms," Jing told reporters participating in an international journalists' programme in China. He stressed that organoids derived from human stem cells made it possible to model human organs more accurately, which could contribute to more efficient drug development, lower research costs and reduced use of laboratory animals. Among the company's achievements, he highlighted the development of brain organoids that mimic certain characteristics of Alzheimer's disease, as well as stress-exposed brain models in which the electrical activity of neurons is monitored. The company has also developed blood-brain barrier, lung, liver and skin organoids, while its heart organoids contract rhythmically like a human heart and are used to study heart diseases and the effects of viral infections. Jing also presented the development of so-called organoid intelligence, which involves monitoring and analysing electrical signals between neurons, as well as examining how brain organoids respond to external stimuli. He noted that brain organoids in the company's laboratory could survive for more than 300 days, while their development takes between 15 days and three months, depending on the type of organ. According to him, the technology has not yet reached a stage that would allow the safe transplantation of organs created in this way, but it already has significant applications in preclinical research and the pharmaceutical industry. The company cooperates with major pharmaceutical manufacturers, sells laboratory equipment and organoid cultivation kits, and provides drug-testing services and training for researchers. Addressing ethical issues, Jing said that the company uses embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, with the necessary permits and consent from patients and healthcare institutions. The company is also developing panda organoids, making it possible to study this endangered species without the need to sacrifice animals. Regarding international cooperation, Jing said that the company had a business presence in Singapore and is developing cooperation with Southeast Asian markets, while entering the European market is more challenging due to regulatory requirements. He noted that more than 50 companies in China were already engaged in organoid technology and that the sector is developing rapidly. Junhui Bio was founded in Chengdu in 2023 and received high-tech enterprise status in the same year. Its organoid production facility, built in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice /GMP/ standards, was completed and became operational in July this year.