Improving the Effectiveness of Drug Screening

SLU ID 22-018 | Hydrogel-based microfluidic device as a 3D in vitro drug screening platform

Intellectual Property Status

Seeking

  • Patent-ability under review

  • Know-how based

  • Licensee

  • Development partner

  • Commercial partner

  • Investment

  • University spin out

Background

Currently, drug screening is done on multi-well plates or arrays and on 2-D monolayer cell cultures. These drug screening approaches rely on static culture and do not include a hydrogel matrix to emulate the physiological cell environment.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have developed a hydrogel-based microfluidic device that can be used as a three dimensional in vitro drug screening platform.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

  • Increasing the accuracy of simulating the physiological environment

  • Minimizing cell damage from shear

  • Minimizing cell contamination

Applications

The potential applications of this technology include:

  • screening drug candidates

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking a partner to further develop and commercialize this technology.