EpiNasal, the first lab-grown human nasal tissue, is now commercially available.
For immediate release [Ashland, MA, February 22] – MatTek Life Sciences, a Boston-area biotech company and a member of the BICO Group, announced today the launch of their newest lab-grown, three-dimensional human tissue, EpiNasal. The first of its kind, EpiNasal is a living, biologically responsive tissue grown from primary human donor cells. It provides researchers the ability to evaluate the toxicological effects of inhaled substances like chemicals and pharmaceutical therapies, as well as environmental contagions like rhinovirus, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. EpiNasal joins EpiAirway and EpiAlveolar as the third tissue type of the human respiratory system produced by MatTek.
The first use of EpiNasal by scientists was in early 2020 at the onset of the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Still within the beta testing stage of its development, the company focused its R&D resources on EpiNasal to make the tissues available to researchers studying mechanisms of infection of respiratory viruses. Researchers identified nasal epithelium as a portal for infection and transmission in the respiratory tract and discovered the ACE2 receptor as the pathway for SARS-CoV-2 entry into the human body.
“As a life science company specializing in human tissue engineering, we were in a unique position to provide resources to help virologists understand how the virus enters the human body,” said Kevin Causey, MatTek’s vice president of business development. “We knew we could rally and get EpiNasal in the hands of the people who were studying COVID, and now know this tissue can be used to investigate other respiratory viruses as well.”
EpiNasal consists of primary human nasal epithelial cells differentiated to form a 3D tissue with mucociliary differentiation and functional mucin-producing goblet cells. It is utilized for a range of applications including the study of respiratory syncytial virus infections, increased release of matrix metalloproteases in response to viral infections, anti-viral research, intranasal drug delivery, and safety and risk assessment.
The insight into human biology that MatTek’s lab-grown tissues provide is an invaluable tool when predicting the effects of consumer products and pharmaceuticals. “Evaluating pathways of infection is just one of many uses of EpiNasal,” said Dr. Seyoum Ayehunie, MatTek’s chief scientific officer. “Its applications for testing the safety or efficacy of aerosolized compounds and inhaled pharmaceutical therapeutics will give formulation scientists a greater understanding of how they might affect human subjects in clinical trials.”
To learn more about EpiNasal, visit MatTek’s website.
About MatTek Life Sciences
Founded in 1985, MatTek Life Sciences began producing three-dimensional human tissue models as reliable replacements for animal testing. MatTek’s physiologically advanced tissue models empower companies in the cosmetics, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries to achieve their goals of non-animal testing while lowering preclinical costs and providing human-relevant results. With locations in the US and Europe, today MatTek’s offerings include skin, eye, oral, respiratory, vaginal, and intestinal tissue models including disease modeling, validated, and custom testing services, multiple donor primary cells, culture media, and highly optical cultureware.
About BICO
Founded in 2016, BICO (formerly CELLINK) is the leading bio convergence company in the world. By combining different technologies, such as robotics, artificial intelligence, computer science, and 3D bioprinting with biology, we enable our customers to improve people’s health and lives for the better.
The company has a focus on developing technologies that will advance Health 4.0 Next Generation Core Industry Ecosystems that enable tissue engineering, diagnostics, multiomics, and cell line development. BICO’s technologies enable researchers in the life sciences to culture cells in 3D, perform high-throughput drug screening and print human tissues and organs for the medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. We create the future of health. The Group’s instruments in the field amounts to 25,000, including all the top 20 pharmaceutical companies, are being used in more than 65 countries, and have been cited in more than 9,500 publications. BICO is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm under BICO. www.bico.com
