Leiden, The Netherlands, 29 June 2012 - Researchers from LACDR have received 200.000 euros to develop their work on Organs-on-a-Chip into marketable products. As part of this effort, the company Mimetas has been founded which will bring solutions for micro tissue- and organ culturing to the market.

“We mimic human organs in a microscopically small space,” explains LACDR researcher and Mimetas co-founder Paul Vulto, “These organs-on-a-chip can be used to determine the efficacy and toxic side-effects of new medicines better and faster. They provide a unique, novel bridge between traditional laboratory tests and clinical testing in patients. Showing closer resemblance to humans, they have the potential to revolutionize therapeutic drug development and save many laboratory animals at the same time.”

One Mimetas device fits hundreds of micro-organs in which tiny microfluidic channels act as blood vessels. Currently, Mimetas develops its products to help pharmaceutical companies make better medicines at lower costs. Ultimately, Mimetas products will be used to select the best therapy for individual patients, based on direct testing of drugs on diseased cells, so-called personalized medicine.

Mimetas is the result of research and business development efforts by Paul Vulto, Thomas Hankemeier and Bas Trietsch from the University of Leiden and biotech-entrepreneur Jos Joore. Research has been performed within and with support of the Division of Analytical Biosciences and the Netherlands Metabolomics Centre. Granting the second phase Valorization Grant by the Dutch Foundation for Applied Sciences (STW) means important recognition for Mimetas´ mission, its
business concepts and technology.

About Mimetas
Mimetas is a Leiden-based microfluidics company focusing on high-throughput biomimetic 3D culture systems for predictive toxicology testing, efficacy screening and personalized therapy. Paul Vulto, Thomas Hankemeier and Jos Joore founded the company in 2011.

Mimetas contact · Jos Joore
Mimetas e-mail contact · j.joore@mimetas.com
Mimetas phone contact +31 6 51696884
Mimetas website · http://www.mimetas.com

About University of Leiden Division of Analytical Biosciences / The Netherlands
Metabolomics Centre
The University of Leiden Division of Analytical Biosciences (UL-ABS) headed by Prof. Thomas Hankemeier develops innovative analytical tools for metabolomics-driven systems biology in personalized health strategies. The Netherlands Metabolomics Centre (NMC), led by Merlijn van Rijswijk, combines efforts of individual research groups to expand the Netherlands’ prominent
position at the forefront of metabolomic research and technology development.

UL-ABS/NMC contact · Paul Vulto
UL-ABS/NMC e-mail contact · p.vulto@lacdr.leidenuniv.nl
UL-ABS/NMC phone contact · +31 6 39012316
UL-ABS website · http://analyticalbiosciences.leidenuniv.nl
NMC website · http://www.metabolomicscentre.nl