Cambridge-based CN Bio establishes Pharmaron partnership with US ambition in mind
Organ-on-a-chip company CN Bio has established a strategic partnership with Pharmaron, a premier R&D service provider for the life sciences industry.
Pharmaron is a global drug R&D service platform, providing end-to-end services across drug discovery, preclinical, and clinical development. The company has bases in Liverpool and Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire.
CN Bio, which is based on Cambridge Science Park, is a leading provider of organ-on-a-chip systems and solutions that accelerate drug discovery and development workflows founded in 2009. Its PhysioMimix platform, which was launched in 2021, recreates three-dimensional human organs and tissues in the laboratory to better understand human physiology, disease, and the effectiveness of new drugs. Using the PhysioMimix desktop system, drugs are discovered more quickly, brought to patients more cost-effectively – while drastically reducing the distress involved in animal experimentation.
In 2024 CN Bio raised $21m in a Series B round to expand its PhysioMimix technology and research services globally.
“We are pleased to collaborate with CN Bio to explore how this technology can add meaningful value to our partners’ development programs,” said Dr Hua Yang, CSO, Pharmaron.
He added: “Organ-on-a-chip technology holds significant potential to advance translational science by improving our understanding of drugability at the preclinical stage.”
Dr Tomasz Kostrzewski, CSO, CN Bio, said: “The developments this partnership will enable are especially important given the recent FDA announcement, outlining their plan to phase out animal testing requirement for monoclonal antibodies and other drugs with more human-relevant models.
“Our platform is best placed to serve current market gaps including testing for immune-mediated organ damage. Together we can expedite this key development in line with global momentum for more ethical advancements that reduce costs and improve human health.”
Dr Paul Brooks, CEO, CN Bio, added that Pharmaron is “the ideal partner for CN Bio as we look to accelerate the growth of our OOC solutions portfolio in new and existing application areas”.
