NXTGEN Hightech and Ombion join forces to accelerate adoption of organ-on-chip technology
Organ-on-chip platforms incorporating human cellular models enable researchers to generate high-content, human-relevant preclinical data, streamlining therapeutic development and reducing reliance on animal testing.
Two major National Growth Fund initiatives are strengthening their alignment to advance organ-on-chip technology. NXTGEN Hightech is developing the high-precision manufacturing infrastructure required to produce these microfluidic platforms at scale. Ombion focuses on validation, regulatory readiness, and adoption strategies to facilitate integration across pharmaceutical research and academic institutions. Together, the programmes aim to address systemic bottlenecks in drug discovery and reduce dependence on animal models.
Organ-on-chip systems are cell culture models engineered to mimic complex human physiology. Micro-engineered channels allow multi-type human cells to co-exist under dynamic fluid flow, replicating environmental conditions of organs such as the lung, liver, or kidney. Applying potential drug candidates to these models provides real-time data on biological response, cell vitality, and metabolic clearance.
Translating preclinical candidates to clinical applications remains a challenge in pharmaceutical development. Traditional animal models often fail to accurately predict human responses due to interspecies biological discrepancies, contributing to high attrition rates in clinical trials. Human-relevant models provide predictive physiological data early in the pipeline, optimizing compound selection and risk assessment.
Industrial scalability and biological validation
Broad implementation of advanced in-vitro platforms depends on two key factors: scalable, standardized manufacturing processes, and robust biological validation that meets industry and regulatory standards. NXTGEN Hightech and Ombion complement each other in addressing these linked requirements through focused, joint workstreams.
Within NXTGEN Hightech’s Biomedical Production Technology domain, dedicated projects focus on the industrialization of organ-on-chip platforms. Effort is directed toward chip architecture, production infrastructure, standardization, and supply chain integration to ensure scalable supply. Ombion advances adoption through targeted validation frameworks, educational initiatives, regulatory alignment, and demonstration projects with industrial end-users.
Together, the initiatives address key phases from technical formulation to operational deployment. Programmatic alignment occurs through structured quarterly review meetings, where leadership identifies adoption barriers, establishes standardization priorities, and assesses market readiness.
The joint effort also positions the Netherlands within the global organ-on-chip landscape. Both initiatives leverage the national ecosystem, which integrates academic research, high-tech manufacturing, and clinical networks.
Companies such as Optics11 Life and chiron participate across both programmes. Optics11 Life specializes in fiber-optic sensing technology to measure mechanical properties of tissue models, while chiron develops specialized platforms mimicking human joint physiology. Their dual participation underlines the need for joint technical and biological development frameworks within the existing infrastructure.
“Organ-on-chip models deliver value when they address clearly defined biological questions and provide actionable data for researchers,” states Daniela Salvatori, Scientific Director of Ombion. “This collaboration bridges technological development with biological validation, advancing human-relevant models and reducing reliance on animal testing.”
“Preclinical human models improve predictability in drug development,” states Ingrid Relou, Domain Lead Biomedical Production Technology at NXTGEN Hightech. “Linking technological infrastructure with biological validation accelerates the integration of these platforms into research pipelines.”