Drug metabolism and pharmacokineticsJan 23, 2025

New lab-grown organ models for drug testing focused on organs that process medicines

Regenerative Health Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 25, 2026

Abstract

Microphysiological Systems (MPS) may provide high physiological relevance for drug discovery and pharmacokinetic studies.

MPS technology includes organoids and organ-on-a-chip (OoC) systems, which simulate organ function.
Organoids are formed from 3D cell aggregates, while OoCs utilize microfluidic platforms to replicate in vivo environments.
Current challenges exist in making MPS reliable alternatives to animal testing.
MPS technology is not yet fully comparable to in vivo systems.
Advancements may be supported by in silico methods, automation, and AI approaches.

Simplified

This study explored the evolving landscape of Microphysiological Systems (MPS), with a focus on organoids and organ-on-a-chip (OoC) technologies, which are promising alternatives to animal testing in drug discovery. MPS technology offers in vitro models with high physiological relevance, simulating organ function for pharmacokinetic studies. Organoids composed of 3D cell aggregates and OoCs mimicking in vivo environments based on microfluidic platforms represent the forefront of MPS. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of their application in studying the gut, liver, and kidney and their challenges in becoming reliable alternatives to in vivo models. Although MPS technology is not yet fully comparable to in vivo systems, its continued development, aided by in silico, automation, and AI approaches, is anticipated to bring about further advancements. Collaboration across multiple disciplines and ongoing regulatory discussions will be crucial in driving MPS toward practical and ethical applications in biomedical research and drug development.

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New lab-grown organ models for drug testing focused on organs that process medicines

Abstract

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