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Physiologically Relevant Microfluidic Platforms for High Throughput Preclinical Development

Ong H.

Respiratory Drug Delivery 2022. Volume , 2022: 13-20.

Abstract:

Persistent failure to translate promising inhaled (respiratory and nasal) drugs from the bench to the clinic is often due to the absence of a predictive in vitro platform that can accurately mimic the physiological conditions of the respiratory tract. Existing pre-clinical in vitro biological models used to study inhaled therapies fail to reproduce two key features of the respiratory system: the air interface structure of the respiratory tract with a limited volume of fluid available for drug dissolution, and the dynamic flow conditions of the airflow in the airways and blood flow in the respiratory vasculature. To overcome these limitations, a dual-chamber microfluidic chip has been developed with the design intent to provide a universal and flexible platform offering a physiologically relevant microenvironment that closely mimics the respiratory conditions that will ultimately be predictive of in vivo responses. The platform was used to establish a nose-on-chip and biofilm-on chip model to evaluate the permeability and efficacy of novel formulations. In addition, advancements in the microfluidic platforms with microsensor integration and mechanical bonding will help streamline future research processes, enabling high-throughput screening of novel therapies.