The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly adopting 3D cell culture technology as a more effective approach to drug development, with the global market projected to reach $3.48 billion by 2028. This growing adoption reflects the industry's recognition of in vitro tissue models' potential for enhancing drug discovery, modeling pathologies, and improving safety and toxicity testing.
Industry experts view 3D cell culture technology as a significant advancement that could substantially reduce drug attrition rates during the discovery process by offering increased translatability in models compared to traditional methods.
Industry Leaders Embrace Advanced Cell Technologies
Major pharmaceutical companies are at the forefront of implementing 3D cell culture techniques. Representatives from AstraZeneca, GSK, Regeneron, Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Astellas are among those exploring the technology's applications across various therapeutic areas.
Dr. Etienne De Braekeleer, Senior Research Scientist at AstraZeneca, and Dr. Manjunath Hegde, Scientific Investigator & Associate Fellow at GSK, are among the featured speakers at the upcoming 6th Annual 3D Cell Culture Conference, highlighting the industry's commitment to advancing these technologies.
Applications Across Drug Development Pipeline
The technology shows promise across multiple applications in pharmaceutical R&D. Industry researchers are particularly focused on:
Enhanced Clinical Translation and Predictability
3D cell culture models more accurately mimic human tissue environments compared to traditional 2D methods, potentially leading to better prediction of how drugs will perform in clinical settings. This improved translatability could significantly impact success rates in later-stage clinical trials.
Personalized Drug Screening
The technology enables more sophisticated approaches to personalized medicine, allowing researchers to test compounds against patient-derived 3D cultures for more precise efficacy and toxicity predictions.
Advanced Organ Models
Researchers are developing increasingly complex organ models, from blood-brain barrier systems to liver spheroids, that better represent human physiology. These models provide more relevant testing platforms for evaluating drug candidates.
Antibody and Cell and Gene Therapy Discovery
The pharmaceutical industry is also implementing 3D cell culture techniques to enhance the discovery process for advanced therapeutics, including antibodies and cell and gene therapies.
Conference to Address Implementation Challenges
The 6th Annual 3D Cell Culture Conference, organized by SAE Media Group for February 2023, will bring together experts from pharmaceutical companies, regulatory bodies, and research institutions to address the challenges and opportunities in implementing these advanced in vitro models.
Professor Stefan Przyborski from Durham University, a leading expert in cell technology, will be among the featured speakers discussing bioengineering of human tissues using advanced cell technologies.
The conference will also explore regulatory validation approaches and high-throughput screening applications, providing comprehensive insights into this rapidly evolving field.
Industry-Wide Participation
The event is expected to attract a diverse audience including investigative toxicologists, research scientists, clinical pharmacologists, cell technologists, and R&D leaders from biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Academic researchers in cell technology, stem cell sciences, biochemistry, protein technology, and tissue engineering will also participate alongside solution providers and regulatory representatives.
As the pharmaceutical industry continues to face challenges with traditional drug discovery approaches, 3D cell culture technology represents a promising avenue for improving efficiency and success rates in bringing new therapies to patients.
