3D Bioprinting Solutions on a mission for COVID-19 drug discovery

Following its aspiring mission “Creating future opportunities” the biotechnological research laboratory “3D Bioprinting Solutions” takes an active part in pharmacological studies of various antiviral drugs. During the most difficult challenge in recent healthcare history cell biologists from the laboratory’s research team began working with leading virologists and pharmaceutical companies to develop anti-COVID-19 drugs. 3DBio scientists use their vast experience in the most advanced pathology and predictive toxicology modeling methods to minimize the time needed to find solutions that will provide treatment for patients with COVID-19 and other viral diseases.

Currently existing traditional two-dimensional protocols for testing antiviral agents provide sometimes very conflicting data, since the results of 2D modeling of perspective anti-COVID-19 drugs can radically differ from the real reaction of the human body to their activity. On the other hand, three-dimensional tissue spheroids fully reproduce the organization of native tissue and serve as an ideal in vitro model for testing pharmacological molecules under physiological conditions. To accelerate the transition from preclinical studies with laboratory animals to clinical studies with humans, 3D Bioprinting Solutions specialists developed a method for the scalable production of 3D spheroids in the quantities necessary to accurately determine the specific activity of pharmacological molecules in the body of infected patients.

A549 and Calu-3 (human lung adenocarcinomas), CaCo-2 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma) and Vero CCL-81 (African green monkey kidney) cell lines were used as a model of lung tissue. 3DBio scientists developed formation protocols and selected optimal concentrations for the preparation of 3D spheroids from these cell lines. These microtissue samples were transferred to virologists for subsequent infection of 3D spheroids with SARS-Cov2 and testing of antiviral substances.

“We are very proud of the important role that our laboratory and its employees play in assisting virology and pharmacology specialists in the rapid and accurate development of antiviral drugs,” said Yusef Hesuani, co-founder and managing partner of 3D Bioprinting Solutions.