Around 90% of drugs proven safe and effective in animals fail to work as intended in humans, leading to high failure rates in drug discovery. ImmuONE addresses this challenge with its pioneering human lung model, which delivers more accurate and relevant results for predicting human drug safety and efficacy.
The UK-based biotech startup has secured an additional £600,000 from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, Mercia Ventures, and Pioneer Group to advance its animal testing alternative. This investment brings the total funding to £3.5M, though the valuation remains undisclosed to TFN.
This new funding will help ImmuONE enhance its laboratory model’s capabilities, expand into new sectors like agriculture and automotive, and grow its 12-person team by hiring two additional scientists. The laboratory currently tests the safety of new drugs, chemicals, and consumer products.
Dr Abigail Martin said: “Our mission is to help companies avoid unnecessary animal testing and provide more accurate and relevant test results. This latest funding will enable us to continue building our range of tests and assays and use our model for different purposes, across different industries. We will also continue engaging with regulators to adapt industry standards tests to become animal free, and establish ImmuONE as a leading provider.”
How ImmuONE address the market need in drug development and safety testing
Founded in 2019 by Dr. Abigail Martin and professor Victoria Hutter, ImmuONE is a biotech startup addressing a crucial market need in drug development and safety testing. The company spun out from the University of Hertfordshire, where Dr. Martin developed the core technology during her PhD research under Prof. Hutter’s supervision.
ImmuONE addresses challenges of animal testing and invasive human tissue sampling with its 3D human lung model, offering a more accurate and ethical alternative for inhalation safety testing. The company grows human lower lung tissue and immune cells in a laboratory, creating a 3D model that closely mirrors human lung physiology. This enables companies to test their products’ effects on small airways and lung inflammation without animal testing or invasive procedures.
The company aims to change inhalation toxicology and safety assessment, focusing on delivering reliable, reproducible results while helping companies transition away from animal testing. Using advanced techniques like cell painting to understand lung immune responses better, ImmuONE’s technology serves multiple industries, including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and cosmetics.
Since 2019, ImmuONE has attracted numerous blue-chip clients. Following a £2m investment in 2023, the company expanded to new premises in Milton Keynes and laboratory space in Stevenage. It has since upgraded its equipment and broadened its services to include advanced immunology testing for evaluating substances’ long-term effects on lungs, including inflammation potential. The company has also expanded its client base in the chemicals sector, complementing its existing pharmaceutical and consumer products customers.
Behind ImmuONE’s 3D lung model
ImmuONE has developed a unique 3D model of the human lung that combines lower lung tissue and immune cells grown in a laboratory setting. Unlike conventional models focusing only on epithelial cells, their technology includes alveolar macrophages, crucial components for understanding lung immune responses. This enables testing on small airways and inflammation in the deep lung, providing a more comprehensive assessment than traditional upper lung tissue models.
The company’s method delivers more reliable and reproducible results than animal testing or invasive human tissue sampling. Their technology can evaluate various products, from drugs and chemicals to cosmetics and other inhaled substances, making it valuable across multiple industries. In particular, ImmuONE uses advanced techniques like cell painting and high-content imaging assays to gather detailed insights into cellular responses. They offer products (ImmuPHAGE
and ImmuLUNG) and services, allowing clients to conduct in-house tests or outsource them.
As a pioneer in ethical testing alternatives, ImmuONE is addressing growing market demand and consumer pressure for human-relevant models that can replace animal testing. Their solution enhances ethical standards and testing accuracy, filling a crucial gap in the market.
Leading the future of biomedical research
ImmuONE’s technology aligns with the growing emphasis on personalised medicine and the need for more accurate preclinical models in drug development. As biotech and pharmaceutical companies strive to reduce costs and improve success rates, technologies like ImmuONE’s are becoming crucial for drug discovery and safety assessment.
Keira Shepperson, Investment Director at British Business Bank, said: “The Midlands Engine Investment Fund supports smaller, innovative businesses across the Midlands looking to grow. It’s great to see ImmuONE thriving and making significant strides within its industry. The follow-on funding will enable the company to advance even further and continue to drive innovation in the industry.”
David Baker of Mercia Ventures added: “The move away from animal testing is gaining momentum worldwide. Laboratory models for skin testing have been available for over a decade and the race is now on to develop reliable and accurate lung models. ImmuONE is a pioneer in the field and has the potential to become an industry leader.”
Glenn Crocker of the Pioneer Group concluded: “We have been incredibly impressed by the blue-chip client base the team has been able to attract, which is testament to the quality and importance of the work undertaken by the company. Pioneer is delighted to continue to support the growth of the business.”
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