Riga-based biotech innovator Cellbox Labs has secured €3.3 million in non-dilutive funding to fast-track the development of its dynamic organ-on-a-chip technology, designed to replace animal testing in drug discovery and food science.
Part of the capital comes via Tech4Cure, an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) initiative supporting EU healthcare innovation and industrial resilience.
In a statement, the startup said: “Personalised gut-on-chip systems are key to accurately predicting individual responses to drugs, food, and probiotics, unlocking new value for the pharma, nutrition, and functional food industries.”
Founded in 2020 by Artūrs Ābols, Gatis Mozoļevskis, and Roberts Rimša, Cellbox Labs specialises in micro-engineered chips that model organs such as the kidney, lung, gut, and pancreas, using non-absorbing materials optimised for reproducibility. The platform integrates controlled gas conditions, automated systems to reduce manual work, and scalability from eight to 24 chips per batch.
The new funding will support four initiatives:
- Scaling an automated gut-on-chip model with Altis Biosystems, moving towards personalised systems using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and patient-derived microbiota.
- Embedding oxygen and pH sensors in every chip for live data capture without external hardware, enabling richer datasets for AI-driven drug discovery.
- Benchmarking biosimilar performance by testing GLP-1 generics on pancreatic islet chips under dynamic flow, to improve physiological relevance compared to animal models.
- Partnering with ESQlabs and MPSlabs to develop digital twin models, enabling in vitro–in vivo translation (IVIVE) for stronger predictive power.
The roadmap aligns with regulatory trends, including the FDA’s plan to phase out animal testing for certain drugs and the NIH’s requirement to incorporate computer modelling, AI, and organ-on-chip systems in funded research.
Previously, Cellbox Labs raised €935,000 in a 2024 pre-seed round led by Buildit VC, with support from LatBAN angels, ASP Asset Management AIFP, and private investor Ansis Spridzans.
With this latest boost, the company aims to cement its position at the forefront of predictive, scalable, and personalised testing platforms—delivering “data-rich, human-relevant insights without relying on animal trials.”
TagHealthcare
