Welcome to ‘Drijfveren’. In this recurring segment, scientists share what motivates them to go against the tide and develop animal-free alternatives. This time, it’s the turn of the research teams participating in the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge 2024.
This year, we’re hosting the fourth edition of the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge. Four teams with a scientific breakthrough in the life sciences under their belt are preparing their breakthroughs with business professionals to bring them to market. On behalf of the participating teams, Indi, Bas, Kerensa, and Elena explain what drives them to conduct animal-free research.
Indi Joore, hello R&D: “Research must transition to animal-free”
“Animals have long carried a heavy burden in research for drug development,” says Indi. “And yet, research in animals often does not translate well to humans. As far as we’re concerned, that leaves room for only one conclusion: research must transition to animal-free.”
Faster, more efficient, and animal-free
The model developed by Ibrahim and Indi’s team will assist in this endeavor. “Our hello is an organoid composed of the primary cell type in the liver. Current liver models often fail to predict the harmful effects of new drugs on humans, leading to prolonged drug development timelines and significant costs. Our hello models better represent the properties of human liver cells, making research faster, more efficient, and animal-free.”
Better for animals = better for patients
Ibrahim and Indi anticipate replacing a significant number of animals. “Every year, 6.5 million animals such as rats, mice, and even primates are used in drug development. By demonstrating which drugs are toxic in early research stages using our hellos, fewer animal experiments will be needed in later stages.”
And according to Indi, that’s not only good news for animals. “Our product helps drug developers bring medicines to market faster. That’s also beneficial for patients.” During the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge, Indi hopes to meet their first customers. “So we can work towards developing a final product that can best assist drug developers.”
Bas Evers, NephroClear: “We need to seek win-win”
According to Bas from NephroClear, there is still plenty of room for improvement in science that has a positive impact on society and animal welfare. “We need to seek that win-win. That means working on innovative research methods that don’t require animal testing, without jeopardizing patient safety.”
A chip with human kidney cells
Bas and his team developed a 3D kidney-on-a-chip model. “Our model is based on human kidney cells and better mimics the human kidney than the animals currently used.” This innovation helps researchers bring much-needed medicines to market faster and more effectively, without conducting animal experiments.
Taking it to the next level
The team developed the model in collaboration with various companies and research institutes, such as TNO, Utrecht University, Novartis, AZAR Innovations, and Cell4Pharma. Because the results of this collaborative project were promising, the researchers decided to participate in the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge. “We want to further develop and commercialize our model. The challenge is an opportunity to elevate our ideas to the next level.”
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Kerensa Broersen, NeuroGuts Insights: “Studies with animals are difficult to standardize”
NeuroGut Insights uses human stem cells to create mini-organs that exhibit properties similar to those organs in humans. Kerensa explains, “By placing these organs on a platform the size of a USB stick, we can mimic the interaction between the intestines and the brain.”
Animals are not humans
The choice for animal-free research by NeuroGut Insights is far from random. “We object to the continued sacrifice of animal welfare for research, while research using human cells better mimics the human body. Animals are so dissimilar to us physically that drugs that test positive in animals fail in ninety percent of cases in humans. For brain medication, this percentage is even higher.”
Significant differences
According to Kerensa, studies involving animals or humans are often difficult to standardize because of the significant differences between individuals. “The potential to make statements about the interaction between the intestines and the brain based on such studies is minimal. That’s why we developed our chip. Our chip is the first model to incorporate the vagus nerve, the nerve pathway connecting the intestines and the brain.”
Kickstarting to market
Kerensa and her team hope that by participating in the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge, they can give their innovation a kickstart to the market. “We want to conclude the process with a solid business case. We know our chip is deployable. Now we’re curious about how we can best serve the market with our technology.”
Elena Naumovska, StemXBio: ‘Animal-free research is in line with changing ethical standards’
For Elena Naumovska of StemXBio, it is clear that conducting animal-free research is important. ‘It of course demonstrates respect for animal welfare, but the results are also more applicable to humans. Additionally, human models are more efficient: laboratory animals need to be bred and cared for.’ According to Elena, prioritizing animal-free research is therefore not only an ethical issue, but also a matter of focusing on scientific relevance and progress.
Growing mini pancreases
Together with the other team members of StemXBio, Elena has developed methods that enable researchers to grow stem cells into any desired cell type. A chemical process, devoid from animal derived products. An example of an end product is a mini pancreatic tissue similar to the human pancreas containing so-called beta cells, which produce insulin. These cells are important for regulating blood glucose levels. The goal is to aid the development of novel treatments for diabetes by providing a more physiological model for drug testing in the early stages. Animal-free and cost-effective.
 Ninety percent fewer laboratory animals
StemXBio’s products can be used in the development of medicines and treatments that currently often rely on laboratory animals. Elena: ‘Our technology can reduce the number of mice, rats, rabbits, and non-human primates used in drug development and toxicity testing by ninety percent.’ According to Elena, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, and of course patients all benefit from their innovation.
In line with ethical standards
Furthermore, she is convinced that society as a whole will benefit from reducing the use of laboratory animals. ‘Simply because it aligns with the change in our ethical standards.’ Elena and her team hope to gain visibility, insights, and collaborations from the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge. ‘It’s truly a platform to connect with entrepreneurs and researchers in the field. Ultimately, we aim to secure funding to bring our technology to the market and contribute to reducing laboratory animals in research.’