About the innovator

AvantiCell Science (ACS) is a biotechnology company specialising in human cell-based analysis, delivered by a team of doctoral and graduate scientists, including EU-ETN Marie-Sklodowska-Curie PhD trainees. ACS products and cell-based analysis services support industry testing of new treatments for human diseases. The products are ethically-sourced human cells or next-generation organoids from healthy or diseased tissue, with 3D models optionally assembled by bioprinting. Cell products are supplied increasingly in industry-friendly “plug and play” culture formats using proprietary in situ cryopreservation.

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What is the innovation

AvantiCell’s has produced novel cell-based tools measuring human immunoreactivity to industrial/environmental nanomaterials. Alessandra Prinelli first assembled methods for immune cell production from ethically-sourced human blood in an industry-relevant scalable process. She then applied proprietary ACS cryopreservation technology, enabling successful supply of three types of immune cells in a ready-to-use format, whilst retaining analytical sensitivity and predictive value. First-generation products for 2D cell-based analysis are market-ready. Second-generation 3D models are in development.

Out of the lab. Into the market

PANDORA-generated exploitable outputs are moving through gated steps which translate technical data into Product Information and customer Technical Advice, triggering commercial-team production of sellable stock. AvantiCell marketing via web-based tools and distributors has identified strong interest from contract research organisations, immune-oncology therapy developers and academia, with prospect of product sales before PANDORA’s conclusion. Second-generation 3D immune cell models will extend commercial scope, and technology coupling with ACS bioprinting will be used to assemble competent cell models of mucosal immune systems.

Benefits of participation in the Framework Programme

PANDORA participation has informed the alignment of AvantiCell’s analytical tools with emerging therapeutic strategies e.g stratified medicine, and with industry expectations of physiologically-relevant and therefore more clinically-predictive preclinical testing. Framework networking also identified barriers to cell-based technology uptake, which AvantiCell has addressed using bioprinting and cryopreservation technology. These deliver end-user convenience without loss of analytical power; and have created a platform which can extend cell-based analysis into new industry sectors e.g. agri-biotech and to emerging applications such as nanosafety testing.

This innovation was funded via H2020 project PANDORA

Team behind the innovation

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