A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug development

Abstract Hematologic adverse events are common dose-limiting toxicities in drug development. Classical animal models for preclinical safety assessment of immunotherapies are often limited due to insufficient cross-reactivity with non-human homologous proteins, immune system differences, and ethical...

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Main Authors: Leopold Koenig, Laurent Juglair, Thi Phuong Tao, Susanne Fischer, Inga Clausen, Sabine Imhof-Jung, Niels Janssen, Robert Mader, Daniel Marbach, Jens Niewoehner, Annika Winter, Desirée Schubert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08137-1
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author Leopold Koenig
Laurent Juglair
Thi Phuong Tao
Susanne Fischer
Inga Clausen
Sabine Imhof-Jung
Niels Janssen
Robert Mader
Daniel Marbach
Jens Niewoehner
Annika Winter
Desirée Schubert
author_facet Leopold Koenig
Laurent Juglair
Thi Phuong Tao
Susanne Fischer
Inga Clausen
Sabine Imhof-Jung
Niels Janssen
Robert Mader
Daniel Marbach
Jens Niewoehner
Annika Winter
Desirée Schubert
author_sort Leopold Koenig
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Hematologic adverse events are common dose-limiting toxicities in drug development. Classical animal models for preclinical safety assessment of immunotherapies are often limited due to insufficient cross-reactivity with non-human homologous proteins, immune system differences, and ethical considerations. Therefore, we evaluate a human bone marrow (BM) microphysiological system (MPS) for its ability to predict expected hematopoietic liabilities of immunotherapeutics. The BM-MPS consists of a closed microfluidic circuit containing a ceramic scaffold covered with human mesenchymal stromal cells and populated with human BM-derived CD34+ cells in chemically defined growth factor-enriched media. The model supports on-chip differentiation of erythroid, myeloid and NK cells from CD34+ cells over 31 days. The hematopoietic lineage balance and output is responsive to pro-inflammatory factors and cytokines. Treatment with a transferrin receptor-targeting IgG1 antibody results in inhibition of on-chip erythropoiesis. The immunocompetence of the chip is established by the addition of peripheral blood T cells in a fully autologous setup. Treatment with T cell bispecific antibodies induces T cell activation and target cell killing consistent with expected on-target off-tumor toxicities. In conclusion, this study provides a proof-of-concept that this BM-MPS is applicable for in vitro hematopoietic safety profiling of immunotherapeutics.
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spelling doaj-art-258f04be037d4130be3bc912af198aaa2025-08-20T02:25:12ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-05-018111910.1038/s42003-025-08137-1A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug developmentLeopold Koenig0Laurent Juglair1Thi Phuong Tao2Susanne Fischer3Inga Clausen4Sabine Imhof-Jung5Niels Janssen6Robert Mader7Daniel Marbach8Jens Niewoehner9Annika Winter10Desirée Schubert11TissUse GmbHRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F.Hoffmann-La Roche LtdTissUse GmbHRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F.Hoffmann-La Roche LtdRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F.Hoffmann-La Roche LtdRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities Large Molecule ResearchRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F.Hoffmann-La Roche LtdRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F.Hoffmann-La Roche LtdRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F.Hoffmann-La Roche LtdRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities Large Molecule ResearchTissUse GmbHRoche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F.Hoffmann-La Roche LtdAbstract Hematologic adverse events are common dose-limiting toxicities in drug development. Classical animal models for preclinical safety assessment of immunotherapies are often limited due to insufficient cross-reactivity with non-human homologous proteins, immune system differences, and ethical considerations. Therefore, we evaluate a human bone marrow (BM) microphysiological system (MPS) for its ability to predict expected hematopoietic liabilities of immunotherapeutics. The BM-MPS consists of a closed microfluidic circuit containing a ceramic scaffold covered with human mesenchymal stromal cells and populated with human BM-derived CD34+ cells in chemically defined growth factor-enriched media. The model supports on-chip differentiation of erythroid, myeloid and NK cells from CD34+ cells over 31 days. The hematopoietic lineage balance and output is responsive to pro-inflammatory factors and cytokines. Treatment with a transferrin receptor-targeting IgG1 antibody results in inhibition of on-chip erythropoiesis. The immunocompetence of the chip is established by the addition of peripheral blood T cells in a fully autologous setup. Treatment with T cell bispecific antibodies induces T cell activation and target cell killing consistent with expected on-target off-tumor toxicities. In conclusion, this study provides a proof-of-concept that this BM-MPS is applicable for in vitro hematopoietic safety profiling of immunotherapeutics.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08137-1
spellingShingle Leopold Koenig
Laurent Juglair
Thi Phuong Tao
Susanne Fischer
Inga Clausen
Sabine Imhof-Jung
Niels Janssen
Robert Mader
Daniel Marbach
Jens Niewoehner
Annika Winter
Desirée Schubert
A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug development
Communications Biology
title A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug development
title_full A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug development
title_fullStr A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug development
title_full_unstemmed A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug development
title_short A microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre-clinical drug development
title_sort microfluidic bone marrow chip for the safety profiling of biologics in pre clinical drug development
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08137-1
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