Summary
Intero Biosystems describes GastroScreen, a platform of human iPSC-derived intestinal organoids for preclinical drug and disease studies. The company says the models combine several intestinal cell types and support functional assays.
Intero Biosystems presents GastroScreen as a platform of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived intestinal organoids for preclinical drug testing. The company describes the models as an alternative to simpler laboratory and animal models, and lists applications including intestinal safety testing, efficacy studies and disease modelling.
Organoids are three-dimensional cell structures grown in the laboratory to model aspects of an organ. iPSCs are cells reprogrammed to a state from which they can be directed to develop into different cell types. GastroScreen is intended to bring several intestinal cell types together in one model, rather than focusing only on intestinal lining cells.
A multi-cell model with functional readouts
Intero says GastroScreen organoids contain epithelial, mesenchymal, smooth muscle, enteric nerve and endothelial cells, arranged in spatially organised structures. The company also reports spontaneous peristaltic-like contractions, perfusable vasculature and a responsive enteric nervous system. Peristalsis is the coordinated muscular activity that moves material through the digestive tract; the enteric nervous system helps regulate gut functions, including motility.
These features are intended to let researchers measure more than cell survival alone. Intero lists imaging, gene and protein expression, intestinal barrier function and other functional readouts as compatible assays. The company describes the platform as scalable for 96-well workflows and says its growing biobank contains more than 60 iPSC lines with diverse genetic backgrounds.
Intended uses and product format
The company lists drug safety and toxicology as one use, including assessment of general intestinal cell toxicity, effects on particular cell types, off-target effects and disruption of the epithelial barrier. It also proposes using GastroScreen to assess therapeutic activity, target engagement and mechanisms of action for treatments intended for gastrointestinal conditions.
For disease research, Intero says the platform can model inflammatory or fibrotic intestinal states. Other listed applications include studying gut motility, nerve function and vascular responses to stimulation. These are proposed research uses of a laboratory model; they do not by themselves indicate that a particular drug will be safe or effective in patients.
GastroScreen is supplied as live or frozen vials containing more than 100 viable organoids, according to the company. Live vials are described as ready for experiments on arrival; frozen vials are described as ready within seven days after thawing. Intero also lists custom options, including donor backgrounds, disease-specific models and co-culture integrations.
The product page describes the platform’s features and intended applications, rather than reporting a validation study. It provides no accuracy estimates or direct comparisons with animal models or clinical outcomes, so the predictive performance of the platform cannot be quantified from this description.