FluoSphera, a Swiss biotech startup focused on drug safety
and efficacy testing, has raised €1.23 million (CHF1.15 million) in funding.
The round was led by Soulmates Ventures and a Swiss business angel, with
participation from IndieBio New York.
Developing
a new drug is a lengthy and costly process, and a large proportion of drug
candidates do not succeed in clinical trials. One of the main reasons for these
failures is that existing preclinical models often do not accurately predict
how compounds will behave in the human body. Traditional two-dimensional cell
cultures cannot represent interactions between organs, and animal models do not
fully reflect human biology, which can result in key toxicities being
overlooked and delays in the development of effective treatments.
To
address these limitations, FluoSphera has developed a multiplexed in vitro
platform designed to predict drug responses in a more human-relevant manner.
The company’s patented technology allows multiple human tissue models to be
combined in a single experiment, with each tissue tracked independently using
proprietary fluorescent coding. This enables researchers to observe
interactions between different organs and assess both efficacy and potential
side effects earlier in the development process, before proceeding to animal or
human testing.
Dr. Clélia Bourgoint, CEO and co-founder of FluoSphera, said the company is
developing a new generation of preclinical tools aimed at accelerating and
lowering the cost of bringing medicines to market, while also improving the
overall quality of drug discovery.
By
improving human relevance and reducing reliance on animal models, we help our
partners bring safer, more effective treatments to patients faster.
The
platform is designed to help drug developers reduce development risk, shorten
timelines, and lower overall costs, while also supporting alignment with
evolving regulatory frameworks that encourage the validation of non-animal
testing methods for preclinical research.
With the
new funding, FluoSphera plans to expand its business development activities
with pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations, increase
integration of its platform into drug development workflows, and further
develop its AI-based image analysis capabilities. The company intends to focus
on growth in the United States and Europe, with initial expansion into Asian
markets underway.