A 3D illustration of a blood vessel organoid (Photo: a screenshot from the Life Sciences Institute website at the University of British Columbia)
SEOUL, Jun. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – The burgeoning market for organoids – miniature, simplified versions of organs produced in vitro for research purposes – is spurring interest in regenerative therapies derived from these three-dimensional structures.
According to a recent report from the National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, the global organoid market is projected to experience rapid growth.
The report estimates that the global organoid market, valued at approximately $700 million in 2019, is expected to grow to $3.4 billion by 2027.
Organoids are artificially created three-dimensional structures that mimic organs, constructed by culturing cells derived from the human body.
They replicate the cellular composition, structure, and functionality of organs, positioning them as potential alternatives to animal testing.
Fueled by this remarkable growth, the report highlights rising interest in regenerative therapies based on organoids.
These therapies involve transplanting organoids into damaged organs or tissues, promoting regeneration through engraftment—the process of attaching one tissue to another.
This direct induction of regeneration differentiates organoid-based therapies from traditional stem cell therapies, which rely on the anti-inflammatory effects of proteins temporarily secreted by stem cells within the body, thus offering limited regenerative capabilities.
In South Korea, companies like Organoid Sciences are developing organoid models for various organs and diseases to create treatments for intractable illnesses.
A notable example is ATORM-C, an intestinal organoid therapy aimed at treating radiation proctitis and inflammatory bowel diseases.
This therapy involves creating intestinal organoids from normal intestinal mucosal tissue collected from patients via endoscopy and subsequently injecting these organoids into the damaged tissue.
CellinCells, another company in the field, is developing a range of organoid-based regenerative therapies for skin and cartilage regeneration, as well as vascular formation, while Next&Bio is conducting research on organoid models derived from pancreatic cancer and breast cancer patient samples.
However, the report notes that the lack of specific guidelines for the development of organoid-based regenerative therapies, both domestically and internationally, poses a challenge.
Currently, companies working on these therapies must rely on guidelines for cell therapies or stem cell therapies as references for their development efforts.
Additionally, the report highlights the limited number of reported clinical trials and studies related to organoid regenerative therapies, with only one case in South Korea and four cases globally, as another limitation.
The report concludes by emphasizing the need for “prompt and efficient development of organoid regenerative therapies and comprehensive safety management throughout the entire lifecycle.”
It recommends close collaboration between academic institutions, industry, and regulatory agencies, both domestically and internationally, to establish relevant guidelines and regulatory frameworks for organoid manufacturing, clinical trials, and other aspects of organoid-based regenerative therapy development.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
