From CSEMReviewed by Maria OsipovaApr 6 2023
HiFiBiO Therapeutics and CSEM are collaborating to develop and manufacture single-cell microfluidics that will enable novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. A new paradigm is emerging thanks to the integration of deep biological expertise and data intelligence.
Photograph of the microfluidic chip. The inlets and outlets can be seen, as well as the two gold electrodes that cause the cells to be sorted. Image Credit: © CSEM / Antal Thoma
We have all heard that drug discovery takes years and most potential drugs fail in human trials. The traditional pharmaceutical pipeline forces thousands of compounds through multiple stages. On average, it takes 5,000 pre-selected compounds and six to twelve years for a single drug to be approved. Furthermore, these developments do not take into account our heterogeneous nature, which means efficacy varies from patient to patient.
Curative Immunotherapies for Every Patient with Cancer or Autoimmune Diseases
HiFiBiO Therapeutics, a multinational biotherapeutics company, that mobilizes the human immune system to fight disease, aims to change this costly paradigm with its proprietary and versatile single-cell platform called “Drug Intelligence Science (DIS™),” which combines microfluidics, single-cell analysis, and data science. This unique approach combines a cutting-edge single-cell platform with AI-based data analytics to maximize the probability of success throughout the drug discovery and development process.
The DIS™ platform requires cutting-edge microfluidic technologies made of lithium niobate, a delicate substrate with piezoelectric properties. HiFiBiO Therapeutics has adapted this material, typically used to make active filters in smartphones, to develop an ultrafast sorting microsystem for screening immune cells. HiFiBiO Therapeutics turned to CSEM to lead the industrialization and production of these complex microfluidic chips.
“CSEM provides innovative startups like HiFiBiO access to agile MEMS foundry services. Our team has the expertise and desire to tackle emerging materials and processes, which is essential to support the innovation of our partners,” says Frédéric Loizeau, Business Development Manager at CSEM.
Responsible for the Industrialization and Production of the Microfluidic Chips
At CSEM, HiFiBiO Therapeutics met inquisitive and talented experts who delivered world-class prototypes and built a robust supply chain. “All of our interactions with CSEM are based on trust, and HiFiBiO Therapeutics knows that the best solutions for our technologies are being proposed,” says Benjamin Lassus, Senior Scientist at HiFiBiO.
The lithium niobate microfluidic chips are now industrialized and manufactured in the MEMS cleanroom of CSEM. Thanks to CSEM’s ISO-9001 quality system, all steps and changes are documented, so HiFiBiO Therapeutics knows exactly what is being delivered to them. CSEM is proud to support HiFiBiO Therapeutics and contribute to its mission of creating more personalized medicines.