Riga-based Cellbox Labs, creating automated organ-on-chip systems for animal-free drug testing, has raised €3.3 million non-dilutive funding partly via the EU’s Tech4Cure IPCEI program.
- Cellbox Labs was established in 2020 by Artūrs Ābols, Gatis Mozoļevskis, and Roberts Rimša. The company develops advanced organ-on-chip technology that creates miniature, dynamic models of human organs, such as the gut, pancreas, and vascular systems, outside the body.
- These micro-engineered systems replicate key biological functions using primary cells and personalized components like patient-derived microbiota and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
- By integrating sensors for real-time oxygen and pH monitoring, Cellbox Labs’ platform provides live data to improve drug discovery and testing accuracy.
- Their technology enables scalable, automated experiments designed to replace animal testing, offering more physiologically relevant insights for pharmaceutical, nutrition, and biotech industries.
- In 2024, the firm raised €935,000 to advance its automated organ-on-chip culturing platform and initiate sales activities. The round was led by Buildit VC, with additional support from business angels in the Latvian Business Angels Network.
Details of the deal
- The fresh capital came from state aid through the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) in the healthcare sector, known as “Tech4Cure,” which strengthens the EU’s industrial resilience and reinforces the Single Market.
- The firm will use the fresh €3.3 million to scale personalised gut-on-chip models, integrate built-in O₂ and pH sensors, benchmark GLP-1 biosimilars, and develop digital twins to boost predictive, animal-free drug testing.
"Our roadmap aligns closely with recent regulatory developments, including the FDA announcement to phase out animal testing requirement for monoclonal antibodies and other drugs and National Institutes of Health requirement that new funding opportunities need to include computer modeling, AI and ‘organs-on-a-chip’ technologies," Cellbox Labs' team, commented on LinkedIn.
