Galapagos licenses Organoid Technology for use in cystic fibrosis and IBD

Belgian clinical-stage biotech company Galapagos NV (Euronext: GLPG) has entered into a licensing agreement with the HUB Foundation for use of Organoid Technology for preclinical research in cystic fibrosis (CF) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). No financial terms of the accord were disclosed.

Organoids are mini-organs grown in cell culture from biopsies taken from patients; these mini-organs faithfully recapitulate the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of diseased tissues. Organoids have proven to be valuable disease models for the high-throughput screening and validation of innovative medicines, bypassing limitations associated with cell-line and xenograft-based preclinical drug studies.

Onno van de Stolpe, chief executive of Galapagos, said: "The HUB's Organoid Technology will add an exciting and cutting edge approach to Galapagos' arsenal of research methods and potentially accelerate the discovery and development of our innovative drugs for CF and IBD."