105374The Inhalation ChallengeClosedStudyInnovate UK"We breathe over 23 000 times a day. Along with the air in each breath we take, there are other substances present, which are largely dependent on the environment we live in. The chemicals we breathe in depend on lifestyle choices (smoking, cosmetics), occupation (industrial chemicals, particulates), location (exhaust fumes, pollen) and health conditions (medicines). It is well known that certain substances can cause direct damage to the lung when inhaled (e.g. asbestos) or be taken up into the blood stream and cause toxicity elsewhere in the body. Therefore, every new chemical, particle and medicine that could enter the lungs must be tested for safety before it can be marketed. The standard testing methods are both costly and inaccurate with a heavy reliance on the use of animals such as rats, mice and dogs. Human lung cells grown in the laboratory are also used but these are not suitably representative of complex lung tissue, hence the need for animal testing. We have developed a novel laboratory human cell-based model (ImmuLUNG) using the two main cell types in the small airways of the lung. Immune cells and barrier cells have been grown together in the model to assess if substances enter the blood stream and measure the initial immune response of the lungs. Advantages over other existing lung models are that substances can be delivered to the cells as they would be when you breathe in (as an aerosol), more closely resembling human lungs, and the model is easy to assemble and use. This provides end users with a convenient and more accurate safety assessment, saving money by reducing the number of costly and lengthy animal experiments required. This 12-month project will fund the set-up and development of a micro-SME, ImmuONE to commercialise this technology. Specifically, it will fund the innovators of the project who have developed the technology in the laboratory to realise its commercial potential in the life sciences industry. The technology will be validated against market leaders to demonstrate its advantage over existing technologies and we will invest in commercial product development for scale up and supply. The business model will be developed to determine the best route to market for the product (either direct sales or via licensing deals/partnerships with contract research and life science organisations)."