Organovo Subsidiary Samsara Sciences Launches Commercial Operations, Will Be Dedicated Cell Provider for 3D Bioprinting Company

We’ve covered a lot of stories on bioprinting, as the technology continues to develop with exciting implications for medicine. It’s become a race of sorts, with several companies striving to become the first to 3D print a working, transplantable human organ. We’re not there yet, but one of the most promising companies in the field has been Organovo, the California corporation who has received accolades for their exVive 3D Human Liver Tissue, which is being used for drug toxicity testing, and for their 3D printed kidney tissue, which will soon be commercially available.

Today, Organovo has taken the expansion of their technology a step further with the announcement that their wholly-owned subsidiary, Samsara Sciences Incorporated, is commencing commercial operations. Organovo established the subsidiary as their dedicated cell provider in order to optimize their operating expenses and supply chain; Samsara will be focused on providing high-quality human liver cells for a variety of research applications.

“The Samsara team shares a passion for cells and is dedicated to providing the high-quality, well-characterized cellular reagents that are required to support the future of biological research and tissue products,” said Dr. Sharon Presnell, President and Chief Technology Officer for Samsara Sciences and Executive Vice President of Research and Development for Organovo. “Our ultimate vision is to supply a comprehensive portfolio of tissue-specific cells that are tailored for use in the production of the multi-cellular 3D tissues that are poised to change the landscape of drug discovery and regenerative medicine.”

Human hepatocytes (image: Samsara Sciences)

In particular, Samsara will be supplying human hepatic stellate cells, a major type of cell in the liver and one that significantly contributes to the development of diseases such as fibrosis and fatty liver disease. Customers who utilize Samsara’s services will receive a lot of support from the company in addition to the batches of cells they purchase. Instructions will be provided for cell culture and cryopreservation, and customers will also have access to tissue sections, nucleic acids and gene expression data. Human hepatocytes, another major liver cell type, will soon be made available through distributor QPS Hepatic Biosciences.

Samsara Sciences will also be working with Dr. Tatiana Kisseleva, a liver cell biology expert and adjunct professor at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Kisseleva and her laboratory will provide key services for Samsara’s continued research and development processes.

“Cell supply and quality are critical to meeting Organovo’s goal to change the shape of medical research and practice, including our desire to create a bioprinted liver patch for transplant,” said Keith Murphy, CEO of Organovo.  “I’m grateful to the team at Samsara and its key collaborators and scientific advisors for enabling us to develop this high-quality cell source, and to offer it to other researchers through Samsara’s commercial efforts.”

Those suffering from liver disease are grateful, too. The establishment of Samsara is a major step forward for Organovo, who is looking more and more like they may become the leader in lifesaving bioprinting technology.  Discuss this news in the Organovo Liver forum on 3DPB.com