ARTIC Technologies provides a scalable cell culture platform that integrates Magnetic Artificial Cilia (MAC) into standard well plates to generate physiological fluid flow, enabling more human-relevant and reproducible assays without disrupting existing workflows. The MACplate works with standard Transwell supports and laboratory automation, with a proven application in gut permeability testing for improved detection of low-permeability compounds.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Traditional static cell culture systems fail to replicate the dynamic fluid flow conditions found in the human body, leading to less predictive and reproducible assay results. This limits the accuracy of preclinical drug testing and other biological research, particularly for challenging applications like assessing compound permeability and tumor-immune cell interactions.
Solution
ARTIC Technologies offers the MACplate, a 24-well plate with integrated microscopic Magnetic Artificial Cilia (MAC) that generate controlled fluid flow when placed on the MACnet actuation device. This system creates dynamic cell culture conditions that better mimic the in vivo microenvironment, enhancing compound exposure and improving detection of subtle assay responses. The MACplate is compatible with standard well plates, Transwell inserts, and laboratory automation, allowing researchers to increase throughput without adding experimental complexity. The technology is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing workflows, requiring only cell seeding, placement on MACnet, and activation to initiate flow.
Target Audience
Primary customers are pharmaceutical companies and research laboratories seeking to improve the human relevance and predictive power of their in vitro assays, particularly in drug discovery and development.
Features
- MACplate is a standard 24-well plate with integrated Magnetic Artificial Cilia (50 µm diameter, 350 µm height) that beat under a controlled magnetic field to generate fluid flow
- Compatible with standard Transwell supports and laboratory automation for seamless integration into existing protocols
- MACnet actuation device powers the system, enabling controlled and reproducible flow conditions in the incubator
- Proven application in gut permeability testing, improving detection of challenging low-permeability compounds
- Additional applications include immuno-oncology (tumor-immune cell infiltration), tissue maturation, inflammation, and vascularized tissue studies
- 96-well plate format in development for higher-throughput screening