Spheroid and Organoid Technologies for Predictive 3D In Vitro Research
Advancing Human-Relevant Research with Spheroids and Organoids
Spheroids and organoids are three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models used to evaluate how human tissues respond to pharmaceuticals, occupational toxins, agrochemicals, cosmetics, and other test substances. By recreating aspects of tissue architecture, cell–cell interactions, and biological function, these in vitro models can generate more physiologically relevant and predictive data than conventional two-dimensional cell cultures.
As part of the broader New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) landscape, spheroid and organoid models can support more human-relevant research while helping reduce reliance on animal testing.
InSphero’s proprietary Akura™ and Gri3D® Technologies enable the reproducible formation, culture, treatment, and analysis of spheroid and organoid models across the drug discovery pipeline and other testing applications. Since 2009, InSphero has advanced scalable 3D cell culture technologies and provides access to both spheroids and organoid technologies through a single partner, helping researchers select the model that best fits their biological question, throughput requirements, and application.
Spheroids and Organoids: Understanding the Key Differences
Spheroids and organoids differ in how they are formed, the level of biological complexity they provide, and the research applications they support. InSphero’s Akura™ and Gri3D® Technologies are designed to address these distinct model requirements while improving reproducibility, scalability, and workflow integration.
The choice between a spheroid and an organoid depends on the biological question, required complexity, throughput, reproducibility, and experimental workflow. Spheroids can provide controlled cellular composition and scalable assay formats for screening and mechanistic studies, while organoids can offer greater tissue-specific complexity and opportunities to model donor-specific biology. InSphero supports both approaches through Akura™ and Gri3D® technologies.
Spheroids are commonly described as relatively simple 3D cell aggregates, often generated from a single cell type or cell line. InSphero’s spheroid models go beyond this simplified definition.Our microtissues are physiologically relevant 3D in vitro models formed through scaffold-free aggregation of primary cells, including multiple cell types to better reflect key aspects of native tissue biology. We use the term microtissue to distinguish these more physiologically relevant spheroid models from conventional spheroids.
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Why Choose InSphero for Your Spheroid and Organoid Research?
One Partner for Spheroids and Organoids
Access both spheroid and organoid technologies within one portfolio, with expert guidance to select the model that best fits your biological question, workflow, and application.
Scalable 3D Technology
Akura™ and Gri3D® support reproducible model formation, long-term compound treatment, and multiparametric analysis in automation-compatible workflows.
Flexible Access to the Right Model
Choose assay-ready microtissues, contract research services, or custom model development based on your program requirements, internal capabilities, and timelines.
Human-Relevant Data Across Applications
Physiologically relevant, well-characterized in vitro models support reliable decision-making across safety assessment, efficacy testing, mechanistic studies, and translational research.
Akura™ and Gri3D®: Two Complementary Platforms for Scalable 3D In Vitro Research
Akura™ and Gri3D® Technology address two key challenges in advanced 3D in vitro research: enabling standardized, scalable 3D in vitro assays and improving reproducibility and streamlining workflow integration.
Akura™ Spheroid Microplate Technology
Akura™ Microplate Technology supports the controlled aggregation, long-term culture, dosing, imaging, and analysis of scaffold-free spheroids. By enabling one defined microtissue/spheroid per well, Akura™ 96 & 384 Spheroid Microplates combine easy handling with reproducibility and scalability.
Built on this technology, InSphero has established a diverse portfolio of physiologically relevant 3D spheroid models, including liver microtissues (human and species-specific), pancreatic islet microtissue, 3D tumor microtissue, MASH liver microtissue, and neural microtissue. Drug developers can access these in vitro models as assay-ready products or through customized service projects to address research questions in liver safety, MASH, diabetes, oncology, immuno-oncology, and neurotoxicity.
Discover how Akura™ Microplate Technology works
Our Flagship Microtissues
Human- and Species-Specific Liver Microtissue
Liver microtissues composed of primary hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells, designed to maintain physiologically relevant liver function during long-term compound exposure.
Key applications: High-throughput screening, drug-induced liver injury and hepatotoxicity assessment, drug metabolism, mechanistic studies, and translational research.
Pancreatic Islet Microtissue
Standardized pseudoislets that reproduce in vivo-like human pancreatic islet architecture and function for reliable assessment of endocrine function and treatment response.
Key applications: Drug efficacy and toxicity testing, assessment of β- and non-β-cell proliferation, and type 1 and type 2 diabetes modeling.
MASH Liver Microtissue
Human-relevant liver microtissues that reflect key hallmarks of MASH, including steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, for early evaluation of therapeutic safety and efficacy.
Key applications: Target identification and validation, drug screening, efficacy testing, and mechanism-of-action studies.
Oncology Microtissue
Patient-derived tumor spheroids that recreate relevant aspects of tumor architecture, the tumor microenvironment, and treatment response, depending on the model.
Key applications: Therapeutic efficacy, immuno-oncology, immune-cell infiltration, drug penetration, combination testing, resistance studies, and patient-specific research.
Neural Microtissue
Human iPSC-derived cortical spheroids composed of astrocytes, GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons, designed to capture relevant neuronal–glial interactions in a scalable 3D format.
Key applications: Neurotoxicity testing, functional neural assessment, CNS safety.
Gri3D® Hydrogel Microcavity Technology
Gri3D® Hydrogel Microcavity Technology facilitates the seeding, expansion, formation, long-term culture, and analysis of organoids within defined microcavities. The platform enables cultures with repeated medium changes, the treatment, and analysis of 31 to 121 organoids per well, providing researchers with greater statistical power and a streamlined workflow for various applications.
Built on Gri3D® Technology, InSphero has developed a portfolio of advanced organoid models, including gastrointestinal inflammatory bowel disease, various cancers, and blood–brain barrier models. These models can be accessed through customized service projects or standardised services (DIGIT for Gastrointestinal Safety Assessment) to support applications such as disease modeling, target validation, compound efficacy testing, mechanism-of-action studies, and translational research.
Discover how Gri3D® Hydrogel Microcavity Technology works
Explore Examples of Our Established Organoid Models
Human & Species-Specific Gastro-Intestinal Organoids
Human intestinal organoids that reproduce key epithelial cell types and tissue-specific functions of the small intestine in a scalable 3D culture format.
Key applications: Intestinal toxicity, permeability and barrier assessment, drug absorption, host–microbe interactions, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disease research.
Human & Species-Specific Induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease Organoids
Gastrointestinal organoids are exposed to a defined mixture of inflammatory cytokines to induce a disease-relevant IBD-like state, enabling assessment of barrier function and the prevention or recovery of inflammation.
Key applications: Barrier function, inflammatory bowel disease modeling, epithelial injury and regeneration, compound efficacy, toxicity testing, and mechanistic studies.
Colorectal Cancer Organoids
Patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids that preserve relevant tumor characteristics, heterogeneity, and treatment responses.
Key applications: Anticancer efficacy, phenotypic drug screening, mechanism-of-action studies, biomarker discovery, and precision oncology.
Explore the organoid models built on Gri3D® Technology
Applications of Spheroid and Organoid Models in Drug Discovery and Research
From geometry to human-relevant insights, InSphero’s spheroid and organoid technologies support a broad range of applications across drug safety, disease modeling and therapeutic discovery. By combining relevant human biology with standardized, scalable culture workflows, researchers can select the model complexity and experimental format that best match their scientific question.
Drug safety and toxicology
Investigate tissue-specific toxicity, repeated exposure, and functional responses.
Efficacy and compound screening
Compare drug candidates, efficacy, and treatment strategies in human-relevant 3D in vitro models.
Disease modeling
Reproduce relevant cellular interactions, disease phenotypes, and tissue-specific biology.
Target and mechanism studies
Evaluate target engagement, mechanism of action, and treatment response.
Translational research
Explore biomarkers, donor variability, cross-species comparison, patient-specific responses, and candidate differentiation.
Product and chemical testing
Assess biological responses to chemicals, agrochemicals, cosmetics, and other test substances.
Not sure which model fits your application?
Access 3D In Vitro Models in the Format That Fits Your Program
InSphero offers multiple ways to integrate spheroid and organoid models into your research workflow – from ready-to-use 3D in vitro models to fully customized studies and model development.
Assay-Ready Microtissues
Standardized, quality-controlled spheroids delivered ready-to-use for experimental use. Our assay-ready microtissues reduce internal development time and enable rapid integration into screening, efficacy, safety, and drug discovery workflows – supporting faster, more confident data generation.
Currently available microtissues: Human, dog, and mouse liver microtissues; human pancreatic islet microtissues; and human neural microtissues.
Contract Research Services
Application-focused studies designed and performed by InSphero scientists using established or customized spheroid or organoid models. Through a complimentary scientific consultation, our experts help define a study tailored to your research question, compounds, endpoints, and timelines – delivering human-relevant, actionable insights.
3D In Vitro Model Development
Project-specific spheroid or organoid models developed around your biological question, cell source, disease area, and application. Custom or co-develop a model is suited to research needs that cannot be addressed with an established model.
Whether you need an assay-ready model, a fully executed study, or a custom spheroid or organoid solution, our experts can help define the best path for your research.
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