A Comprehensive Review of Organ-on-Chip/Body-on-Chip Systems: Engineering, Applications, and Potential Impact on Drug Development and Administration

Abstract

The current drug development process faces significant challenges of a high failure rate that results in substantial time and financial waste. This is primarily attributed to the lack of pre-clinical models capable of generating physiologically relevant data essential for accurate predictions during decision-making for advancing to costly clinical stages. Fortunately, advancements in cell culture technology and material fabrication techniques have given rise to an interdisciplinary innovation known as organ-on-chip/body-on-chip (OoC/BoC), offering unparalleled physiological relevance. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the materials and techniques involved in engineering OoC/BoC systems, covering the sourcing of cells from diverse origins, tissue model creation, material processing for culturing these models and coupling single OoCs into complex BoC systems. Furthermore, the potential applications of OoCs/BoCs in drug discovery processes and personalized medicine are explored. Lastly, we discuss the significant potential of this technology to revolutionize the entire drug development pipeline and the way of drug administration, as well as address the key regulatory obstacles impeding the large-scale application of the technology. In summary, this review underlines the pivotal role of OoC/BoC technology in addressing current limitations in drug development, offering promising avenues for improving efficiency, reducing costs, and advancing personalized medicine.