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HUB’s proprietary technology enables the production of mini-organs in a dish from patient-derived tissue . As the global leader in the field of adult stem cell-derived organoids, one of HUB’s missions is to increase the global accessibility of HUB Organoid Technology. HUB licensing partners play a very important role here. We asked our license expert, Lara Stolzenburg to guide us through the requirements to work with HUB Organoid Technology and describe the instances when a license is needed. Read the interview to find out more.
Q: Hi Lara, thanks for taking some time to answer the most common questions about the use of HUB Organoid Technology. Perhaps a good place to start would be to describe what HUB Organoid Technology means?
Hi! Yes, that is a good point to start. HUB Organoid Technology is a proprietary technology that allows the development of organoids directly from patient epithelial tissue. It is based on the ground-breaking discovery of Lgr5+ stem cells in the adult intestine by the Hans Clever´s lab, which subsequently led to the development of the first “mini-gut in a dish”. These organoids are called HUB Organoids™ and are derived from adult stem cells, therefore are oftentimes also referred to as adult stem cells-derived organoids or patient derived organoids (PDOs). HUB Organoid Technology does not require reprogramming or transformation of stem cells, therefore enabling the development of diseased as well as normal organoids which preserve the original tissue genetic and epigenetic makeup, including clinically relevant mutations.
Q: In which instances is a license required to work with HUB Organoid Technology?
A license is required to work with HUB Organoid Technology in-house whenever there is a commercial interest or commercial entity involved. So if any company would like to use HUB Organoid Technology in-house, they would first need a HUB license in place. If a research institute is engaged in commercial activities, they would also need a license from HUB.
Q: Why is a license required to work with HUB Organoid Technology in-house?
This unique technology is covered by abroad and extensive IP. Our extended IP portfolio is covering all aspects of Organoid Technology, including product (adult stem cell-derived and all epithelial organoids), culture media (organ-specific composition), use (application fields such as drug discovery/development, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine), and method/process (e.g. establishment, expansion, differentiation, etc.). Due to the breadth of HUB IP coverage, a license is required in order to be able to work with HUB Organoid Technology in-house. In addition, HUB licenses come with multiple benefits, allowing access to HUB protocols and know-how, as well as advice from HUB experts to make sure that our customers implement HUB Organoid Technology in the most successful and efficient way.
Q: Will I have to apply for a license if I do not need access to the HUB Biobank but just want to use HUB Organoid Technology in-house?
Yes. Even if you are not planning on obtaining organoids from the HUB Biobank, a license is required to work with HUB Organoid Technology internally. Once you have a license, you have the option to generate your own organoids from patient-derived tissue, or to purchase organoids from HUB or HUB-approved vendors.
Q: Will I need to apply for a license if I wish to use HUB Organoids for internal research?
Yes. Using HUB Organoid Technology by any commercial entity requires a license regardless of the type of research.
Q: What if I am interested in HUB’s CRO services and do not want to use HUB Organoids technology in-house. Do I still need a license from HUB?
No. If you are opting for HUB’s CRO services, you do not need to obtain a license. A license is only required when you would like to use HUB Organoid Technology in-house. But if it’s of any help to you, you can check out our drug screening and model development services here.
Q: Great! Now that it is more clear in which instances a license is required, could you explain what types of licenses HUB offers?
We offer different licenses depending on our customers’ needs. Our most common license is our drug development license, for companies that want to implement HUB Organoid Technology in their drug development pipelines and internal research. These are typically pharma and biotech companies. We also offer biobanking licenses to become a distributor of HUB Organoids, and validation licenses for companies that want to validate their equipment on HUB Organoid Technology. Furthermore, we offer additional licenses tailored to our customers’ needs, so feel free to reach out to us if your intended use is not included here.
Q: What can I expect when acquiring a license from HUB?
Once the license agreement has been established, we will put you in contact with our Tech Transfer department, who will share our most recent protocols with your team. HUB protocols allow the development of living biobanks of patient-derived organoids that are stable in long-term culture and can be expanded and cryopreserved for multiple applications. They have been developed, optimized, and standardized for a range of organs and disease types to ensure the most successful use of HUB Organoid Technology. If you plan to apply for the HUB Onboarding program, which we strongly recommend, our Tech Transfer team will plan the Onboarding sessions with you. Based on your Onboarding package, we will organize tailored meetings with HUB Organoids’ experts to address your questions. Furthermore, you have the possibility to apply for hands-on training at HUB for a reduced fee. Last but not least, as a HUB licensee you will have access to the HUB biobank, which includes thousands of organoid models from different human/species, organs and diseases, that have been characterized and validated with our strict QC standards.
Q: What are the steps for purchasing organoids from the HUB Biobank?
Once the license is in place, our Tech Transfer department will support you to select the right organoid models for your research. Since most of our biobank is characterized in terms of DNA-seq and RNA-seq, the selection can be done based on mutations of interest. Organoids from the HUB Biobank are transferred under an MTA defining the conditions of use for the organoids. Also, since HUB Organoids are derived from patients’ material, an external ethical committee (Toetsingscommissie Biobanken or TCBio) must provide their approval before we can proceed shipping the organoids. For this purpose, a release protocol (document describing the research to be performed with the organoids) needs to be prepared and submitted to the ethical committee. HUB will guide and support you throughout the whole ethical approval process. For planning purposes, it is good to keep in mind that the usual timeline is 2-3 months until receiving final approval from the committee and shipment of the organoids can take place.
Q: Will I get additional support from HUB throughout the license term?
Yes, absolutely! We offer different Tech Transfer packages according to your needs. These are always available upon request throughout the license term. Based on HUB’s extensive experience with our licensees, we always recommend initiating the license with an Onboarding to make sure that you implement HUB Organoid Technology in the most successful and efficient way.
Q: What costs are associated with obtaining a HUB license?
Since the pricing is dependent on a number of factors, such as the type of license, please fill in the form at the bottom of the page and we will reach out to you as soon as possible with more information.
Q: I am interested in obtaining a license. How should I move forward?
Click on the link below to fill out our form and we will reach out as soon as possible to help you further.
Still have questions? Please contact our business development team at bd@huborganoids.nl