Nortis

Nortis, a biotechnology firm, is developing organ-on-a-chip platforms to enhance the process of drug discovery and development. The company originated from research conducted at the University of Washington, where the founding team developed the core technology.

The founders include Thomas Neumann, who serves as the CEO. His background is rooted in the University of Washington's bioengineering program, from which this venture was spun out. This direct link between his academic research and the company's focus provides a strong foundation for its scientific direction.

Nortis's primary offering is the ParVivo™ platform, a microfluidic device designed to mimic the microenvironment of human tissues and organs. This technology allows for the creation of three-dimensional biological models that more accurately represent in-vivo conditions compared to traditional 2D cell cultures. The platform is particularly focused on creating models of blood vessels and microvasculature, which are crucial for studying a variety of diseases and the effects of potential drugs.

The business operates in the life sciences and drug discovery market, serving pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CROs), and academic research institutions. By providing more predictive, human-relevant data early in the drug development pipeline, Nortis aims to help its clients reduce the high costs and failure rates associated with bringing new therapies to market. The business model likely involves selling the ParVivo™ chips and related equipment, as well as potentially offering research services based on their platform. The key benefit for clients is the ability to de-risk their research and development efforts by identifying promising and problematic drug candidates sooner.

Keywords: organ-on-a-chip, microfluidics, drug discovery, 3D cell culture, in-vitro models, bioengineering, life sciences, preclinical research, biotechnology, vascularization