Göttingen, Germany and Brussels, Belgium, September 3, 2026 – MATTEK, a subsidiary of the life science group Sartorius and a leading developer and manufacturer of human cell-based microtissues and 3D models, has joined the Industry Alliance for Microphysiological Systems (IAMPS) as its tenth member, expanding the world’s first microphysiological systems association and reinforcing the company’s commitment to qualifying and deploying advanced in vitro models.

IAMPS is the industry voice of MPS providers in the European Union (EU), bringing together companies developing organoids, organs-on-chips, and related human biology-based technologies. It supports the development, adoption, and regulatory acceptance of these advanced new approach methodologies (NAMs).

“We are delighted to welcome MATTEK to IAMPS,” said Thibault Honegger, President of IAMPS. “As a pioneer and leader of the tissue engineering and 3D-reconstructed human tissue models industry, they will bring invaluable experience to the association. They will add their strength to our efforts to accelerate the regulatory adoption of MPS and foster an effective European industrial strategy for the sector.”

“Too many promising drug candidates fail in clinical development because traditional preclinical models don’t always predict human outcomes,” said Gwen Fewell, Head of Advanced Cell Models at Sartorius. MATTEK develops human tissue models that help researchers generate more human-relevant data earlier in development, enabling researchers to make better-informed decisions. “By joining IAMPS, we are strengthening our commitment to advancing regulatory acceptance of microphysiological systems and new approach methodologies working alongside industry leaders, regulators and policymakers across Europe.”

“MATTEK develops microphysiological models and methods that form the building blocks of integrated NAMs targeting multi-organ and systemic endpoints,” said Alex Armento, Head of MATTEK. “Joining IAMPS is a natural fit because we share the same goal of advancing NAMs in Europe through standardized, validated methods and constructive dialogue with regulators.”

The move comes at a critical time for MPS in Europe. In December 2025, the European Commission published a draft EU Biotech Act^[1] listing the integration of NAMs^[2] in preclinical development and regulatory testing as “health biotechnology strategic projects.” In June, it published a roadmap towards phasing out animal testing for chemical safety assessments^[3], which aims to gradually replace animal tests with “non-animal approaches” across many regulatory areas, while recognizing that “both reduction and refinement remain important stepping stones along this path,” in line with the 3R principle.

IAMPS works with the European Commission and its agencies to accelerate the regulatory recognition of MPS in specific preclinical contexts of use, and advocates for targeted funding to deploy MPS models at scale in the EU. Mattek joins founding members AlveoliX, BiomimX, Dynamic42, chiron, InSphero, MIMETAS, NETRI, React4life, and TissUse.

More information about MATTEK:

MATTEK is a leading developer and manufacturer of human cell-based microtissues and 3D models and joined Sartorius in 2025. 

www.mattek.com

About Sartorius

Sartorius is a leading international partner to biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing. The Lab Products & Services Division focuses on innovative laboratory instruments and consumables for research and quality assurance laboratories in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies as well as academic research institutions. The Bioprocess Solutions Division supports customers with a broad product portfolio focused on single-use solutions for the safer, faster, and more sustainable production of biotech drugs, vaccines, and cell and gene therapies. With around 60 production and sales locations worldwide, the Germany-based company has a strong global presence. Sartorius regularly supplements its portfolio with acquisitions of complementary technologies. In 2025, the company generated sales revenue of around 3.5 billion euros. More than 14,000 employees are working for customers around the globe. 

Visit our newsroom or follow Sartorius on LinkedIn. 

About IAMPS

Based in Brussels, IAMPS’ mission is to unite and represent companies across Europe developing microphysiological systems (MPS), including organoids, organs-on-chips, and other advanced human-relevant models. As a single point of contact for regulators and policymakers, IAMPS works to accelerate the regulatory acceptance of MPS through coordinated efforts on validation, qualification, and standardisation. The alliance also advocates for EU programmes and legislation that recognize the strategic importance of a strong European MPS industry in supporting the achievement of key EU policy objectives. Those include accelerating drug discovery, strengthening the competitiveness of Europe’s biotechnology sector, and reducing the use of animals in chemical safety assessment.

Follow IAMPS on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iampseu/

Contact MATTEK

Dr. Gwen Fewell                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Head of Advanced Cell Models                                                                                                                                                                                                                gwen.fewell@sartorius.com

Contact Industry Alliance for Microphysiological Systems 

Helder Constantino                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Managing Director                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            +32 4 71 28 13 34                                                                                                                                                                                                                                helder.constantino@iamps.eu

[1]https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2025/1022/COM_COM(2025)1022_EN.pdf

[2] Defined as “innovative methods that do not involve live animals, such as in vitro (cell or tissue-based), in chemico (chemical-based), or in-silico (computer-based) approaches, as well as combinations of these”

[3]https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/document/download/dff698bf-4852-4898-9f0d-7878382fbff6_en?filename=C_2026_3497_F1_COMMUNICATION_FROM_COMMISSION_EN_V4_P1_4771149.PDF