Cilcare is pleased to announce that its innovative INEAR3D project has been selected by the Companies & Campus initiative, supported by the University of Montpellier and its Pôle Universitaire d’Innovation (PEI). The project has received a €50,000 grant in recognition of its scientific impact and alignment with the PEI’s health and sustainability priorities.

Led by Dr. Sylvie Pucheu, Director of Preclinical Innovation at Cilcare, INEAR3D represents a bold leap forward in the development of human-based in vitro models for auditory drug screening. The project is carried out in collaboration with the Institut Charles Gerhardt de Montpellier (ICGM), combining academic and industry expertise to advance precision tools in hearing research.

🎯 Why the INEAR3D Project Matters

Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in humans and a major public health issue worldwide. Yet, the effectiveness of auditory treatments remains limited, particularly due to challenges in drug delivery to the inner ear. The round window membrane (RWM) acts as a critical biological barrier between the middle and inner ear, limiting the diffusion and bioavailability of active pharmaceutical compounds.

“The inaccessibility of the cochlea and lack of human cellular models are two major barriers to developing effective treatments for sensorineural hearing loss,” says Dr. Sylvie Pucheu. “With INEAR3D, we aim to overcome these limitations by providing a highly reliable, human-cell-derived platform that more accurately reflects human biology than traditional animal models. This biomimetic tool will enable us to better study and predict how drugs pass through the complex membranes of the inner ear.“

🧪 A 3D Bioprinted Model to Replace Animal Testing

INEAR3D proposes to reconstruct the round window membrane using advanced 3D bioprinting technologies, specifically stereolithography DLP (Digital Light Processing). The printed hydrogel structure will mimic the native membrane’s multilayer composition, incorporating specific human cell types and extracellular matrix properties. This in vitro model will allow high-throughput testing of drug diffusion and formulation strategies.

The goal is not only to accelerate drug development but also to reduce animal testing in line with the 3Rs principle (Replace, Reduce, Refine).

“This model will allow us to test compounds and biotherapies more ethically and more efficiently, ultimately accelerating the discovery of new hearing loss therapies,” adds Dr. Pucheu.

🚀 Toward Innovation and Translation

By integrating Cilcare’s preclinical expertise with cutting-edge materials science, INEAR3D is expected to:

• Enable quantitative analysis of drug permeability through the RWM
• Improve early-stage screening of formulations and excipients
• Serve as a predictive tool to complement in vivo models
• Support regulatory data packages for CTA/IND filings

INEAR3D exemplifies Cilcare’s commitment to scientific excellence and disruptive innovation in auditory research. The project includes the recruitment of a CIFRE PhD student and further strengthens our contribution to the dynamic biotech innovation ecosystem in Occitanie.