Preclinical data highlight the potential of Aspect’s adrenal Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics to restore adrenal function and treat primary adrenal insufficiency
Aspect Biosystems, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics (BTTs) as a new category in regenerative medicine, today announced new preclinical data at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting held in San Francisco. The company presented an oral and poster presentation highlighting that Aspect’s adrenal BTTs can restore adrenal function, following natural daily hormone rhythms and maintaining long-term performance in animal models of primary adrenal insufficiency.
Primary adrenal insufficiency is a serious, life-threatening condition in which the adrenal glands fail to produce sufficient levels of essential hormones such as cortisol, a key regulator of the body’s stress response. The current standard of care involves daily hormone replacement therapy, which does not fully replicate the body’s natural circadian hormone rhythms and is associated with significant drug-related side effects. This can leave patients with a poor quality of life and at risk of ongoing health challenges, including potentially fatal adrenal crises.
Aspect’s adrenal BTTs were developed using the company’s proprietary full-stack tissue therapeutic platform, which combines AI-powered bioprinting, computational design tools, therapeutic cells, and advanced biomaterials.
In preclinical studies, adrenal BTTs containing human adrenal cells were implanted into adrenalectomized mice. These BTTs produced cortisol in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation—which is normally secreted from the brain—and followed the animals’ natural circadian fluctuations in hormone levels. When exposed to high levels of injected ACTH, these mice demonstrated rapid increases in circulating cortisol, confirming that the adrenal BTTs were functionally responsive. In contrast, control animals receiving cell-free implants showed no significant cortisol levels and did not respond to ACTH stimulation. Importantly, adrenal BTTs remained functional in vivo throughout the study period of over six months and improved animal survival.
“Our research shows that Aspect’s adrenal BTTs successfully replicate healthy human adrenal gland function by releasing cortisol in a pattern that follows the natural daily rhythms of hormone release and by responding appropriately to a stimulus that mimics a stress response,” said Sam Wadsworth, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Aspect Biosystems. “These results demonstrate that our off-the-shelf, implantable cell therapy can work in harmony with the body’s physiology and has real potential to serve as a functional cure for primary adrenal insufficiency.”
“At Aspect, we’re making breakthrough progress with our Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics platform to restore complex biological functions across a range of serious endocrine and metabolic diseases,” said Tamer Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of Aspect Biosystems. “This latest advance in primary adrenal insufficiency, a rare and life-threatening condition with limited treatment options, showcases the potential of a bioengineered cell therapy to recreate natural hormone function and deliver a truly disease-modifying solution. This reflects our mission to develop regenerative medicines capable of achieving functional cures for patients with serious and underserved diseases.”
Discover the latest trends and insights—explore the Business Insights Journal for up-to-date strategies and industry breakthroughs!
