Intero Biosystems Has Commercialized Intestinal Organoids
The startup provides lab-grown tissue for drug testing as industry shifts away from traditional animal models.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Biotech
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Denver-based Intero Biosystems has launched GastroScreen, a human intestinal organoid product designed to replace animal testing in pharmaceutical development. The company is currently testing its commercial model while navigating a three-stage validation process for non-animal test methods.
Why it matters
Drug developers often face high failure rates because human biology differs significantly from that of animal models. Regulators are increasingly opening pathways for alternative methods, creating a new market for human-derived tissue testing.
Intero Biosystems ships 1-millimeter organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells in tubes containing 100 units each. The startup currently serves fewer than 10 customers with this model.
The players
Intero Biosystems
A Denver-based startup developing human intestinal organoid models for pharmaceutical drug screening.
FDA
The federal regulatory body responsible for drug approval standards and non-animal testing guidance.
The details
GastroScreen organoids consist of multiple cell and tissue types found in the human intestine. The startup produces these models using induced pluripotent stem cells—adult cells genetically reprogrammed into an embryonic-like state capable of becoming any cell type. The company is currently operating in the second stage of a three-stage validation process to confirm the reliability of these models as testing substrates.
Timeline
2024: Intero Biosystems was founded.
April 2025: The FDA announced plans to reduce reliance on animal testing.
March 2026: The FDA issued draft guidance regarding validation of non-animal testing methods.
October 13 to 15, 2026: The Startup Battlefield competition occurs at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.
The Tech Race
The firm is positioning itself within the evolving regulatory landscape set by the FDA's March 2026 draft guidance for non-animal testing. It remains in competition with other diagnostic and biotech startups currently exploring human-tissue alternatives to traditional animal models.
The technology aims to accelerate the pharmaceutical development pipeline by improving the accuracy of initial drug testing. While current access is limited to a small group of enterprise customers, the startup plans to eventually automate production to scale output to hundreds of thousands of units.
The takeaway
Intero Biosystems is betting that human-derived tissue will replace animal models as drug testing standards evolve. Watch for the completion of their current validation process, which will determine the commercial viability of their organoids for large-scale pharmaceutical application.
What happens next
Intero Biosystems is participating in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt between October 13 and 15, 2026.
Further reading
For more on the latest research in lab-grown tissues, visit the Biotech section.
Live Poll
Should drugmakers prioritize non-animal testing methods even if they are not yet fully validated?
