Now Available: Preclinical Models: Innovative solutions to accelerate drug discovery and development

March 8, 2010 - PRLog -- Preclinical models are developed to test lead compounds for toxicity and efficacy. They are valuable tools to minimize development costs and reduce failures prior to commencement of human trials. Problems with traditional animal models such as cost, ethics, and suitability has prompted researchers to develop new models and systems to overcome such disadvantages. Alternative approaches include new vertebrate, nonvertebrate, computer-based and imaging models that offer new perspectives and utility to aid the drug discovery and development process. 'Preclinical Models' is a new report published by Business Insights that explores novel preclinical models that show promise to expedite and improve the target validation and lead optimization timeline and discusses the various advantages and disadvantages of ADMET screening technologies to provide insight on which models or systems may enhance the R&D function of pharmaceutical and biotechnology organisations. Additionally, this report provides an outlook for preclinical testing over the next decade and how pharmaceutical companies may need to adjust to new systems and models to improve their efficiencies. It uniquely focuses on more than 60 companies that are involved in using or developing ADMET technologies to advance preclinical research and provides an update on recent company activities and developments where new models and systems are employed to accelerate the discovery and development process.

For more information or to purchase this report, go to:
-  http://www.fastmr.com/prod/54090_preclinical_models_innov...

Partial Table of Contents:

Preclinical models
Executive summary 10
Preclinical models in drug discovery and development 10
In vivo models in preclinical research 11
In vitro models in preclinical research 12
In silico models in preclinical research 13
Systems biology models in drug discovery 14
Chapter 1 Preclinical models in drug discovery and development 16
Summary 16
Introduction: importance of preclinical models for toxicity screening in drug development 17
Preclinical ADMET testing systems 17
The challenge: reducing drug attrition rates in preclinical screening 19
Importance of ADMET screening 22
Applying of ADMET to the drug discovery and development process 22
Importance of in vivo models 23
Established in vivo and in vitro ADMET tools to screen compounds 25
Toxicity and genotoxicity screening 26
Predicting toxicity with paracellular markers 27
In vitro ADMET screening in preclinical drug development 27
Advantages and disadvantages of conventional ADME screening tools in preclinical drug development 28
Oral absorption prediction 28
Metabolism prediction 29
In vivo ADMET animal models 30
Established ADMET study methods in animal models 32
Radiolabels 32
Cassette dosing 32
Semi-simultaneous dosing 33
Conclusion 34
Limitations of traditional in vitro and in vivo ADMET screening methods 34
New approaches to predict ADMET in preclinical development 36
Metabolomics 36
Advantages of metabolomics in drug discovery and development 37
Lead prioritization using metabolomics 37
Metabolomics and ADMET studies 37
Strengths and limitations of metabolomics for preclinical research 38
Metabolomics and "systems biology" - a unified approach to preclinical
ADMET screening 40
Company focus: Merrimack Pharmaceuticals 41
Other emergent technologies used in preclinical drug discovery and development 42
Nanotechnologies in preclinical studies 42
Novel imaging systems 43
Preclinical research and recent multinational pharmaceutical company activities 44
Bayer AG and Nimbus Biotechnology 44
Pfizer/Johnson and Johnson and WuXi Pharma Tech 44
Roche 44
Sanofi-Aventis 45
UCB Pharma 45
Chapter 2 In vivo models in preclinical research 48
Summary 48
Vertebrate animal models in preclinical discovery and development 49
Assessment of predictive value of animal models 49
Rodent models 50
The need for improved small animal models 50
Humanized rodent models 51
Advantages and disadvantages of zebrafish models in preclinical research 52
Recent progress with vertebrate models 54
ADMET screens and zebrafish models: company developments and technologies 54
Discovery Genomics 54
Evotec AG 55
Phylonix 56
Summit 56
ZF Biolabs 57
Zygogen 58
ADMET screens in rodent models: selected company developments and technologies 59
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals 59
Taconic 59
Xenogen's (now part of Caliper) 61
Sigma-Aldrich 62
Invertebrate animal models in preclinical discovery and development 63
Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) 63
Aktogen 64
En Vivo Pharmaceuticals 66
Exelixis 67
Medros Pharmaceuticals 67
Caenorhadbitis elegans (nematode) 68
Novel in vivo/ex-vivo focus: Locusta migratoria (locust) 68
Chapter 3 In vitro models in preclinical research 72
Summary 72
Importance of in vitro models in preclinical toxicity testing 73
In vitro technologies for drug discovery and development 74
Recent company developments 74
Affymetrix 74
Beckman Coulter 75
Covance 75
Gene Logic 75
HemoGenix 76
Recent developments in drug transport and metabolism 76
Qualyst 76
Xenobiotic Laboratories 77
Progress in cell-based in vitro assays 77

Full ToC is available at:
-- http://www.fastmr.com/catalog/product.aspx?productid=5409...

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