No Good Drug Left Behind: Specificity In Preclinical Drug Development Models

For decades, drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has posed a persistent threat to drug development. Animal models such as rats, dogs, and monkeys are meant to serve as a final defense against DILI, detecting the potential toxic effects of drugs before they are administered to humans. However, species variations severely limit the effectiveness of these models, and this gap can lead to halted clinical trials and even result in patient deaths. In sum, a translational gap exists between our current preclinical models and the patients who depend on them.

To help fill this gap, an advanced three-dimensional culture system that replicates human liver tissue was developed. The Emulate Liver-Chip enables scientists to observe the potential impact of drugs on human liver tissue, thereby enhancing their ability to predict which drug candidates are likely at risk of causing DILI. Continue reading to learn more about the Liver-Chip as well as the importance of specificity during the preclinical stages of drug development.