Author: Nidhi Khurana

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have revolutionized the field of biomedical research and are a promising therapeutic tool for treating a wide range of diseases. iPSCs are adult cells that have been reprogrammed to behave like embryonic stem cells, which can differentiate into any type of cell in the body. These cells can differentiate into various cell types, including those found in the heart, liver, and brain. This makes them valuable tools for drug discovery and development, as they can be used to provide physiologically relevant cells for compound identification, target validation, screening, and tool discovery.

One major application of iPSCs is in disease modeling and creating innovative treatments. By differentiating iPSCs into specific cell types, researchers can study the underlying mechanisms of various diseases, including inherited vascular disorders. Several companies are exploring the clinical use of iPSC-derived cell therapeutics for various indications.

The potential of iPSCs in treating diseases is immense, and clinical trials are underway for a variety of conditions such as GvHD, knee osteoarthritis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, diabetic foot ulcers, renal transplantation, critical limb ischemia, macular degeneration, ischemic cardiomyopathy, Parkinson’s disease, solid tumors, spinal cord injury, and platelet production. Furthermore, iPSCs can be generated from patients with specific genetic mutations or diseases, allowing researchers to study the underlying mechanisms of these conditions and develop targeted therapies.

Another area of research where iPSCs are showing promise is in regenerative medicine. They can be differentiated into various types of cells, including cardiomyocytes and neural cells, which can be used to repair damaged tissues and organs. Additionally, iPSCs can be used to create tissue chips, which can mimic the complex structures and functions of human tissues, allowing for more accurate drug testing.

A number of companies have recognized the potential of iPSCs and are commercializing hiPSC-derived cell types for predictive safety pharmacology, toxicology testing, and drug efficacy screenings. These companies have built industrialized iPSC infrastructures to screen small molecules for drug development and have developed an intricate understanding of the pathways that can activate and modulate stem cells and iPSC technology for repairing and regenerating tissues.

One such company is Nexel, a biotechnology company that specializes in developing iPSC-derived cell types for use in drug discovery and development. Nexel’s approach to iPSC technology is focused on delivering reliable, reproducible results that can help accelerate the drug development process.  As the use of iPSCs continues to grow in the pharmaceutical industry, companies like Nexel are poised to play an important role in advancing biomedical research and improving patient outcomes.

While the use of iPSCs has many promising benefits, there is a need for clear guidelines and regulations. iPSC technology has the potential to revolutionize biomedical research and drug discovery and development by providing more accurate and relevant models for studying diseases and testing drugs. As this technology continues to develop and mature, it is likely that iPSC-derived cells will become an increasingly important tool in the pharmaceutical industry.

Written by: Dr. Nidhi Khurana
Dr. Nidhi Khurana holds a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and leverages her knowledge of science and marketing to build thoughtful partnerships with industry leaders. Currently, Dr. Khurana serves as the Head of Marketing at GV Research Platform, where she is responsible for driving growth and building the company’s brand. Alongside, she is passionate about writing and uses it as a medium to educate the community on the latest trends and technologies in the drug discovery and development space.

The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a paradigm shift, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to expedite the drug discovery and development process. This transformation has opened up new opportunities to improve healthcare outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and create novel therapeutics that address unmet medical needs. The following are some of the latest technologies that are revolutionizing drug discovery and development:

Humanized Mouse Models: Humanized mouse models have emerged as a valuable tool for evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of drugs in the context of a human immune system. These models are created by transplanting human immune cells into immunodeficient mice, thereby providing a more realistic representation of human physiology. Humanized mouse models offer a platform to evaluate immunotherapies and anticancer drugs with a high degree of specificity and accuracy. Our partner Envigo provides humanized mouse models to helps one obtain more clinically relevant information. Envigo utilizes the power of CRISPR-Cas9 and ZFN gene editing technologies to create disease specific humanized models.

Patient-Derived Xenografts (PDX): PDX models are an important innovation in drug discovery and development, providing a more accurate representation of the patient’s disease than traditional cell-line-derived models. These models are created by transplanting fresh cancer tissue samples from patients into immunocompromised mice. PDX models can be used to evaluate drug efficacy, toxicity, and identify novel biomarkers for precision medicine. Our partner Crown Bioscience has the world’s largest PDX collection which ensures users generate data that translates better to clinic.

Organoids: Organoids are three-dimensional cell cultures that mimic the structure and function of human organs. These models are created by culturing patient-derived cells in a specialized medium that can promote their self-organization into complex structures. Organoids offer a platform to study disease mechanisms, screen drugs, and develop personalized treatments. Organoids can also be used for toxicology testing, enabling researchers to predict drug toxicity and reduce animal testing.

Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell lines: iPSC technology provides a powerful tool for studying disease pathways and developing in vitro human models with well-controlled experimental conditions. In particular, iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) have emerged as a useful model for investigating the function and dysfunction of cardiomyocytes, drug screening and toxicity, disease modeling, and the development of novel drugs for heart diseases.

iPSC-CMs have been used to study various cardiac diseases, including arrhythmias, heart failure, and cardiomyopathies. They have also been utilized to investigate the mechanisms of drug-induced cardiotoxicity and screen for novel therapeutics that can alleviate these toxic effects [5]. In addition, iPSC-CMs have been employed to develop disease models for inherited cardiac diseases, such as long QT syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, providing a platform to study disease progression and identify potential therapeutic targets. Our partner Nexel manufacture hiPSC derived cardiomyocytes which are highly pure and electrophysiologically active population of cells, suitable for all types of experiments in the field of cardiomyocytes.

The use of iPSC technology for drug discovery and development in the Indian biopharma industry has shown tremendous promise, with several companies investing in this technology to develop novel therapeutics for various diseases.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): AI and ML are rapidly transforming the drug discovery and development landscape by enabling researchers to analyze vast datasets and identify novel drug targets. AI and ML can be used to predict drug efficacy, toxicity, and identify potential side effects.

Precision Medicine: Precision medicine involves the use of genomic data to develop personalized drugs for patients. This approach considers a patient’s genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environmental factors to create drugs that are tailored to their individual needs. Precision medicine offers the potential to increase the effectiveness of drugs, reduce side effects, and improve patient outcomes.

Bioprinting: Bioprinting involves using 3D printing technology to create three-dimensional structures of tissues and organs. Bioprinting can be used to develop novel therapeutics and test them more efficiently by creating realistic models of the human body. Bioprinting has the potential to revolutionize drug development by enabling the creation of physiologically relevant models for drug testing.

In conclusion, the pharmaceutical industry is leveraging new technologies to accelerate the drug discovery and development process, leading to improved healthcare outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. These technologies offer immense predictive and data analytics capabilities, enabling researchers to identify novel drug targets, develop personalized medicines, and create more realistic models of the human body for efficient drug testing. As the industry continues to evolve and adapt to new technologies, we can expect to see more targeted and personalized treatments that improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Written by: Dr. Nidhi Khurana
Dr. Nidhi Khurana holds a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and leverages her knowledge of science and marketing to build thoughtful partnerships with industry leaders. Currently, Dr. Khurana serves as the Head of Marketing at GV Research Platform, where she is responsible for driving growth and building the company’s brand. Alongside, she is passionate about writing and uses it as a medium to educate the community on the latest trends and technologies in the drug discovery and development space.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has revolutionized the field of drug discovery and toxicity testing. iPSCs are generated from adult somatic cells, such as skin or blood cells, by reprogramming them to a pluripotent state similar to that of embryonic stem cells. These iPSCs can then be differentiated into various cell types, including cardiomyocytes, hepatocytes, and neurons, among others, providing an excellent model system for studying human biology and disease.

The use of iPSC-derived cells in drug discovery and toxicity testing is particularly useful because it allows for the development of more physiologically relevant models that can better mimic human physiology and disease states. Therefore, results from experiments with iPSC-derived cells are one of the best ways to complement data obtained from animal models or experiments conducted with immortalized cell lines to better assess drug safety and efficacy.

By using iPSC-derived cells, researchers can test drugs on human cells that more closely resemble the target tissue or organ, which can improve the accuracy of drug efficacy and toxicity predictions. For example, cardiotoxicity, which is a major cause of drug attrition during clinical development, can be more accurately predicted using iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes than using animal models or immortalized cell lines.

Despite the potential of iPSC technology, the adoption of this technology has been slow in India due to a lack of access to high-quality iPSC cell lines. GVRP’s partnership with Nexel is a game-changer for India’s biomedical community, paving the way for revolutionary advancements in iPSC technology. With our vision to bring cutting-edge technologies to India, this collaboration is set to overcome the longstanding limitation of limited access to high-quality iPSC cell lines. By providing a range of iPSC-derived cells manufactured by Nexel, including cardiomyocytes, hepatocytes, and neurocytes, for various applications, this partnership is poised to make a significant impact in disease modeling, drug discovery, toxicity testing, and regenerative medicine.

The use of iPSC-derived cells has the potential to accelerate drug discovery and reduce the risk of drug failures during clinical development, ultimately benefiting patients and society. GVRP being an R&D enabler for life sciences industry and with our mission to accelerate innovation in Indian biopharma sector, we aim to accelerate the adoption of this technology in India and help advance the field.

To learn more about these cell lines: https://gvrp.in/nexel/

Written by: Dr. Nidhi Khurana
Dr. Nidhi Khurana holds a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and leverages her knowledge of science and marketing to build thoughtful partnerships with industry leaders. Currently, Dr. Khurana serves as the Head of Marketing at GV Research Platform, where she is responsible for driving growth and building the company’s brand. Alongside, she is passionate about writing and uses it as a medium to educate the community on the latest trends and technologies in the drug discovery and development space.