Translational models of lung disease

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Translational Research
• Preclinical Drug Development

Background:

• The 2nd Cross Company Respiratory Symposium (CCRS) convened pharmaceutical industry and academic experts to address challenges in respiratory disease modeling.
• Initiated by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Federations (EFPIA) within the U-BIOPRED project, the symposium focused on enhancing in vivo models for respiratory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify state-of-the-art improvements in the utility and design of respiratory disease models.
• To enhance the translational potential of these models and minimize unnecessary animal usage.
• To critically evaluate current models for asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and COPD.

Main Methods:

• Review of initiatives presented at the CCRS symposium.
• Analysis of papers published in Clinical Science stemming from the symposium.
• Critique of existing in vivo models for specific respiratory diseases.

Main Results:

• The respiratory research community is adopting strategies such as increased data sharing, optimized model selection (species, complexity, chronicity), and refined preclinical practices.
• Emphasis on understanding disease biology and greater utilization of human cells, tissues, and explants.
• Identification of areas for improvement in models for asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and COPD.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative efforts and innovative approaches are crucial for advancing respiratory disease modeling.
• Improved models are essential for the rational, efficient, and sustainable development of new treatments.
• The ultimate goal is to reduce the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with respiratory diseases.