Cardiovascular microphysiological systems (CVMPS) for safety studies - a pharma perspective

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cardiovascular system (CV) integrity is vital for systemic health.
• Current in vitro models of heart and vasculature are simplistic and immature.
• Existing models have limitations in predicting complex CV responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop more complex in vitro models of the cardiovascular system.
• To integrate cardiac and vascular components into a functional microphysiological system (CVMPS).
• To enhance risk assessment and mechanistic evaluation in pharmacological safety studies.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing induced pluripotent stem-cell derived cardiomyocytes for cardiac components.
• Employing endothelial and smooth muscle cells for vascular components.
• Physically linking cardiac and vascular tissues to create integrated CVMPS.

Main Results:

• Ongoing efforts focus on creating more mature and structurally complex CVMPS.
• Initial successes involve simple bioengineered tissues coupled with fluidic systems.
• Challenges include cell complexity, vascular realism, and component coupling.

Conclusions:

• Integrated CVMPS offer a more holistic model for cardiovascular response.
• Future adoption by pharmaceutical industry depends on efficiency and reproducibility.
• Advanced CVMPS hold potential for improved drug safety and mechanistic understanding.