Biodistribution Studies

In vivo drug biodistribution studies are pivotal in improving drug efficacy and limiting potential side effects. The possibility to monitor in real-time the accumulation of a formulation in a specific organ or tissue in a high throughput and cost-effective manner, allows scientists to optimize drug formulations for their biodistribution properties. A more targeted in vivo drug delivery approach can potentially reduce or eliminate significant drug side effects by i) limiting the drug exposure to targeted organs/tissues and/or ii) significantly reducing therapeutic drug concentration for treatment.

CDAS has developed a strong expertise in biodistribution studies using nanoparticles, antibodies, recombinant viruses, and lipid-based formulations.

At CDAS, we are fully capable of studying the therapeutic effects of labeled large molecules (e.g., antibodies or other proteins) or nanoparticles in our animal disease models. We have established validated study protocols to attach fluorescent labels to the large molecule drugs of interest. This approach enables researchers to measure the uptake of the therapeutic agent and to have a dynamic view of its in vivo biodistribution, bioavailability, and efficacy using Caliper’s proprietary IVIS imaging system.

Non-invasive fluorescence imaging of large molecules is a powerful approach in order to image and quantify the “labeled” test molecule throughout the major organ systems of animals. The obtained biodistribution data give an accurate representation of the tissues specifically targeted by the drug and provide valuable information on main organs of elimination (e.g. kidneys, liver, etc.).

Our expertise in predictive animal disease models and preclinical drug development truly improve the overall productivity of the drug discovery process and enable our clients to develop new therapeutics for treatment of diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, and transplant rejection.