Testing method for safe medications in pregnancy
Company 2025
ESQlabs GmbH, Saterland, Germany
Pregnant women are often excluded from clinical trials for ethical reasons, which means that the effects of many medications on both mother and child remain insufficiently researched.
To address this issue, a model consisting of three interconnected organ-on-a-chip systems was developed, replicating the gut, liver, and placenta. This model was combined with a digital twin, a computer-based model of the human body, to simulate the absorption, metabolism, and transfer of drugs across the placenta.
In the study, prednisone, a commonly used anti-inflammatory drug, was tested. The results aligned with known clinical data. This technology could help identify potential risks for mother and child early in the drug development process.
Digital twin-enhanced three-organ microphysiological system for studying drug pharmacokinetics in pregnant women
Christian Maass
Added on: 03-06-2025
[1] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1528748/full
