Development and validation of a dynamic drug screening platform for ADME testing .

The Caco-2 cell line is the gold standard for the prediction of drug absorption and permeability in vitro by mimicking the small intestine. However, this model lacks the dynamic motion which represents one of the physiological functions of the small intestine (peristalsis). In our research, we investigate the possibility the similarity between the static Caco-2 cell model and the dynamic intestine by creating a dynamic in vitro environment using MICA technology. Our results to date have shown that MICA’ technology improves the absorption of the selected drugs, and their permeability is more similar to that found in the human intestine. Our data suggests that MICA’ technology applied to Caco-2 drug permeability assay could be used to a better predict, using in vitro assays, the in vivo human drug absorption rates. This feasibility study will enable us to test rigorously against the gold standards and generate a new assay for the pharmaceutical market. Our research will lead ultimately to a reduction in animal research and more drugs coming through the pipeline to applications in healthcare.