Ace Therapeutics specializes in providing comprehensive testing services for evaluating the potential adverse effects of drugs on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and liver. With our state-of-the-art facilities and experienced team, we conduct thorough evaluations using a combination of in vitro and in vivo studies to determine the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical compounds, enabling clients to gain a deep understanding of on- and off-target effects in the GI and liver.
What Can We Do for Gastrointestinal & Hepatic Toxicity Testing?
Ulceration/Erosion Assessment
Diarrhea/Constipation Evaluation
Nausea/Vomiting Investigation
Malabsorption Evaluation
Microbiome Analyses
Liver Enzyme Testing
Steatosis Assessment
Fibrosis/Cirrhosis Evaluation
- Histopathological analysis of the rodent stomach and intestinal tissues.
- Cytokine profiling to detect inflammatory responses.
- Epithelial proliferation assays using intestinal organoids.
- Quantitative PCR of injury biomarkers.
- Gastrointestinal motility monitoring in rodents.
- Fecal water content and consistency analyses of experimental animals.
- Conditioned taste aversion testing on rodents.
- Chemoreceptor trigger zone targeting analyses.
- c-Fos immunostaining of brain stem tissues.
- Intestinal permeability/mass balance studies.
- Nutrient uptake assessments using intestinal organoids.
- Using chamber studies of electrolyte transport.
- Paneth and goblet cell dysfunction tests.
- Fecal and mucosal microbial community profiling.
- Animal model of microbiota imbalance.
- Metagenomics and shotgun sequencing.
- Targeted assays for pathogenic species.
- Serum ALT, AST, ALP, GGT levels.
- Hepatocyte integrity assays measure LDH and TNFα.
- Organ histology via H&E and IHC staining.
- Rodent histology and blood lipid analyses.
- Lipidomic profiling of liver tissues.
- Peroxisome activity and beta-oxidation assays.
- Hepatic stellate cell activation assay.
- MRI for noninvasive staging of liver fibrosis.
- Hydroxyproline content quantification.
- Gene expression analyses of TGF-β signaling.
Our Capabilities for Gastrointestinal & Hepatic Toxicity Evaluation
- Drug-Induced Toxicity Evaluation
After administering the test substance one or more times within 24 hours, we monitor the toxic reactions of the animals within a certain period of time to help customers clarify the toxic effects of the drug on the gastrointestinal tract and liver. We also provide acute toxicity data for drugs, including acute hepatotoxicity, providing insights for drug dosing optimization.
- Repeated Dose Toxicity Evaluation
In repeated dose toxicity testing, we administer multiple sub-acute or chronic doses of a drug over a specified treatment period, often 28 days or longer. This assessment helps identify any cumulative toxicity effects or delayed adverse outcomes that may occur with prolonged or repeated drug exposure.
Toxic dose tests are conducted to determine the dose at which a drug exhibits toxic effects, helping establish the safety margin and identify the maximum tolerated dose. Our team employs careful dose escalation protocols and analyzes the resulting data to provide accurate recommendations for safe dosing regimens.
By conducting toxicokinetics assessments including the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of a drug in living systems, we evaluate how these processes influence toxicity, helping customers to understand a compound's behavior in the body and predict risks of adverse reactions.
Advantages of Our Preclinical GI & Hepatic Toxicology Services
- Physiologically relevant in vitro models including primary cells, 3D organoids, and co-cultures.
- Thorough in vivo characterization using specialized rodent disease and toxicity models.
- Multi-parameter analyses to elucidate mechanisms of injury/toxicity pathways.
- Chronic and acute assessments to evaluate both short and long-term adverse effects of drugs.
- Advanced imaging and omics technologies for quantitative pathology.
- Expert scientific team with extensive industry experience.
- Fully equipped analytical facilities and flexible project timelines.
At Ace Therapeutics, we pride ourselves on offering comprehensive approaches to drug safety assessment that overcome many limitations currently present. Whether you need high-throughput screening of early leads or in-depth characterization of potential candidates, our expert team can customize testing strategies to meet your objectives and timeline. To discuss how we might support your program, please contact us.
Related Services
Our products and services are for research use only and can not be used for diagnostic or other purposes.
