Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English en
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Reducing Non-Human Primates in Non-Clinical Safety Assessment: The European Initiative on Minipig and Micropig Models

Project description

Advancing mini- and micropig models in non-clinical safety tests

The miniature pig shares many anatomical and physiological similarities with humans, making it a viable alternative to non-human primates in non-clinical safety studies. The EU-funded NHPig project aims to enhance the use of mini- and micropig models for such studies. The project will characterise humanised minipigs and micropigs, focusing on biobanking, multi-omics profiling and advanced imaging techniques. It will also develop biosensors and automated systems for data collection and analysis in safety studies, address knowledge gaps in porcine immunology, validate biomarkers for toxicity and efficacy, tackle the shortage of laboratory tools and develop porcine in vitro models as non-animal alternatives. The project adheres to the 3Rs principles and will ensure compliance with ethical standards.

Objective

NHPig is an Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) project based on the public-private partnership of the European Union and Europe’s health industries. Its objective is to expand, share and implement biological knowledge of mini-/micropig models with the aim to reduce non-human primates (NHPs) in non-clinical safety studies. The transnational consortium includes experts in porcine medical models, veterinary pathology, computational animal science, non-clinical science, OMICs profiling, new approach methods (NAMs), as well as bioinformatics and artificial intelligence. NHPig will i) characterise humanised minipigs, micropigs and tailored disease models, including systematic biobanking, multi-OMICs profiling, and state-of-the-art imaging modalities; ii) develop, validate and implement biosensors, medical devices, and ‘intelligent’ animal housing for automated data collection and analysis in minipig safety studies; iii) fill significant knowledge gaps in the (patho)physiology of the porcine immune system; iv) validate known toxicity and efficacy biomarkers and discover novel biomarker candidates for non-clinical safety assessment; v) overcome the shortage of laboratory tools and reagents, such as validated antibodies; vi) gain experience in using mini-/micropigs for safety testing of biologicals and new therapeutic modalities; vii) Investigate in vitro to in vivo extrapolation of liver and kidney toxicity in pigs and NHP/humans to provide a comparative link to human new approach methodologies (NAMs); and viii) provide a publicly available database and IT platform for compiling, integrating and analysing existing data in NHPs/humans with data in mini-/micropig models (existing data and data generated within the NHPig programme). The establishment of a regulatory advisory board and an ethics- and animal welfare advisory board will expedite regulatory interactions and ensure compliance with the 3R principles. NHPig will generate the scientific basis for de-selection of NHPs in non-clinical safety assessment, which is an ethical requirement and also imperative according to EU legislation.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-IHI-2023-04-two-stage

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
Net EU contribution
€ 1 039 603,75
Address
GESCHWISTER SCHOLL PLATZ 1
80539 Planegg
Germany
Region
Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 1 482 103,75

Participants (25)

Partners (6)