Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Models
In Vitro and Ex Vivo Models for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research
Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases involve interconnected changes in cellular signaling, energy metabolism, vascular and cardiac function, and tissue physiology. Disease-relevant in vitro and ex vivo assays can help characterize these mechanisms, evaluate compound activity and safety, and generate pharmacodynamic and translational readouts to support candidate selection.
WuXi Biology and Testing’s comprehensive suite of in vitro and ex vivo capabilities supports cardiovascular and metabolic disease research, including diabetes. Backed by versatile technology platforms, we provide support ranging from assay development and compound screening to mechanism of action (MOA) studies and disease-relevant functional evaluation.
Our customized workflows combine biochemical and cell-based assays with functional models, biomarker analysis, and tissue-based readouts to generate robust data to drive candidate selection forward.
In Vitro Assays for Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease
Our in vitro cardiovascular and metabolic disease assays support target validation, compound screening, pharmacological profiling, and mechanism-of-action studies across multiple target classes and assay formats. Assays can be configured to evaluate target engagement, pathway modulation, cellular responses, and candidate activity using fit-for-purpose biochemical and cell-based readouts.
Service Provided
- Assay development and execution
- Compound screening and profiling
- Mechanism of action (MOA) studies
Target Family
- GPCRs and other Receptor
- Enzyme
- Transporter
- Antibody
- Biomarker
Technology Platforms Available
- Radioactivity assays
- Fluorescence assays
- Luminescence assays
- Electrochemiluminescence assays
- Electrophysiological assays
- PCR
- Western blot
- Isoelectric focusing electrophoresis (IEF)
- SPR (Biacore), ITC
Cardiovascular Safety and Proarrhythmia Assessment
- Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA)hERG and other ion channel testing
- Stem cell derived cardiomyocyte testing using microelectrode array (MEA)cardiotoxicity screening
In Vitro Assays for Diabetes and Other Metabolic Diseases
Metabolic disease programs often require both target-based assays and functional readouts that capture glucose and lipid handling, insulin signaling, and cellular energy metabolism. Our assay platform supports diabetes and broader metabolic disease research from screening and hit triage through mechanistic and functional characterization.
Biochemical & Cell-based Assays
- Multiple target classes (GPCRs; enzymes; NR, transporters, etc.)
- Metabolically related target panels
- Biochemical and cell-based assays
- Safety screening panel (cytotox; cardiotox; liver tox; genetox)
- Radiometric assays with HTS setup
- Matching screening and hit triage platform
Functional Phenotypic Assays
- Glucose uptake
- Fatty acid oxidation
- Insulin secretion in beta cells (primary islets or cell line)
- Lipogenesis and lipolysis
- Insulin signaling pathway (Akt, IRS phosphorylations)
- Multiplexing profiling with MSD panels (metabolic markers)
In Vitro Assays for Diabetes
A broad range of in vitro assays supports diabetes drug discovery by evaluating metabolic targets, insulin signaling, glucose uptake, insulin secretion, lipid metabolism, and candidate activity in disease-relevant systems.
In Vitro Assays for Other Metabolic Diseases
Additional assays for enzymes, receptors and other proteins associated with metabolic diseases are available upon request: Please click here to request information.
3D Models for Metabolic Disease Research
Liver organoid models provide physiologically relevant 3D systems for investigating metabolic function and evaluating candidate activity and toxicity.
Available applications and readouts include:
- Lipid accumulation and liver steatosis
- Cell metabolism and mitochondrial respiration
- CYP enzyme activity
- Cell viability and LDH release
- Intracellular lipid accumulation
- Immunofluorescence and molecular characterization
Ex Vivo and Tissue-Based Analysis
Complementary ex vivo and tissue-based analyses enable characterization of pharmacodynamic responses and tissue-level changes in cardiovascular and metabolic disease studies.
Capabilities include:
- Molecular and cellular biomarker analysis
- Protein and gene expression analysis
- Histopathology and tissue morphology assessment
- H&E and special staining
- Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence
- Digital pathology and quantitative image analysis
Explore Solutions for Your Program
Explore solutions by development phase, drug modality, therapeutic area, or integrated discovery needs.
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