Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology receives an IWT* research grant for its research project in cardiovascular safety pharmacology.

Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology receives an IWT* research grant for its research
project in cardiovascular safety pharmacology.
 
Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology is a contract research organization specialized in
cardiovascular safety studies in the anaesthetized guinea-pigs, a well-documented and
validated model for the evaluation of drug-induced effects on the QT interval. The QT
interval, measured on the electrocardiogram (ECG), is a surrogate marker for drug-induced
Torsade de Pointes (TdP) risk. These TdP are rare, but potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias
that can be triggered by various non-cardiovascular drugs and are a major safety concern in
drug development.
The IWT-funded research project allows Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology to establish a unique
cardiovascular safety platform permitting simultaneous measurement of more
cardiovascular parameters within the same animals and improvement of the predictive
value of the test results. 
 
 
 
 
* IWT is the Institute for Encouragement of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders. 
The IWT research project of Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology comprises three strategic
research tracks:
 
1. Measuring cardiac contractility
Insertion of sensors directly into the heart allows measurement of the left ventricular pressure
directly reflecting the pump function of the heart. Drug-related increases in cardiac
contractility are accompanied by an increased oxygen need of the heart. Therefore,
developing an accurate method to evaluate potential adverse cardiac contractility effects is
key to reliably decide on the further development of new compounds destined to be used in
patients with compromised coronary circulation. On the other hand, drugs negatively
affecting the cardiac pump function should be avoided in patients with existing heart failure. 
 
2. Electro-mechanical window
It is increasingly recognized that QT prolongation alone is limited in its predictive value for
TdP risk. Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology will therefore develop and validate a new biomarker
for TdP risk, taking changes in electrical (ECG) and mechanical (left ventricular pressure,
LVP) activity of the heart into account. The proof of concept of the electro-mechanical
window in anaesthetized guinea-pig as predictive risk marker for TdP in man has recently
been demonstrated by Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology.
 
3. Development of a reproducible TdP-model
The ultimate goal of the project is to unravel the precise mechanisms triggering episodes of
TdP. Based on this knowledge Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology aims to develop a TdP-model
in anaesthetized guinea-pig as late-stage confirmatory test.
 
 
 
For more information:
Pieter-Jan Guns, PhD
Project leader Safety Pharmacology
pg@bio-plus.org
 
Bio-Plus Safety Pharmacology
Vlasmeer 5/0003
B-2400 Mol
 
 

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