A new collaboration between TNO, Proefdiervrij, and pharmaceutical company Galapagos, called MechPath, is accelerating the transition to animal-free drug development. By combining patient data, lab-based human cell models, and artificial intelligence, the MECHanistic PATHology (MechPath) approach allows researchers to identify patterns and make reliable predictions without relying on animal testing.
Key results so far:
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Human cells used in lab models appear to retain a “disease memory,” continuing to respond as if they were still in the body, offering more realistic models for conditions like fibrosis.
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The newly developed CELLS-PATH validation tools help lab-grown models gain approval faster, paving the way for wider adoption in drug research.
