Hesperos Inc.

Congratulations to our colleagues Thomas Hartung and Lena Smirnova at the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) on their latest article discussing the current state and future direction of Microphysiological Systems. This perspective comes at a pivotal moment, aligning with the recent FDA announcement outlining a strategic roadmap to reduce reliance on animal models in regulatory science. A must-read for anyone working in translational science, toxicology, or drug development. Full article here: https://buff.ly/ZrINaLk #NAMs #MPS #AltTox #OrganOnChip #Toxicology #DrugDevelopment

Join Hesperos Co-founder and President Michael Shuler, PhD, tomorrow where he is the keynote speaker at Technology Networks's Innovations in Disease Modelling 2025! This free, online symposium brings together leading experts to explore advances in both in vitro and in vivo models that are driving biomedical research forward. Dr. Shuler will discuss how #BodyOnAChip models - like our #HumanOnAChip - are advancing and accelerating preclinical drug development. Symposium dates: April 23-24. Learn more and register to watch for free: https://buff.ly/v3EHyji #NAMs #Biotech #DrugDevelopment #OrganOnAChip #PreclinicalResearch

Big news from the FDA! Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a Roadmap to Reducing Animal Testing in Preclinical Safety Studies by leveraging more effective, human relevant methods including technologies like our Human-on-a-Chip! This exciting announcement outlines a 3-year strategic roadmap for implementing the use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) representing a significant step forward in gaining widespread regulatory adoption. This is the product of a long-standing, collective effort from government, advocacy groups, and industry marking a significant shift into a new chapter for drug discovery. NAMs include AI-driven computational models, organoids, and organ-on-a-chip systems like Hesperos’ platform. These tools are increasingly demonstrating greater predictive value for clinical outcomes, while reducing both timelines and reliance on animal models. Read the full announcement here: https://buff.ly/skkA0ab #FDA #NAMs #OrganOnAChip #HumanOnAChip #ReduceAnimalTesting #DrugDevelopment #PreclinicalResearch

Attending the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting this week? Don’t miss Sandra Paulina Smieszek, Ph.D. from Vanda Pharmaceuticals as she presents exciting work on the development of VCA-894A, a novel therapeutic customized for an individual patient with a specific genetic mutation of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2S. Efficacy was demonstrated using Hesperos’ Human-on-a-Chip® neuromuscular junction model with patient-derived cells, showing significant improvements in neuromuscular function - including reduced muscle fatigue and enhanced synaptic transmission between motor neurons and skeletal muscle myotubes. The FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation utilizing this data, and the therapeutic is expected to be administered to the patient in the near future. This represents a major milestone in precision medicine for rare diseases - especially those with no existing models. Learn more and find Dr. Smieszek’s presentation details: https://buff.ly/Orw0ckz #AANAM #PrecisionMedicine #HumanOnAChip #RareDiseases #NAMs #CMT

Hesperos Senior Scientist Kaveena Autar is presenting a poster next week at American Academy of Neurology's 2025 Annual Meeting. Her poster will cover the use of our Human-On-A-Chip models in assessing neurocognitive impairment. Dr. Autar's will be presenting at 8:00 AM PST on April 7th, and her poster will also be available for online viewing for attendees during the same time. Visit https://buff.ly/sMsspYl to learn more. Be sure to stop by and see if Dr. Autar if you're attending! #AANAM #NAMs #HumanOnAChip

Make sure you don't miss our team presenting this week at #2025SOT! Several members of our team are presenting posters, and Chief Scienst J. Hickman is co-chairing a panel, Next generation of in vitro neurotoxicology – modeling cognition-in-a-dish. See below for the full presentation list. J. Hickman, PhD: Co-chair, Next generation of in vitro neurotoxicology – modeling cognition-in-a-dish, March 19, 8:00 am J. Hickman, PhD: #L609, Differential Metabolism in Microphysiological Systems for Evaluation of Efficacy and Off-target Toxicity for the NK-1 Antagonist Tradipitant, March 19, 9:15-11:45 am Kaveena Autar, PhD: #P745, The Utilization of In Vitro, Human-on-a-Chip® Cortical Networks to Assess Neurocognitive Impairment for Drug Safety and Efficacy, March 18, 9:15-11:45 am Mridu Malik, PhD:#K569, Off-target toxicity and efficacy testing of a novel stress reliever in a multi-organ microphysiological system, March 19, 9:15-11:45 am Walker Hagan, PhD: #K571, A Human-on-a-Chip® neuromuscular junction model for the evaluation of botulinum neurotoxin potency, March 19, 9:15-11:45 am Michael Jakob Rupar: #K565, Safety Assessment of Antimalarial Therapeutic Delivery in a Human-Based Malaria-on-a-Chip® Phenotypic Disease Model, March 19, 9:15-11:45 am If you have any questions or want to follow up on a presentation, swing by booth #1071 to speak to one of our team members. #ToxExpo #NAMs #Biotech #HumanOnAChip

We are exhibiting this week at Society of Toxicology (SOT) of Toxicology's #2025SOT! Come visit us at booth #1071 to learn more about our Human-On-A-Chip technology. We also have five poster presentations throughout the week, and Hesperos Chief Scientist J. Hickman is co-chairing the "Next generation of in vitro neurotoxicology – modeling cognition-in-a-dish" symposium on 3/19 at 8:00 am. Be sure to stop by and see us if you're there! #ToxExpo #NAMs #HumanOnAChip #Biotech

An exciting new study by Vanda Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Hesperos researchers, was recently published in Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids. The article explores the potential for ASO-based personalized treatment development leveraging Hesperos’ Human-on-a-Chip® technology. Our neuromuscular junction (NMJ) model played a key role in evaluating their antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy designed for a patient with a rare variant of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2S (CMT2S). This research highlights the tremendous potential of ASO therapeutics in advancing personalized medicine for rare diseases! Learn more: https://buff.ly/8jy2rtu #NAMs #HumanOnAChip #CMT #CharcotMarieTooth #Biotech #RareDiseases #Neuromuscular

On January 31, Hesperos co-founder Dr. Michael Shuler will be speaking at Technology Networks' Ask Me Anything: Body-On-A-Chip live webinar. He will be answering questions on the development and applications of Human-On-A-Chip technology and sharing insights into the future of the field. Register to attend free at https://buff.ly/4jiy0EF #NAMs #HumanOnAChip #biotech

Hesperos researchers, in collaboration with the University of Central Florida (UCF), have developed a multi-organ, microphysiological acute opioid overdose and recovery (AOOR) model designed to help address the opioid crisis. This human cell-based platform replicates the physiological aspects of an overdose and recovery, allowing researchers to evaluate recovery agents like naloxone for both efficacy and off-target toxicity. The AOOR model could serve as a platform for testing other recovery agents, potentially advancing safer and more effective treatments for opioid overdose. We are proud of our team for their incredible work and dedication to finding solutions that address the opioid crisis. We also want to thank The National Institutes of Health HEAL initiative for their support on this study. Read the study and press release here: https://buff.ly/3C3M5F8 #Publication #Overdose #OrganOnAChip #HumanOnAChip #MPS #HEAL #NIH #Research #Hesperos