Preclinical CRO Infection Models
Charles River has a strong drug discovery background in infectious disease and the assessment of novel anti-infectives such as antimicrobials, antivirals, and vaccines. We use a suite of methods to improve your understanding of the disease, host interactions, and treatment effects.
Infectious disease can be measured using in vitro infection assays, conventional colony-forming units (CFU), or viral titre assessments, combined with clinical disease parameters and pharmacodynamic (PD) analysis. In addition, using protocols pioneered at Charles River, we have the ability to provide data from real-time in vivo bioluminescent imaging (IVIS), allowing you to follow the course of the disease and anti-infective treatment.
Our webinar can help you choose the right model for your infection drug development program.
Watch the Webinar
A broad range of clinically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative species can be used in both proof-of-concept PD models and in specialized translational human disease models, all of which can be adapted to run with strains of your choice.
Figure 1: Real-time in vivo bioluminescent imaging (IVIS) of thigh infection in murine models. Bioluminescent bacteria allow quantification of infection progression and anti-infective treatment in-life.
We also offer early screening of your infection compound via our Galleria mellonella model to provide information on compound toxicity and efficacy and help design optimal dosing regimens, including the assessment of combination therapies, prior to use in murine models of infectious disease.
Figure 2: A confocal microscopy image of a mouse lung tissue following H1N1 infection. Cell nuclei are DAPI stained blue, nucleoprotein antibody conferring to influenza H1N1 in green, and treatment in red. Yellow staining shows colocalization of the virus and therapeutic antibody.
Our bacterial infection models include:
- Bacterial thigh infection
- Bacterial sepsis
- Bacterial peritonitis/septicemia
- Bacterial lung infection (acute/chronic)
- Bacterial skin/wound infection
- Bacterial otitis media (acute)
- Galleria Mellonella screening
- Otitis externa
- Urinary tract infection
- Clostridium difficile infection
- Group B streptococcus
Available bacterial strains include multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens:
- A. baumannii
- E. coli
- K. pneumoniae
- P. aeruginosa
- Staph. aureus (MSSA and MRSA)
- S. pneumoniae
Other bacterial strains are available via the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC).
Find out more about the end-to-end capabilities for infectious disease drug discovery.
Download the overview
Specialist viral infection models can be used to test your anti-infectives, antivirals and vaccines. These include:
- Influenza
- Herpes simplex virus
- Respiratory syncytial virus
- Encephalomyocarditis virus
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Infection Research
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How can knowledge of immunology help my infection research?
Charles River’s expertise in both microbiology and immunology, and the complex biology involved in host-pathogen interactions, can ensure that the most relevant infection model is chosen for our clients. This in combination with our in vitro antiviral and antimicrobial services, can help with translation into the clinic. In addition our expertise ensures that we can help clients develop novel strategies for combating the difficulties in the field.
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How can my choice of infection model speed entry into the clinic?
Charles River provides truly translational models of infectious disease. During infection research it’s important to not only choose the correct strain of pathogen but the correct body site and in vivo model e.g. UTI model or respiratory infection models, this is something we can advise on. In addition our Galleria model, uses moth larvae to screen anti-infectives before entering in vivo models, speeding entrance into the clinic and saving our clients money.
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Why should I outsource my infection research efficacy testing?
Pharmaceutical and biotech infectious disease research companies will have a background in microbiology but may not have in-house immunology expertise, Charles River can help clients navigate the complex biology involved in this space. Charles River has experience in a range of projects, providing insight for clients and ensuring we can adapt the right model for our clients research.
