New Multi-Organ Human-on-a-Chip® for Studying Opioid Overdose and Recovery From Hesperos, Inc

Study in a Sentence: A new human-relevant model for studying multi-system pharmacodynamics and toxicity for opioids and opioid overdose treatment has been developed by the Human-on-a-chip developers at Hesperos, Inc.

Healthy for Humans: The study validated the integration of respiratory neurons, liver hepatocytes, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle tissues within the system. This model effectively replicates known opioid-induced neuronal interactions. Furthermore, the research explored naloxone (commonly known as Narcan) for its ability to reverse opioid-induced neuronal suppression and mitigate multi-system toxicity. Importantly, the findings shed light on the potential mechanism behind clinically observed episodes of ventricular tachycardia following naloxone administration.

Redefining Research: This research underscores the power of human-based microphysiological systems to revolutionize pharmacological studies. These models not only serve as replacements for cruel animal testing but also enable researchers to uncover novel mechanisms of drug action and toxicity. For regulatory decision-makers, these systems offer a pathway to enhance the safety and efficiency of pharmaceutical discovery, reducing reliance on outdated animal experiments.