
Progress your IBD Agent Drug Development with our Diverse Preclinical Models
Select qualified Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis lead agents, and determine efficacy and response to treatment, with our preclinical IBD models. The models feature diverse mechanisms capturing many of the key characteristic clinical and pathological features of IBD including:
- Gut epithelial/barrier defect model
- Innate and regulatory cell mediated model
Gut Epithelial/Barrier Defect Mouse Model – DSS-Induced Colitis
Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) is a sulfated polysaccharide with variable molecular weights. Administration of DSS in the drinking water causes activation of neutrophils and macrophages that result in a compromised mucosal barrier function.
In the Acute DSS IBD model, mice are given DSS in their drinking water for 7 days, followed by several days of tap water to induce a Th2 UC-like inflammation in the colon.
Major endpoints:
- Bloody stool/diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Colon weight/length
- Disease activity index
- Muscosal integrity
Innate and Regulatory Cell Mediated Mouse Model – T Cell Transfer
CD4+CD45RBhi cells are isolated from spleens of BALB/c mice and transferred into SCID recipients. Clinical disease develops from 3 weeks post-transfer, and peaks at 5-6 weeks.
Major endpoints:
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Colon weight/length
- Disease activity index
- Muscosal integrity

Figure 1: T Cell Transfer Mouse Model Therapeutic Treatment with Anti-IL-12 mAb