NAMs in Cardiovascular Research
Human heart models for cardiac safety testing—because cardiotoxicity is the leading cause of drug withdrawals and the human heart beats differently than animal hearts
What is QT Interval?
The time from the start of heart contraction to complete relaxation. Prolongation can cause fatal arrhythmias.
Why It Matters
QT prolongation is the most common reason for drug withdrawal. hERG channel blocking is a key mechanism.
Species Differences
Human hERG channels differ from rodent channels—drugs safe in mice can be deadly in humans.
NAM Advantage
Human iPSC-cardiomyocytes express human hERG channels, enabling accurate QT liability prediction.
Human Cardiac Models
NAMs that beat like a human heart
iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes
Human heart muscle cells grown from induced pluripotent stem cells that beat spontaneously and express human ion channels.
- ✓ Human hERG channel expression
- ✓ Spontaneous beating
- ✓ Patient-specific cells available
- ✓ High-throughput compatible
Heart-on-Chip
Microfluidic devices with human cardiac tissue that contracts under physiological conditions with measurable force.
- ✓ Measures contractile force
- ✓ Flow conditions mimic blood
- ✓ Multi-week studies possible
- ✓ Combined with other organ chips
Cardiac Organoids
3D heart tissue structures with multiple cell types (cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells) that self-organize.
- ✓ Multiple cardiac cell types
- ✓ 3D tissue architecture
- ✓ Disease modeling
- ✓ Drug penetration studies
Engineered Heart Tissue (EHT)
Strips or rings of human cardiac tissue anchored between posts that contract with measurable force.
- ✓ Quantitative force measurement
- ✓ Mature cell phenotype
- ✓ Chronic toxicity studies
- ✓ Structural cardiotoxicity detection
CiPA Initiative
FDA-supported paradigm using human cell data for cardiac safety
Ion Channel Studies
Test drug effects on multiple human cardiac ion channels (hERG, Nav1.5, Cav1.2) using automated patch clamp.
In Silico Modeling
Computer models integrate ion channel data to predict proarrhythmic risk using human cardiac action potential models.
Human iPSC-CM Studies
Confirm predictions using human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes with MEA recordings of electrical activity.
Clinical Confirmation
Focused clinical ECG studies validate the integrated non-clinical predictions in humans.
Beyond Safety Testing
Human cardiac models for disease research
Heart Failure
Model reduced contractility and test drugs that strengthen heart muscle using patient-derived cells.
Inherited Arrhythmias
Study long QT syndrome and other genetic conditions using iPSCs from affected patients.
Cardiomyopathies
Model dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with patient-specific mutations.
Ischemia/Reperfusion
Study heart attack damage and recovery using controlled oxygen deprivation in human tissue.
Cancer Drug Cardiotoxicity
Test whether chemotherapy drugs damage heart tissue—a major cause of cancer treatment complications.
Regenerative Medicine
Develop cell therapies to repair damaged heart tissue using human cardiac cells.