COMPANY OVERVIEW
AxoSim, headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, specializes in nerve-on-chip technology for drug development and neurotoxicity testing. Spun out from Tulane University in 2014 by Dr. Lowry Curley, AxoSim's NerveSim platform enables functional assessment of peripheral nerve and CNS compounds with human-relevant models that measure compound action potentials and conduction velocity.
NERVESIM PLATFORM
- Myelinated Axons: Human iPSC-derived neurons with Schwann cell myelination
- Functional Readouts: Compound action potential (CAP) amplitude and latency
- Conduction Velocity: Real-time measurement of nerve impulse propagation speed
- 3D Architecture: Aligned axon bundles mimicking native nerve structure
- Chronic Dosing: Long-term studies up to 12 weeks for cumulative toxicity
KEY APPLICATIONS
- Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) testing—major unmet need
- Diabetic neuropathy drug development
- Neurotoxicity screening for industrial chemicals
- CNS drug efficacy (multiple sclerosis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth)
- Pain pathway modulation for analgesic development
DIFFERENTIATION
AxoSim is the only commercial platform offering functional myelinated human nerve models with electrophysiological readouts. Their technology addresses a critical gap—CIPN affects 30-40% of cancer patients yet has no approved preventive treatment, largely due to lack of predictive preclinical models.