Nonrodent Models: Minipig Specialty Capabilities

The Göttingen minipig has gained favor in pharmaceutical development programs as a suitable alternative to nonrodent species. Its physiological similarity to humans (skin structure, digestive, cardiovascular, and urinary systems), ready availability, known disease status, and feasibility of genetic and phenotypic manipulation offer certain advantages over the traditional species in relation to specific responses to particular drug classes. Minipigs also experience fewer species-specific adverse reactions to compound classes than other large animal models, making them a viable alternative in those cases

As such, regulatory authorities accept the minipig as a suitable nonrodent species for use in safety evaluation assessment and efficacy studies of pharmaceutical products when scientifically appropriate. Learn how these advantages impact ethical considerations and cost of animals in biomedical research.