Nonhuman primates as models for the discovery and development of radiation countermeasures

• Published in: Expert opinion on drug discovery Vol. 12; no. 7; pp. 695 - 709
• Main Authors: Singh, Vijay K., Olabisi, Ayodele O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 03.07.2017
• Subjects: Acute radiation syndrome; Acute Radiation Syndrome - prevention & control; animal model; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Approval; Drug Design; Drug Discovery - methods; FDA animal rule; Humans; Macaca mulatta; macaques; nonhuman primates; Primates; radiation countermeasures; Radiation-Protective Agents - adverse effects; Radiation-Protective Agents - therapeutic use; rhesus; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration; rhesus; Acute radiation syndrome; FDA animal rule; nonhuman primates; animal model; macaques; radiation countermeasures
• ISSN: 1746-0441; 1746-045X
• DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2017.1323863

Introduction: Despite significant scientific advances over the past six decades toward the development of safe and effective radiation countermeasures for humans using animal models, only two pharmaceutical agents have been approved by United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS). Additional research efforts are needed to further develop large animal models for improving the prediction of clinical safety and effectiveness of radiation countermeasures for ARS and delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE) in humans. Area covered: The authors review the suitability of animal models for the development of radiation countermeasures for ARS following the FDA Animal Rule with a special focus on nonhuman primate (NHP) models of ARS. There are seven centers in the United States currently conducting studies with irradiated NHPs, with the majority of studies being conducted with rhesus monkeys. Expert opinion: The NHP model is considered the gold standard animal model for drug development and approval by the FDA. The lack of suitable substitutes for NHP models for predicting response in humans serves as a bottleneck for the development of radiation countermeasures. Additional large animal models need to be characterized to support the development and FDA-approval of new radiation countermeasures.