MD Biosciences Blog

We are happy to announce that we have merged with MLM Medical Labs ("MLM"), a specialized laboratory dedicated to clinical trials headquartered in Germany. With our strong reputation for scientific expertise in immunology and immunological biomarkers and distinguished approach to customer care, our team is looking forward to joining the MLM family, and providing a comprehensive menu of preclinical and clinical services to an extended client base. 

MD Biosciences' life science research products manufacturing and distribution businesses in Switzerland and the US, and MD Biosciences' neurology business focused on preclinical and translational research in neurology in Israel and the US, are not part of this transaction. 

The addition of MD Biosciences follows the acquisition of CirQuest Labs in Memphis, TN earlier this summer, further expanding MLM's geographic reach. The integration of the three organizations will occur in the coming few months to align the operations and quality systems, offering customers access to MLM services in both the United States and Europe. With a stronger and larger global team, "we will have the scale and capacity to support all stages of product development", says Stephan Voswinkel, Managing Director of MLM.

"Joining the growing MLM family is the next step in the evolution of MD Biosciences, Inc., providing an expanded geographic reach in immunology and biomarker testing services. This opens the opportunity to serve MD Biosciences' growing roster of customers with their needs in Europe, the US and with the combined strength of MLM and CirQuest", commented Eddie Moradian, CEO of MD Biosciences.

MLM global services will include: 

• expertise in pre-clinical and clinical research across various therapeutic areas including inflammation, autoimmune, metabolism and oncology
• full-service histopathology lab including immunohistochemistry and digital image analysis 
• specialized biomarker testing
• clinical chemistry
• analyses of drug compounds
• molecular diagnostics 

We look forward to continuing to serve you with an expanded menu of capabilities, supporting all stages of research. To learn more about MLM Medical Labs, visit the website here. 

We are happy to announce that we have established MD Biosciences Neuro, LLC. in Cambridge, Massachusetts to expand our work and collaborations in the United States. Our team, led by Chief Scientific Officer, Sigal Meilin, is looking forward to developing close partnerships with you and continuing to advance the field of neurology and pain research.
With a multifaceted approach to assessment of neurological diseases, specializations include pain-related work, neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's, neuro-inflammatory diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and capabilities in stroke and cerebral ischemia. Preclinical models are complimented by in house histology, biomarker analysis and electrophysiology capabilities. Finally, our unique porcine models share a high degree of similarity to humans, thus offering greater clinical efficacy that serve to augment and accelerate your program towards their next objectives and milestones.

Please contact us with any questions about our services, capabilities, and customizable study design options.

Due to the clinical and pathological similarities of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), EAE  is a model for the study of human demyelinating disease. Both EAE and MS are characterized by a relapsing-remitting disease course with subsequent progressive disability. EAE is characterized by chronic inflammatory demyelination of the central nervous system (CNS) and involves autoimmune CD4+ Th1 cells. These cells develop in the peripheral lymphoid organ and travel to the CNS causing an immune response. The development of T cells is controlled largely by the expression of various cytokines, as well as cellular adhesion molecules.

This past month in Paris, our scientists presented at the NeuroImmunology Conference, where they shared novel data in the Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) Induced model used to mimic Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This model is a powerful tool for studying disease pathogenesis as well as potential therapeutic interventions. Below find our poster data. 

When conducting MS research,  administration of one dose of MPB in a Lewis rat leads to a single relapse that is characterized by hind paw paralysis. This can be characterized histologically, by infiltration of mononuclear cells to the cervical spinal cord and formation of foci. This model is self-limiting and does not show demyelination.

Other MS-EAE Models at MD Biosciences: 

PLP

MBP

MOG

Interested to learn about customizable models for neurodegenerative disease research? Contact us today! 

Our team of neuroscience specialists ran a preclinical study with NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals in hopes of progressing towards a human trial later in the year for Alzheimer's. Using lead drug candidate EmtinB known to stimulate the reformation of the neuronal network and restore function of damaged nerve cells, the nerve cells were successfully able to communicate again in this study. In fact, EmtinB was able to stimulate regeneration of nerve cells by more than 300% compared to the control. This is significant in affecting synapse loss, a key contributor of cognitive impairment. Together, we are paving the way for successful therapeutic treatment options for Alzheimer's. Learn about our neurodegenerative animal models, behavioral assessments and other neuroscience research services here! 

Now live: a website dedicated to MD Biosciences' cutting-edge neurological and CNS research services offered through our Neuroscience Research Laboratories. Our facilities are fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies for preclinical and translational studies, featuring clinically-relevant read outs and endpoints. Specialties include studies of neuropathic, acute and chronic pain and neurodegenerative/neuroinflammatory diseases. Unique pig translational models and electrophysiology capabilities compliment rodent capabilities and accelerate your program towards their next objectives and milestones. Contact our team today! 651-641-1770 or info@mdbiosciences.com 

We recently published a publication demonstrating the utility of open field testing in combination with behavioral scoring in the pig peripheral neuritis trauma (PNT) model for pain. Combined together and applied in this model, they represent a powerful tool to assess the spontaneous behavior of pigs in response to pain. Rodent models are often used in pain research as they offer valuable data regarding underlying mechanisms contributing to pain, though they are limited in their translatability to human application. A pivotal benefit of using pig models is their increased translatability to the clinic considering the anatomical and physiological similarities pigs share with humans in comparison to rodents. This paper suggests that pig behavioral patterns are similarly translatable. MD Biosciences is proud to be a leader in neurology-related research, offering a variety of pig studies to enhance development in multiple therapeutic areas.
 

 For more information regarding our pig study services, visit our website or contact us!

Proud to announce that the pig post operative pain model pioneered by our scientists was used and cited in a clinical study poster publication written by Heron Therapeutics to assess the synergistic effect of Bupivacaine and Meloxicam in HTX-011.

"Meloxicam and Bupivacaine combined in a single extended-release formulation (HTX-011) delivered at the wound site in a preclinical post-surgical pain model in pigs exhibited greater analgesia than either compound delivered alone within the same extended-release formulation; this finding was confirmed in an initial clinical trial in bunionectomy" (Heron Therapeutics, 2018).

To learn more about our rodent and pig post-operative pain models, visit our preclinical pain webpage or view  our datasheet below.

 MB Biosciences is proud to announce our newly established electrophysiology capabilities suited for preclinical neuropathy research! Our lab has acquired the cutting-edge Dantec KEYPOINT Focus tool utilized to measure electrophysiological action potentials. Our scientists have applied these new capabilities in the assessment of Muscle Action Potential (measuring signals from the nerve to muscle) in rodent models of peripheral nerve injury. Using these capabilities, we can measure nerve regeneration, degeneration and protection in response to various treatments. This technology can be further applied to non-rodent species such are our pig translational pain models. Additionally, we are now offering measurement capabilities for Motor Action Potential with a specialized Renovo Neural paradigm—particularly useful for studies of EAE, MS, spinal cord injuries and CNS pain. Application of these capabilities specifically to EAE and MS models provide valuable insights into multiple areas of compound efficacy. View the graphs below to learn more about the ways in which using intraoperative techniques applied in the brain, peripheral nerve surgeries and spine has led us to developing models for monitoring impairment in neural activity. By empirically evaluating neural diseases and their physiological symptoms, we can effectively offer precise measurements for drug effect and treatment options.

To learn more about how this technology can be applied to specific study needs, please contact us.

In-vivo neurophysiology

Figure 1. A) CNS model - Transcranial electric motor evoked potentials (tcMEPs) were recorded from the bilateral tibialis anterior (TA) muscles using paired subdermal needle electrodes. TcMEP stimulating electrodes were placed anterior to the C3 and C4 scalp positions. B) Pain and sensory model - Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) - electrodes were placed along the medial aspect of each ankle at the malleoli for bipolar stimulation of the posterior tibial nerves (PTN). Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) were recorded over the cerebral cortex using subdermal needle electrodes placed posterior to the C3 and C4 scalp positions. Recording electrodes were referenced to the FPz position on forehead. C) PNS model - Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) - recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle using paired subdermal needle electrodes. Stimulating electrodes were placed along the sciatic notch. Data were recorded from a Sprague Dawley rat.

   A                                              B                                            C                                               

Figure 2: tcMEP Recordings from TA muscle in a multiple sclerosis model. A A healthy potential recorded from naive mouse (C57). B) Desynchronized potential recorded from a mouse treated with MOG demonstrating a clinical paralysis score of 1-2 (mild paralysis). Note multiple picks of potential, late latency for the main potential and extended duration of the total event. C) Small and weak potential recorded from a mouse treated with MOG demonstrating a clinical paralysis score of 3-4 (moderate paralysis).

MD Biosciences is proud to announce a recent addition to our extensive laboratory services and capabilities: The BD LSR Fortessa^TM X-20 Flow Cytometer offers the flexibility to support multiparametric (16+ color) analyses with advanced performance and consistency. These capabilities provide increased functionality for applications in preclinical, translational and clinical programs such as immunophenotyping of complex cellular populations, and analysis of cellular activation and proliferation states. Contact us to learn about our flow cytometry capabilities or discuss a study proposal with our scientific team! 

• BD LSR FORTESSA Flow Cytometer