From Preclinical Signal to Clinical Confidence: What Pig Models Reveal That Rodents Can’t

The challenge in translational research is not generating data but generating actionable confidence.

Rodent models excel at identifying early signals, but they often fall short when programs require answers about dosing, durability, delivery, and functional recovery. These questions demand a system that mirrors human physiology more closely. Pig models uniquely fill this gap.

In translational pig studies, investigators can evaluate:

• Clinically relevant dosing routes (topical, intradermal, intrathecal, epidural, IV, oral)
• Longitudinal recovery over weeks to months
• Integrated behavioral, electrophysiological, histological, and biomarker endpoints
• Sex, age, and comorbidity effects that influence clinical outcomes

For example, pig models have demonstrated human-like responses to extended-release local anesthetics and anti-inflammatory combinations, with close alignment between preclinical and clinical pain outcomes. Such findings underscore the value of pigs as predictive models. 

At MD Biosciences, translational pig studies are designed not as isolated experiments, but as decision-shaping tools that help teams determine whether to advance, modify, or halt a program with greater confidence.

When the cost of being wrong is high, model choice matters