Contract Drug Screening Studies

In Vitro Drug Screening Services

Donor-characterized primary adipose 2D and 3D microtissue models for metabolic function and cytotoxicity/viability endpoints. Scalable 96-well format with high-content imaging and ML-ready lipid droplet quantification.

Provide a human-derived in vitro alternative to support early-stage metabolic screening and in vitro drug testing techniques for compound profiling.

→ Donor-characterized primary human adipose cells
→ Standard, SVF, and obesity/hypertrophy tissue models
→ Functional metabolic and cytotoxicity endpoints
→ AI-compatible lipid droplet image analysis

Request Information

Adipose Microphysiological Platform

Human-derived adipose tissue systems for metabolic drug screening and in vitro assays drug discovery to support early-stage compound decision making

Human Biology-Anchored Screening

Our platform provides contract drug screening services using human adipose 2D and 3D microtissue models derived from donor-characterized primary cells. The system integrates validated tissue culture protocols, in vitro assay development workflows, functional metabolic endpoints, and AI-compatible imaging for scalable compound profiling.

Donor-characterized primary adipose-derived cells (ASC, SVF)
Human-derived extracellular matrices
2D and 3D adipose microtissue formats
Standardized 96-well plate configuration
Up to 4 donor samples per plate

All models employ human-derived biology to improve translational relevance over animal-derived systems for early-stage metabolic screening and cytotoxicity/viability profiling.

This study is enabled by the technology and staff from Obatala Sciences.

Available Adipose Tissue Models

Three validated human adipose tissue systems designed for metabolic screening with cytotoxicity/viability and functional endpoints in vitro.

Standard Adipose Microtissue Model

Baseline human adipose tissue system for metabolic screening and cytotoxicity/viability profiling in 2D and 3D formats. Differentiated adipocytes in human-derived matrix for compound response characterization.

Applications: Metabolic function assays, lipid accumulation studies, baseline cytotoxicity profiling

SVF Adipose Microtissue Model

Multi-cell population model incorporating stromal vascular fraction components. Includes adipocytes, preadipocytes, endothelial and stromal populations characteristic of SVF-derived adipose tissue for enhanced tissue complexity.

Applications: Multi-cell interaction studies, inflammation modeling, stromal-adipocyte crosstalk, tissue-level cytotoxicity profiling

Obesity/Hypertrophy Adipose Model

Obesity-like hypertrophic adipose tissue system for disease-relevant metabolic screening.

Note: Available as contract service only. Consult for donor availability and culture lead time.

Applications: Metabolic dysfunction modeling, inflammation profiling, disease-state compound response

Available Readouts

Comprehensive endpoint services and metabolic assay menu that illustrate multiple types of in vitro assays and in vitro assay examples for functional characterization of compound effects on human adipose tissue

Endpoint Services

Metabolic Activity – Cell viability and metabolic function indicators
Cytotoxicity/Viability – Membrane integrity and cell death markers
Secretome/Cytokines – Adipokine and inflammatory mediator profiling
RNA Expression – Gene expression analysis for target validation
Protein Expression – Protein-level target and pathway confirmation
Histology – Tissue morphology and structural assessment
Microscopy – Brightfield, fluorescence, and confocal imaging
High-Throughput Screening – 96-well plate-based workflow compatibility

Metabolic Assay Menu

Lipolysis – Glycerol release and fatty acid mobilization
Glucose Uptake – Insulin sensitivity and glucose transport
Seahorse OCR/ECAR – Oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification for mitochondrial function
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) – Oxidative stress markers
JC-1 Mitochondrial Membrane Potential – Mitochondrial health indicators
Lipid Droplet Quantification – AI-compatible image analysis for lipid content

High-Content Imaging + ML-Ready Lipid Droplet Quantification

Automated quantification of lipid droplet size, number, and distribution using machine learning-based image segmentation. Generates quantitative datasets compatible with high-throughput screening workflows and statistical analysis pipelines.

Translational Value

Human-derived adipose systems improve biological relevance for early-stage decision support compared to animal-derived screening platforms

Human Biology

Primary human adipose-derived cells and human extracellular matrix eliminate species translation gaps for metabolic and cytotoxicity endpoints

Functional Readouts

Integrated metabolic, inflammatory, and viability endpoints provide decision-relevant data for compound prioritization

Reduce Animal Use

Generate human-relevant in vitro screening data early to prioritize compounds, understand donor-to-donor variability, and de-risk subsequent in vivo investment

2D vs 3D Tissue Models: Advantages and Disadvantages

Dimension	Advantages	Disadvantages	Best Use Cases
2D Adipose Models	Higher throughput, shorter culture time, well-established protocols, easier imaging and endpoint access, lower cost per data point	Reduced tissue complexity, limited cell-cell interactions, less physiological architecture	Initial drug screening assay campaigns, mechanism of action studies, baseline metabolic profiling, high-throughput safety assessment
3D Adipose Microtissues	Enhanced tissue architecture, improved cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, better recapitulation of in vivo microenvironment, longer functional stability	Longer culture lead time, more complex imaging requirements, higher cost per condition, requires optimization for endpoint access	Translational validation studies, complex tissue-level responses, long-term metabolic studies, disease modeling (e.g., obesity/hypertrophy)

Selection guidance: 2D models are preferred for initial screening and high-throughput applications. 3D microtissues provide added translational value for secondary validation and disease-relevant profiling where tissue complexity is critical to the biological question.

Execution Workflow

Structured process from consultation to data delivery for adipose microphysiological screening services

1

Consultation

Project scope definition, model selection, endpoint selection, and experimental design consultation

2

Donor Selection

Donor-specific cell sourcing based on age, BMI, sex, and metabolic profile requirements (up to 4 donors/plate)

3

Culture & Treatment

3-week culture lead time for adipose tissue maturation followed by compound treatment and endpoint execution

4

Data Delivery

See deliverables below

Culture Lead Time

3-week lead time required for initiating adipose tissue culture before compound treatment and endpoint services can begin. Factor this timeline into project planning for study execution.

Deliverables

Raw data (plate reader + imaging files), QC summary, donor metadata, analysis methods, and an interpretation-ready report with figures and key findings.

Donor-Characterized Primary Cells

Human adipose-derived cells sourced from characterized donors with documented demographic and metabolic profiles

Donor Selection Parameters

All donor-derived cells are sourced with documented demographic and baseline metabolic characteristics to support robust cell assay development. Standard donor selection includes age, sex, BMI, and metabolic health status to ensure appropriate biological context for screening applications.

Age range specification
BMI categorization (normal, overweight, obese)
Sex-specific donor selection
Metabolic health status (when available)
Adipose depot source (subcutaneous vs visceral)

Donor-characterized cells enable biologically relevant screening that accounts for population variability in metabolic response. Up to 4 donor samples can be incorporated per plate to capture response diversity across demographic groups.

Plate Configuration

Format: 96-well plates

Donor capacity: Up to 4 donors per plate

Replicates: Customizable based on statistical requirements

Controls: Vehicle, positive control, and untreated wells included as standard

Configuration flexibility: Donor number, replicate structure, and control placement can be adjusted to match specific study designs and compound testing requirements.