BioIVT to Showcase Translational Research Strategies for Metabolic Disease, GLP-1 Therapies and Emerging Drug Development Models
BioIVT, a global research partner and biospecimen solutions provider supporting drug and diagnostic development, is preparing to highlight new research and practical approaches for selecting fit-for-purpose models across increasingly complex therapeutic development programs this fall.
Through a series of scientific presentations, posters, symposium sessions and a live webinar, BioIVT scientists will address emerging challenges in drug development spanning GLP-1 therapeutics, metabolic disease, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), complex peptide metabolism and targeted protein degraders. The company’s fall scientific program is designed to demonstrate how appropriate biological models and experimental strategies can help researchers generate translational data at different stages of drug discovery and development.
A major focus of BioIVT’s fall activities will be the 27th North American ISSX Meeting, taking place October 11–14 in San Francisco, California. At the meeting, BioIVT scientists will participate in a breakfast symposium and present three scientific posters covering complex peptide metabolism, low-turnover reaction phenotyping and translational models for metabolic disease.
The company will also exhibit at booth #504, where attendees can learn more about its ADME research products and consulting capabilities.
Focus on GLP-1 Therapeutics and Tissue Metabolism
One of the key presentations at the ISSX meeting will examine how researchers can improve in vitro approaches for understanding the metabolism of increasingly complex peptide therapeutics.
Joanna Barbara, PhD, General Manager of ADME Services at BioIVT, will lead the breakfast symposium titled “Advancing In Vitro Approaches to Explore Tissue Metabolism of Complex Peptide Therapeutics: A GLP-1 Case Study.” The session is scheduled for October 13 from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m.
The presentation comes as GLP-1 receptor agonists and related metabolic therapies continue to represent an important area of pharmaceutical research. As therapeutic molecules become more complex, understanding their metabolism can require experimental systems that capture biological processes beyond conventional approaches.
BioIVT’s presentation will use GLP-1 therapeutics as a case study for discussing approaches to investigating tissue metabolism and selecting appropriate in vitro models.
The company will also present three posters at the ISSX meeting.
Poster P79, titled “Development of a Bioinformatics-Guided Pan-UGT1A siRNA for Low-Turnover Compound Reaction Phenotyping in HEPATOPAC®,” will be presented by Christian Smith, Scientist I, R&D, on October 13 from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m.
The research focuses on reaction phenotyping for compounds with low turnover. Bioinformatics-guided approaches and HEPATOPAC technology are being explored to help researchers characterize metabolic pathways that can be difficult to study using conventional experimental systems.
Poster P58, titled “Establishing the Translational Relevance of Modeling MASLD in HEPATOPAC Through Proteomic Profiling,” will be presented by Karissa Cottier, PhD, Manager of R&D, on October 13 from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m.
The work examines metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) using HEPATOPAC and proteomic profiling. By investigating biological characteristics associated with the disease state, the research aims to evaluate the translational relevance of the model for metabolic disease research.
A third poster, P126, will focus directly on the metabolism of lipid-modified peptide GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Titled “Characterization of Lipid-Modified Peptide GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Metabolism in Sandwich-Cultured Hepatocytes Using Extended In Vitro Incubations,” the poster will be presented by Seema Muranjan, MS, Director of BioIVT Kansas City Facilities and Instrumentation, on October 14 from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m.
Together, the three posters highlight BioIVT’s focus on developing and applying specialized experimental systems to answer specific ADME and translational research questions.
Webinar to Explore Metabolic Disease Drug Development
BioIVT will continue its focus on metabolic disease and GLP-1 therapeutics through a live webinar scheduled for October 22 at 11 a.m. ET.
The webinar, titled “Advancing Metabolic Disease Drug Development: Translational Models and a GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Metabolism Case Study,” will feature Dr. Joanna Barbara and Brian Ogilvie, PhD, Vice President of Scientific Consulting at BioIVT.
The session will explore the biological relationships among obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), while discussing how different research tools can support drug development programs targeting metabolic disorders.
The speakers will address the role of disease-state biospecimens, primary cells, subcellular fractions, HEPATOPAC models and in vitro ADME services in developing translational research strategies.
According to BioIVT, these resources can be used to investigate disease biology, characterize drug metabolism and evaluate therapeutic candidates in experimental systems that are designed to address specific research questions.
“As therapies become more complex, researchers need the right test systems to answer specific questions,” said Dr. Joanna Barbara. “Across these fall events, our experts will share research and insights to help scientists select the appropriate models and experimental designs to generate data that can ultimately better inform drug development.”
BioIVT to Highlight New Approach Methodologies
BioIVT’s fall scientific program extends beyond metabolic disease and GLP-1 therapies to include emerging New Approach Methodologies, or NAMs.
At BIOSPAIN 2026, taking place September 29–October 1 in Bilbao, Spain, BioIVT company BeCytes will serve as a sponsor. The company will be located at booth #87.
Natalia Sánchez, PhD, R&D Director, will participate in a roundtable titled “New Approach Methodologies (NAMs): Accelerating Safer, Smarter and More Human-Relevant Innovation in Drug and Chemical Development.” The discussion is scheduled for September 30 from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m.
NAMs are increasingly being incorporated into drug and chemical development as researchers seek experimental approaches that can provide human-relevant biological information while complementing or, in certain applications, reducing reliance on traditional preclinical methods.
BioIVT’s participation at BIOSPAIN reflects its broader interest in models and technologies that can contribute to translational workflows and provide researchers with additional tools for evaluating drug candidates.
Research at the DMDG-GMP-SPS Joint Meeting
BioIVT will also participate in the DMDG-GMP-SPS Joint Meeting, scheduled for October 5–7 in Prague, Czechia. The company will be available at table #18.
Dr. Joanna Barbara will present a poster titled “In Vitro Lysosomal Catabolism of GLP-1 Peptide Therapeutics: A Human versus Rat Species Comparison.”
The research examines the metabolism of two GLP-1 agonists using human liver lysosomes and rat liver tritosomes. Comparing species-specific metabolism can provide information relevant to understanding how peptide therapeutics are processed and how experimental findings may translate between animal models and human biology.
The work is part of BioIVT’s broader effort to provide researchers with experimental systems that can help address ADME questions for newer classes of therapeutic molecules.
AAPS PharmSci 360 to Address NAMs and Translational Workflows
At AAPS PharmSci 360, taking place October 25–28 in New Orleans, Louisiana, BioIVT will exhibit at booth #1107.
Kent Grindstaff, PhD, Consulting Director at BioIVT, will moderate the symposium “Model-Informed Innovation: Integrating NAMs Across Translational Workflows.” The session will take place October 27 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
The symposium will include presentations covering several applications of emerging model-informed approaches, including quantitative systems toxicology, microphysiological systems, AAV efficacy and toxicity, preclinical testing and whole-blood NAMs for immunotoxicology.
These topics reflect the growing complexity of translational research, where developers increasingly need to integrate data from multiple experimental systems rather than relying on a single model.
For BioIVT, participation in the symposium provides an opportunity to discuss how NAMs can be incorporated into broader drug development workflows and how researchers can select models according to the specific scientific and regulatory questions they need to address.
Targeted Protein Degraders Present New ADME Questions
BioIVT will also participate in the 9th TPD and Induced Proximity Summit, taking place October 26–29 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tina Mueller, PhD, Scientific Advisor for ADMET Services at BioIVT, will present “The In Vitro ADME Playbook for Protein Degraders: What’s Different?” The presentation is scheduled for 1:30–2:00 p.m.
Targeted protein degraders represent an emerging therapeutic modality with characteristics that can differ from those of traditional small-molecule drugs. Their development can therefore create distinct questions around absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity.
BioIVT’s presentation will focus on considerations for developing an in vitro ADME strategy specifically for protein degraders, highlighting the need to adapt experimental approaches to the characteristics of newer therapeutic modalities.
Expanding Translational Research Capabilities
Across its fall event program, BioIVT is positioning model selection and experimental design as important components of modern drug development.
The company’s activities span several areas of pharmaceutical research, from GLP-1 peptide metabolism and metabolic disease models to NAMs, immunotoxicology and targeted protein degraders. By combining biospecimen resources, primary cells, subcellular systems, HEPATOPAC models and ADME services, BioIVT aims to support researchers working through increasingly complex development programs.
The company’s presentations will also provide opportunities for scientists to examine how different experimental systems can be selected according to specific research objectives rather than applying a single model across every stage of development.
With pharmaceutical pipelines increasingly incorporating complex peptides, biologics and novel modalities, understanding metabolism, toxicity and translational relevance can require specialized approaches. BioIVT’s fall scientific program will therefore focus on practical research strategies intended to help developers generate data that can inform decisions throughout drug discovery and development.
BioIVT’s upcoming events include BIOSPAIN 2026 in Bilbao, the DMDG-GMP-SPS Joint Meeting in Prague, the 27th North American ISSX Meeting in San Francisco, AAPS PharmSci 360 in New Orleans and the 9th TPD and Induced Proximity Summit in Boston, alongside the company’s October 22 webinar.
About BioIVT
BioIVT enables smarter science and accelerates medical breakthroughs by delivering high-quality personalized biospecimen solutions and research services to the life science and diagnostic industries. We specialize in control and disease state samples including human and animal tissues or preparations, ADME-Tox products and research services, cell and gene therapy products, blood, and other biofluids. Our unmatched portfolio of clinical specimens directly supports precision medicine research and the effort to improve patient outcomes by coupling comprehensive clinical data with donor samples. By combining our technical expertise, exceptional customer service, and unparalleled access to biological specimens, BioIVT serves the research community as a trusted partner in ELEVATING SCIENCE®.