Three posters highlight advances in inflammasome inhibition, astrocyte neurotoxicity, and myelination models supporting translational drug discovery
CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH, United Kingdom, Nov. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Concept Life Sciences, a leading contract research organization (CRO) serving the global life sciences and pharma industry, today announces that it presented three new research posters at Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), held in San Diego, California on 15-19 November. The studies demonstrate Concept Life Sciences’ expanding expertise in neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and translational cell models that enhance the predictivity of early drug discovery.
Advancing translational neuroscience and drug discovery
The three posters showcase how Concept Life Sciences applies physiologically relevant in-vitro and ex-vivo systems to model key mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases:
1. Development of a Drug Screening Cascade to Identify Novel Potent and Selective NLRP3 Inhibitors
This study establishes a validated, multi-stage phenotypic screening cascade for discovering next-generation NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. Using human THP-1 cells, primary human macrophages, human iPSC-derived microglia, and organotypic brain slices, the workflow delivers integrated mechanistic and functional readouts to enhance translatability in early drug discovery.
The poster can be accessed [here].
2. In-Vitro Models of OPC Maturation and Myelination for Drug Discovery
This study introduces in-vitro assays that enable robust quantification of oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) proliferation, differentiation, and myelin formation. By combining High-Content and 3D Imaging with gene expression analysis and metabolite quantification, Concept Life Sciences established reproducible assays that capture the molecular and functional hallmarks of OPC maturation and myelination. These models provide a translational platform to evaluate compounds that may enhance remyelination in disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and ischemic stroke.
The poster can be accessed [here].
3. Leveraging iPSC-Derived Astrocytes to Accelerate the Discovery of Novel Drugs Targeting Neuroinflammation
Concept Life Sciences validated human iPSC-derived astrocytes as a reproducible model of reactive neurotoxic astrocytes, establishing a high-value assay for evaluating compounds that modulate neuroinflammatory pathways.
The poster can be accessed [here].
Dr. Elise Malavasi, Neuroscience Associate Director at Concept Life Sciences, commented:
“Our work, presented at Neuroscience 2025, highlighted how our integrated biology platforms enable a deeper understanding of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative mechanisms. By combining advanced human cell systems, primary cell-based assays, and 3D models, we provide our partners with translational tools that de-risk discovery and accelerate progress toward clinical impact.”
New white paper: Building a complete picture of inflammasome activity
Ahead of its presentations at Neuroscience 2025, Concept Life Sciences launched a new white paper entitled “Advancing Inflammasome Drug Discovery: Building a Complete Picture of Inflammasome Activity for Therapeutic Success.”
The paper highlights the inflammasome as a high-value therapeutic target with the potential for intervention across a wide range of inflammatory, metabolic, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. It also focuses on the importance of using a suite of physiologically relevant assays across multiple inflammasome types and cell models to generate more disease-relevant and predictive data for drug discovery. Concept Life Sciences’ integrated assay portfolio supports a comprehensive understanding of inflammasome modulation — helping discovery teams make faster, more confident candidate selections and thereby accelerating drug discovery in the inflammation and immunology space.
The white paper can be accessed here.
About Concept Life Sciences
Concept Life Sciences is a leading contract research organisation (CRO) serving the global life sciences industry. For over 25 years, Concept Life Sciences, and its heritage companies, have provided consultative, and collaborative, drug discovery and development services. Our approach, supported by passionate scientists and world-leading capabilities, enables us to overcome complex scientific challenges across a broad range of therapeutic areas, improving success rates for translating innovations into viable therapeutics. To date, Concept Life Sciences has successfully helped 29 candidates advance to the clinic.
The company offers sophisticated translational biology services coupled with exceptional end-to-end chemistry capabilities offering concept to clinic solutions. Across modalities, including small molecules, biologics, peptides, and cell & gene therapies, Concept Life Sciences seamlessly integrates capabilities and provides bespoke solutions to address drug discovery challenges.
Collectively, the company’s high-quality services across the drug discovery and development pathway have helped its customers advance their drugs from concept to clinic in as little as 32 months, well ahead of the industry average of 60 months.
Driven by a passion for science, Concept Life Sciences has around 230 employees, with over 70% holding PhDs. The company operates from state-of-the-art UK facilities, headquartered near Manchester, with additional specialist operations in Edinburgh, Dundee, and Sandwich.
Visit us at www.conceptlifesciences.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Media contacts
Concept Life Sciences
Clare Whitewoods – Marketing Director
Clare.Whitewoods@conceptlifesciences.com
Scius Communications
Katja Stout
+44 778 943 5990
katja@sciuscommunications.com
Daniel Gooch
+44 7747 875479
daniel@sciuscommunications.com
