Natick, MA — SBH Sciences, a preclinical contract research organization (CRO), today announced the launch of its Translational Kidney Disease Platform, designed to support therapeutic development through human-relevant in vitro models and translational biomarker strategies.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 800 million people worldwide and remains a growing cause of morbidity and mortality. Drug development in renal disease is often hindered by biological complexity, disease heterogeneity, and limited translational predictability of traditional preclinical models. SBH Sciences’ new platform addresses these challenges by integrating compartment-specific kidney cell systems with biomarker development approaches, including extracellular vesicle (EV)-based assays, to better align preclinical findings with clinical endpoints.
Founded in 1997, SBH Sciences has supported more than 350 biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies over its 28-year history. The company operates as a preclinical CRO; however, it maintains extensive capabilities in clinical sample processing, biomarker detection, assay validation, and translational analysis. SBH has developed more than 360 biological assays and offers over 150 off-the-shelf biomarker assays spanning multiple disease indications. Its scientific work has supported seven New Chemical Entities (NCEs), all of which progressed into clinical trials, with one achieving FDA approval.
The Kidney Disease Platform extends this assay and translational expertise into renal therapeutics through a structured, human-relevant framework.
The platform integrates:
· Glomerular models using conditionally immortalized human podocytes to assess cytoskeletal organization, slit diaphragm integrity, mitochondrial stress, and cell survival.
· Tubular injury models employing primary human proximal tubule epithelial cells (hPTECs) to evaluate cytotoxicity, TGF-β–mediated fibrosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, and metabolic dysfunction.
· Interstitial fibrosis models utilizing human kidney fibroblasts to measure myofibroblast activation and profibrotic signaling pathways.
· Translational biomarker strategies, including development of kidney-relevant assays and urinary extracellular vesicle analyses to support mechanistic insight and clinical positioning.
By combining compartment-specific cellular systems with translational biomarker endpoints, the platform enables earlier evaluation of mechanism of action, fibrosis and inflammatory pathways, and mitochondrial or metabolic stress responses. This integrated approach is intended to strengthen decision-making during target validation, lead optimization, and IND-enabling studies.
“The future of renal therapeutics depends on better models and smarter biomarkers. By integrating both into a unified translational framework, we hope to contribute meaningfully to the next generation of kidney disease therapies,” said SBH President and CSO, Raphael Nir, PhD. “Our new platform reflects our long-standing focus on assay innovation and translational science applied to the complexity of renal biology.”
SBH Sciences welcomes scientific collaborations with biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations developing therapies for CKD, diabetic kidney disease, glomerulopathies, fibrotic kidney disorders, and related inflammatory or metabolic renal conditions.
For
additional information, visit:
https://sbhsciences.com/kidney
About SBH Sciences
SBH Sciences is a preclinical CRO specializing in cytokine biology, cell-based assay development, and translational biomarker services. Since 1997, the company has supported more than 350 biotechnology companies worldwide in advancing therapeutic and diagnostic programs.
