Downsized Sinclair™ Vs. Göttingen™ Minipigs Similarities And Differences Of Toxicological Reference Range Data In Preclinical Safety Studies

By Yafei Chen, Adam Martin, Zoe Patenaude, Derek Brocksmith, and Wendell Davis

Minipigs (MP) are increasingly recognized as valuable non-rodent models in toxicology studies due to their anatomical, physiological, and biochemical similarities to humans. Compared to traditional models like beagle dogs, MPs offer several advantages, leading to their growing use in nonclinical contract research organizations (CROs) and the biopharmaceutical industry to support investigational new drug (IND)-enabling toxicology studies. Despite their widespread adoption, there is limited comparative toxicological reference data between the commonly used Göttingen™ and Sinclair™ MP breeds.

To address this gap, this study was conducted as part of the Altasciences Historical Control Database initiative. The objective was to provide scientific justification for selecting the most appropriate MP breed for clients’ drug development programs. By analyzing baseline and background toxicological data from studies conducted at the Altasciences Columbia site, we aimed to compare reference values for a standard battery of toxicological parameters between Sinclair™ and Göttingen™ MPs, offering critical insights to guide breed selection in nonclinical research.