Advancing Science Through In Vivo Refinement and Innovation - Examples from Abuse Liability and Impulsivity Screening

Animal welfare is more than a responsibility. It is a foundation for generating robust, reliable scientific data. In this edition, we highlight how that philosophy shapes both our research and our capabilities, from new findings on laboratory mouse welfare being presented at PolLASA 2026 to the introduction of whole-body plethysmography for sensitive respiratory assessment in conscious subjects.

Together, these updates reflect our ongoing commitment to refinement, scientific excellence, and the development of translationally relevant solutions that help our clients make more confident research and development decisions.

Can Improving Animal Welfare Also Improve Scientific Outcomes?

Advancing Laboratory Animal Welfare at PolLASA 2026.

Transpharmation is proud to be presenting two posters at PolLASA 2026 in Warsaw, showcasing research focused on improving the welfare of laboratory mice through evidence-based refinement strategies.

Magdalena Borowiec-Pawlak, DVM will present Shared Cage Without Conflict? Strategies for Preventing and Responding to Aggression in Group-Housed Laboratory Mice, while Anna Przyborowska, PhD will present Preferences of Laboratory Mice for Different Types of Environmental Enrichment.

Together, these studies explore practical approaches to social housing and environmental enrichment, supporting both animal wellbeing and the generation of robust, reproducible scientific data.

At Transpharmation, animal welfare remains fundamental to scientific excellence. Through continuous research and refinement, we advance best practices that benefit both animals and science, helping our partners bring life-changing medicines to the people who need them most.

Attending PolLASA 2026? We welcome the opportunity to discuss our latest findings and our ongoing commitment to laboratory animal welfare with you in Warsaw this September 7 - 9.

Interested in our findings? Check out our posters and publications section of the website, full findings will be uploaded there following the event.

📖 View our recent posters and publications

See Every Breath — New Whole-Body Plethysmography Capabilities

Advancing animal welfare often means finding better ways to collect meaningful scientific data.

Subtle respiratory effects can be easy to miss, yet they can have significant implications for safety, efficacy, and translational success. That’s why we’re pleased to introduce whole-body plethysmography (WBP) at Transpharmation, enabling sensitive, real-time assessment of respiratory function in conscious animals.

Designed to support respiratory safety assessment, pharmacological characterisation, and translational research, WBP provides sensitive detection of subtle respiratory changes without the need for restraint or anaesthesia.

Key applications include:

• Detection of respiratory depression and stimulation
• Evaluation of inhaled, vapour, and aerosol-delivered compounds
• Support for discovery, safety pharmacology, and abuse liability studies
• Sensitive assessment of treatment-related respiratory effects

The data featured below demonstrate the platform’s ability to detect expected respiratory responses to caffeine, highlighting the sensitivity and robustness of the system.

Key findings in figures above:

✔ Caffeine elicited significant respiratory stimulation characterized by rapid, shallow breathing. Respiratory rate was increased while tidal volume was reduced, resulting in a net increase in minute volume.

Whether you’re evaluating respiratory safety, investigating mechanism of action, or advancing a novel therapeutic, our team can help you generate the translational data needed to move your program forward.

Explore our respiratory, abuse liability, and safety pharmacology research to see how whole-body plethysmography can support your next study:

See our Related Posters and Publications

How Confident Are You in Your Impulsivity Readouts?

Understanding impulsive behaviour is critical to the development of therapies for a range of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. That’s why we’re highlighting the value of Differential Reinforcement of Low Rate (DRL), a translational and pharmacologically sensitive behavioural assay that enables researchers to quantify impulsive action and evaluate treatment effects with confidence.

DRL requires animals to withhold responding until a defined interval has elapsed, providing a robust measure of action restraint, timing control, and premature responding, all key components of impulsivity.

Key applications include:

• ADHD and impulsivity-focused programmes
• Substance use and compulsive behaviour research
• Schizophrenia-relevant cognitive and behavioural phenotyping
• Bipolar disorder research
• Mechanism de-risking for serotonergic, noradrenergic, and glutamatergic compounds

By providing a sensitive and translational approach to measuring impulsive action, DRL helps teams identify meaningful pharmacological effects earlier in development, supporting more informed candidate selection and program decisions.

See the Efficacy Evidence below:

Explore our latest CNS research insights to see how Differential Reinforcement of Low Rate (DRL) supports translational assessment of impulsivity, response inhibition, and treatment effects across a range of neuropsychiatric disorders.

View Our Latest OCD, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder & Schizophrenia Insights