Key result
Minipig models reliably predict human cardiovascular effects given strong anatomical and physiological translational relevance.
Why the study?
Minipigs are a relevant non-rodent model for cardiovascular research due to anatomical and physiological similarities to humans, but their use in nonclinical safety assessment remains less common than dogs and non-human primates due to historical barriers.
This review highlights the utility and translational relevance of the minipig model for predicting human cardiovascular effects in preclinical drug safety testing, noting that historical barriers to their use are being mitigated.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports minipig integration in CV safety pharmacology; leaves open needs for expanded control data and cross-species validation.
Minipigs are recognized as a relevant non-rodent species for nonclinical safety assessment in drug development, although their use remains considerably less common than that of dogs and non-human primates. Historically cited barriers to broader adoption have included increased test article requirements due to their larger size, limited historical control data, technical challenges, and limited experience with their use in nonclinical safety assessment. However, some of these limitations have been mitigated in recent years. While minipigs are most often used for dermally administered drugs due to similarities in skin structure, they are also considered a highly relevant model for cardiovascular research due to similarities in anatomy and physiology with the human cardiovascular system. In this review, we evaluate the advantages and limitations of using minipigs in nonclinical safety assessment for predicting human cardiovascular effects. We summarize current knowledge of porcine cardiovascular anatomy, electrophysiology, hemodynamics, and pharmacokinetics, and discuss how these parameters influence the translational relevance of the minipig model.
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Winters et al. (2026) conducted a review in Cardiovascular safety pharmacology and toxicology in drug development. Minipig model for cardiovascular safety assessment vs. Dogs and non-human primates was evaluated on Translational relevance for predicting human cardiovascular effects. Minipigs serve as a highly relevant non-rodent model for predicting human cardiovascular effects due to anatomical and physiological similarities, despite historical barriers to adoption.
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