The 8HUM Model

PhaSER is transforming the landscape of drug discovery through the introduction of the 8HUM Mouse Model, a groundbreaking advancement in creating a more human-like model for drug development.

In response to the limitations posed by traditional animal models in studying drug efficacy and pharmacokinetics, we have developed a mouse model that addresses these challenges and closely replicates human drug metabolism.

Our unique technology

Drug metabolism is driven by liver enzymes (P450s), but profound species differences make it difficult to translate animal data to human outcomes. Negative interactions with P450s are also a leading cause of adverse drug reactions and drug-drug interactions in patients—posing a major challenge in drug development.

After 20+ years of research and £17M in investment, we’ve created 8HUM, one of the most complex humanised transgenic mouse models ever made. The 8HUM mouse is engineered with the P450 enzymes responsible for over 90% of human drug metabolism, along with the key transcription factors that control their activity.

8HUM significantly accelerates drug discovery with a model that bridges the gap between pre-clinical testing and human trials

Genetic modifications in the 8HUM model

We have substituted 33 murine cytochrome P450s from the major gene families involved in drug disposition in man, together with the transcription factors Car and Pxr, for six human P450 genes and human PXR and CAR. The result is a mouse model which covers  90% of P450-mediated metabolism in man. Henderson et al Drug Metab Dispos (2019)

Transforming the Drug Discovery Paradigm with a Mouse Model Humanised for Drug Metabolism

Our model can accelerate the drug development process by:

  • Progressing compounds in drug discovery programmes which otherwise would have been seriously compromised. Since mice metabolize drugs much faster than humans, it can be a major challenge to obtain drug exposures for drug efficacy studies. Drug pharmacokinetics (PK) and metabolite profiles obtained in 8HUM are in much better alignment with clinical observations than wild type mice.

  • Accelerating the drug development process circumvents the need to optimise compounds for mouse-specific metabolism issues. MacLeod et al 2024 PNAS

  • Defining pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics relationships for single agents and drug combinations.

  • Predicting drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in vivo, both for loss of drug efficacy and toxicity. In the longer term development of accurate computational predictions of DDIs. George et al 2025 JPET

  • Optimising the design of clinical trials by the more informed choice of  drug doses and dosing  regimens for combination therapies, while at the same time minimising the risk of drug-drug interactions. 

8HUM saves time, resources and money

Using an in vivo model with human metabolism will circumvent mouse metabolism issues and give more accurate predictions of human drug responses.

This will save time, resources and money and accelerate the delivery of new drugs into the market. 

The 8HUM could replace conventional mice in drug development and reduce animal usage.

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8HUM Data Sheet

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