In this IBTV x Drug Discovery News Pipeline Pulse episode, Nina Bauer, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Commercial at Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics, explores how induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based models are reshaping drug discovery and accelerating the shift toward more human-relevant preclinical research.
Nina explains why iPSC-derived cells are increasingly being adopted as alternatives to traditional animal models, highlighting their ability to better replicate human biology while improving the speed, scalability and cost-effectiveness of early-stage drug development. She discusses the growing role of new approach methodologies (NAMs), including organoids, organs-on-a-chip and AI-driven approaches, and examines how evolving regulatory guidance is supporting their wider adoption.
The conversation also explores how standardized iPSC-based assays are enabling higher-throughput screening, more efficient candidate selection and deeper insights into disease biology. Nina discusses both the opportunities and current limitations of these models, explaining why they are becoming an increasingly valuable component of an integrated drug development strategy rather than a complete replacement for in vivo research.
Looking ahead, Nina shares how decades of experience manufacturing iPSC-derived cells for research are informing the development of next-generation cell therapies. She also discusses emerging innovations, from tissue-targeted gene delivery and blood-brain barrier models to scalable allogeneic manufacturing, and explains why iPSCs are expected to play an increasingly important role across advanced therapies.
