Clino Corporation collaborates with laboratory animal manufacturers to support non-clinical testing and evaluations using laboratory mini-pigs. This page will walk you through some of the key features of Clino Corporation’s non-clinical study capability, examples of disease models, and related case studies. It serves as a useful guide for selecting a CRO for non-clinical studies.
Clino Corporation specializes in non-clinical studies using large animals that enable testing under conditions similar to humans. In pharmaceutical and medical device development, large-animal testing plays an essential role in evaluating human-like reactions and device performance, which cannot be replicated in small animals such as rats or mice. While large-animal testing typically requires dedicated facilities, expert knowledge, and significantly higher cost, Clino Corporation overcomes these challenges through its nationwide coordination network, comprehensive animal management, and the supply of Micro Minipigs®. These capabilities ensure high-quality and reliable non-clinical studies.
Leveraging its extensive domestic network, Clino Corporation provides comprehensive support in both study coordination and animal welfare before, during, and after the testing. This comprehensive one-stop service structure enables efficient and high-quality study execution while minimizing administrative tasks.
Clino Corporation supplies the Micro Minipig®, one of the world’s smallest breeds of laboratory pigs developed in Japan. By utilizing this unique resource, the company offers non-clinical studies that closely mimic human physiology, earning strong recognition in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors.
Fuji Micra has independently developed ultra-small experimental pigs that weigh under 10 kg and measure less than 80 cm in length at six months of age—small enough to be housed in standard dog cages. Other disease models including atherosclerosis and chronic renal failure Micro Minipigs are available.
No case studies are currently listed on the official website.
Clino originated as part of the research team within the Tohoku University Advanced Biomedical Engineering Research Organization, established in 2003 under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) “Super COE” program (completed in 2008).
| Address | Collaboration Building, Aobayama Office, Research Center for Accelerator and Radioisotope Science (RARiS), Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aramaki Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan |
|---|---|
| Tel | 050-3716-5633 |
| Website | https://www.clino.org/ |
In non-clinical development, the choice of contract research organization shapes the quality of the data and the time it takes to reach the next decision. Below, three CROs are introduced by the type of study they support: pharmacology (efficacy) studies, safety studies, and pharmacokinetic (PK/PD) studies. Each summary describes the services the company offers so that you can match a provider to your target and development objective.
SMC Laboratories is a specialized non-clinical CRO focused on in vivo pharmacology and efficacy studies using disease-relevant animal models, particularly in fibrosis, inflammation, metabolic diseases, and oncology.
SMC Laboratories offers models covering the liver, lung, kidney, intestine, and oncology. Its portfolio includes the proprietary STAM™ model for MASH, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Study plans are developed around the target biology, mechanism of action, disease stage, and development objective. Pharmacological endpoints can be combined with histopathology, biomarkers, and disease-specific readouts.
With experience from more than 1,000 studies for clients in 30 countries, SMC Laboratories supports programs from target validation and candidate selection through in vivo proof-of-concept studies.
Charles River provides non-clinical toxicology and safety assessment services for programs ranging from exploratory safety studies to IND-enabling development.
Services include single- and repeat-dose toxicology, dose-range finding, and general toxicology studies across multiple species and administration routes.
Charles River supports both non-GLP and GLP studies, allowing sponsors to progress from early safety characterization to studies intended for regulatory submissions.
Toxicology studies can be integrated with toxicokinetics, clinical pathology, histopathology, and safety pharmacology to support interpretation and IND-enabling safety packages.
Inotiv provides integrated PK/PD, DMPK, and bioanalytical services to characterize drug exposure and its relationship with pharmacological response.
PK studies characterize exposure, half-life, clearance, and other pharmacokinetic parameters needed to understand how a candidate behaves in the selected model.
Pharmacokinetic data can be combined with pharmacodynamic endpoints and bioanalysis to evaluate the relationship between drug exposure and pharmacological response.
Integrated DMPK, pharmacology, and safety information supports candidate comparison, dose selection, dosing-frequency optimization, and decisions about subsequent preclinical development.